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Author Topic: Tutorial movies  (Read 914 times)

mickel

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Tutorial movies
« on: September 04, 2007, 01:38:00 pm »

There's been talk about making the game more attractive to newcomers, and I wondered if tutorial movies might be a good idea. They could be rather useful, especially if there was a way to "narrate" them with text boxes that pop up...
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Capntastic

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Re: Tutorial movies
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2007, 03:27:00 pm »

There've been threads about this and similar methods of educating newcomers.   I think the best idea would be for someone to just make them, instead of talking about it endlessly.
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mickel

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Re: Tutorial movies
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2007, 04:08:00 pm »

quote:
Originally posted by Capntastic:
<STRONG>I think the best idea would be for someone to just make them, instead of talking about it endlessly.</STRONG>

So... when will you have them ready?   :p

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iluxan

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Re: Tutorial movies
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2007, 03:08:00 am »

Sounds like a good idea.  I bet Toady would include them if they were well made and complete.

The one problem I can see, though, is with the game changing rapidly (both interface and the contents) these may get outdated fast.  But this is true of any form of documentation, and with a community like this, we shouldn't have a problem keeping up.

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mickel

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Re: Tutorial movies
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2007, 07:20:00 am »

There'll have to be a tool to edit the recordings though. Just plain recording yourself digging a well isn't much of an instruction.

Someone's already made a free-standing player, it ought to be quite possible to make an editing program as well. We'll need the ability to insert pauses, speed up and slow down, and most importantly to insert text windows, pointing arrows, circles, crosses and other stuff to highlight important bits.

And of course it needs to be playable with the game's internal player.

In fact, the entire in-game documentation needs an overhaul, I think...

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Draco18s

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Re: Tutorial movies
« Reply #5 on: September 07, 2007, 10:18:00 pm »

quote:
Originally posted by mickel:
<STRONG>In fact, the entire in-game documentation needs an overhaul, I think...</STRONG>

Just keep pressing '?' it'll eventually resolve itself.

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Deto

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Re: Tutorial movies
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2007, 09:44:00 am »

You could use Fraps to record action in screen. Then any video editing program to speed up, slow down, add texts, etc  :)

And of course voice over! ...preferably in language not common to anyone and with subtitles under. Very dwarvish  ;)

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Delton

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Re: Tutorial movies
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2007, 07:37:00 am »

It would be a nice feature to build into DF to allow text to be added to a recorded movie and played back in the game (no idea where it would place it though). One of the things me and my friends have mentioned is that as Toady releases videos, there is no voice-over, or walk-through or anything, so we're constantly scanning the whole screen guessing at what it is he is trying to do, or showing us.

Other than his occasional preview movies, I don't think it would necessarily see a lot of use, but if I put together a recording of something for a friend of mine, it would be nice if I could also narrate what it is I was trying to show him.

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dopepoo

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Re: Tutorial movies
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2007, 07:14:00 pm »

Hey all,

Was just thinking of tutorials as a suggestion and found this thread. Vids are an awesome idea.

One idea would be to use FRAPS as was suggested above, then just chuck the vids on YouTube / Google Video and share the links. Could split them into bite size chunks, from simple to advanced.

It would go a huge way to assist newbies like me getting off (or into!) the ground!  :D

Jake

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