32 replies to this topic

[happy mech]

doing a replay system that is independent of game version is tricky

game would need to store all stats for all used things (weapons, equipment, modules, mechs, quirks) and use same rng with same seed
this could possibly take few kB

you record the commands, few kB or MB

then there come things when whole algorithms change, not just few attributes (how missiles fly, how collisions are resolved) which make it impossible to reproduce the situation in a different environment, and you cannot store it in the replay

also if the map changes, old replay will not work

so to keep backwards compatibility for old replays, game would need to be engineered with this in mind prior to the mechanics being implemented, and even then cannot guarantee it (unless you would keep a copy of mwo just for replay purposes, which could be launched in a replay-only mode (no login or patch))

then, after the match end, you could click on a "download replay" for the server to send you the replay

[Vlad Striker]

There is HUGE lot ot tools that can record the any game.

[DartRus]

I am surprised that not so many people are asking for replays feature.
I think it is essential for games like this.
Here are couple examples:
"That ShadowCat from enemy team got 1000 dmg?! How he did that? What was his build?"
"I suddenly died from gauss in my back but I haven't noticed anyone. Is there a sweet spot on the map I am not aware of?"

Without replays it is hard to learn on your own.
But what is that is Piranha's plan?

[Edelguard]

Beeing able to see how other players play the game is part of community interaction

[Seddrik]

There are many independent programs. No need to burden the game and players with a redundancy which you can easily handle yourself.

Edited by Seddrik, 02 October 2016 - 09:56 AM.

[Edelguard]

Seddrik, on 02 October 2016 - 09:41 AM, said:

There are many independent programs. No need to burden the game and players with a redundancy which you can easily handle yourself.

What is an easy way to do this? These days it seems everybody is a streamer and knows lots about video stuff. But I don't.

[Gazbeard]

Hornsby, on 28 January 2016 - 06:37 AM, said:

Most people are missing the meaning of what the OP is asking for. They are asking for an event-driven recording that lets the game play back a match, kind of like how a player piano plays key presses.

WoT and any modern RTS are isometric 3D, which have way different stuff going on as opposed to a first-person shooter. You can assume that a replay from MWO would be at least 50% bigger than WoT, since it's mostly vectors and their changes that make up a replay file. Most likely, MWO replays would end up even bigger yet with so many independent weapons, criticals, customizable mechs, etc.

I think you are both on-track and off the track here.

I play WoT & WoWS & WoWP & WT & AW and record all battles using the in-client battle replay recorder. In all 5 games by 3 different publishers, the replay files are just a few MB in size and quite obviously do not contain the visual recording for playback in a multimedia player. They are "identity" files that then run the all-players commands from the battle re-simulator on the server (which are also used for resolving player disputes, cheat reports, vehicle assessment for rebalancing, etc.)

The .replay file identifies which client version was in use when the battle was originally fought, and the server-side files identify the map version, vehicle builds for both teams etc. as well as the players' movements and game actions, and combat actions and results. Overall, the amount of data being passed down to the client is very small during replay because all the graphics and visuals are already in the game-client ... this is why replays from an earlier version of the game might not run in the current version - if any key element of the original battle has been re-versioned since the battle. This is particularly true of unannounced map tweaks (something the publisher of the "World of ..." series loves doing every patch).

What the .replay (dot replay) files contain is a battle identifier and a player identifier. Together these identify all the variables required to run a replay of the battle in the client on the player's computer, and when the .replay file is run it loads the game client on the player's computer and reruns the battle from that player's viewpoint and actions exactly as that player drove, zoomed view, shot, etc during the battle - including with the same UI information that the player was seeing, but using the dynamic action data from the server files.

The "World of ..." series also includes some free-cam options during replay as well as fast forward, rewind, got to start/end, and pause, which can be useful in video recording into a .wmv .mp4 recorder, however those are provided via the replay player system that is part of the game client package.

