50 réponses à ce sujet

[BloodsongVengeance]

----content of this post removed, because... i'm an idiot and the way i 'export to override' is NOT the correct way to do it!---  sorry guys!

i will post about scripts in the next post, to try to keep things organized.

Modifié par BloodsongVengeance, 28 septembre 2010 - 03:04 .

[BloodsongVengeance]

Cutscene Scripts
http://social.biowar...58/#post_817758
(for reference bookmarks)

   okay, here are the pertinent scripts.  one for starting the cutscene on entering a trigger (or using/clicking a placeable), one for starting it when entering the area, and the module startup script so you can load a pre-made character and not be mr 1hp jaden all the time.


   this script is a conglomerate that *should* work on both triggers (for entering) and placeable objects (on using/clicking).
trigger basic instructions: 
http://social.biowar...dex.php/Trigger

placeable more complicated instructions:
http://social.biowar...ceable_tutorial

BASIC CUTSCENE START SCRIPT==========================
[nwscript]
#include "events_h"
#include "utility_h"

void main ()
{
int bEventHandled;

event evCurrent = GetCurrentEvent();
int nEventType = GetEventType(evCurrent);

switch(nEventType)
{
case EVENT_TYPE_USE:
case EVENT_TYPE_CLICK:
case EVENT_TYPE_ENTER:
case EVENT_TYPE_PLACEABLE_ONCLICK:
{

// load and run the cutscene
CS_LoadCutscene(R"bz_title.cut");
//--replace this with the name of your cutscene (include the .cut extension).  DO NOT touch the R. that belongs there like that.
PlayCutscene();
//--then this plays it

// flag the event as handled
bEventHandled = TRUE;

}
break;
}

if(!bEventHandled)
{
HandleEvent(evCurrent , RESOURCE_SCRIPT_TRIGGER_CORE);
}
}
[/nwscript]
====================================================

   this script goes on the starting area itself -- it will cause the cutscene to automatically fire when the area first loads (if it is your starting area, it will be when you start up the module).  this is handy if you don't want to bother with walking in/on or using something, but NOT handy if you want to adjust your actor before going into the scene.
for example, i might want my character to get a special costume and costume weapons from a chest before starring in a cutscene, so i would put those in the area, then start the scene from a trigger after he's dressed.

   to place the script on the area, open the area in the editor, look at the properties.  under the resource name is the slot to enter a script. click the ... to load or create a new script.
   note this script is different from the trigger/use script layout, as the area startup has its own complexities.

AREA ENTER SCRIPT===================================
[nwscript]
#include "log_h"
#include "utility_h"
#include "wrappers_h"
#include "events_h"
#include "2da_constants_h"
#include "design_tracking_h"
#include "world_maps_h"
#include "sys_areabalance"
#include "achievement_core_h"
const string FOLLOWER_DUP_POSTFIX = "_DUP";

const string CODEX_PLOT_NAME_PREFIX = "CODEX_PLOT_NAME_";
const string CODEX_PLOT_FLAG_PREFIX = "CODEX_PLOT_FLAG_";
const int CODEX_MAX_ENTRIES_PER_AREA = 10;

const int DEFAULT_BODY_DECAY_TIMER = 120000;
const int QUICK_BODY_DECAY_TIMER = 5000;

void main()
{
    event ev = GetCurrentEvent();
    int nEventType = GetEventType(ev);
    string sDebug;

    Log_Events("", ev);

    switch(nEventType)
    {
        ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
        // Sent by: The engine
        // When: it is for playing things like cutscenes and movies when
        // you enter an area, things that do not involve AI or actual game play
        ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
        case EVENT_TYPE_AREALOAD_SPECIAL:
        {
            // -----------------------------------------------------------------
            // Georg: In the unlikely event that there are dead party members
            //        in the savegame, fix it.
            // -----------------------------------------------------------------
            ResurrectPartyMembers();

