Overlays

Da Bounca

Hi all,

Looking for a basic overlay that I can use while streaming or putting it over a video.
I have to be able to manually update scores in real time without disturbing the picture. I'm fairly sure this is done all the time, but I've had trouble finding an easy to use existing overlay or a tutorial explaining how I go about making my own.

The visual aspect is not important at this point, just the updating of player names/scores.

Any advice?

TheChrisD

Hmmm, what program are you using to stream/record/edit?

Da Bounca

Recording is on a high end camera/tripod.

What we are currently doing is recording footage on the camera, tidying up the file and adding some intro and music, then playing back the video and recording commentary to make a file that has both vid and commentary. Then the file is uploaded to youtube etc. We currently have no way of easily updating information on screen while we are adding the commentary.

Not sure what program is used to edit, whatever the industry media standard is. I don't have a hand in tidying up the footage before adding the commentary. At the moment for adding the commentary the editing suite is used and just we record the video with commentary. We may use Xsplit for the next video(although we'd be recording the file locally and not streaming). A scoreboard overlay that can be updated in real time without disturbing the video is important.

Doctor DooM

Da Bounca wrote: »

Recording is on a high end camera/tripod.

What we are currently doing is recording footage on the camera, tidying up the file and adding some intro and music, then playing back the video and recording commentary to make a file that has both vid and commentary. Then the file is uploaded to youtube etc. We currently have no way of easily updating information on screen while we are adding the commentary.

Not sure what program is used to edit, whatever the industry media standard is. I don't have a hand in tidying up the footage before adding the commentary. At the moment for adding the commentary the editing suite is used and just we record the video with commentary. We may use Xsplit for the next video(although we'd be recording the file locally and not streaming). A scoreboard overlay that can be updated in real time without disturbing the video is important.

If you need something for realtime with the game on screen you need to let us know what type of game is being played. Different games require different parts of the screen be kept clear.

Or you could just scale the game to about 80% and have the scores written beneath with xsplit. Then you could use prety much anything as a background.

I'm also pretty sure there's a few generic free overlays out there.

Da Bounca

It's for card games like Magic:The Gathering/Yugiho etc.
Not video games, the actual paper cards.

All that's need is space for player names and life totals.

I tried a free generic overlay but for some reason the hotkeys wouldn't update the scores without me opening up the menu and doing it there.

TheChrisD

If everything is being done for video-on-demand, and you're using some high-end video editing software is being used (without a name though, can't say this for certain), I don't see what the issue is? The commentary is just an audio track being added to the video project, yes? Then you just need to add a video track(s) and use the tools provided with background images and text tools to create an overlay from scratch which can be edited with the details either before or after the commentary.

Da Bounca

The problem is that the player scores change constantly throughout the entire video. To edit the video and add each score change is too time consuming. The way I see this in my mind's eye is that we playback the video with the overlay on it, commentate on it and manually update the scores. All of this is recorded outputting one file with everything done on it ready to upload(maybe some compression first).
Is this madness?

Doctor DooM

A guy called JAxel made a score editor to make it much easier to do with xsplit. I shall go try to find it.

TheChrisD

Well, that's the nature of games such as these with constantly changing parameters. It's like you're working with the mindset of a live broadcast for something that's not a live broadcast.

Can you show a screenshot of the setup you're using on the computer? It sounds to me like someone else does the video editing, then sends you a finished video file, which you play back in a media player and record with a screen recording program including your commentary all while you're trying to keep the scores updated.

Da Bounca

That's it exactly.

Can post a screen shot tomorrow.

TheChrisD

In that case, I think you're overcomplicating the process for this, particularly as you're creating media for on-demand viewing, and not live viewing.

If you want to skip the hassle, I would advise to instead create your overlay/scoreboard and audio commentary inside a video editing program. That way you don't have the pressures of having to edit the overlay live to keep up with the video, gives you better scope for do-overs and perfecting the commentary track etc. It does mean a longer turnaround time, as you will probably have to make two passes through the video - once for overlay and once for commentary - but the resulting increase in quality and accuracy should be worth it.

Dr Bob

...while people are talking about overlays, anyone know where I'd get an old style TV one?
Specifically I record a lot of retro console footage for the youtube channel,and process them in Sony Vegas.Its usually 4:3,but the videos I put up are 16:9 ( basically as the intro/outro bits are in that ratio) so either a/ I leave it as is and have 2 large columns down the screen , or b/ turn off keep original ratio, which strectches the picture.
I figure I could use up some of the unused screen real estate with an old style eighties tv overlay, and use an inverse mask to show the recorded footage inside it.
I keep meaning to make one up but havent had much of a chance to come up with anything decent, just thought I'd ask in case theres something out there that does the job!

Da Bounca

Forgot to take a screenshot. We were stuck for time and it slipped my mind.

Ended up recording a separate sound file while watching the footage.
Gonna go through the video and edit in the score changes. Then just lash in the commentary, sync it up and process it as one file.

Awkward.

Sabre0001

Not quite sure what style the scores take / how often they're updated, but you could prepare the score numbers and insert them into video as required. With Sony Vegas for example, you can have pre-set settings for where something will appear.

So a setup like:
<Changeable score - preset to x position> <Player Name vs Player Name - one file> <Changeable score>

But without being too familiar with the mechanics, that's the best I can offer.