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Making my own STO video... any adivce?

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
edited February 2012 in Ten Forward
To those who have recorded their own videos for gameplay or fan-made purposes, what would be your advice on how to make it the best video you can make?

I'm looking for tips like how to better control camera angles in the game, that sort of thing.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    also, how the heck do I turn off the stupid alerts that keeps on saying somebody or somesuch won a galor ship??
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Check out this thread.

    When using demo record none of the UI elements are visible; so no Galor messages.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    thanks! nice to know :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Hmm, not the sort of thing I'm used to. I mostly use Camstudio to record most of my stuff, so it'll be a very different thing than what I'm used to. should be intersting to see how it goes.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    I do all gameplay videos using Fraps and I want the UI to be present. Why?

    Because I train newer players in combat tactics and lead paramilitary RP events. The UI is there for diagnostic purposes and also to evaluate everyone's gaming performance, for future reference.

    I also find it more 'intense' - the over-scaled ships and condensed 10km range to target makes sense with the UI because it looks like an enhanced-reality battle management system.

    So I don't see anything wrong with videos with UIs in them like this recent example.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    you certainly have a very good point there. :) however I'm making a machimina video with my character acting out various things, etc. I wanted to make it seem like a 3d version of a star trek episode, but the UI would have ruined that effect that I was looking for. so that's why I asked about things like that. :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Hi Moon,

    In that case I look forward to seeing your creations :3
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    http://youtu.be/HbA-DRme-LY made it! tell me what you think :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    This is brilliant!

    Your editing and plot is very nicely done and the Japanese music does make it feel very serene and epic at the same time..

    One piece of advice is that you notice the recorded framerate is very low? This is quite normal and here is the method to reduce the stuttering between each frame without having to buy a new computer:

    1. Record longer clips than usual
    2. Speed up each clip to 1.3 to 1.6x speed
    3. Publish the video at a higher than normal framerate for added smoothness - this will increase your filesize but the quality and playback smoothness is greatly enhanced.
    4. For moving action scenes like ground combat, turn down the graphical details. Smooth motion is more relevant for such scenes - no one needs to count how many pixel shaded blades of grass there are on screen, they will just slow down your recording.
    5. Try to 'dogfight' the enemy as Picard does, instead of sitting still and taking enemy fire. I usually just do the TNG style 'sweeping through phaser arcs' maneuver.

    ps. I also like the Goth makeup on all your officers and the captain, who looks like a vampiress :3
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Yeah I did notice that. I thought it was odd as seeing the normal framerate settings on my recorder for most of my games came out fine. I'd have to fiddle around in Camstudio's record settings to get it to come out smoother.

    Thanks for the tips :)

    ps. not all of my officers have the makeup on. it's just only my captain and my liberated borg officer, Taylor Two-of-Five. I didn't want my Borg officer to look like a typical borg or look like a Seven of Nine rip off, so I wound up making her look like a tall eeire goth girl :P
    T'ania might look like a vampress, but not a very convcing one as seeing she's shorter than most of her officers. LOL! come to think of it, their style might had been influnced by the fact that I'm something of a Geek Goth. :p
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Hehehe... How did I get the feeling you liked such fashion :)

    The officers and captain are really lovely. Oh don't worry about her height, I'm sure anyone who tries to pick on her smaller stature will pay most dearly ;3
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Bump, am surprised not many people are interested; STO gameplay is quite memorable.

    Here's my video log of sorts of the new Jem'Hadar mission. And yes I wanted the UI displayed :P

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg6S2i3slNY
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    that ep looks nice, although I have to yet to play it. :) nice recording work.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Thanks :3

    I'd like to work on something like yours with bridge scenes that definitely scream "Star Trek TV episode", but my greater priority was to record the combat maneuvers (especially for the ships) for our future reference.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    If you ever do something like that, then I recommed using a video editor like Sony Vegas, which I use for speical effects and sublities.

    I visited my own bridge and then recorded myself sitting in the chair and the like. then on Vegas I used the Earthquake effect on it to simluate the bridge shaking. I also put in a red tint thing for the red alert. :)

    looking for a better recorder than Camistudo now because lately it's been acting up on me and refusing to record scenes properly. I actually tried recording the same scenes you did when I did the new eps online.... but the footage was lost! really made me a sad panda :( been trying out the Demo thing but still not used to it. it just feels too werid to me, you know what I mean? and I really hate the fact that I basically have to type in commands for it to start and stop... what if I have a brain TRIBBLE and forget the commands entirely? I wish they would add in a record button in there somewhere like they do in other MMOs that allows for recording.

    what do you use for recording again?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    This is fraps (the payware version) which can capture high framerate so long as:-

    1. you have a multi-core CPU (I think everyone does now)
    2. you save the video stream to a separate hard drive (which I found is quite important if you want to play and record at the same time without drastic loss of speed).