            // Hostility update
            SetGroupHostility(GROUP_PC, GROUP_HOSTILE, TRUE);
            SetGroupHostility(GROUP_FRIENDLY, GROUP_HOSTILE, TRUE);
            SetGroupHostility(GROUP_PC, GROUP_NEUTRAL, FALSE);
            SetGroupHostility(GROUP_FRIENDLY, GROUP_NEUTRAL, FALSE);
            TrackPartyAreaEvent(OBJECT_SELF,nEventType);
            // Play music
            string sMusic = GetM2DAString(TABLE_AREA_MUSIC, GetTag(OBJECT_SELF), 1);
            if(sMusic == "")
                sMusic = GetM2DAString(TABLE_AREA_MUSIC, "default", 1);
            PlayMusic(sMusic);

            //TrackPartyAreaEvent(OBJECT_SELF,nEventType);
            WM_SetWorldMapGuiStatus();

            WM_SetPartyPickerGuiStatus();

            // Clearing dialog override: (just in case)
            SetLocalInt(GetModule(), PARTY_OVERRIDE_DIALOG_ACTIVE, FALSE);
DEBUG_PrintToScreen("starting area enter Special");
CS_LoadCutscene(R"bz_title.cut");
PlayCutscene();

            break;
        }

        ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
        // Sent by: The engine
        // When: A creature enters the area
        ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
        case EVENT_TYPE_ENTER:
        {
            object oCreature = GetEventCreator(ev);
            // Georg: Disabled this, not actual use for it.

            if (IsFollower(oCreature))
            {

                if (IsHero(oCreature))
                {
                    TrackPartyAreaEvent(OBJECT_SELF,nEventType);
                    TrackSendPositionUpdate(2, OBJECT_SELF);

                }

            }

CS_LoadCutscene(R"bz_title.cut");
//--this is where you enter your cutscene's name. DO NOT remove the R; that belongs there like that.  leave the .cut extention in.
PlayCutscene();

            break;
        }
        ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
        // Sent by: The engine
        // When: A creature exits the area
        ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
        case EVENT_TYPE_EXIT:
        {
            object oCreature = GetEventCreator(ev);

            if (IsHero(oCreature))
            {
                 TrackPartyAreaEvent(OBJECT_SELF,nEventType);
            }
            break;
        }

        ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
        // Sent by: The engine
        // When: fires at the same time that the load screen is going away,
        // but only when loading a savegame.
        ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
        case EVENT_TYPE_AREALOADSAVE_POSTLOADEXIT:
        {
            object oPlayer = GetEventCreator(ev);

            break;
        }
    }

}
[/nwscript]
===================================================

   this is the module load script i use. it is set up to allow me to load a character from a save game into my module for the cutscene.
NOTE: you can load a character from a save game, OR you can load a premade one from the character creator, but you can't have the option to do both.  why? i dunno!

   to place a script on the module, go to Manage Modules, then view your module's properties from there.  you will see a slot to place a script.

BASIC MODULE SCRIPT=================================
[nwscript]
#include "log_h"
#include "utility_h"
#include "wrappers_h"
#include "events_h"

void main()
{
    event ev = GetCurrentEvent();
    int nEventType = GetEventType(ev);
    string sDebug;
    object oPC = GetHero();
    object oParty = GetParty(oPC);
    int nEventHandled = FALSE;

    switch(nEventType)
    {
        case EVENT_TYPE_MODULE_START:
        {
            PreloadCharGen();
            //--powers up the character generation stuff
            StartCharGen(oPC,0, TRUE);
           //--the TRUE on the end of this tells the module to let me load a character from a save game.
             //--change it to FALSE to load one from the character creator standalone doohickey.
           //--either way, you can create a new character from scratch, of course.
            break;
        }
    }
    if (!nEventHandled)
    {
        HandleEvent(ev, RESOURCE_SCRIPT_MODULE_CORE);
    }
}
[/nwscript]
===================================================

[DahliaLynn]

BloodsongVengeance wrote...

beerfish is correct:

actors in an AREA will have animation sounds (ie: footsteps, a 'thump' if they fall down, etc.). actors placed only in the CUTSCENE will not. you can add sound effects to them manually in the cutscene, but that's probably the long, hard way 'round.

