Strike
04-09-2012, 10:41 AM
Description
I would like to make a request for future development to implement a built-in gun-camera recording feature.
Example video from youtube made with 3rd party video editing software:
Credits go to splatteri
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deo_TdUOhN0&feature=related
I can't recall seeing such a feature implemented in any flight simulator previously, except MAYBE Falcon (but it's more similar to the old 1946 track recorder).
The idea is that a player can record footage "on the fly" by enabling the guncam feature by using for example a keybinding. The game detects the players' wish to use the guncam feature, and it is enabled, replacing the default "record track" feature (i imagine having two different track recordings at the same time is unsupported by the game engine).
Recording:
I think the guncam should act semi-historically, by starting the camera roll when the trigger is pressed. The camera will record until the player releases the trigger, and keeps filming for another 7 seconds. If the guns aren't fired again before the 7 seconds have passed the camera stops recording. If the gun is fired before the 7 seconds have elapsed, a new 7 second time delay is added. Instead of saving that snippet as a single track, I personally think it should keep adding new sequences onto the same track for the entire sortie, just like a normal recording device would do. Also I think the camera should be offset from the aircraft center, like in real life they were usually placed within the wing. One could just use the 1st person, no cockpit view with a 3m horizontal offset to simplify things.
So after flying a 1 hour sortie and scoring say 4 kills and 1 probable kill, you could review all the interesting bits of the fighting without having to browse the entire track back and forth. You would just see the engagements + 7 seconds after ceasefire, and all engagements of the sortie in one single video track file. You could save the track as Sorte no# x dd.mm.yyyy for instance and review them at a later point. You can also get a better look at the probable kill and try to "guess" how damaged he was.
Now for the interesting part:
Editing:
It would be nice with an ingame track viewer that you could replay the clips in. Call it guncam theater or something like that. Here you could review all your guncam tracks, rename, edit, delete and hopefully even convert to .avi for easy sharing and uploading to youtube (would be very good marketing PR). I think the editing part should let the user decide a few options, before rendering the final guncam reel:
Image effects:
Original
Black/White
Old colour film
Brown
Superimposed gunsight on/off
Playback speed:
Normal
1/2x
1/4x
Sound:
On
Off
Cinema reel effect on/off
Of course other options for extra fine customization could apply, but then one might consider just using the normal video and editing it later in a 3rd party software.
Why incorporate such a feature?
First of all, who doesn't love watching guncams!? Imagine creating your own as you fly, only to view them afterwards to see your enemies fall before you, just like they did in real life. With a built-in viewing and editing theater it's easy to create and share your own victories, but also review your performances and share valuable info with your squadmates. Perhaps a guncam will reveal an incendiary bullet striking a vulnerable point on the enemy aircraft that caused it to explode?
Also it's easier and more fun to do if you already have all the relevant footage, captured from the right angle, at the relevant seconds of your flight ready in an un-edited file. No more replaying entire tracks over and over while recording loads of individual video files with a 3rd party recording tool. With the power of an ingame editor, you can easily apply the desired effect, playback speed and convert to a known video file format for easy sharing and uploading.
Lastly, it's a great way to advertise the game. It's definitely a perfect way of displaying the outstanding damage model this sim has to offer, and believable effects + graphics. With an easy editor leading to more videos being uploaded, it's going to draw a lot of people just browsing guncams, looking for general game footage and curious about discovering good ways to bring down tough planes.
I've posted it over at the il-2 bug tracker site. If you are registered over there, please drop by and vote it up if you like the idea!
Bugtracker entry link: http://www.il2bugtracker.com/issues/105
I would like to make a request for future development to implement a built-in gun-camera recording feature.
Example video from youtube made with 3rd party video editing software:
Credits go to splatteri
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deo_TdUOhN0&feature=related
I can't recall seeing such a feature implemented in any flight simulator previously, except MAYBE Falcon (but it's more similar to the old 1946 track recorder).
The idea is that a player can record footage "on the fly" by enabling the guncam feature by using for example a keybinding. The game detects the players' wish to use the guncam feature, and it is enabled, replacing the default "record track" feature (i imagine having two different track recordings at the same time is unsupported by the game engine).
Recording:
I think the guncam should act semi-historically, by starting the camera roll when the trigger is pressed. The camera will record until the player releases the trigger, and keeps filming for another 7 seconds. If the guns aren't fired again before the 7 seconds have passed the camera stops recording. If the gun is fired before the 7 seconds have elapsed, a new 7 second time delay is added. Instead of saving that snippet as a single track, I personally think it should keep adding new sequences onto the same track for the entire sortie, just like a normal recording device would do. Also I think the camera should be offset from the aircraft center, like in real life they were usually placed within the wing. One could just use the 1st person, no cockpit view with a 3m horizontal offset to simplify things.
So after flying a 1 hour sortie and scoring say 4 kills and 1 probable kill, you could review all the interesting bits of the fighting without having to browse the entire track back and forth. You would just see the engagements + 7 seconds after ceasefire, and all engagements of the sortie in one single video track file. You could save the track as Sorte no# x dd.mm.yyyy for instance and review them at a later point. You can also get a better look at the probable kill and try to "guess" how damaged he was.
Now for the interesting part:
Editing:
It would be nice with an ingame track viewer that you could replay the clips in. Call it guncam theater or something like that. Here you could review all your guncam tracks, rename, edit, delete and hopefully even convert to .avi for easy sharing and uploading to youtube (would be very good marketing PR). I think the editing part should let the user decide a few options, before rendering the final guncam reel:
Image effects:
Original
Black/White
Old colour film
Brown
Superimposed gunsight on/off
Playback speed:
Normal
1/2x
1/4x
Sound:
On
Off
Cinema reel effect on/off
Of course other options for extra fine customization could apply, but then one might consider just using the normal video and editing it later in a 3rd party software.
Why incorporate such a feature?
First of all, who doesn't love watching guncams!? Imagine creating your own as you fly, only to view them afterwards to see your enemies fall before you, just like they did in real life. With a built-in viewing and editing theater it's easy to create and share your own victories, but also review your performances and share valuable info with your squadmates. Perhaps a guncam will reveal an incendiary bullet striking a vulnerable point on the enemy aircraft that caused it to explode?
Also it's easier and more fun to do if you already have all the relevant footage, captured from the right angle, at the relevant seconds of your flight ready in an un-edited file. No more replaying entire tracks over and over while recording loads of individual video files with a 3rd party recording tool. With the power of an ingame editor, you can easily apply the desired effect, playback speed and convert to a known video file format for easy sharing and uploading.
Lastly, it's a great way to advertise the game. It's definitely a perfect way of displaying the outstanding damage model this sim has to offer, and believable effects + graphics. With an easy editor leading to more videos being uploaded, it's going to draw a lot of people just browsing guncams, looking for general game footage and curious about discovering good ways to bring down tough planes.
I've posted it over at the il-2 bug tracker site. If you are registered over there, please drop by and vote it up if you like the idea!
Bugtracker entry link: http://www.il2bugtracker.com/issues/105