5
Up to 10 question now! Thanks for the inputs!
I always try to help out and answer questions in threads about how to do this or that when it comes to making or posting MWO videos. The following list is not all inclusive, and I will try to keep this updated as more questions are added, or better answers are given. Please feel free to correct me if I'm dead wrong about anything, or if you need any more details in answers. Hopefully this will get pinned so that people have somewhere easy to go to get the info they need.
Q1. How do I post a video from YouTube and not just the link.
A1.
Spoiler
Do not use the "Embed" link from the video. Instead, simply navigate to the video you want to post and copy the URL as it is from the address bar of your browser. (i.e. your link should look like "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9_fRiuEOvM" and NOT "http://youtu.be/u9_fRiuEOvM"). Also, make sure the link starts with "http" and NOT "https" (you can just delete the 's' and it should work). Then simply paste the link into your post.
Q2. What video capture software should I use/buy?
A2.
Spoiler
The best video capture software is the software that you can afford in terms of money, and time to learn how to use it.
Notable programs are Fraps (most popular), Bandicam (I use this because of smaller file sizes), and Camstudio just to name a few. Most of these programs are very similar, and it is really a matter of personal preference and if you are willing to spend money for the license. Some of them will leave a 'watermark' on your video if you do not register them (meaning pay for them).
I will caveat though that some programs will record in different formats (i.e. .mpg, .mov, .mp4, .avi, etc.). You will need to make sure that your video editing software is able to support that particular format. I suggest choosing both the capture and editing software in tandem so that you can download demos and make sure they will work with each other before buying/deciding. Which leads us to our next question.
Additional Information from Troa Barton:
Notable programs are Fraps (most popular), Bandicam (I use this because of smaller file sizes), and Camstudio just to name a few. Most of these programs are very similar, and it is really a matter of personal preference and if you are willing to spend money for the license. Some of them will leave a 'watermark' on your video if you do not register them (meaning pay for them).
I will caveat though that some programs will record in different formats (i.e. .mpg, .mov, .mp4, .avi, etc.). You will need to make sure that your video editing software is able to support that particular format. I suggest choosing both the capture and editing software in tandem so that you can download demos and make sure they will work with each other before buying/deciding. Which leads us to our next question.
Additional Information from Troa Barton:
Troa Barton said:
Open Broadcaster doesn't just allow you to stream to twitch but it can also record video either at the same time or file output only. its a free program and you need to know how to get it set up to really make it compare to the paid push button you're good to go programs. but thats another thing youtube is good for. there are a few good vids on how to use the software.
also now you can use overwolf to record but i don't like the results tbh, and Nvidia has new drivers for GTX650 and up cards that also record straight off the card but that's still in beta, and if you have teammates on comms that wont get picked up.
in terms of quality open broadcaster is what i used for all of my videos. and the ones i did for the barton's builds series and the one i just uploaded for what mech to buy were shot with open broadcaster in file output only mode. so for a free program i cant gripe about it at all.
https://www.youtube....h?v=DtHG4ue53f8
also now you can use overwolf to record but i don't like the results tbh, and Nvidia has new drivers for GTX650 and up cards that also record straight off the card but that's still in beta, and if you have teammates on comms that wont get picked up.
in terms of quality open broadcaster is what i used for all of my videos. and the ones i did for the barton's builds series and the one i just uploaded for what mech to buy were shot with open broadcaster in file output only mode. so for a free program i cant gripe about it at all.
https://www.youtube....h?v=DtHG4ue53f8
Q3. What is the best video editing software?
A3.
Spoiler
This is the toughest question to answer in that it relies heavily on what you are willing to invest as far as money, time, and patience. Here is my opinion (and we all know what opinions are like):
The best video editing software is the software that you can afford in terms of money, and time to learn how to use it. That being said:
Hands down, a monster video editing program like Adobe Premiere Pro, or Sony Vegas is the 'best' as it is the professional industry standard, but these programs are VERY expensive (upwards of a thousand dollars), and they require a lot of training to use properly and efficiently. If you have the money, and the time to teach yourself, then these are the best for you.