Got it...would you know if there is any *other* advantage to loading actors in an area as opposed to the cutscene itself?
Yara has stressed that aspect as being highly recommended.

Modifié par DahliaLynn, 28 août 2010 - 04:06 .

[BloodsongVengeance]

Yara Cousland wrote...

If you want to use the VO of the original game - there is a tool to extract the fsbs which I have used for my trials: Aezay´s fsbExtractor
http://social.biowar.../9/index/295486
Worked well for me although it is necessary to convert the wavs to 16 bit. (used Audacity as batch converter)

yara...

   can you explain how you get the VO of the SP to work in your own module?  because every method i've come up with de-links the conversation from the sound files, and re-linking them would be a herculean task in itself.

  are you making new sound database files and new conversations to reference the lines?  can you give us some more info?  because pulling lines from the original conversations of the SP for a cutscene is what i would like to do.

ps: the soundset files are available in your module under core resources/global.  soundsets (if you dont know/remember nwn) are collections of a character's voice for various situations:  hi, goodbye, victory cheer, attack, enemy sighted, hit, dying, dead, etc.

[aidanodr]

Hey BSV and all,

Thanks for those scripts. I am now using the AREA ENTER SCRIPT. Works just fine without having to go through this walking on a trigger before hand. Thank you.

I have a query regarding SOUND:

- I loaded my area ( den200d - Elf city I think ), introduced "merc_human_captain" ( Lieutenant, under Core / Humanoid ) to the area. 
- Went to my Cutscene based on the area, Activated the Captain. Animated him ( 5 step walk and head turn ).
- "Played" the cutscene in the game. I DO NOT GET ANY FOOTSTEP SOUNDS and the like when he walks.

Am I missing something?

And an aside. After the cutscene plays in game, it switches to game proper. My "avatar" appears and straight away gets sliced to death by the Captain. Can I stop this death and mayhem

And And where is the " generic walk animation"? Will this work for Humanoids and everything else?

Cheers
Aidan

Modifié par aidanodr, 28 août 2010 - 05:28 .

[Yara C.]

aidanodr wrote...
After all this however - If you move the actor in - for example - in the Area, this movement is not reflected in the cutscene or vica versa. So, having done all the above, I assume all the movement is done in the Cutscene, it doesnt matter whats done in the area?
I ask this just in case their are any gotchas in the relationship between the AREA and the CUTSCENE?

Related to position and movement animations: Yes, all movement seems to be defined in the cutscene. With a focus on machinima I do not care much about the position of the actors in the area although they nearly all start their movements at the position set in the area. Of course it matters if you are modding or want to capture something of the game before you trigger the cutscene. Even in the orginal game we can realize some teleport effects.
I have just tested it: extras with a set ambient animation pattern do not perform the pattern in the cutscene. Activated or not, no pose set.

So - in DA regardless of what frame capture procedure you use, one will always get superflous frames at either end of the movie?

I am confused...Maybe a misunderstanding? I mentioned 'superfluous' only referring to the login method I use for a quick review or capture of my  cutscene. No game modus means no GUI to disable.

After the cutscene plays in game, it switches to game proper. My "avatar" appears and straight away gets sliced to death by the Captain. Can I stop this death and mayhem

If you do not need for any reasons a hostile Captain in the game I would propose to change in the object inspector the feature creature´s group'  'to _Neutral'.

DahliaLynn wrote...
Any particular reason for placing actors in the area then activate as opposed to the cutscene editor itself?

Hi Dahlia, relevant only for actors with animations which should have a sound effect.
It has been a topic before in this forum:
http://social.biowar...6/index/2921497
So, better to avoid complications through this order.
Although it is not a guarantee that it will work. I still have to activate sounds accompanying certain anims (e.g. footsteps) via the event editor. 

