Blogs/U-Tube Movies

[steamboateng]

To date, I have posted 11 blogs related to route building. I have noted that the blogs get 130 to 200 hits per entry. I can't say that many are actually reading the things, but I did notice that only a small percentage actually go to the Photibucket pages I link for screenshots (if I can believe their numbers).Now Photobucket and similar offerings are fine, but am not satisfied in their ability to accurately capture the detail(s) I'm trying to present.It seems to me that U-Tube type movies would be a better medium to present Trainz route building techniques and solutions.
I am very excited about the progress of the NE Mass Route and even more excited about the ability of TS12 to offer up a realistic environment. I feel that U-Tube type movies, viewed at full screen, with hi-def detail, can more adequately capture that dynamic realisism that prompted my excitement.
In other words, I think a 3 minute video can say a lot more that a shoebox full of screenies.
Here's what I want from the videos:
Hi-def detail
Ability to overlay static graghics and commentary
Ability to overlay voice and music audio recordings
Now, I'm a a babe in the woods about this stuff. What programs are available to produce videos meeting my simple requirements? What's free? What isn't? Are my requirements realistic with a minimal investment (Actually I have a budget of $oo.oo USD set aside)?
I have Mr. Google at my fingertips, I know....................but unfortunately I'm so ignorant in this subject, I need a bit of guidance to light my way.

 

[Engioc]

Hi mate, as someone who creates a lot of videos based on my gaming the programs I use are FRAPS, its a free screen capture program that you can use to record any in game action, so surveyor, driving, or anything else. It records completely uncompressed video so it can fill up space real quick so hope you have a nice size HDD? FRAPS records in 4GB sized file segments, so it records till it hits 4GB then creates another file and keeps going, no pause is noticed while it does this. You can also control stuff like how many FPS it captures, obviously more frames equals better quality but you'll end up with more of these 4GB files.

Once your done recording I use a program call VirtualDub, again its completely free to download. This is a very simple video editing program that allows you to join these 4GB video segments together and chop out any bits you dont want. Example in many of my gaming videos I start recording before I load my saved game or before starting a new game so I always need to cut off the start of the video with the menus and loading screens. Now VirtualDub cant compress the video by itself, you need a video compressor to do that, there are a few built in ones but most of those still end up with pretty big files so they can take ages to upload to youtube. The one I use is DivX and I used a paid version. You can get DivX for free but it has many limitations on size and quality of video, but I found the price of the Pro version was quite reasonable. DivX is a video encoder/decoder than plugs in to most video editing programs, once installed you access within VirtualDub and can setup settings for quality of the final video. Again the better quality you want you'll end up with larger files, but an example of how good the compression is I've done videos going well over an hour with 100s of GB and compressed that down to less than 1GB.

If you want check out my youtube channel to see the results I've had so far, and I'm only really just starting out myself. If you need any more help just let me know.

My only real problem is that when it comes to creating content for trainz I'm totally lost. I can use surveyor no problems, but getting the right content for the route I'd like to make is impossible.

 

[shaneturner12]

FRAPS is only good if you have the paid-for version as the free version limits you to 30 seconds.

Shane

 

[Engioc]

yeah your right, sorry I forgot I paid for that too, just checked it. Cost is $40 USD. VirtualDub is completely free. DivX Pro is $20 USD.

 

[steamboateng]

Sorry for the delay in response to your posts, gents. I was off playing with other programs (I'm guity!) and planning for a prolonged summer vacation, now that the Cheif Mate is outa school and interfereing with 'Trainz Time"!
Thanks for the replies and I'm investigating available solutions. It seems that no matter what, I'm gonna have to pay for a program to do even the simplest of my requirements.
Regards to all

 

[Deano5]

I may be a little ignorant on this subject but doesn't windows come with this built in? I know my other pc (XP Pro) has it and I'm sure this Windows7 does too. Is Windows Media not up to the task of making short Trainz video's?