[How-to] Create Videos of Yourself Playing Nexuiz

[-z-]

[size=large]As of 2.4, the demo list GUI has been removed in favor of the new menu system[/size]

1.) Open Nexuiz and click the "[b]Settings Window[/b]" in the bottom left. Click the "[b]Misc[/b]" tab and check the "[b]Demo Recording[/b]" box (if it isn't already). Exit Nexuiz.
2.) Create the file "[b]autoexec.cfg[/b]" in your [b]Nexuiz/data[/b] directory (possibly [b]~/.nexuiz/data[/b] on Linux/Mac) if it doesn't yet exist.
3.) Paste the following code into "[b]autoexec.cfg[/b]"

Code:

bind kp_end "slowmo 0.1"
bind kp_downarrow "slowmo 0.2"
bind kp_pgdn "slowmo 0.3"
bind kp_leftarrow "slowmo 0.5"
bind kp_5 "slowmo 1"
bind kp_rightarrow "slowmo 2"
bind kp_home "slowmo 3"
bind kp_uparrow "slowmo 5"
bind kp_pgup "slowmo 10"
bind kp_ins pausedemo
bind kp_del stopdemo
bind kp_enter capturevideo
bind kp_plus capturevideo
bind kp_minus freeview
bind kp_multiply demoview
bind kp_slash thirdperson

alias capturevideo "toggle cl_capturevideo"

alias +freeview "set cl_deathscoreboard_backup $cl_deathscoreboard ;cl_deathscoreboard 0;set con_chat_backup $con_chat ;con_chat 0;set con_notify_backup $con_notify ;con_notify 0;set crosshair_backup $crosshair ;crosshair 0;set r_drawviewmodel_backup $r_drawviewmodel ;r_drawviewmodel 0;set scr_centertime_backup $scr_centertime ;scr_centertime 0;set showfps_backup $showfps ;showfps 0;set shownetgraph_backup $shownetgraph ;shownetgraph 0;set showtime_backup $showtime ;showtime 0;set viewsize_backup $viewsize ;viewsize 120;alias freeview -freeview"
alias -freeview "cl_deathscoreboard $cl_deathscoreboard_backup ;con_chat $con_chat_backup ;con_notify $con_notify_backup ;crosshair $crosshair_backup ;r_drawviewmodel $r_drawviewmodel_backup ;scr_centertime $scr_centertime_backup ;showfps $showfps_backup ;shownetgraph $shownetgraph_backup ;showtime $showtime_backup ;viewsize $viewsize_backup ;alias freeview +freeview"
alias freeview +freeview

alias +demoview "+freeview;crosshair $crosshair_backup ;r_drawviewmodel 1;viewsize 100;set fov_backup $fov ;fov 90;alias demoview -demoview"
alias -demoview "-freeview;fov $fov_backup ;alias demoview +demoview"
alias demoview +demoview

alias thirdperson "toggle chase_active"

If you'd like to define the video dimensions, you may do so by adding the following two lines:

Code:

cl_capturevideo_height 480
cl_capturevideo_width 640

4.) Start Nexuiz as usual and drop the console (shift+esc). type "[b]playdemo demos[/b]" and hit tab. Start typing the name of the demo you want and hit tab again to condense the list. Keep doing this until you get the demo you want and press enter to open it. You can now use your numpad for video control.

I know this way is a little less efficient (to some) than a GUI but it's all we've got for now, so let us make the best of it!

[b]
1-9: [color=#888888]Video Speed[/color]
Ins (0): [color=#888888]Pause Video[/color]
Del (.): [color=#888888]Stop Video[/color]
Enter/Plus: [color=#888888]Capture Video[/color]
Minus: [color=#888888]Freeview[/color]
Mutiply: [color=#888888]Demoview[/color]
Divide: [color=#888888]Thirdperson[/color]
[/b]

Your videos will be saved in [b]Nexuiz/data/video[/b] (possibly [b]~/.nexuiz/data/video[/b] on Linux/Mac) as [b]dpvideo###.avi[/b]. It is my understanding that you cannot change the generated name pattern.

If you'd like to compress your video, try using a program such as [url=http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html]Super[/url] (Windows) or [url=http://avidemux.berlios.de/]avidemux[/url] (Cross Platform).

Optionally, you can refer to [url=http://www.nexuizninjaz.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=31]this thread[/url] for more details on video compression.


[color=red][b]Note:[/b][/color] Sometimes you leave a demo paused when you load another one. Then you get stuck scratching your head, wonder why it's not loading. [b][color=red]To unpause[/color] the demo, [color=red]type[/color] '[color=red]pausedemo[/color]' in your console.[/b]

[color=red][b]Another Note:[/b][/color] Sometimes you only see black with a bunch of items floating, this is because your map is in dlcache. Simply drop the console, hit "up" (to get the playdemo command again) and hit enter. If this fails, you don't have the map. You should head over to [url]http://maps.nexuizninjaz.com[/url] and download it to your Nexuiz data directory.[/b]


[size=xx-small][color=#444444]I've created this How-to as there is a lot of scattered information on this topic and there needs to be one solid up to date information source. I found these key-binds below a few months back with a series of searches I can't seem to replicate on the [url=http://www.alientrap.org/forum/index.php]Nexuiz Forums[/url] now. So I can't really give proper credit but please send me a pm if you know who deserves credit.[/color][/size]

[-z-]

A little note about pause. If you happen to pause a demo and then load another while it's paused, [b]pausedemo[/b] is still in affect. To fix this, drop the console (shift+esc) and type "[b]pausedemo[/b]".

[Rob]

k i put the configurations int "autoexec.cfg"and i now have control over the demos but when i record it doesn't save and i can't find them on my computer. also when its in record mode its real skippy and slow. is that normal

[-z-]

Rob Wrote:k i put the configurations int "autoexec.cfg"and i now have control over the demos but when i record it doesn't save and i can't find them on my computer.

Video files should be saved in you "[b]data/videos[/b]" directory. If you are still having trouble, try searching for "[b]dpvideo*.avi[/b]".

Rob Wrote:also when its in record mode its real skippy and slow. is that normal

Yes, this is normal, it's using more processing power.

[Rob]

there is no movies folder in my data so i made one then tried it again but stiil no good. is because im using a mac?

[AceOfThumbs]

Here is how to find the .nexuiz folder on a Mac:
1. In the Finder, look in the Go menu and select Go To Folder...
2. Type ~/.nexuiz
(the ~ is at the upper left of the keyboard, just below the ESC key)

[Rob]

still no folder were do you find your files?

[-z-]

Searching your entire system for "[b]dpvideo*.avi[/b]" yielded no results?

[AceOfThumbs]

Using the instructions for Mac OS X that I gave above, you should get a finder window for the .nexuiz folder. Inside this folder is a data folder. Inside the data folder you should see the video folder.

[Rob]

i searched the entire computer for the avi file and there is no folder named videos in my data folder of nexuiz. bah this is gay