Edit:
Just after a reload I see it.

aidanodr wrote...
- "Played" the cutscene in the game. I DO NOT GET ANY FOOTSTEP SOUNDS and the like when he walks.

If 'play sound events' in the object editor of the cutscene is set on 'true' you could face the same problem like me.
You can still activitate the sound via the event editor following the description in the wiki:
http://social.biowar...end_tree_editor (last section)

But this approach is time-consuming. If anybody knows a bug fix or a better solution - I would appreciate to know this too.

Bloodsongvengeance wrote...
are you making new sound database files and new conversations to reference the lines?  can you give us some more info?  because pulling lines from the original conversations of the SP for a cutscene is what i would like to do.

I am afraid I must disappoint you: I do not know a less time-intensive method. Even in the core module I have seen identical actor´s lines used in different convos. Different  convo means always a new unique ID.
I use only specific parts of the convos, rearrange them or create new compositions. Yes, it is still  very time-consuming.
I have just tested a bit but currently I have no idea how to shorten the way. If I find out more I will tell you. Anyway, my approach still has to be a bit different because I need the VO in German and until now I was not able to figure out how I could export the German talk table successfully.

Modifié par Yara Cousland, 29 août 2010 - 12:07 .

[DahliaLynn]

Yara Cousland wrote...

DahliaLynn wrote...
Any particular reason for placing actors in the area then activate as opposed to the cutscene editor itself?

Hi Dahlia, relevant only for actors with animations which should have a sound effect.
It has been a topic before in this forum:
http://social.biowar...6/index/2921497
So, better to avoid complications through this order.
Although it is not a guarantee that it will work. I still have to activate sounds accompanying certain anims (e.g. footsteps) via the event editor. 

Thanks
I was hoping there was some other advantage to placing in areas, such as memory load.
An interesting thing to mention is that when I use a stage (and this is only for a particular situation of the "everywhere kiss" scene that I replaced) the sounds outside the cutscene editor (steps) play FYI 

Modifié par DahliaLynn, 28 août 2010 - 11:00 .

[Yara C.]

Thanks, Dahlia.

That is very good hint. I use stages only for specific parts of my cutscenes. Perhabs staged/ unstaged makes the difference. I hope so. Another explanation could orginate from the context of conversation cinematics. In my staged conversations sounds like footsteps play too. It seems to me that there are in general some behaviour differences between cutscenes and conversation cinematics (including exported lines). Obviously the ambient animation pattern. (LoL - to funny how ambient npcs are gaping at the kiss scene because the execution of their movement pattern is interrupted by the stage. Of you course you will know this if you have ever triggered your appreciated work or the orginal everywhere scene in Denerim

[DahliaLynn]

Lol I never tried triggering it there. That should be interesting I found out that in the Dialogue triggering the scene which uses the same stage as the cutscene, there is a setting called "play sound effects" which in this case is indeed checked. It could be possible that if I use the same stage for the cutscene the settings might carry off into it. I am only assuming, but it seems like a logical explanation

[BloodsongVengeance]

yara;



can you tell us, or give us a link to the instructions on how to do the long method of getting a conversation line into a custom module, with vo and sound? i can make some generalized guesses, but i've never tried to do it, yet.



...actually... since i'm doing machinima and using wmm... maybe i'll just shoot the lipsynch without sound, then add sound via recording the wav with audacity :X or just exporting the wav and adding it on the sound track. it's not that hard to lip-synch it that way, really. i've done that a couple of times when mixing spoken lines from the game with music for the music track.

i'll have to see if the duplicated conversation still has its lipsynch intact or if you have to re-generate that and the robobrad. because that would suck.

[BloodsongVengeance]

---content deleted, cuz... i dunno what i'm talking about and i'm 'exporting to override' the totally wrong way :X ---


Still Useful Tip:

  export your cutscene WITH dependent resources.  check the log file to see if it missed any -- like some scripts for your area placeables.  find those in your palette and export those WITHOUT resources.  (and ignore the umpteenjillion scripts that export with your script, they won't bother anything.)