For users looking to do some advanced work, but unable or unwilling to part with huge sums of cash, there are very good middle of the road tools available. I personally use Sony Movie Studio 12. It cost about one hundred bucks, and is a very capable program, though it can be very complicated for a beginner. I had more time than money, so this was what was best for me. Other programs that I have seen mentioned are CyberLink PowerDirector, Adobe Premiere Elements, and Corel VideoStudio to name a few.
I use Camtasia for my video editing software. I highly recommend it as a mid-level solution.
For someone that has no experience at all in video editing, start with Windows Movie Maker. While it is not terribly powerful, and not entirely intuitive, it will give you an idea of how much time it's going to take in cutting and editing, and adding your titles. It will also bring to light what things you want to be able to do with your videos (that WMM won't do), and give you more focus when you decide to purchase something more advanced.
Finally, no matter where you stand I cannot stress enough that everyone looking for video editing software should demo as many as they can before spending any money. Most all of the programs listed above, and many more are available for demo (even the thousand dollar ones). This will give you the best fit for your budget and your patience in learning the software.
(Whew! That was long winded!)
The best video editing software is the software that you can afford in terms of money, and time to learn how to use it. That being said:
Hands down, a monster video editing program like Adobe Premiere Pro, or Sony Vegas is the 'best' as it is the professional industry standard, but these programs are VERY expensive (upwards of a thousand dollars), and they require a lot of training to use properly and efficiently. If you have the money, and the time to teach yourself, then these are the best for you.
For users looking to do some advanced work, but unable or unwilling to part with huge sums of cash, there are very good middle of the road tools available. I personally use Sony Movie Studio 12. It cost about one hundred bucks, and is a very capable program, though it can be very complicated for a beginner. I had more time than money, so this was what was best for me. Other programs that I have seen mentioned are CyberLink PowerDirector, Adobe Premiere Elements, and Corel VideoStudio to name a few.
Heffay, on 11 November 2013 - 01:08 PM, said:
I use Camtasia for my video editing software. I highly recommend it as a mid-level solution.
For someone that has no experience at all in video editing, start with Windows Movie Maker. While it is not terribly powerful, and not entirely intuitive, it will give you an idea of how much time it's going to take in cutting and editing, and adding your titles. It will also bring to light what things you want to be able to do with your videos (that WMM won't do), and give you more focus when you decide to purchase something more advanced.
Finally, no matter where you stand I cannot stress enough that everyone looking for video editing software should demo as many as they can before spending any money. Most all of the programs listed above, and many more are available for demo (even the thousand dollar ones). This will give you the best fit for your budget and your patience in learning the software.
(Whew! That was long winded!)
Q4. How do I make my videos look better?
A4.
Spoiler
An open ended question to be sure, but general answers:
Record in Full-screen mode with the highest resolution you can without serious frame-rate loss.
It is possible turn off the in-game 'film grain' filter (what gives that brownish/gritty appearance) through the configuration file, but this may not be allowed currently per the EULA. However, in ATD 50, it was stated the option to turn it off would be included in the video settings in UI 2.0.
Try to make your videos look as good as possible during the recording, but if they're still not right, tweak with the colors/gamma/brightness/contrast/etc. with your video editing software.
Render your videos in at LEAST 480p. The higher the better, all the way up to 1080p (which I believe is the highest YouTube currently supports), but be forewarned! The higher the resolution the larger the file is going to be and the longer it will take to render and upload! 720p is the middle road, and will still look very sharp, and not too terribly large.
Don't twitch around too much/too fast. It can cause tears in the video, and your viewers will probably feel sick to their stomachs.
If you are recording for a script, and not just gameplay:
You can toggle the HUD using RShift+F11 (hold down the right 'Shift' button on your keyboard then hit the 'F11' key)
Try to use a mech that will not show any of the cockpit when zoomed. I have had good luck with Spiders, Stalkers, and even an Atlas. There are probably others that are very good/better, and hopefully folks will chime in with some ideas. The real trick here is to stay zoomed in as far as possible, and try to minimize movement so that the cockpit doesn't show. Also, locking the arms to the torso seems to help quite a bit.
