Tips

[Thrash]

Have a few tips for those looking for the base to create good clean solid AVI.


When you are converting your .dem files to .bmp's view the demo in the same resolution you are going to compress in. Ex: View in 800X600 and then run the startmovie command, etc. Then compress in 800X600. That's an easy way to get good quality
Default models, or make an organized theme. =BC= and Team Spirite use pretty much default. Common place things, like Archerz shotgun are excusable, but you don't need funky ass unrecognizable backpacks, and rocket flares, and such flying around, You may think it's badass but it honestly looks like shit.
hud_draw 0
hud_saytext_time 0 - Definite Must, we don't need text on the screen for any reason.
hud_deathnotice_time 0 - This one is not as essential as SayText but I STRONGLY recommend it. Especially if you plan on sneaking pub clips into your AVI's
voice_enable 0 - We don't need mics since you can't hear anyways
Crosshair 0 - That is up to you. I personally like them removed, because people tend to have big ugly crosshairs. If you can get a small white crosshair theme going, by all means keep them. If not go back to defaults or just use "Crosshair 0"
r_drawviewmodel 0 - Personal preference, I suggest you keep it only if you use default models.
Do not use FRAPS.
Don't rush and release early. There's no need unless you are going somewhere. If no one is anticipating your AVI (Most people don't know its coming) we have nothing to be anxious for, so therefore, no reason to rush.
Try to avoid using overused AVI songs (Killswitch Engage - Last Serenade, Some of the Evanscence songs, extreme heavy metal songs)
Take a bit of time to do audio/video synchronizing. Yes it will take a while and takes a lot of work, but the end is definitely worth it to the viewer, and can make bad AVI's look good
Default explosion is a requirement.
Avoid pub clips if at all possible. (Exceptions to this: Sniper, Pyro, Spy AVI's since they don't get much match time)

[Ignatz]

i mostly agree, with a few reservations:

*When you are converting your .dem files to .bmp's view the demo in the same resolution you are going to compress in. Ex: View in 800X600 and then run the startmovie command, etc. Then compress in 800X600. That's an easy way to get good quality
if you have the hard drive space, shooting larger gives you the ability to zoom and pan within a shot. this is valuable if youre shooting in free-chase mode, for instance, since you can zoom closer than the default chase distance allows.
*Default models, or make an organized theme. =BC= and Team Spirite use pretty much default. Common place things, like Archerz shotgun are excusable, but you don't need funky ass unrecognizable backpacks, and rocket flares, and such flying around, You may think it's badass but it honestly looks like shit.
*hud_draw 0
*hud_saytext_time 0 - Definite Must, we don't need text on the screen for any reason.
*hud_deathnotice_time 0 - This one is not as essential as SayText but I STRONGLY recommend it. Especially if you plan on sneaking pub clips into your AVI's
*voice_enable 0 - We don't need mics since you can't hear anyways
*Crosshair 0 - That is up to you. I personally like them removed, because people tend to have big ugly crosshairs. If you can get a small white crosshair theme going, by all means keep them. If not go back to defaults or just use "Crosshair 0"
*Default explosion is a requirement.
if you have a specific reason to leave any of the above things on, it's ok in my book. like if youre leaving your HUD on to show a great consecutive-kill run, or your crosshair if youre doing first-person sniper footage, or the voice icons because youre attempting to show team communication. but if youre using any of the above just being lazy, shame on you.
*Try to avoid using overused AVI songs (Killswitch Engage - Last Serenade, Some of the Evanscence songs, extreme heavy metal songs)
if youre going to make an avi, take some time to see the other things that are out there. using music that's already been in a popular avi will get you ridiculed, whether you realized it or not.
heavy metal in an avi is cliche. so if youre gonna use metal, better make it good.
*Take a bit of time to do audio/video synchronizing. Yes it will take a while and takes a lot of work, but the end is definitely worth it to the viewer, and can make bad AVI's look good.
here's a tip for good a/v sync. i dont know about videomach, but if you work with Premiere, you can open up the waveform which will usually display the beats as spikes. you can line up scene cuts, or action points by aligning with them.

[Thrash]

Originally posted by Smack

if you have a specific reason to leave any of the above things on, it's ok in my book. like if youre leaving your HUD on to show a great consecutive-kill run, or your crosshair if youre doing first-person sniper footage, or the voice icons because youre attempting to show team communication. but if youre using any of the above just being lazy, shame on you.
Yes I meant if you have a specific reason keep them, but for a baseline habit, don't.

[sani-]

i believe an avi maker should have the ability to create anything he wants to. I understand what you're getting at, but I just have an ugly feeling about having all future avi's appear the same, in general.

This commentary does not take into account Nightwolf's so-called avi.

I do agree about the musical tastes and with have your resolution match what your avi res will be, 640x480 will save some space and is a nice size, 800 seems a bit grand ;\

[exub]

http://www.thecatacombs.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23170&highlight=avi+tutorial

that helps ^ its how to convert from .dem to .bmp i think

[Thrash]

Originally posted by sani-
i believe an avi maker should have the ability to create anything he wants to. I understand what you're getting at, but I just have an ugly feeling about having all future avi's appear the same, in general.

Agreed but it's simple fact that the nicest looking AVI's are all either default, (=BC=, Open Your Mind) or have an organized, presentable customization theme (Make Me [BAD], Team Spirit)


I probably worded myself too strongly concerning the customizations, as they are acceptable in an AVI, but at least make them a neat interesting presence, not an entity that adds way too much to the screen.

[jabroni]

I thought Team Spirit was a horrible AVI. ;\
And didn't you say you didn't like the BC avi?!!?!? huh huh huh!?!?
You also fail to mention SHS avi is the best!

[Thrash]

Originally posted by Jabroni
I thought Team Spirit was a horrible AVI. ;\
In terms of solid good looking clean AVI, it's a great example.

Originally posted by Jabroni
And didn't you say you didn't like the BC avi?!!?!? huh huh huh!?!?
It's not my favorite, and many people make a huge deal out of it, but after re-watching it several times it's not as overrated as I thought.

Originally posted by Jabroni
You also fail to mention SHS avi is the best!
Yes I failed to mention it, and no it's not the best. Certainly good though :)

[xack]

death metal plz

oh and a/v sync is nice (to the songs)

[[FDG]Sundae]

A big thing with the =BC= AVI is the straight up CLEANLINESS of it. The actual synchronization and simple, yet effective transitions made it good. I believe if you check, the actual # of "fancy" transitions is very small. The majority of effects not counting the still-frame dissolves are just cuts, or quick snap-to-white.

Regardless of whether one liked the actual footage in it or not, it's a great example of a well put together AVI.