Modifié par BloodsongVengeance, 28 septembre 2010 - 03:07 .

[aidanodr]

 Hi BSV,

I noticed that in your last post and previously you advocate

"grab [ing] all the files in those two overrides and throw [ing] them into your overrides sub-directory in your dragon age game directory."

Why? 

In my case all the files seem to reside in the c drive My Docs profile folder ( the default i think ).

I previously asked about SOUNDS. When my cutscene loads with the captain walking forward their is silence. When the cutscene finishes it reverts to the game starting - Then their is sound. The sounds I am looking for for the cutscenes are stuff like footsteps and all that - no dialogue yet!

Aidan

[BloodsongVengeance]

aidanodr wrote...

 Hi BSV,

I noticed that in your last post and previously you advocate

"grab [ing] all the files in those two overrides and throw [ing] them into your overrides sub-directory in your dragon age game directory."

Why? 

In my case all the files seem to reside in the c drive My Docs profile folder ( the default i think ).

  because the 'my docs' folder is not the game folder.  um... at least not on my machine!  it might be different for a standard install.  if you just export from the toolset, your game sees everything? 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  this explains why i deleted my above posts.  aidanodr is correct, the dragon age game SHOULD see everything over in your documents add-ins overrides.  (i'm not going to guarantee that, cuz i've had some weird anomalies, but... that's how it SHOULD work. :X )

Modifié par BloodsongVengeance, 28 septembre 2010 - 03:08 .

[aidanodr]

Further to my travels in Machinima in DA I am now exploring Export / Import of DA Meshes. For years I have used 3D apps including BLENDER. So I have the DA Blender import / export script installed. I can import a mesh to Blender BUT am having difficulty with the UV side. I started a thread in a different section here ( more appropriate I think ). This explains all:

social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/72/index/4629622/1#4631368

Any DA to 3D app guru's here that can take a look?
Aidan

[Yara C.]

BloodsongVengeance wrote...

yara;

can you tell us, or give us a link to the instructions on how to do the long method of getting a conversation line into a custom module, with vo and sound? i can make some generalized guesses, but i've never tried to do it, yet.

Hi BSV,

okay, I will describe more explicit how I reuse conversation lines for a cutscene although a lot of it will be familiar.
First some annotations:
There may be interesting options to deal with VO fsb files in the FMOD tool for this purpose . But I am not yet familiar with FMOD. And there still seems to be no documentation available covering this topic.
Very useful resources for download can be found here:
http://social.biowar...m/project/2449/
The DA Companion WAV Catalog contains wav files and an Excel sheet giving an overview on the speak lines. The wav files still have to be converted from 32-bit to 16-bit. 

Now, I have tested FYI how to reuse soundsets for cutscenes. The orginal version is useless for me. That´s why I have not explored it more in-depth. Further down I will describe what I usually do to reuse speaklines for a cutscene.

1. How to reuse orginal soundsets VO for cutscenes
1.1 The folder _Core soundsets is available in your module. Let us duplicate e.g. the first soundset ss_arl_knight_1.  of the first subfolder.  (Rename it and assign it to your module in the resource properties window). The lines of the duplicate got automatically new IDs.Therefore we have to adapt the references to make it work.
1.2 Make a copy of the ss_arl_knight_1.fsb, which is located in the folder:
C:\\\\Program Files (x86) [your install path] \\\\Dragon Age\\\\packages\\\\core\\\\audio\\\\vo\\\\en-us\\\\vo
1.3 Extract the fsb file with Aezay´s fsbExtractor. You can extract all lines or selected lines. If you want to extract selected lines - identification of the lines is for this example only possible looking on the ID numbers of the orginal soundset.
1.4 Convert the files in batch to 16-bit using Audacity. Export directly to:
...Documents\\\\BioWare\\\\Dragon Age\\\\AddIns\\\\your_module\\\\core\\\\override\\\\toolsetexport
1.5 Back in the toolset: Mark the root of your duplicated soundset in the conversation editor.
1.6 Run 'Generate VO - Generate local'
1.7. That´s all. The VO will now be available for any actor within the cutscene editor. Add a speakline and select source conversation and source line in its object inspector .