Lastly, if you see a great video and want to do X or Y the same, ask the person that made it some questions! There are a lot of folks on here that are willing to help so long as you ask politely and patiently.
Record in Full-screen mode with the highest resolution you can without serious frame-rate loss.
It is possible turn off the in-game 'film grain' filter (what gives that brownish/gritty appearance) through the configuration file, but this may not be allowed currently per the EULA. However, in ATD 50, it was stated the option to turn it off would be included in the video settings in UI 2.0.
Try to make your videos look as good as possible during the recording, but if they're still not right, tweak with the colors/gamma/brightness/contrast/etc. with your video editing software.
Render your videos in at LEAST 480p. The higher the better, all the way up to 1080p (which I believe is the highest YouTube currently supports), but be forewarned! The higher the resolution the larger the file is going to be and the longer it will take to render and upload! 720p is the middle road, and will still look very sharp, and not too terribly large.
Don't twitch around too much/too fast. It can cause tears in the video, and your viewers will probably feel sick to their stomachs.
If you are recording for a script, and not just gameplay:
You can toggle the HUD using RShift+F11 (hold down the right 'Shift' button on your keyboard then hit the 'F11' key)
Try to use a mech that will not show any of the cockpit when zoomed. I have had good luck with Spiders, Stalkers, and even an Atlas. There are probably others that are very good/better, and hopefully folks will chime in with some ideas. The real trick here is to stay zoomed in as far as possible, and try to minimize movement so that the cockpit doesn't show. Also, locking the arms to the torso seems to help quite a bit.
Lastly, if you see a great video and want to do X or Y the same, ask the person that made it some questions! There are a lot of folks on here that are willing to help so long as you ask politely and patiently.
Q5. How do I get more people to watch my videos?
A5.
Spoiler
Make them good.
j/k. The key here is exposure. Make sure you are tagging your videos properly in YouTube. Put in keywords for your video tags like 'Mech', 'MechWarrior Online', 'Pew Pew', etc. Don't be afraid of the advanced settings when uploading to YouTube. Most all options can be changed if you mess something up.
Also, post to as many different sites as you think will appreciate your video. There is an MWO Reddit, as well as many clan/merc unit sites that might like to see your vid as well. I don't recommend posting in other areas of the MWO forums besides Fan Audio/Video, but hey, if you think your video needs to be seen that bad, who am I to say?
Additional information from Troa Barton
j/k. The key here is exposure. Make sure you are tagging your videos properly in YouTube. Put in keywords for your video tags like 'Mech', 'MechWarrior Online', 'Pew Pew', etc. Don't be afraid of the advanced settings when uploading to YouTube. Most all options can be changed if you mess something up.
Also, post to as many different sites as you think will appreciate your video. There is an MWO Reddit, as well as many clan/merc unit sites that might like to see your vid as well. I don't recommend posting in other areas of the MWO forums besides Fan Audio/Video, but hey, if you think your video needs to be seen that bad, who am I to say?
Additional information from Troa Barton
Troa Barton said:
i have a big one to add, branding. so photo manipulation software is something that certainly helps. obviously photoshop is the best but there are a few free ones as well. GIMP being the first to come to mind.
Q6. How do I use software X or Y?
A6.
Spoiler
Threads like this are a bit tricky to answer, and usually are avoided like the plague. Reason being, if you help someone, they generally expect you will continue to help them, and even get upset if you stop.
We live in an age where most all of human knowledge is right at your fingertips. It's true. The internet is not just for *AHEM* and cat gifs! Make sure you've exhausted all the resources, watched every YouTube tutorial, searched every forum thread, and asked the All-Father for guidance before throwing it to the forums for answers. IF someone decides to help you, they will appreciate that you tried many things before asking for help as this means you will most likely answer your next 1000 questions on your own. But don't be surprised if nobody responds...
