Request: Ingame built-in gun-camera feature

[Strike]

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_T...eature=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

[Verhängnis]

+1C Maddox

[drewpee]

+1

[SG1_Lud]

Already voted +1

[Ataros]

There should be an option to leave gunsights on to compare where you aim with where you actually hit.

[furbs]

More chance of a snow ball in hell...they need to fix the replay feature we have first.

Great idea though 1+

[ATAG_Snapper]

+1 -- voted accordingly over at Bugtracker

I've done some half-arsed guncam effort by programming my Warthog stick to start/stop FRAPS with the trigger press. I also applied some holdover (up to 5 seconds -- 7 seconds would've been just as easy to program in). On a second switch on my throttle I have a separate function programmed which zooms in, centers, and pauses TrackIR (to freeze the centering); when I release this spring-loaded switch these three functions are cancelled for me to regain situational awareness.

It has its faults. If you program holdover of, say, 5 or 7 seconds, that screws up FRAPS if you shoot again before the hold over is completed (since the FRAPS hotkey is a pulse stop/start and not a HOLD command like a weapons key). You address this in your feature application, where the 7 second holdover would simply be overridden by a second gun button/trigger press. (I gotta work on that). Second fault: my guncam footage is, at least for ATAG online shooting, limited to cockpit-only -- ie, through the gun sight and with no 3 meter offset as a real gun camera would have.

I voted for your application because of the enormous benefits guncam footage provides. I've posted a lot of my guncam footage elsewhere and a fellow forum member (thanks, Athos!) gave a detailed analysis of what he saw happening with my at-the-time convergence settings and attack style. This caused me to rethink my whole method of attack and gun settings -- exactly like a golfer watching a video of himself trying to fix a bad golf swing. Plus, it IS fun reviewing the tapes after a session reliving past glories.

http://vimeo.com/36308942

EDIT: Aw heck, I'm on a roll. See if you can spot my accidental "friendly" kill in this ATAG Server online footage:

http://vimeo.com/34734845

[Strike]

Originally Posted by Ataros

There should be an option to leave gunsights on to compare where you aim with where you actually hit.

I've already mentioned that :

Superimposed gunsight on/off

[ATAG_Doc]

But this is just assumed that it will be there right? You cannot have a successful product without this.

That's probably what a large portion of people only want it for. To fly, shoot and then watch it and dream.

You got to include this. It's like constructing a beautiful 4 bedroom home without a single crapper in it. That makes absolutely no sense.

Come on you've GOT to be kidding us. It has to be there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2AOYP3ZAOk

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[furbs]

That looks brill Doc!

Just let down by the landscape, though the stuff over the sea looked real.