That is all to get the VO  to play in a cutscene. I left out intentionally optional settings in the conversation editor (e.g. face fx). Even an  assignation of an area in the convo editor seems not be necessary. I reset this to none and it still worked well after an export of the module. Of course, if a duplicated soundset should be used as an ambient or staged conversation in game other rules will apply (mapping of owner to a creature or a char etc.)

Of course, you want to reuse other conversations than only the soundsets in your module, BSV. I do not believe that there is practicable solution. I have not found any hint in this direction in the audio forum. But there  will be more experienced people; I am still a beginner. I can ressume the results of my final test: generated a duplicate of convo of the single player module in my module, tried three times to open it and the toolset crashed each time.

Anyway, this is the method I use, perhaps with some complementary information.

2. How to reuse orginal VO  in cutscenes
2.1 Make a copy of a selected fsb file. The majority of the fsb files is located in this folder:
C:\\\\Program Files (x86) [your install path] \\\\Dragon Age\\\\modules\\\\single player\\\\audio\\\\vo\\\\en-us\\\\vo
Here you will find approx. 1.200 VO fsb files. In the above mentioned folder are about 200 additional files.
Other language versions can be found in neighbour folders on the same level. A subfolder of audio contains sound fsb files. The file names indicate area and actors. FSB files can be played by the Windows Media Player (even if a message window pops up)
2.2 Conversation lines of the companions are compiled in files mostly named like zevran_main.fsb or party_ran_
banter.fsb. I use the excel sheet  of the DA Companion WAV Catalog to search for lines I want to use and to identify the name of the wav files. If the companion wavs are stored in the same folder like the sheet  they can be played by hyperlinks. Rather practical to decide which of some simliar short responses have the accentuation with matches your need. 
2.3 The next steps are similiar to 1.3 and 1.4 described above: extract - convert - locate
What follows is up to you...if you want to reproduce orginal dialogues or create something new. I prefer the last to set specific accents and densify the story.
2.4 Anyway, you have to create a new convo, fill up the lines (per copy & paste from the excel sheet or manually) and - the best follows again - to rename the wav files according the lines´ ID. 

...actually... since i'm doing machinima and using wmm... maybe i'll just shoot the lipsynch without sound, then add sound via recording the wav with audacity :X or just exporting the wav and adding it on the sound track. it's not that hard to lip-synch it that way, really. i've done that a couple of times when mixing spoken lines from the game with music for the music track.
i'll have to see if the duplicated conversation still has its lipsynch intact or if you have to re-generate that and the robobrad. because that would suck.

Oh, I have some experiences with the postproduction of audio records of the game in MVdL too and I found it partially rather fiddly, especially related to volume-distance and reverb effects.
This method of synchronization would be sufficient . (Otherwise I wouldn´t live in a country with the worldwide highest expenditures for synchronization) But under my circumstances (other language version) and a certain weight on more elaborated facial animations it is no way for me.

That lets me conclude with the hint that Lord Methrid just has published some great video tutorials on FaceFx:
http://social.biowar...scussion/10468/

[BloodsongVengeance]

heyas yara;



thanks for the details and mini-tutorial! but about the soundset use... since the soundsets are available in the core resources, i have just been loading the soundset conversation i want, and then picking the line i want, right in the cutscene editor (speakline). i am not sure why you want to duplicate those?



yes, using the OTHER conversation files that are not in the core is a BIG pain. thank you for explaining how to extract and rebuild those for use in a custom module. i hope i will not ever have to try that.

[aidanodr]

Hi Guys,

I want to ask some basic questions - would be useful for others coming this way also.

- For machinima does one ONLY need to use Cutscenes? If no is your answer - explain too? 

- Does one HAVE TO setup an area first and then a cutscene? Will just a cutscene do on its own?