We live in an age where most all of human knowledge is right at your fingertips. It's true. The internet is not just for *AHEM* and cat gifs! Make sure you've exhausted all the resources, watched every YouTube tutorial, searched every forum thread, and asked the All-Father for guidance before throwing it to the forums for answers. IF someone decides to help you, they will appreciate that you tried many things before asking for help as this means you will most likely answer your next 1000 questions on your own. But don't be surprised if nobody responds...
Q7. How do they do that animation with the mechs from in the game (like on the 'What's the mech say?' video?
A7.
Spoiler
There is a great thread on the work being done regarding using the in-game 3D assets to create custom animations (LINK: http://mwomercs.com/...line-asset-art/ ). I don't have a lot of experience with this, and any questions should be directed to the thread... AFTER reading the whole thread ofc.
Q8.
Troa Barton said:
i am looking for a program that allows me to tell which programs receive audio and from what application. end result so that i could listen to music, teammates and games but have the recorded video omit the music.
A8.
Spoiler
I use a program called Virtual Audio Cable (LINK: http://software.muzy...net/eng/vac.htm) The way it works, or at least the way I use it is as follows:
Once installed, open the control panel and add a 'Line' This will create a virtual audio line, usually called 'Line 1'.
It seems counter to logic, but the next step is to set this line as the default sound for Windows. Any program that does not let you directly choose your sound device, like MWO, will push sound through the windows default device (which is now Line 1)
Next, go to the program you use to play music, and choose the sound device that you actually want to hear the audio through (i.e. your headphones).
Now, with the Virtual Audio Cable install, there will be a program (under the start menu in the folder Virtual Audio Cable) called Audio Repeater (MME), there is also a program called Audio Repeater (KS), but use the MME one! This is used to forward sound from one source to another, so we're going to use this so that you can hear the game (since 'Line 1' is virtual...). Once the program opens, choose 'Line 1' as the 'Wave In' source from the drop-down, and whatever your want to hear it out of like your headphones, as the 'Wave Out'.
If you know a lot about what all the settings mean, you can change the bit-rates, sample rates, and even whether you want it to play in your headphones as 5.1 or stereo, but at very least, I suggest changing 'Total Buffer' to something low like 50 (the higher this is the cleaner it will be, but the audio will lag, and 50 is still pretty clean), and 'Buffers' to something higher like 50 or 100 (this uses CPU, so it depends on how powerful your processor is), and if you do have a powerful processor, you can change the 'Priority' to High, though I really never noticed a difference...
Once this is all set, click 'Start' and you should be able to hear the game through your chosen device.
Once last thing is your team-mates. There are a couple of ways to do this. One is to set your voice comm program to use the default windows sound for it's output (meaning 'Line 1'), which means it will be recorded along with the game audio (on the same channel), but this means you cannot separate these tracks when you record. Also, you won't hear yourself in the recording unless your recording software also lets you record your Mic (but then that will also be mixed with the audio)
THE FOLLOWING IS A LITTLE BEYOND THE SCOPE OF YOUR QUESTION, but...
The second way, which is what I use, is to create two more virtual audio lines (Line 2, and Line 3) then use Line 2 as the audio output for your comm program. Then open a second instance of Audio Repeater (MME) and forward Line 2 directly to your headphones, so you can hear them, but they won't be heard on the game recording track.
Now, you'll have to add your Mic audio in, so this is where the Line 3 comes in: You want to open a third instance of Audio Repeater (MME), and then forward your Mic to Line 3, and finally a whopping fourth instance of Audio Repeater (MME), and forward Line 2 to Line 3.
I know this is confusing, but what you end up with is Line 1 being just game, Line 2 being just voice comms, and both of these forwarded to your headphones, and then a Line 3 that is your voice comms and your Mic mixed together (which you won't hear).
My recording software (Bandicam) allows for a separate audio source to be recorded on a different track, so I'll set the main track as Line 1 (game audio), and my secondary track as Line 3 (voice comms + Mic).
It seems like a huge pain, but it's the best way to do it if you want to keep your in-game audio separate from the comms, and still be able to listen to music at the same time.
Please let me know if this is far too confusing, and I'll try to explain it better...
Once installed, open the control panel and add a 'Line' This will create a virtual audio line, usually called 'Line 1'.