    I don't have the $$ to get Sony Vegas or Premiere so I am sticking to WIndows movie maker. It's good enough for basic snipping and videos can be churned out fast, that's why I like it.

    I have tried out demo mode and I think it's worth learning because it's only two commands you need to type. You can even edit the keybind file to map it start and stop recording commands to a set of keys if you like.

    The important thing about demos is that they get rid of the UI easily and there is an option (F2 key) to unlock the camera angle. That means nifty slow flyby shots like Star Wars Ep. 4 are possible.

    ps.

    Recording myself in my chair is what I do in my office when I have nothing to do. Lol.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Not really a fan of the current windows movie player. I used to use it a lot when it allowed for mods and plugins made by fans, but now that it's upgraded it doesn't even allow those plugins anymore.

    A shame though, those movie maker guys had some really useful plugins that added flexiable effects and such. If the upgraded version had allowed for those plugins or mods, then I might had never brought sony vegas while it was on sale. But then again, Sony vegas tends to be much higher in quality with their videos and has more flexibility than window movie maker. for one thing it's like photoshop in that it allows for layers. so you can layer movies over each other to make new effects. so maybe it was a good thing. :P

    I also wanted to ask you something. have you ever used the foundry? because I heard that some people used it to create their own custom scenes and I wondered how useful it might be. But I have to save up to 10k diliuthum to buy a foundry slot. so I have to wonder if it would be worth it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    No I have not used the Foundry, firstly because it is restricted-access (do we need to be a Gold subscriber or something? or just 10k Dil?) and I don't really have the time or coding expertise to make a commercial grade published mission.

    I might however contribute technical or idea-generating expertise in a team if say, you, would go in and go where no AuroraMoon has gone before :3
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    it didn't say anything about being a gold member when I tried to access it, just told me that I needed 10k dil to make a foundry slot. at any rate I wouldn't mind trying it out if save up enough Dil to see if I can use it to act out scenes that I wanted for my videos, if that's possible. from what I hear it's almost simlar to poser pro, only more complex. :P

    Right now I have like 2k Dil. I'm currently having my crewmen do shitloads of missions to get at those dil, and also doing the exploration thing snice it also earns you Dilitium.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Is there any way to transfer dil between characters? If there is I can give you a donation to the AuroraMoon Foundry fund to get you started pronto.

    Don't worry I have plenty of dil in supply because I can't buy anything with the 'small change' leftover after c-store purchases.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    I don't know... it's worth a shot, I guess? just message me in game @AuroraMoon.

    you can trade when meeting together somewhere I believe.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    I'll be home in about 1-2 hours time depending on if I drive or go public transport.

    Look for Tiberius@carmenara or Tsarina Katarina@carmenara depending if I'm good or evil respectively :3
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    I'll be proably be asleep by then. I added you to friends list so that we could try later on when both of us are actually on. :P
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Was nice meeting you! I'm on leave tomorrow so I can catch you in a more appropriate time :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Thank you so much for your ongoing discussions regarding the demo record/playback feature. I finally experimented with it last night and came up with this during last night's RP session.

    It was simply a test of a pulse phaser Miranda class refit, but as I realised that I was fighting with a team of very new players who experimented with various strategies and tactics in the heat of battle together with myself, the video took a whole different turn than just pew pew pew

    Video link:
    http://youtu.be/wPdwGp8wSRU
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    indeed. That demorecord feature seems to be pretty handy, espeically when you're doing a long session and don't have time to worry about whenever the capture software is going to freak out on you for making the recording session too long :P
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Very nice vids...keep at it.

    Thought I'd share my vid with you guys/girls as well, might have something interesting for you there..who knows.:)


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il_wheKiUak
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Sweet camera angles! how did you do that?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Here is a work in progress from me. This is just a quality test, sorry about the player bar, some of the footage looks pretty good though and I figured some of you might have wanted to see the full demo uncut so to speak, before I start slicing it up and using it to make an episode I'm working on. The second half of it has some nice weapons shots I hope you'll agree. :)

    Enjoy.

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rAUuy-3B-M
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2012
    Assault Science Vessel Refit (TF Vigilant RP plot)

    http://youtu.be/HA2IYCepnQo

    Ironic that the TOS Olympic class is actually a hospital ship!
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