- Does one HAVE TO setup a NEW MODULE or can one just use the Single Player module every time? Advantages / disadvantages please!

Any Workflow information in plain dummies guide-eeez always welcome ...

Debate / opinion please?

Aidan

Modifié par aidanodr, 05 septembre 2010 - 08:38 .

[Lord Methrid]

@aidanodr, not necessarily, it depends on what you want to achieve. An entire machinema can be done by using stages and conversations between characters.

But to properly tell a story with a wide range of elements such as numerous camera cuts, vast landcape shots, glorious battle sequences, for all of these great story telling elements it is wise to use cutscenes, but it is not really necessary.

So once again, it depends on what you want to achieve, want to follow your characters closely and monitor their conversations and give the viewer a chance to change the plot? - create a stage and do some cuts in between dialogue options. Want to tell an epic story that takes the audience places? - make a cutscene or two!

Modifié par Lord Methrid, 05 septembre 2010 - 08:40 .

[Beerfish]

- For machinima does one ONLY need to use Cutscenes? If no is your answer - explain too? 

- Does one HAVE TO setup an area first and then a cutscene? Will just a cutscene do on its own?

- Does one HAVE TO setup a NEW MODULE or can one just use the Single Player module every time? Advantages / disadvantages please!

Any Workflow information in plain dummies guide-eeez always welcome ...

I'll give my thoughts, others view or comments will vary.

1)  It all depends on what you want to do and how you want to do it.  You could certainly walk around in game and record it with Fraps or something like that and work it into Machinima but if you want total control of things then you'd want to use the cutscene editior.

2) You need to base a cutscene on something.  It could be an exisiting area from the game or one you make your own.

3) I always use a different module than the single player.  Easier to keep track of just the things in your module rather than having your stuff massed into the single player palette and such.  I'd also be a bit worried about screwing something up in the single player module. 

Workflow?

- Well the 1st thing I do is think of where the cutscene is going to take place.  Can I use one of the included single player levels or areas?  If not I'll have to make an area or level.

- What actors are going to be in the cutscene?  Are they already in the single player module or do I need to make new characters?

-  I start working on a cutscene adding animations, fx, moving actors etc.  I often want to get it to work from beginning to end in a rough format and then I play through it a few times and write down what has to be added or smoothed out etc.  One thing I learned the hard way in my last cutscene is that it is a good idea to test in game fairly soon as the cutsence can look great in the cutscene editor but problems can be found in game.

[aidanodr]

OK,

thanks Guys. I was asking this almost like an interviewer on TV - just thinking of questions that may come to others minds if they pass by here ...

LM - You say "it depends on what you want to achieve" - Cutscene or not or both. Another question arises here. What CANT you do in a Cutscene as opposed to recorded live game action?

BF - You say "I always use a different module than the single player". Are their any areas, characters, scenes and so on MISSING when one sets up ones own module? How about sounds and dialog? What DONT you get with your own module? Or do you get it all?

BF - You say "What actors are going to be in the cutscene? Are they already in the single player module or do I need to make new characters?" Lets take it you are in your own module. Do you have ALL the characters in your own module as you do in the single player module?

Aidan

Modifié par aidanodr, 05 septembre 2010 - 11:17 .

[aidanodr]

As a separate  issue and something I asked in another recent thread - SOUND. Particularly ambient sounds. By this I mean the likes of character footsteps. I can get all other sounds up and running using the ADD Sounds, things like wind, birds and that. But when it comes to Character sounds, no matter what is done, I cannot get them to play in the cutscene in-game.

This seems to be an issue others area having. Any ideas?

EDIT: It would appear the footsteps type sounds ARE actually there when the cutscene is played afterall. Its just that the sound is way too low when the cutscene is playing in-game. Any way to adjust volumes I wonder? 

Aidan 

Modifié par aidanodr, 06 septembre 2010 - 01:08 .

[Beerfish]

BF - You say "I always use a different module than the single player". Are their any areas, characters, scenes and so on MISSING when one sets up ones own module? How about sounds and dialog? What DONT you get with your own module? Or do you get it all?