It seems counter to logic, but the next step is to set this line as the default sound for Windows. Any program that does not let you directly choose your sound device, like MWO, will push sound through the windows default device (which is now Line 1)
Next, go to the program you use to play music, and choose the sound device that you actually want to hear the audio through (i.e. your headphones).
Now, with the Virtual Audio Cable install, there will be a program (under the start menu in the folder Virtual Audio Cable) called Audio Repeater (MME), there is also a program called Audio Repeater (KS), but use the MME one! This is used to forward sound from one source to another, so we're going to use this so that you can hear the game (since 'Line 1' is virtual...). Once the program opens, choose 'Line 1' as the 'Wave In' source from the drop-down, and whatever your want to hear it out of like your headphones, as the 'Wave Out'.
If you know a lot about what all the settings mean, you can change the bit-rates, sample rates, and even whether you want it to play in your headphones as 5.1 or stereo, but at very least, I suggest changing 'Total Buffer' to something low like 50 (the higher this is the cleaner it will be, but the audio will lag, and 50 is still pretty clean), and 'Buffers' to something higher like 50 or 100 (this uses CPU, so it depends on how powerful your processor is), and if you do have a powerful processor, you can change the 'Priority' to High, though I really never noticed a difference...
Once this is all set, click 'Start' and you should be able to hear the game through your chosen device.
Once last thing is your team-mates. There are a couple of ways to do this. One is to set your voice comm program to use the default windows sound for it's output (meaning 'Line 1'), which means it will be recorded along with the game audio (on the same channel), but this means you cannot separate these tracks when you record. Also, you won't hear yourself in the recording unless your recording software also lets you record your Mic (but then that will also be mixed with the audio)
THE FOLLOWING IS A LITTLE BEYOND THE SCOPE OF YOUR QUESTION, but...
The second way, which is what I use, is to create two more virtual audio lines (Line 2, and Line 3) then use Line 2 as the audio output for your comm program. Then open a second instance of Audio Repeater (MME) and forward Line 2 directly to your headphones, so you can hear them, but they won't be heard on the game recording track.
Now, you'll have to add your Mic audio in, so this is where the Line 3 comes in: You want to open a third instance of Audio Repeater (MME), and then forward your Mic to Line 3, and finally a whopping fourth instance of Audio Repeater (MME), and forward Line 2 to Line 3.
I know this is confusing, but what you end up with is Line 1 being just game, Line 2 being just voice comms, and both of these forwarded to your headphones, and then a Line 3 that is your voice comms and your Mic mixed together (which you won't hear).
My recording software (Bandicam) allows for a separate audio source to be recorded on a different track, so I'll set the main track as Line 1 (game audio), and my secondary track as Line 3 (voice comms + Mic).
It seems like a huge pain, but it's the best way to do it if you want to keep your in-game audio separate from the comms, and still be able to listen to music at the same time.
Please let me know if this is far too confusing, and I'll try to explain it better...
Q9.
ArchSight, on 09 November 2013 - 04:39 PM, said:
Another question needs to be added like "where can a person find music for their video's or stream's?". Have to make sure people use music legally without stepping on copy rights and whether they can use it for video contests.
A9.
Spoiler
This is a little tricky to answer, so I'll do it in two parts. First, there is a little controversy on what is considered 'Fair Use', or 'incidental use'. This can be a grey area in it is highly dependent on the situation. For instance, if you are streaming the game and just happen to be rocking your favorite copy-righted tunes, then it is considered 'incidental' that the music is playing. You are not selling the music without permission, and you are (theoretically) not making profit off of the stream. I'm not a lawyer, but the 'Fair Use' clause is not a free-for-all as I understand it. A company/artist can call foul at any time for the use of their music, and could potentially sue. My first suggestion would be to use what is known as royalty free music. This is music that is not copyrighted. It generally consists of things from the 'public domain', like the 'happy birthday' song... and probably won't be the kind of thing you're going to want in your video. The second suggestion would be to create, or have someone create original music for you. And, the third is to use MWO's music located on their SoundCloud (LINK: http://mwomercs.com/...-trailer-music/ )
Which brings me to the second part of this discussion. It may not just be the music you need to worry about! Posted in that thread linked above, is a reply I got from Kyle Polulak regarding fair use of MWO music, but it has implications to the video, logos and likeness of MWO as well:
In short, you making money is really the biggest key to whether or not you can use music. If you do use copyrighted material, YouTube will likely flag it, and either put a link to buy the track, or ban the video. And one final note, even if you have a garage band do a rendition of your favorite song, the music and lyrics are technically still under copyright by the author/company, so even though you can use it, you still can't sell it (without their consent).
