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When flying in 2004, I know that I can save a flight and make it the default flight.  Is there a way to video the flight and replay it?  Seems like there was a way in 2002, but I haven

Windows Movie Maker! - Included with XP / Me - does the job nicely.

Go into the menu and look for "Flight Video"...it's been a while since I've used it so maybe someone else can be more specific as to where it is.

 Thanks for the help, found it and all is well.  I can always count on the GREAT people here.

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Windows Movie Maker! - Included with XP / Me - does the job nicely.

How do you do that? Mine keeps asking for a video capture device. I didn't know it could be used to capture video from a program.

I don't think you'll find it can.

I came across a free video capture program a few weeks ago after doing a search on the Net but it didn't work for me in XP with my GeForce 3 Ti g/card - no pics just weird colours.

The only effective way to record a video in fs still appears to be Fraps. Unfortunately it's payware (something like $25 I think) but I've used it and it works really well.

Once you've created a sequence of clips using Fraps then you can use Windows Moviemaker to create your video - but you can't capture from the screen with it.

Many people make the mistake of trying to create a video using instant replay. Waste of time because you won't see or hear any other (AI) traffic. You really have to do it in 'real' time. But it's easier than it sounds because all you do is start Fraps (F9 key) with the prog running, stop Fraps (F9 again), pause the sim, change the shot (eg from cockpit to external, unpause the sim, restart Fraps and so on.

Each Fraps stop/restart creates a separate clip which you can join together with suitable transitions (dissolves etc) in Windows Moviemaker. The current version of Fraps records sound and you can overlay music if you want and add titles and stuff fairly easily.

Like most things practice makes perfect!

Just one problem. I recently did a 12 min experiemnt of an Airbus starting up, taxying and departing Teesside for Luton. Total 12 1/2 mins. Size on disk - 84 MB. So don't expect to share too many big videos with friends - unless they have mighty fast connections to download them!

PS as far as I'm aware there's no way as yet to convert videos created within fs to anything you can view outside of the sim.

Hi there, have you managed to sort this problem? I need to get some video clips from FS2004 to use in a Powerpoint presentatation to demonstarte some concepts. Please let me know. Regrds JohnS

Sorry, last bit of my reply may not have been clear. I meant there is no way that you can convert videos created directly by the 'flight video' function within the sim for external use. But who'd want to because, as usual, you see no AI traffic even though it was there when you made the 'recording'.

But with Fraps, you record everything and when you've made your movie from all your clips using Windows Movie Maker, you get a wmv file that can be played in Windows Media Player or used with any m/media software.

So there's no problem - except Fraps is payware as mentioned previously.

What I have done is connect the video card if you have "TV out" and record it on my VCR. I then import it back in with a video capture card and edit it in MyDVD. I then burn a DVD. What I want to do instead of using a VCR is capture the video and keep it digital for quality like on another computer. I do it this way to keep the video smooth. I bought Game Cam and was disappointed because my computer (3.0 ghz) was strained and I lost the FPS which was reflected in the smoothness of the video. I do loose the detail in the panel when I use an analoge VHS tape.  

RollerBall wrote:So there's no problem - except Fraps is payware as mentioned previously.

I dont think that it's so big problem.Even freeware version of Fraps daz the job nicely.It's only limitation-not more then 30 sec of continuous recordind.Then you have to press f9 again to record new piece.30 sec shot-that's more than enough for good videoclip.Never use in your clips shots longer than 10-15 sec.Look at you favorite music clips or commercials-there are no shots more than 10-15 sec-otherwise it starts to look boring.
The only exception-when you shot has very intensive action or when you do "so called"-establish shot-showing a large piece of location from a long distance-which never happens in FS.

There seems to be quite a bit of interest in machinima (the art of making videos with PC based software) lately, so here are some easy answers for you all.

1.  Can I convert my flight videos to a format that I can edit?  No.  

2.  How can I capture video?  Fraps.  I prefer the older version, but the newer one is just fine.  Ignore the 30 second limitation.  As has been mentioned, a shot longer than 8-15 seconds is going to be boring anyway, and should NEVER be used.

