Beleg Cúthalion on 21/1/2015 at 23:17
The Cradle could use maybe one image less and a bit more sync with the spoken paragraphs (IMHO this feels more natural and the TDP briefings I just checked do the same thing). The latter also applies to the Keeper Compound, Clocktower (especially there the "I made it inside" would fit perfectly to the second image and the thing about "it's full of Hammerites" to the third, although both appear a bit earlier), and the first half of the Rutherford Castle mission. The others are correct in that respect, a new image for each paragraph. I always like the "Hammerite brand of justice" image with the armed Hammerite coming into view as the image pans. I think we're lucky to have such a great contribution to T3G with your videos. :thumb:
PS: I could always ask the Child of Karras to do some audio tweaking if you feel there are problems which you cannot handle, the mix isn't right etc.
mensch on 22/1/2015 at 08:59
Quote Posted by Beleg Cúthalion
I think we're lucky to have such a great contribution to T3G with your videos. :thumb:
Thank you for the compliment and the feedback! I'll have a look at the briefings you've mentioned.
Quote:
PS: I could always ask the Child of Karras to do some audio tweaking if you feel there are problems which you cannot handle, the mix isn't right etc.
Will do. The mix is relatively simple at the moment, just a few stereo pans here and there.
Converting the movies to BIK using the RAD Game Tools is giving me a headache, though. The filesize is around 200MB per briefing, but I haven't gotten the sound to work yet (forgot to include it, maybe) and the file shows a Bink logo after playback. The last problem could be a feature of the Bink Player and not an actual watermark in the file though. I've uploaded (
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9ihOpC8fxb9V3RGd3NQdlc1cHM/view?usp=sharing) a sample here.
snobel on 22/1/2015 at 10:09
I don't get a watermark on your sample - tried both the Bink player and ffplay. Btw I'm going to have another go at H.264 support soon.
Did we ever decide on which resolution to use? I'd still lobby for something not too far from the original videos (like 854x480 or even 640x360), both for visual consistency and to avoid turning the fat SU into the morbidly obese edition... Full HD and possibly other resolutions could then be available as separate downloads.
Quote Posted by Beleg Cúthalion
I think we're lucky to have such a great contribution to T3G with your videos. :thumb:
I agree - and it brings me to a question (or suggestion): In the SU installer and tweaker I'd like to present the videos as a separate mod item, like this:
[CENTER]
Inline Image:
https://copy.com/jv9GOpiH3YeKkJpM[/CENTER]
From my point of view the reasons are that because of the size, the videos will need a separate install option, and that they will work with the original maps too (which is not terribly important, but still a nice bonus...) But it would also give mensch well-deserved credit in the form of a separate top level page.
If you both agree, then I hope I can get mensch to write a short introduction for that top level page (where it would of course be prudent to mention that this is a T3G subproject). If not, then I'll keep it under T3G, in two parts like John P is now. That'll clumsy up the interfaces a bit, plus it needs to be explained that the videos work with the original maps even if T3G is all about replacing the original maps. :)
Edit: Yeah, the logo is shown by the Bink player, it's not in the file.
mensch on 22/1/2015 at 16:01
Quote Posted by snobel
Did we ever decide on which resolution to use? I'd still lobby for something not too far from the original videos (like 854x480 or even 640x360), both for visual consistency and to avoid turning the fat SU into the morbidly obese edition... Full HD and possibly other resolutions could then be available as separate downloads.
I like the Morbidly Obese Edition. :D Video dimensions have been discussed earlier on in this thread, but no decision was made, if I recall correctly. I agree there should be an SD and HD package. As for the video dimensions, the HD variant will be 1080p (1920x1080), but for the SD version I'll make some tests with different sizes. The original cutscenes from Deadly Shadows are 640x360, right?
I've reshuffled the briefings Beleg mentioned and the timing is much better. The end of
Of Brethren... and Betrayers and beginning of
End of the Bloodline are always going to be a bit problematic as Garrett tries to cram as much information in as possible without really pausing.
