best way to record in game movies?

~kev~ · 09-03-2008, 03:32 AM

What is the best way to record movies while playing? I know how to record a demo, but I need the movie in mpg or mpeg format so I can edit it.

Gwarsbane · 09-03-2008, 06:38 AM

I suggest using FRAPS. you can start and stop it as you go and each time it will create a single avi file.

It is 30 bucks but its well worth it.

you will however need a huge amount of hard drive space as the avis are uncompressed. We're talking minimum of 30 to 50 gigs free if you are doing more then a couple of minutes of video at a time. I have a 22second video at 1024x768 and the file is 323megs in size. Basically count on at least 14 to 20 megs of space per second of uncompressed video.

And I think most video editors will be able to edit the avis.

KubeDawg · 09-03-2008, 05:37 PM

Wait, fraps non free version is actually decent?

Demasu · 09-03-2008, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwarsbane

I suggest using FRAPS. you can start and stop it as you go and each time it will create a single avi file.

It is 30 bucks but its well worth it.

you will however need a huge amount of hard drive space as the avis are uncompressed. We're talking minimum of 30 to 50 gigs free if you are doing more then a couple of minutes of video at a time. I have a 22second video at 1024x768 and the file is 323megs in size. Basically count on at least 14 to 20 megs of space per second of uncompressed video.

And I think most video editors will be able to edit the avis.

Last I used it it ran me about 1gb a minute. I ran out of space fast. So it'd be wonderful to have an external drive or some way of backing up what you've recorded so you don't have to delete something for another recording and potentially lose something important.

~kev~ · 09-03-2008, 09:06 PM

A gig a minute? That is pretty steep.

But once I have the video recorded, I have a program to compress it. I have a watermarking program that can convert videos to different formats. So I could take that uncompressed AVI file, convert it to wmv or mpg and reduce the size by around 75%. Even though fraps might record at 1024x768, that program can reduce the size to whatever I want. I can take that 1 gig avi at 1024x768, reduce it to 640X480 and convert it to wmv and that should get it down pretty small.

Then delete the orginal AVI file.

SmellyCat · 09-03-2008, 09:24 PM

You can set fraps to record at 1/2 size.

Also, I've not used the free version of fraps, maybe that explains why I was confused as to why people keep saying the quality is - that - bad.

Wont beat startmovie, though. But it's a hella lot easier.

A Boojum Snark · 09-04-2008, 03:23 AM

If it's going to be eating space up from no compression anyway, I'd forgo a third party program and just use what is built in. Generates a series of targas and a wav, which you can then string together and compress in anything you have around, or something like VirtualDub (I prefer VirtualDubMod), which is also free.

CaLeB- · 09-07-2008, 05:05 AM

Try Source Recorder. Free, best quality, and is actually built in Source games.

09-03-2008, 03:32 AM	#1
~kev~ pmagnvs Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: East Texas Class/Position: Engineer - D Gametype: Free for all CTF - no stupid clan rules Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	best way to record in game movies? What is the best way to record movies while playing? I know how to record a demo, but I need the movie in mpg or mpeg format so I can edit it.

09-03-2008, 05:37 PM	#3
KubeDawg Nade Whore Server Owner Beta Tester Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Oklahoma Class/Position: Scout/Soldier Gametype: CTF/TDM Affiliations: blunt. Moto Posts Rated Helpful 128 Times	Wait, fraps non free version is actually decent? __________________ Moto's Funhouse \| Dallas, TX - 74.91.114.247:27015 ff_plunder - Complete

09-03-2008, 09:06 PM	#5
~kev~ pmagnvs Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: East Texas Class/Position: Engineer - D Gametype: Free for all CTF - no stupid clan rules Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	A gig a minute? That is pretty steep. But once I have the video recorded, I have a program to compress it. I have a watermarking program that can convert videos to different formats. So I could take that uncompressed AVI file, convert it to wmv or mpg and reduce the size by around 75%. Even though fraps might record at 1024x768, that program can reduce the size to whatever I want. I can take that 1 gig avi at 1024x768, reduce it to 640X480 and convert it to wmv and that should get it down pretty small. Then delete the orginal AVI file. Last edited by ~kev~; 09-03-2008 at 09:12 PM.

09-07-2008, 05:05 AM	#8
CaLeB- Whitest Kid You Know Beta Tester Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts Rated Helpful 6 Times	Try Source Recorder. Free, best quality, and is actually built in Source games. __________________ Oh, man... More armor for the win, yeah?

09-03-2008, 06:38 AM	#2
Gwarsbane Slayer of humans D&A Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mostly on earth though in some alt dimensions Class/Position: I'm an Offensive Defensive person Gametype: Fortress Forever Affiliations: I'm a merc, only thing that talks is money Posts Rated Helpful 3 Times	I suggest using FRAPS. you can start and stop it as you go and each time it will create a single avi file. It is 30 bucks but its well worth it. you will however need a huge amount of hard drive space as the avis are uncompressed. We're talking minimum of 30 to 50 gigs free if you are doing more then a couple of minutes of video at a time. I have a 22second video at 1024x768 and the file is 323megs in size. Basically count on at least 14 to 20 megs of space per second of uncompressed video. And I think most video editors will be able to edit the avis.

09-03-2008, 09:24 PM	#6
SmellyCat Darknight Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: England Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	You can set fraps to record at 1/2 size. Also, I've not used the free version of fraps, maybe that explains why I was confused as to why people keep saying the quality is - that - bad. Wont beat startmovie, though. But it's a hella lot easier.

09-04-2008, 03:23 AM	#7
A Boojum Snark Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts Rated Helpful 4 Times	If it's going to be eating space up from no compression anyway, I'd forgo a third party program and just use what is built in. Generates a series of targas and a wav, which you can then string together and compress in anything you have around, or something like VirtualDub (I prefer VirtualDubMod), which is also free.

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