cRPG

Off Topic => General Off Topic => Topic started by: Teeth on September 16, 2012, 12:44:10 pm

Title: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Teeth on September 16, 2012, 12:44:10 pm
I want to be able to capture crpg gameplay, but I can''t really. I tried with fraps and on lowest settings ingame, half size and 30 fps it's still somewhat choppy. Does anyone have any tips to optimize fraps performance or some other software to capture gameplay?

These are my computer specs:
ATI Radeon HD 5870
Intel Core i5 750
8 gigs of RAM

It's not state of the art, but it's not that bad either. Do you really just need a NASA computer to capture shit or is there some performance to be gained by tweaking?
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Kafein on September 16, 2012, 01:06:30 pm
I heard fraps is maybe not the right choice if you want low impact.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Largg on September 16, 2012, 01:51:39 pm
Not sure if I'm right but I think recording with 30fps reduces your fps in-game too. Have you tried recording with higher numbers, say 60 fps? Sure takes a lot a of hdd space uncompressed though.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Ptolemy on September 16, 2012, 01:56:07 pm
Fraps will lock your FPS in game to whatever you're recording at. To increase framerate, you have to increase the rate it records at.

This does increase filesize, but it also allows for slow-motion shots, if you're so inclined.

Conclusion: Record at a higher FPS for better results.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: ThePoopy on September 16, 2012, 03:20:54 pm
save it to a different disc then fraps is on
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Teeth on September 16, 2012, 03:32:16 pm
save it to a different disc then fraps is on
Just have one harddrive. Or do you mean a different partition? Like Fraps being on C: and saving on D:?

Fraps will lock your FPS in game to whatever you're recording at. To increase framerate, you have to increase the rate it records at.

This does increase filesize, but it also allows for slow-motion shots, if you're so inclined.

Conclusion: Record at a higher FPS for better results.
The problem is performance while recording, doubt recording with higher FPS will reduce the strain on my computer.

I heard fraps is maybe not the right choice if you want low impact.
Did you happen to hear about any alternatives? Still, loads of people that record gameplay use fraps and even record in HD and with a much smoother framerate. Do they all just have 2000 euro computers or something?
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Ptolemy on September 16, 2012, 08:14:02 pm
The problem is performance while recording, doubt recording with higher FPS will reduce the strain on my computer.
Check that Fraps is using all available CPU cores (ctrl+alt+delete, right click fraps.exe, check associated cores - or something like that). If it already is, then the only solution is to get a better computer.

Did you happen to hear about any alternatives? Still, loads of people that record gameplay use fraps and even record in HD and with a much smoother framerate. Do they all just have 2000 euro computers or something?
Thread on this subject. (http://forum.meleegaming.com/general-off-topic/best-screen-recorders/)

Also, try defragging your harddrive, sometimes that helps with Fraps recording speeds. Although don't hold out much hope for that one.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Angantyr on September 17, 2012, 12:30:50 am
Use the much superior Playclaw  (http://www.playclaw.com/) instead.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Ptolemy on September 17, 2012, 11:31:23 am
You say superior - for me, playclaw creates corrupt videos after 4GB file size.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Vibe on September 17, 2012, 11:41:58 am
I want to be able to capture crpg gameplay, but I can''t really. I tried with fraps and on lowest settings ingame, half size and 30 fps it's still somewhat choppy. Does anyone have any tips to optimize fraps performance or some other software to capture gameplay?

These are my computer specs:
ATI Radeon HD 5870
Intel Core i5 750
8 gigs of RAM

It's not state of the art, but it's not that bad either. Do you really just need a NASA computer to capture shit or is there some performance to be gained by tweaking?

Funny enough, I have pretty much the same specs as you and recorded my vid with fraps at about 35 fps (I think) without problems.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: v/onMega on September 17, 2012, 05:32:33 pm
Set 30 fps in FRAPS - Uncheck "Lock framerate".
Use a different partition then m&b is on.

Fraps doesnt lock your fps necesserily. Uncheck "lock framerate" and you ll just get double the fps ingame your video is supposed to be at.
So video 30, ingame you get your 60.