3.  How can I edit the footage?  XP comes bundled with Windows Movie Maker, which is a fantastic video editing program.  It's really got just about everything you'll ever need.  But if you're looking to step it up a notch, spend a little bit of money and get a "real" video editor.  I use a combination of Pinnacle Studio 9 and Ulead Video Studio.  I've used Sony Vegas, but I don't like it.

4.  What transitions should I use.  Never, ever, ever use anything other than a dissolve, a fade to black (or sometimes white) or a hard cut.  Those cute little wipes and gimmicky fades may seem interesting, but I promise you - they're not.  (There are very few exceptions to this rule, of course.  But I think I've used one "funky" transition in all the years I've been doing film-stuff.)

5.  What about music?  Check out www.freeplaymusic.com for some awesome music for your film.  (Works best in IE.)  But please...make sure your music matches the film you're making.  Slow songs with fast transitions (or vice versa) are beyond annoying.

6.  How do I make a video smoother?  Set your simulation rate to half speed, then add a "2X" effect in "post-production".  Your videos will be substantially smoother.

Most importantly, THINK.  There's more to movie making than just capturing a bunch of crap and throwing it all toegether.  The finished product is only as good as the time and effort you put into it.  You can make a movie, or you can make a good movie.  I've seen both.  But for some reason I can only remember the details about the latter.

Since my last reply above I dug out "game cam" (pay ware) and tried it again. I configured "FS AutoStart" to start "game cam" which helps a lot in the FPS dept. during recording. Best detail for the instrument panel and scenery is to record in a resolution of 800x600 but 640x480 is good too.  I also have a headset with mic so my voice is recorded in the video. The effect is like talking over an intercom to the co-pilot. If someone was flying the sim with me that also had a headset, it would be exactly like talking to a co-pilot.

I have to disagree with your comment about length of the video if that's what you mean by a "shot".

"2.  How can I capture video?  Fraps.  I prefer the older version, but the newer one is just fine.  Ignore the 30 second limitation.  As has been mentioned, a shot longer than 8-15 seconds is going to be boring anyway, and should NEVER be used."

I use "MyDVD" to burn a sim flight to disc so I can share it with my out-of-town nephew. He can watch it on TV with his DVD player. Postage isn't that much for a CD type disc. It's a full flight from start-up to shut down with my commentary. I can get about an hour and a half on a 4.7 gig DVD. What I can't get on one DVD I just split it and burn another one. I suppose it would be boring If I couldn't visit with him via voice. Just as in a long flight, you have cockpit conversations to break up the monotony

I will say that you have to have a pretty fast machine to do it. I have a 3 gig machine, XP pro and a 9800 ATI video card with 1024 MB of ram. It really slows down in the frames per second dept. when I add rain and overcast weather. Fair weather flights aren't much of a slow down when I'm locked at 30 fps.

I use "MyDVD" to burn a sim flight to disc so I can share it with my out-of-town nephew. He can watch it on TV with his DVD player. Postage isn't that much for a CD type disc. It's a full flight from start-up to shut down with my commentary.

There are exceptions to every rule.  This would be an example.  Depending on the age of your nephew, he could be easily interested in watching such a video.  (Though I suspect most other people in the FS Community would be asleep inside of three minutes.)

Don't forget also, that your nephew KNOWS you, so it's going to be more interesting for him than for anyone else.  (And also, not for nothing, but how do we know he's really watching them?  I'm sure he is, but you know what I mean...there's really no way to prove it.)

Make a video using the "other" concepts mentioned above....I guarantee you'll make a much more interesting video for him.


PS...Don't just fly live and record what you're doing.  Set everything up.  Nothing in filmmaking (of any type) is left up to chance.  It's all very deliberate.

I don't know if this is against the rules as its a link away from simviation but  I dunno how to put it on here.  I have made a 28mb video clip using FRAPS and XP Film Maker.
http://www.ubntfp.co.uk/Splash/747.htm

You can either download, watch in IE or play in win media player.  I took several shots from various angles and then cut and joined to make 28MB.  I started with over 600MB of video but thats because I wanted to try all the angles.

There is a lot of work to it, you need a resonable spec computer, mine is outdated but ok.

Definately worth it just for my own pleasure