Tools 'n Tips
 
     Recamming With Keygrip2
Trying to make a Quake2 movie?  Maybe you just wanna make a third person view of a cool DM kill you made?  We'll here's how.  First off, if you don't have it, you'll need to get Keygrip2.  Install, open the demo, yadda yadda... ok.  The first thing you'll need to do is make it so the player is visible in 3rd person.  Go to the demo information (the "i" button, or View|Demo Information) and set the player number to -1, while you're at it, set the "Max Clients" to 1 too (allows you to change demo speeds and stuff if you want to later):

Demo Information

Now, start up the demo server (View|Demo Server or the little plug button).  Click "Connect."

Demo server

If you have problems connecting, make sure you're on block 0.  I have often had problems connecting (q2 just sits there) when it's anywhere else.

Demo server

Now, then, let's place the first camera.  I'm going to do a camera that is stationary, but pans to follow the player.  To activate the mouse (Keygrip2 deactivates it) type "in_mouse 1" at the console or hit the \ key (should be bound).  Find a good position and angle, then click the "+" button to add a camera.

Demo server

Now hit the play button and pause it on the last block you want to use that camera.  You can also use the next block button ( |> ) if you want to move frame by frame for a short segment.  Aim the camera how you want it and stuff...

Watch your crotch!

Hit the "+" button to add another camera.  We want the angle transition to follow the player.  The player entity should be 1 (unless you are following another player, rocket or something else).  Set this on the first camera.  These settings set how one camera fades to the next.

Camera settings

Now the camera should follow the player as he flies through the air! (or whatever he's doing).

     That's Great, but the HUD and Weapon...
Yeah, yeah.  You don't want the HUD and weapon and all that crap showing.  Here's what you do.  Back in the demo information ("i" button), replace all the crap in the status bar value with a single space, like this: " " (without the quotes).

Yeah, just get rid of all that status bar crap, but don't forget the space!

HUD?  Nope, it's gone!  Now we'll take care of the weapons, camera bobbing, and pain flashes all in one swoop. What we're going to do is replace the weapon model indexes and stuff with... nothing! (Actually, I believe "0" is the more PC term).  Hit the find button (the one that looks like binoculars), select "Replace" under "Find Type," select "playerinfo" under "Message Type," and check "Parameters."  Now, make sure there is nothing in the top parameters box, and in the bottom, put "0" in all of the "View Offsets," "Kick Angles," the "Gun Index," and if you want to get rid of the screen changing color with the player pain or going underwater, put "0"'s in all of the "Blend"'s too.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I'd say this one's only worth about 100.

Ahh, much better now.  None of that stuff cluttering up the screen.

Mmm, pretty!

     Freeze-Frame!
So you wanna do some Matrix style effects, eh?

... to be continued ... (maybe? If anyone requests it)...

     Problems?
I try to make these tutorials as easy to follow as I can, but if there's anything you're unclear about, email me and let me know.

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Created June 20, 2000.
Content on this page is Copyright © 2000 Nathan "jitspoe" Wulf, almost all rights reserved.
I may have forgotten to make reservations for some of the others. ;)
Quake2 is a registered trademark of id Software.