I know this is a little convoluted, but I hope it clears the haze just a little, and if you have any better answer (or are one of those EVIL lawyer types that can make more sense of fair use laws) please chime in!
Which brings me to the second part of this discussion. It may not just be the music you need to worry about! Posted in that thread linked above, is a reply I got from Kyle Polulak regarding fair use of MWO music, but it has implications to the video, logos and likeness of MWO as well:
Kyle Polulak, on 11 October 2013 - 01:36 PM, said:
We love Fair Use of all of our properties but the restrictions are very simple. If you make money with anything using our created material then you are not covered by fair use. Here's some examples;
- Things That Are Considered Fair Use:
- Making a MWO fan video where you film everything yourself and use this music in the video
- Making a skateboarding video with this music
- Listening to this track on your iPod on your way to work (as in downloading and saving it to your devices)
- Playing all of our music at a wedding
- Making a MWO fan video where you film everything yourself and use this music in the video
- Things That Are _NOT_ Considered Fair Use:
- Using our trailers and music to make another video (please try to film your own content)
- Making a professional TV series with our music as it's main theme music
- Offering downloads or selling our music. (Must be directed to download our music from Soundcloud)
- Playing our music in a venue that has a cover charge.
- Making Advertising money from videos with our music included. (YouTube helps us ID these and we just remove the ability to advertise from the video, you're still free to keep it up on YouTube)
- Using our trailers and music to make another video (please try to film your own content)
In short, you making money is really the biggest key to whether or not you can use music. If you do use copyrighted material, YouTube will likely flag it, and either put a link to buy the track, or ban the video. And one final note, even if you have a garage band do a rendition of your favorite song, the music and lyrics are technically still under copyright by the author/company, so even though you can use it, you still can't sell it (without their consent).
I know this is a little convoluted, but I hope it clears the haze just a little, and if you have any better answer (or are one of those EVIL lawyer types that can make more sense of fair use laws) please chime in!
Q10.
Ozy Hunter, on 09 November 2013 - 11:45 PM, said:
What kind of system builds will make it much easier to create or record great content for Video Editing?
A10.
Spoiler
Great question, and Ozy Hunter answered this question as well:
LINK FROM QUOTE (wasn't working in quote): http://www.videoguys...4ce243a6c6.aspx
I would also add that most hobbyists should check what software they're considering using before spending any money on hardware (for compatibility reasons), and decide if they really need to spend any money at all. It can make the process quicker, with faster render times for example, but may not be entirely necessary. Once again, demo your software first! In other words, don't think you have to buy a big rig just to make videos.
Ozy Hunter, on 09 November 2013 - 11:45 PM, said:
Video Editing will use a lot of RAM and a lot HDD space. I think this would be a beneficial section to add into the FAQ and would definitely help people out in the long run.
Below is a great link with information in regards to video editing rigs.
Below is a great link with information in regards to video editing rigs.
LINK FROM QUOTE (wasn't working in quote): http://www.videoguys...4ce243a6c6.aspx
I would also add that most hobbyists should check what software they're considering using before spending any money on hardware (for compatibility reasons), and decide if they really need to spend any money at all. It can make the process quicker, with faster render times for example, but may not be entirely necessary. Once again, demo your software first! In other words, don't think you have to buy a big rig just to make videos.
Well, that's all I've got for now. Post additional questions/answers below please, and maybe this will get pinned for the sake of everyone's sanity.
Edited by Hennessey, 11 November 2013 - 01:49 PM.