Personally I use Corel VideoStudio as my primary editor, but also have other packages for the very few features that CVS does not have. For recording "from screen" either during play or replay, I mainly use CVS's Screen Recorder or (occassionally) Windows 10's Game Capture system - both work equally well and there is slightly less system load when recording with Game Capture ... however ... both will completely trash the game playing experience if recording live play, due to system resource demand.

This is not a problem when running an in-client game replay, because frame stutter etc. can be smoothed out in post processing, and all actions of the gameplay were decided in the original battle, therefore during the replay only the view to be recorded is being decided by the watcher/editor.

Now the personal angle - I came to MWO because I used to enjoy playing the boxed video games 20 years ago (MW2 Mercenaries etc.) and because I have a youtube channel dedicated to battle replays in "big metal vehicles with big guns". I thoroughly love the game experience we have in MWO and after a month of sporadic play I am slowly creeping back towards the proficiency as a mech pilot that I had in MW2, therefore am about ready to start making gameplay videos.

What a let down that there is no in-client or in-game battle replay recording. I do hope that will be addressed soon otherwise I will have to spend several thousand GBP to get a dedicated workstation with dedicated liveplay recording capability that does not degrade the game presentation onscreen during simultaneous play and record. A system type that I do not need for any other game featured in my youtube channels.

Edit to add - When choosing which battle replays to convert to videos for youtube, I use a very simple system ... first the game clients capture all battles into .replay files for me. If I have a battle I want to then extract and record, I simply screenshot the after battle results screens and save those screenshots. Then, after the gaming session I move those screenshots and their replay file to a "pending recording" folder, from where I can review the replay and decide if I really do want to make a video of that battle.

Also to add - regarding a dedicated live-recording workstation ... I've not yet entered the world of live-streaming (on twitch etc.) therefore may need a new computer for doing that anyway.

Edited by Gazbeard, 27 January 2017 - 06:13 AM.

[Generic Internetter]

Call me cynical, but I think I know why PGI are happy to avoid a replay feature.

It would be used to dispute cases where the game engine failed and gave an unfair or downright silly outcome.
EG: Being shot from the front, yet it is back armour that takes damage; Lagshield galore, etc.

Honestly it is prudent business strategy for PGI to sort out the system as it is before adding more onto it.
Once they are confident that they have a smooth, reliable game system running, then replays would be viable.
Right now the game runs on stilts and requires a lot of basic optimization.
EG: All the additional game world objects in Invasion and Incursion hurt framerate and packet rate bigtime. It's as if the game is telling me the status of each object in the map every single tick, instead of just when an item changes, like when a wall gets destroyed.

Imagine on youtube all the OMG HITBOX FAIL #PGIWHATAJOKE [GONE SEXUAL] videos that would appear. MWO would become a meme, and not in a good way.

Fix your ****, PGI, then yes, replays please.

[Nesutizale]

Replaying a match that is recreated from the Data from the server is a thing that we need.
- For onself to review your own performance
- Reviewing others
- Share the awesomesouce that is MWO
- Give private tournaments the option to comment on the latest matches without the stress to do it live

What I don't like is the idea of haveing a free camera while the match is running. It could easly be used to tell the rest of the team positions and other tactical information.
World of Warships gets around this as you can't see, as a spectator, what the team dosn't see. So every ship that the team isn't seeing becomes invisible.
Might be doable in a similar fashion in MWO but I think sending a textfile of the recorded match to a client is easier then to program in mechs becomming invisible to spectators.

[0Jiggs0]

If there is a desire for a competitive scene to develop around a game, a replay feature is a necessity. Even with recording software of their own, the player can only view the game from their own perspective. Being able to view replays using a free camera, like the one used to spectate the MWOWC matches, would benefit players who want to compete immensely.

Edited by 0Jiggs0, 06 January 2018 - 10:11 PM.

[Slion]

Replays are most needed. PGI please make this happen.

Edited by Slion, 02 April 2018 - 12:53 PM.

[littledaxter]

Especially since the solaris update! I want to see my replays so bad!

[JRcam4643]

The idea sounds good to me.