If that doesnt help, forget about Fraps.

Your harddrive is not able to write the necessary data ( i assume)
1080 p @ 60 fps is over 400mb p second. // half of it for 30 fps.

Without an SSD this is pretty much impossbru (since you only have 1 hdd)


And yes, Playclaw can be a great alternative ;-).
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Teeth on September 17, 2012, 06:30:55 pm
Funny enough, I have pretty much the same specs as you and recorded my vid with fraps at about 35 fps (I think) without problems.
wat, you have an ssd or second harddrive?
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Vibe on September 17, 2012, 06:39:15 pm
wat, you have an ssd or second harddrive?

a normal (eg no fast speed or something) harddrive

HD Radeon 5870
i5 760 @ 2.8 ghz
8 gig RAM

Could just be the processor? But I doubt it. I mean I wasn't getting perfect fps, eg it did stutter a bit, but it was playable.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: CrazyCracka420 on September 17, 2012, 08:46:04 pm
I tried recording the other day using fraps and it was fucking terrible.  My C-rpg runs on my solid state hard drive (c: drive) and my recording was going to my E: drive.  I have a basically brand new computer, and even trying to play at 60fps (which locked my in game to 60fps) was fucking retarded, I couldn't play for shit.  I normally play with 200+ fps in game, so that may be it, but I used to play games back in the day with 60fps and it wasn't hard to play at all.  With Fraps it was laggy as shit on 30 or 60 fps.  If you try to customize it, the highest it lets you go is still 60fps. 

So tonight I'm going to experiment with another program I found online...but it's possible that I just need to retry Fraps using half video size or something?  I play in 1280x1024 on pretty high settings normally. 
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Teeth on September 18, 2012, 01:07:17 am
a normal (eg no fast speed or something) harddrive

HD Radeon 5870
i5 760 @ 2.8 ghz
8 gig RAM

Could just be the processor? But I doubt it. I mean I wasn't getting perfect fps, eg it did stutter a bit, but it was playable.
I looked at your vid and it was in HD aswell. I don't even get a fluid recording at halfsize with lower ingame settings. Perhaps I just have a crap harddrive, don't think the slightly better processor would make that much of a difference.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: v/onMega on September 18, 2012, 11:23:35 am
LoL.
You guys cant record in native 720p resolution?
The presented rigs should be enough for 720 p atleast.

Thats very strange, akward even.
Something must be all wrong.

Halfsize is not an option.
Even @ 1080p halfsize looks like a 360 p youtube vid, reuploaded after it was filmed of the screen with an old phone.

ANYWAYS- TRY PLAYCLAW FOR GODS SAKE-
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: [ptx] on September 18, 2012, 11:30:07 am
Playclaw works amazing, recording at fullHD like a baws on a five year old PC.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Vibe on September 18, 2012, 11:31:46 am
I belive the problem is that he is running Warband and Fraps from the same disk/partition. Will also try Playclaw, need something that doesn't use too much CPU.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Miranda on September 19, 2012, 08:28:03 pm
I belive the problem is that he is running Warband and Fraps from the same disk/partition. Will also try Playclaw, need something that doesn't use too much CPU.
Yeah the problem with Fraps is that like....a short piece of footage (an example) of 1 minute 26 seconds can be a file of around 2,8 Gigs (at 1080p at 60fps). So yeah, that takes quite a bit of processing.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Teeth on September 19, 2012, 08:59:56 pm
I belive the problem is that he is running Warband and Fraps from the same disk/partition. Will also try Playclaw, need something that doesn't use too much CPU.
So wait, installing Fraps on D and saving on D would help, with Warband being on C?
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Miranda on September 19, 2012, 09:57:11 pm
So wait, installing Fraps on D and saving on D would help, with Warband being on C?
It reduces the strain on my pc a bit when recording. IF those are two different harddisks and not a different partition.

For example my H: is my external HD on wich i record.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Teeth on September 20, 2012, 01:00:55 am
It reduces the strain on my pc a bit when recording. IF those are two different harddisks and not a different partition.

