Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Wishlist => Topic started by: Benny Moore on January 17, 2007, 06:06:14 PM
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There've been a few film viewer threads but I've not seen a comprehensive list of the problems with it. Here's a list of the major flaws, the ones that keep Aces High II film-makers from making cinema-quality works like those of the Lock On and Pacific Fighters communities.
1. Broken padlock: if the film was recorded a certain way (I believe it's with TrackIR on, but there may be other factors), in the film viewer the padlock will act as if "snap" mode is on and will not move smoothly. It will also often lose track of the target even when the target is in plain view. It does not make a difference whether internal or external views are used.
2. Lack of mouse control: it's impossible to pan the camera smoothly and with precision. The smoothest option is the keyboard, and that often cannot keep up with the aircraft. Moreover, it does not allow for slow panning. If mouse control were incorporated, it would also be important that the mouse be hidden for cinematic reasons.
3. Icons required for padlock: the viewer will not allow padlock unless icons are on. This means that any film using padlock must have letters floating on the screen. This is terrible for cinematic quality. Moreover, it means that padlock can never be used when looking from an enemy aircraft towards the player's.
4. No static cameras: static cameras are unavailable in the film viewer. The control tower is proof that static cameras can exist in the game, but unfortunately film-makers have no option to use them. Again, this greatly hampers film-makers.
If you download some of the great videos made with Lock On: Modern Air Combat or the lousy IL-2 Sturmovik series, you should immediately see that they cannot be replicated in Aces High due to the limitations listed in this thread. Some of the limitations would doubtless require some serious effort, but it is my believe that this would be worth it. If nothing else, giving the film-makers a decent set of tools would give rise to a set of series of player-made videos of such high quality that they would convince people to try Aces High. I was convinced to buy Lock On: Modern Air Combat soley from watching a film recorded and edited by a player. Several others were as well.
By the way, the film that got me to purchase Lock On was Maximum Gee, although I have since seen videos that surpass it, such as Unleash Hell and Superior Fighters. The best IL-2/Pacific Fighters movies I've seen were Bellum and Pictures of War. After some time searching on Google, I've found low-quality versions of the following films: Maximum G (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MFlNH8bY8Q), Superior Fighters (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR6m2LDeaQs), Unleash Hell (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jldLqIZx8CU), and Pictures of War (http://www.darts-page.com/movies/Monty/PoW_Large.rar). Unfortunately, I cannot locate Bellum, which was the best aerial combat simulator film I've ever seen, in regards to moving the audience.
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i agree, we do need some of the things you mentioned, ill do some research also
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I'd also like to point out the lack of an option to free the camera from the airplane. Right now, if the camera is beside the airplane and the airplane loops, the camera will roll with the airplane. In other simulators, the camera remains level with the horizon. It would be nice to able to choose for film-making. It's often desirable to have the camera moving with the airplane but not rotating with it.
Another thing I forgot: if the server does not allow padlock, the film cannot use padlock either.
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Benny.
I have never seen an IL-2 film called "Bellum" (which doesn't mean it doesn't exist), but there is one called "Requiem"... about a pack of 190A-8s fighting off the Soviets in winter. The music is one of the versions of "Ave Maria". Could this be the one you mean?
Google also the following IL2 film: "Come with Me". Great fun with a pair of Zekes chewing up Wildcats.
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Benny I found Bellum and a pile of other IL-2 flicks at
http://files.netwings.org/files/fb_videos/Bellum/Bellum.zip)
go here for the complete list
http://flightsimmachinimagoldenoldies.blogspot.com/
Good hunting!
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Thank you!
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You are welcome sir
A small problem with the flicks from this site. There is no sound in Microsloth Media Player. There is full sound in other viewers though, such as DivX, and Nero's Showtime.
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Ooh, that'sa good one. Microsloth ... I've been using "Macrocruft;" "cruft" is a programmer's term for the natural decay of computers.