Video game movie - work in progress

[DarkSoul1]

If some of you have the patience and about 3 minutes to download this movie and give me a hand:



It's low quality ATM, finished version will be much better obviously.

As you can see there are a few years, especially the early 1970's where I have no screenshots at all.

Do you have any exact links, screenshots yourselves etc for specific games?

Cheers

[danny_galaga]

i,m guessing the screenshots from MAME would be too low res? would it be worth putting a caption with the game name in each shot? theres a few there im not familiar with...

[Snarbald]

What about having videos of the games instead of screenshots?

[AmericanDemon]

i really enjoyed that video .  I think that maybe a variation with video clips would be good, but it would have to have a different bg song.

[DarkSoul1]

What about having videos of the games instead of screenshots?

If I use videos and increase resolution the file size will be very large.

 

[AmericanDemon]

Yeah, but thats what broadband is all about.  

[Goz]

I like the vid. I'd have to agree that using video instead of screen shots would add a lot to the "Oh WOW factor". This movie could make a great screen saver on a cab.

-Goz

[foomench]

It's low quality ATM, finished version will be much better obviously.

Very neat concept. As for the quality, one should be able to pick an encoder very carefully and get excellent quality and a small file size. I say this because of the content - the game screens are low-res, and don't use a lot of colors; and the frames aren't changing very much. Actually, I wonder if something like Flash would do better for something like this. It takes away some potential applications, but it would be a very small file with good resolution.
-foomench

[pointdablame]

I really liked it, but I have to agree and say it NEEDS video.  The screenshots are nice, but videos would make it infititely more interesting.  Break the file up when its done for those with 56k perhaps, but as someons said... that's what broadband is for

[Snarbald]

If you encode it in divx or make it a flash movie, the file size will be relatively tiny.

[EndTwist]

Video of the games would make it 500x better. And yeah, as a flash movie or divx encoded, it should be a nice size. Besides, most everyone here has DSL/Cable/some type of Broadband, so it shouldn't be a big deal.

[hunky_artist]

I really liked that.

It was good to have a quick comparison of the graphics changing over the years.

I'd be happy with a larger file size to get video clips or a higher resolution.

But as someone said, flash might be the best way to to it if still using screengrabs.

well done anyway

[BLACK KNIGHT]

Pretty cool, altho you forgot Pole Position.    I have to agree...mainly because I have cable...video would make it that much better!  Also I'd put it to a cooler 80s song...but that's just my opinion.  Very cool work!

[DarkSoul1]

OK

I will remake but with some video.

What program can I use for short movie clip grabbing during MAME?  It will have to freeware or shareware as I'm not willing to pay for it.

Any suggestions re songs?  Perhaps "Computer Games" by MiSex (Australian band).

I'll make the final product available to all, so please give me your input.

 

[danny_galaga]

misex! now theres a blast from  the past... actually i think that would work really well. was about circa 1980 and totally suits so many of those games that existed in that era...

if anyones curious about the song, you can check it on a file-share network. type 'mi-sex', if you forget the dash you'll just get porn!!

[Generic Eric]

I think that is cool

I have a few recommendations.
Definetly use video!

I say to add marquee, as you show each different game in your movie, fade in and out the marquee.  Or even cooler, display a generic looking cabinet, as each year increments, spin the arcade cabinet around.

Speed it up!  Say there was 1 game in the first year that your movie covers, as you get to 1984, show maybe two or three in the time that you displayed the game from '72.

There are several threads, some here, some in alt.games.mame about music that reminds people of the arcade (because that was what was playing there)  perhaps instead of one long song...play snippets of songs.  

Just a couple of thoughts.  Just have fun with it.

[Witchboard]

Hmm.. like the kill bill music, but I guess I don't have the right codecs installed.  I don't see anything.

[ekans]

That's great!
I would go with some video if possible as well.

[Robopede]

What a great idea! I have to agree that video instead of screen shots would be so much better.

And regarding music, I also agree that some distinctive 80's music would be more apropriate. (Although your current music is pretty good.) I would select a song that starts out kind of slow and suspensful then builds to a sudden increase in excitement, which you could time to coincide with the screen that says "Let the games begin." For example, Aldo Nova - Fantasy or Cars - Magic.

I would be happy to send you any song you wish from my 80's collection http://home.mindspring.com/~grasshoppah/80s/

[Robopede]

Triumph - Spellbound would be another good one...