For example my H: is my external HD on wich i record.
Nah, just different partitions, it never made sense to me why a different partition would reduce strain anyway.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Ptolemy on September 20, 2012, 04:46:17 am
I've tested the separate HDD theory and found that for me at least, it's balony. Never made one iota of difference to me.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Ujin on September 20, 2012, 06:27:09 pm
there's also bandicam, never tried it myself but many people say it's good.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Apsod on September 22, 2012, 05:23:52 am
MSI Afterburner is the shiz. Generates almost zero lag for me :)
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Teeth on December 13, 2012, 09:40:45 pm
With the advent of WSE I gave recording gameplay another shot. I installed PlayClaw 3 and the results are much better, being able to record watchable footage, a lolspear video would fare well by 60 fps though instead of 30. With my PC specs in the OP, does anyone happen to have any advice on settings inside the program for maximizing performance? If its necessary I'll look up my harddrive specs, I have only one harddrive.

For example:

Prerecording and prerecording buffer size, is that any use?
Compression threads, is that the number of cpu cores used for compression? With a quad core and Warband running what should this number be?
Should I get PlayClaw 4?
My usual ingame fps is 123, should I change that to my recording fps or does it change automatically?
Which encoder and encoder quality?
Should I lock fps?

Then the issue of one harddrive with 2 partitions, should I install PlayClaw and record to a different partition or is it no use?

Or if you have tried different recording programs and are sure one of em is the best, please do tell. Feel free to also add recommended settings.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Kafein on December 14, 2012, 10:48:57 am
With the advent of WSE I gave recording gameplay another shot. I installed PlayClaw 3 and the results are much better, being able to record watchable footage, a lolspear video would fare well by 60 fps though instead of 30. With my PC specs in the OP, does anyone happen to have any advice on settings inside the program for maximizing performance? If its necessary I'll look up my harddrive specs, I have only one harddrive.

For example:

Prerecording and prerecording buffer size, is that any use?
Compression threads, is that the number of cpu cores used for compression? With a quad core and Warband running what should this number be?
Should I get PlayClaw 4?
My usual ingame fps is 123, should I change that to my recording fps or does it change automatically?
Which encoder and encoder quality?
Should I lock fps?

Then the issue of one harddrive with 2 partitions, should I install PlayClaw and record to a different partition or is it no use?

Or if you have tried different recording programs and are sure one of em is the best, please do tell. Feel free to also add recommended settings.

About compression threads : depends on what is your system load. For a quad CPU I'd say start with 8 threads and see what happens. If your CPU usage is too high even your windows explorer will start to stutter (and I'm not even talking about Warband). As long as you get lag, decrease. But I wouldn't go below 4.

My gut feeling is that if you can get 120 FPS ingame, you should try recording at 60 (any higher will be of no use to your viewers and will go nom nom nom on your disk space).

As long as you are using the same HD, you will be bottlenecked by the same bus so it won't improve much.
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Teeth on December 14, 2012, 11:13:21 am
I thought a quad core had only 4 threads?
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Vibe on December 14, 2012, 11:16:52 am
I thought a quad core had only 4 threads?

quad core has 4 cores, the number of threads varies
Title: Re: Capturing cRPG gameplay
Post by: Kafein on December 14, 2012, 11:54:13 am
I thought a quad core had only 4 threads?

A quad core CPU has 4 process contexts and can execute 4 threads simultaneously (aka true paralellism).

However, there are hundreds of threads running in semi-paralellism on your PC (even when it is seemingly idle). That is, they take turns to use the cores.

The ideal number of threads you need to make an application run as efficiently as possible depends on the nature of those threads. Threads that access your devices (such as HD) a lot (I/O bound threads) will often be blocked by those accesses and when they are blocked another thread can take their turn for the CPU. So you can usually have a lot of I/O bound threads around. CP bound threads do not use devices much but require computing power (extreme examples are like prime numbers search algorithms, which are often used as a testbed for CPUs), so they will use as much CPU as they can and you will quickly reach 100% CPU usage if you have a lot of them working.

I think compression threads are highly CP bound but anyway it's best to try different settings.