Using FRAPS 2 and Moviemaker

MA_Zak33 · Post by **MA_Zak33** » 15 Dec 2004 16:23

Well, this game is GAGGING for film-age

FRAPS 2 can be had as a free download, that cuts every 30 seconds and leaves a little logo in the corner...but frankly it's worth buying. and then you get unlimited recording and no logo.
http://www.fraps.com/

It IS HARDWARE DEPENDANT in a huge huge way. It massacres your frame rate. I have found it best to record at half screen size, with NO SOUND and at 25 fps.

Record your favourite moments in the game by setting up a button for Quick Record (ie a single button push) and then watch it over and over to determine what you want. The tracks are recorded in numerical order as Quick Tracks. Easy to find.

Then, in game, change the toggle switches for Time Compression and View Points so that you have control. F3 is fly by. F2 is external (use mouse to swirl around and zoom in and out) F8 is chase cam (still goes up and down)

Remember that your GUNSIGHT ANGLE OF VIEW DOES COUNT on playing tracks back....so if ya wanna get CLOSE, use the same button as you do in game.

Then practice what you want...and eventually use FRAPS to record it as an AVI. Practice smooth mouse scrolling and zooming.

NEVER USE FRAPS FOR A LONG TIME.....dont leave it running...if the AVI gets too big Windows registry has a nightmare deleting it. It will stay forever, until your next format/install

Maximum should be about 3 minute shots.

Name your tracks clearly, so you REMEMBER what they are.

Yak zoom 1
Yak zoom 2
109 roll 1
FW dive and barrel clockwise etc etc
You need to remember them in your head.

Next...Moviemaker.

Rules for Moviemaker: Keep hitting SAVE PROJECT....a lot!!! It is unstable

Next, if you have huge AVI files, it is best to make THOSE into high quality WMV (Windows) files and then dump the original, use the new WMV. Frankly your system is gonna be stressed to death handling all these clips anyway...the more user friendly and compatible they are, the better.

When recording in FRAPS remember to turn OFF the screen messages in the Play Track options unless you want them showing.

The quality of the track being played is NOT such a critical factor as the size of the AVI's being made. So you might be better running the entire thing in 1024x768 or even 800x600 and then using FRAPS to record at half of that, so that the EIDE or SATA or if you're lucky SCSI system isnt overloading the Hard drives. AVI's are mammoth

Music: Windows Movie Maker does NOT use Mp3's. It needs WMA files (Windows again) so use Media Player to make them from your CD. If you only have them as Mp3's uncompress them to WAV's and then recompress to WMA.

Start with a SMALL project.....really small. Decide to make a 15-30 second "commercial" length film, with only one plane as your subject. This is gonna take you ALL DAY to get it right. In the Timeline on Windows Movie Maker, you can magnify/zoom in on the time line to position your merges of film or picture to the exact moment of the music and replay it over and over, BUT you MUST get it right at the beginning first.

If you cock it up and need ot change something at the beginning you have zero chance of retiming it ALL later in the film.

It MUST be planned...structured. And just making the AVI's is a long job. Be harsh. Be critical with your own stuff. Edit it...dump it...re film it... get it right. Be proud of it from day one.

Then begin. You import the films and music and just drop them where you want...then zoon in on them, and shorten either end. You can drag and drop the special effects too. You can right click on your films in the time line and change details such as muting sound.

and remember...keep hitting Save on your project. It WILL crash and lose it all at one point.

MA_Zak33 · Post by **MA_Zak33** » 15 Dec 2004 16:39

another consideration is the ground crews in this game. And the ships. Study the options for external views on ground targets and you'll see what I mean. You can assign view points from all sorts of places. Even invisible camera can be postioned on home made maps. Which MEANS you can be a director.
In fact, to take it to the 'nth degree, you might wanna MAKE film about the land crews, the soldiers running from their cars as an Il-2 drops its AJ2 cassettes on them, or similar for the shipping lanes.

And while it might be a bit naughty to suggest using non-il2 software, a few Medal Of Honour (and similar) clips of explosions in same locations as the Il-2 bombing runs might well make for exciting filming.

The point is, the sky is the limit (dying to use that all day;)) and a well executed barrel roll, or a swoop down under a heavy bomber in your Spit, with a roll up under her unprotected belly, and to unleash hell on the poor mudmover's fueselage DOES make good viewing IF filmed properly, with dynamic movement and camera control .

A sense of speed is needed, and at other times...you need tranquility.

A clear blue sky, the rolling sea 3 miles below and a pair of Hurricane out on patrol....and then.....WHOOSH, the innocence of these noob pilots is shattered as a sole 109 Veteran decends from nowhere and then, just as quickly, climbs into the sun....

thats your job. MAKE it feel terrifying

Post by **MA_Hat** » 21 Dec 2004 15:40

I used FRAPS2000 and adobe premiere for my attempts.... will try and give a run down of what I read and learnt from doing so .. soon...

MA_Thorn · Post by **MA_Thorn** » 21 Dec 2004 15:54

Sony Vegas is good for making movies too, tis what I use.

Not as advanced as Premiere, but is more user friendly. (95% of everything is done by drag and drop)

Post by **MA_Hat** » 21 Dec 2004 15:56

ooh... will check

MA_Zak33 · Post by **MA_Zak33** » 30 Dec 2004 16:29

I have Vegas but cant suss it at all.....

MA_Moby · Post by **MA_Moby** » 27 Jan 2005 19:29

Zak,

I'm having a go at this while I wait for a new stick

I'm using FRAPS 99 and Movuie Maker (for ME)

so how to I minimise the hit on the framerate?

I've made a quick trial movie - but it's all a bit too fast (which I think is because of bad frame rates when it records).

Also what exactly do you mean by

*record at half screen size, with NO SOUND and at 25 fps*

half screen size? is this in game or a FRAPS setting?

NO SOUND - in game?

25 fps (presumably the FRAPS setting?)

cheers!

MA_Zak33 · Post by **MA_Zak33** » 28 Jan 2005 13:04

In fraps you get to coose what ratio of the game res you record at. 20 I PLAY for flms at 800x600 and record (in settings in FRAPS) at half that (400x300) cos I know what it looks like when compressed to film standards...ie it looksok.

Yes sound OFF in FRAPS settings too.

The frame rate hit is MAMMOTH. Its recording umpteen tons of frames to your HDD direct. Its a huge system hog. I have a ful SCSI sub system Ultra160 and it crucifies it

so I dunno what EIDE is gonna be like.

and one otherthing....dont EVER be tempted to leave it recording for a long long time. I recorded a track of me and TiG playing Ravenshield, for 23 mniutes, and I cant delete it. Windows XP had a nightmare and its STILL on my PC. Whenever I try to delete it XP locks up solid for 5mniutes and then tells me the files being used.

Its 9 months old! and wont play. or delete. Itsstuck in the registry

MA_Moby · Post by **MA_Moby** » 28 Jan 2005 16:24

ahhh - this explains my problems

you're using Fraps 2

I'm on Fraps 1.9 (for ME)

It doesn't have half the stuff you're mentioning in its settings

That XP upgrade is really yelling at me to get off my backside now! It would solve my RAM/cache problem (ME can't cope with more the 512 RAM, so you have to limit the cache - which basically means I've a bunch of useless RAM), allow me to make some kewl IL2 films, and basically be a hell of a lot more reliable!

But it's a pain in the bum to upgrade!

MA_Zak33 · Post by **MA_Zak33** » 28 Jan 2005 18:27

ME (like 98SE) will deal with up to 768mb, but it makes it no faster.

Plus the swap file is cack because its a FAT32 job, and NTFS is far superior.