Essential Guides & Tutorials

PC
(This will also include emulators for things that don't have a video out connection like a gameboy, Nintendo DS or PSP etc)


If your using a PC and want to record your gameplay you don't need any equipment, just software. Some of this software is free and will produce excellent results, some of it cost money but returns the same result so it make sense to use the free one.

Massive thanks to TheChrisD for writing this up for me

For recording PC gameplay, there are several options available, which will generally depend on what you are playing, and how you're playing it.

There are several programs available for capturing gameplay.

• XFire (http://www.xfire.com/) - a very popular gaming program that can record gameplay and upload those videos, or other gameplay videos, directly to the XFire website. XFire also tracks your gameplay hours, allows in-game chat with your friends, shares your PC rig information, allows you to download games, and can also be used for live streaming in conjunction with Livestream.com. Highly recommended for general un-edited gameplay videos, and for streaming.
• FRAPS (http://www.fraps.com/) - a very powerful video benchmarking tool that can be used for recording gameplay with or without commentary (that function limited to Windows Vista/7), or to an extent, anything else on your PC. Requires a one-time license costing $37. Highly recommended for recording gameplay for montages, or for Let's Play style commentaries.
• WeGame (http://www.wegame.com/) - a program that can automatically share gameplay videos on the WeGame website.

Note that general "screen recording" programs such as CamStudio, Camtasia, WebcamMax, VHScrCap etc. can NOT record full screen games - but can possibly be used if the game is set to run in windowed mode.

Some games may also feature their own in-game recording function which can be used, such as:

• Source Recorder (most Valve Source games) - a function inside most Valve Source engine games that can render in-game demos, for editing to be made into gameplay videos, or montages.
• Battlecast (C&C3, C&C4) - a function inside the newer Command and Conquer games, which automatically record replays of your multiplayer matches. Several sites, such as gamereplays.org, specialise in showing these replays.
• Battle.net (Blizzard games) - a function inside most of the newer Blizzard games which allows gameplay to be recorded, or replays to be shared. (Unsure about this!)

For emulators, most of the dedicated game recording programs won't work, as they don't have the emulator program listed in their databases and/or decide not to support it. To record games like these, you can use any of the afore-mentioned screen recording programs, or another program with the same functionality - or provided you run at least Windows Vista with Aero turned on, you may use FRAPS if it is set to "monitor Aero desktop", in which case it will record your full screen, which will require editing to crop.

Two good screen recording programs are Camstudio, and Camtasia (licence required).

Consoles
Anything that plugs into a tv. (NES, Snes, megadrive, master system, N64, gamecube, xbox, xbox360, Playstation 1, 2 & 3 etc)


You will need some sort of capture card to retrieve the audio & video signals and send them to your PC to record. I have put together a list of the top well known ones and the price/quality they all provide:




Cheapest option is:
Easycap €9.99 from ebay



It will record in SD (Standard Definition) and uses composite / svideo.
I use it to record everything, from my Nes, megadrive, xbox to VHS and converting old video camera movies for relatives

You will need three y female RCA splitters and two RCA to RCA cables which can be bought on ebay for very cheap or your local AV shop for a bit more expensive

This is the best way to set it up so you can play on a TV while recording



next on the list is:
Dazzle €70+ ebay



dazzle works in the same way as the easycap, but a lot of people hate them and the software leaves a lot to be desired. (I recommend the easycap for the same quality but a cheaper price)

Here is how to set it up



And at the high end is:
Hauppauge HD PVR €200 (Official site - here in Ireland)




This is my baby, I love this thing.

The only additional thing you will have to buy is a Component cable for whatever system you are planning on recording (Although it does have a normal RCA / composite connection)

It records through component so you can get HD (720p & 1080p) quality. the files are much larger in comparison to the cheaper capture cards, but the quality is amazing

Check out my youtube if you want to see the quality

This is how you set it up:



Lastly, you can go for:
BlackMagic Intensity Pro €200 Official site



This is the highest quality you can get as it inputs and outputs HDMI.
The only drawback with this is it has to be PC installed and unlike the others, can't be used on a laptop.
The quality is unquestionable though but again, what it has in quality it lacks in mobility

This is how you set it up:



Some people use a camera on a tripod pointing directly at the TV, and although this method works, it doesn't have a clear of quality picture or sound as straight recording as detailed above. But as always, it's about your own personal preference whichever way you want to record


Any more questions please ask

The first thing you need to do commentary is a mic (I know it sounds stupid, but I get asked quite a lot)

Any mic will do, anything, an in-build one on a laptop or PC screen, a headset you use for skype, or even your xbox - PS3 ones if your PC supports them.

To record, all you do is plug in your mic, then open your video clip in your editing software and click record voice. the video will play while you talk so you can discuss whats going on in the video.

Here's how to do it in WMM





And here's how to do it in Sony Vegas





A lot of people don't know this, but people generally record their voice after the game rather than over it as it distracts too much from playing. a lot of the lets play games you see on youtube are recorded while playing but I've only ever seen it being done on a PC. I have recorded live video commentary and then sync'd it with the gameplay after, but it was really hard to talk and play at the same time.

here's a video of me doing it and you will see that it's hard to hold a conversation



Basically, once you have the video and the game recorded, it's just a case of opening both video files in your editing programme and ajusting them until you know the are playing in sync. i do this by zooming in on the sound waves and lineing them up with eachother as typically you will have loud peaks at the same times in both videos.

Thats covered above in How do you record video games? but here's a quick breakdown of it:

Cheapest option is:

Easycap €9.99 from ebay

Dazzle €70+ ebay

Hauppauge HD PVR €200 (Official site - here in Ireland)

BlackMagic Intensity Pro €200 Official site

Thanks Sabre

IrishWelshCelt wrote: »

youtube now allows 15min vids!

Just to touch on this, it allows a lot more now

True, i must get the full details on that and post them

How much will you be selling the BMIP for?

Send me a message when you do if you don't mind