You have access to the palette which will have folders of global things like creatures, placeables etc.  You will have no areas at all in your new module.  You have to create your own areas.  There will be no cutscenes at all in your new module.  You essentially get a blank piece of canvas.



BF - You say "What actors are going to be in the cutscene? Are they already in the single player module or do I need to make new characters?" Lets take it you are in your own module. Do you have ALL the characters in your own module as you do in the single player module?

You get access to the palette which has the creatures from the single player game but not specific characters from the single player game.  If you want Morrigan for instance in your new module you either have to create a new creature and give it the appearnace of morrigan by giving it her head morph and her clothes or you have to go into single player and find a way to duplicate her and move her over to your new module.

[SilentCid]

aidanodr wrote...

As a separate  issue and something I asked in another recent thread - SOUND. Particularly ambient sounds. By this I mean the likes of character footsteps. I can get all other sounds up and running using the ADD Sounds, things like wind, birds and that. But when it comes to Character sounds, no matter what is done, I cannot get them to play in the cutscene in-game.

This seems to be an issue others area having. Any ideas?

EDIT: It would appear the footsteps type sounds ARE actually there when the cutscene is played afterall. Its just that the sound is way too low when the cutscene is playing in-game. Any way to adjust volumes I wonder? 

Aidan 

As this being a Machinima you are not limited to just the cutscene editor. You could use your a/v software and adjust the volume on there.

[aidanodr]

Hi SC,

Yes - I was thinking that. But if individual sounds were adjustable against each other it would make rough soundtracks easier. As it is once a cutscene is recorded via say Fraps, the audio trach is all one track mixed together, so individual sound levels cannot be adjusted.

The only other way is to record out sounds individually and sync them in a video app like vegas?

Aidan

Modifié par aidanodr, 06 septembre 2010 - 05:55 .

[BloodsongVengeance]

BF - You say "I always use a different module than the single player". Are their any areas, characters, scenes and so on MISSING when one sets up ones own module? How about sounds and dialog? What DONT you get with your own module? Or do you get it all?

BF - You say "What actors are going to be in the cutscene? Are they already in the single player module or do I need to make new characters?" Lets take it you are in your own module. Do you have ALL the characters in your own module as you do in the single player module?

re: SP vs custom:

  i didnt think it was possible to edit the single player module.  whenever i open something in it (unless i use a local copy), it is uneditable.  (and the local copy says all changes will be lost when i close it.)


re: What is/isn't in custom:

  you can get stuff from the single player module into your own with 'duplicate.'  if you right click an area/creature/dialogue/etc and select duplicate, you can give it a new tag and tell it which module (ie: yours) owns it.
   this DOES have some caveats.  it does not work well with creatures -- especially the companions.  the duplicated creature will have references to its conversations etc as some sort of database pointer -- which apparently neither the toolset nor game can read properly.  also, the exported character duplicate didn't work in the override.
   the best way to duplicate the companions is to create a new creature.  the following was the instructions fergusM gave me for doing zevran:

Well, a simple solution is to just recreate Zevran on a new creature. Make a new creature file, set him to elf male, add some items to his inventory (and set them to equipped), then go to head morph and select zevran (em_genfl_zevran or something).

   also, duplicated conversations will NOT preserve their line code numbers. :/  (which is needed if you want to have voiceovers.)

  
   recreating areas is fairly simple.  just make a new area, and load the base area used in the game.  they're all encoded like den506d and such, which is a denerim area.  there's a list... uh, somewhere.  or, you can open an area in the SP and snoop what the name of its area is.
  
   also, i was able to copy and paste tracks (animations, etc) from an SP cutscene into my own, just by switching modules.  you probably have to do 'open local copy' of the cutscene you want to swipe from.
   remember: to paste multiple tracks/selections from one actor to another, select the actor, NOT an individual track.  you dont need to add tracks for it to go into, they will be created for you.