- (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShUQzu6NVao) End of the Bloodline
- (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77I_77pDTr0) Killing Time
- (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCmGxg0hYMM) Of Brethren... and Betrayers
- (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs_AXslDUXs) Robbing the Cradle
Quote Posted by snobel
From my point of view the reasons are that because of the size, the videos will need a separate install option, and that they will work with the original maps too (which is not terribly important, but still a nice bonus...) But it would also give mensch well-deserved credit in the form of a separate top level page.
If you both agree, then I hope I can get mensch to write a short introduction for that top level page (where it would of course be prudent to mention that this is a T3G subproject). If not, then I'll keep it under T3G, in two parts like John P is now. That'll clumsy up the interfaces a bit, plus it needs to be explained that the videos work with the original maps even if T3G is all about replacing the original maps. :)
I do like the credit and separate toplevel section in SneakyTweaker. But it was Beleg's idea to have the videos as part of Thief 3 Gold, so maybe we could call them "T3G Briefing Videos", or would that abbreviation be too unclear from a user perspective?
snobel on 22/1/2015 at 16:43
Quote Posted by mensch
The original cutscenes from Deadly Shadows are 640x360, right?
They're 640x272 (wider than 16:9).
Quote:
maybe we could call them "T3G Briefing Videos", or would that abbreviation be too unclear from a user perspective?
That's what I suspect, though it would be better than having everything under T3 Gold. We'd better let Beleg decide...
Judith on 22/1/2015 at 17:49
Whoa, this video has the data rate set way too high. Over 2 M for panning images? Start with something like 1,2 M and decrease resolution to 1280x720 and 24 fps. Then lower the data rate to see how much you can achieve without compromising the quality too much. Noone will download nine 200 MB briefings just to see panning images, that's for sure.
(
http://www.radgametools.com/binkhcwb.htm)
mensch on 22/1/2015 at 18:16
Quote Posted by Judith
Whoa, this video has the data rate set way too high. Over 2 M for panning images?
Yes, I agree. Haven't fiddled around with the settings yet, but I'll use your suggestions as a baseline. I know Bink is capable of some pretty impressive compression, so 200MB is definitely not the size I'm aiming for. ;)
Beleg Cúthalion on 23/1/2015 at 07:47
Quote Posted by snobel
If you both agree, then I hope I can get mensch to write a short introduction for that top level page (where it would of course be prudent to mention that this is a T3G subproject). If not, then I'll keep it under T3G, in two parts like John P is now. That'll clumsy up the interfaces a bit, plus it needs to be explained that the videos work with the original maps even if T3G is all about replacing the original maps. :)
I think it's perfectly justified to turn this into a top level mod (wow, that sounds like "it's an AAA game!"). I don't claim the right to have invented briefing videos for TDS, that idea is probably older than my TDS gaming history. :D However, do these videos really work with unaltered map files? After all I added scripts to make them play, or did you find another method to intercept, snobel? Maybe I've just forgotten it, as usual.
Latest briefing video fixes look great. The only idea I still had for extra retro feeling was to blend in an image of the extinguished lion's head torch one Garrett mentions that he wants to put it out (in sync with the sound effects, of course). But that'd be a bit over-ambitious, I admit. ;) I have the weekend off (well, sort of, still going to work as I please) so I can turn my attention at least to the new script for the museums briefings.
snobel on 23/1/2015 at 10:07
Quote Posted by Beleg Cúthalion
I think it's perfectly justified to turn this into a top level mod
That's great - I'll just continue on the current track then.
Quote:
However, do these videos really work with unaltered map files?
When the intro movie hack was expanded to cover the Castle briefing in addition to Inn, it had the side effect that it now works for all the missions (because the code is called for every New Mission screen, and the video filename is derived from the briefing .sch filename).
If we want subtitles, then it may actually be best to use the hack exclusively, instead of the game's pre-briefing property - because subtitles for the Inn and Castle briefings will have to be in the video files, and it's going to be hard to have them look identical to the game subtitles. But I haven't even looked at subtitle support yet, so don't change anything...
