Rune Central

Making an AVI Quake Movie 101.1



View a Video I Made Using Instructions Below- 5.3 MB

Required:

1) You must use JoeQuakeGL --- keyword = GL.

Make sure you have the latest one, download it at: http://delfin.unideb.hu/~sj0002/downloads.html

2) You must have a good DivX codec (you can get a great one here http://www.divxmovies.com/codec/ )

The DivX codec that was installed on my desktop computer from a digital camera would not allow me to record. I downloaded and installed the one from the above link and I was ready to go!

3) You must have your demo in quake\id1 (such as mygame.dem). So look in c:\quake\id1 or "c:\program files\quake\id1" to see if your demo is where it needs to be.

Some Quake installs go to c:\quake, but the newer CD's it will install to "c:program files\quake". Whichever applies, make sure your demo is in the quake\id1 folder.

If you need a demo, for now, one place to get one is ftp://runequake.com/quake/demos/ in IEEE's demo library.

There are also numerous ones like at http://www.planetquake.com/sda/ including some record setting Speedrunner demos. These are in the .dz format, which is a compressed .dem file natively supported by JoeQuake.

4) Start JoeQuakeGL, using the -window parameter. Suggested command lines.



5) You are now at the console in JoeQuake. Adjust your Gamma/Contrast and particle effects



Now go to the console by pressing Escape until you are there.

6) Execute these commands ...



7) If all went well, your completed Quake movie resides in c:\quake\capture or "c:\program files\quake\capture" as an AVI movie.

Congratulations, you have completed your first Quake movie using JoeQuake!!!!

hfr 15??? LOL )
I recommend capturing with 30fps:
you ONLY need to change capture_fps cvar. Use 30.0 that works well. DO NOT change hfr, since It'll be changed by capture_fps!!! at 30fps the hfr will be 0.033333333333 (1/30). This is needed for the engine to generate the audio! Do not change the hfr during capturing since it fucks up the audio. Yeah, unfortunately this means slowmo/ffwd isn't supported when capturing at least the audio capturing will be fucked up :-/

I recommend using gl_gamma 0.6 or 0.7 and gl_contrast 1.7 when capturing. That looks bright enough in my opinion.

Ohh, I'd like to share my personal opinions about video codecs:
I believe the DIVX codec is _good_, but not with its own encoder. I used XVID encoder combined with DIVX 5.0.5 codec when I recorded sda_promo. XVID's motion precision is ALOT better than DivX's. For example, on intermissions or other similar fixed camera positions the video frames look really-really sharp, like a JPEG image, becoz of the low motion.

Joe, I downloaded an Xvid codec from this location:

http://www.xvidmovies.com/codec/

It doesn't seem to have the encoder or something is missing. Kept getting "problem capturing frame" running down my screen in JoeQuake as it was playing the demo.

Is there a download location that you recommend to get everything you need for Xvid?

_________________
quake.shmack.net:26000 = RQ, 26001 = Rocket Arena, 26002 = Vote-Anything
quake.ihoc.net, Rockets/jet/7 runes
quake.singed.net, RQ on E1M7
http://www.GameStatus.Net stats, http://www.GameAholic.Net Q1 servers

Err.. I cant tell you dload location soz a friend of mine gave me and dunno where he got from.
But It's a version called "Koepi's Build", you should be able to find it somewhere on the net if you try to search.
You did set capture_codec to XVID, right?

Yes, I just couldn't encode.

_________________
quake.shmack.net:26000 = RQ, 26001 = Rocket Arena, 26002 = Vote-Anything
quake.ihoc.net, Rockets/jet/7 runes
quake.singed.net, RQ on E1M7
http://www.GameStatus.Net stats, http://www.GameAholic.Net Q1 servers

that's weird. It should work :/
Try that one I mentioned. Also about setting up your encoder: I'm using VirtualDub to setup my codec b4 start capturing. It gives you pleasant way of accessing/setting up your codec configuration.

an important note: DO NOT use -window when capturing, since gamma won't be applied in windowed mode.

Joe, I'll try some other xvid codecs and when I find I good one, I'll post a link here like a did with the great DivX codec I located.

I'll make a note of the -window & gamma note.

_________________
quake.shmack.net:26000 = RQ, 26001 = Rocket Arena, 26002 = Vote-Anything
quake.ihoc.net, Rockets/jet/7 runes
quake.singed.net, RQ on E1M7
http://www.GameStatus.Net stats, http://www.GameAholic.Net Q1 servers

Baker's Instruction revision 2 notes to do:

1) Locate a good xvid codec, test it and post a link
2) Scratch the -window, test it and update instructions
3) Change FPS/framerate in instructions from 15 to 30
4) Play with cvars

_________________
quake.shmack.net:26000 = RQ, 26001 = Rocket Arena, 26002 = Vote-Anything
quake.ihoc.net, Rockets/jet/7 runes
quake.singed.net, RQ on E1M7
http://www.GameStatus.Net stats, http://www.GameAholic.Net Q1 servers

Baker's notes: Xvid Codec to test/add to instructions if all goes well

http://www.roeder.goe.net/~koepi/xvid.shtml

_________________
quake.shmack.net:26000 = RQ, 26001 = Rocket Arena, 26002 = Vote-Anything
quake.ihoc.net, Rockets/jet/7 runes
quake.singed.net, RQ on E1M7
http://www.GameStatus.Net stats, http://www.GameAholic.Net Q1 servers

Joe, that codec worked perfectly for me and was easy to install. The final AVI was crisper and only about 10% larger.

-------------------------------
Revised instructions:

Get Xvid codec at http://www.roeder.goe.net/~koepi/xvid.shtml

and you have the option of recording using the Xvid codec

_________________
quake.shmack.net:26000 = RQ, 26001 = Rocket Arena, 26002 = Vote-Anything
quake.ihoc.net, Rockets/jet/7 runes
quake.singed.net, RQ on E1M7
http://www.GameStatus.Net stats, http://www.GameAholic.Net Q1 servers

Great!

But still, I dont understand why you set hfr to 30
That command has not much point, as hfr will be automatically changed to 1/capture_fps at the beginning of the captruing sequence.