Tutorial for RypelCam v3.12, Unreal Tournament 3 Edition

• Introduction
  • What is RypelCam ?
    A tool to enhance the playback of demos, create cinematic sequences and further features for movie makers.
  • Where can i get support ?
    Visit http://www.rypelcam.com for support, new releases, tutorials or bug reports.
• Installation
  • 1.1 : Move the folder Published to: MyGames/UnrealTournament 3/UTGame/
  • 1.2 : In MyGames/UnrealTournament 3/UTGame/Config/UTGame.ini :
    

    Find:	DecalManagerClassPath=UTGame.UTDecalManager
    Replace with:	DecalManagerClassPath=RCam312.RCamDecalManager

    Do not delete the .u files of previous RCam releases: UT3 will require those files when playing locally recorded (client) demos - even if a newer RCam is installed.

• Basics
  • 2.1 : If the steps in chapter 1 are done correctly, RypelCam should load automatically when a demo starts.
  • 2.2 : Basic camera and demo controls: The right mouse button allows to change to the free camera mode and move freely through the map. The camera speed can be changed to predefined steps with the '1' to '9' keys, or smoothly with 'numpad1' and 'Numpad2'. 'LeftArrow' and 'RightArrow' change the demo playback speed, hitting the 'UpArrow' restores the default speed.
  • 2.4 : For creating cinematic cutscenes, it is important to learn about camera points and camera paths. Cam points are the "key frames" that are place in the map and define the path (optionally also the speed) of the camera. The camera will fly through all the Campoints and will compute a smooth path between them. A Campoint contains coordinates, the field of view and rotation values and finally the cam point's creation time (for fully automatic camera drives, however, these 'timed paths' are optional and it is possible to control the camera speed manually. More about timing in chapter 4).
  • 2.5 : To make a cam path, at least 4 cam points have to be set. To set  a cam point, fly through the  map in the free cam mode and hit 'Numpad5' where you want to set a cam point. You can create up to 120 Campoints. 'Numpad4' removes the last cam point.
  • 2.6 : 'Numpad3' makes the camera travel along the camera path. '1-9' and 'Numpad1/2' keys can be used to control it's speed.
  • 2.7 : It can happen that RypelCam doesent allow the creation of a new cam point, sending an alert in form of a chat message. This happens when the distance between two cam points os too close or too far. The longest distance should not be greater than 15 times the shortest distance between 2 cam points in your path.
• Saving & loading
  • 3.1 : A camera path can be saved with 'F4' and loaded with 'F5'. Cam paths are saved in the  UTRypelCam.ini, which can only store 1 cam path. To store multiple cam paths or different versions it is possible to make copies of the UTRypelCam.ini.
  • 3.2 : In the UTRypelCam.ini you can also see the saved values of a Campath. If you think you know what youre doing and if you want to make small adjustments you could do that right in the ini.
• Timing
  • 4.1 : Controlling the camera speed is very important for good results.
  • 4.2 : Controlling the camera speed manually: '1-9' and 'Numpad1' / 'Numpad2' change the camera speed. The advantage of this method is the full control over the speed. Quick changes may be required in order to keep up with the gameplay.
  • 4.3 : Controlling the speed automatically: when a cam point is created, it's creation time is saved. This allows the camera to adjust it's speed automatically, according to the timeon its own. In order to set up such a 'timed path', it is not only important "where" but also "when"a cam point is placed. When the camera path is complete, save it whith 'F4'. Restart the demo and hit 'T' to activate the automatic timing mode. The demo should pause by itself and the camera will start it's self-controlled flight when the demo is resumed ('ArrowDown'). Notice that setting multiple cam points while the demo is paused (time does not change) will break the timed path. In the case that the camera starts too soon or too late, it is not synchronized to the gameplay. In this case, you can pause the demo and synchronize the camera with the 'Numpad+' and 'Numpad-'.
• Deleting cam points & changing their positions
  • 5.1 : You can delete the last Campoint with 'Numpad4'. This way you also can delete the whole cam path or parts of it.
  • 5.2 : You can correct the position of a cam point with the 'Z' key. Select a cam point with 'Numpad-/+', then switch back to the free cam mode and set a new location with 'Z'. The time for timed paths will not be changed by this.
• Roll and field of view (FOV)
  • 6.1 : Roll and field of viewIf make cutscenes more unique and dynamic. "Roll" makes the Cam lean left or right, "FOV" acts like zooming in or out. Roll only works if the game is paused.
  • 6.2 : Select a cam point with 'Numpad-/+'. 'O' will select if roll or FOV should be edited (by default, roll is selected). Edit roll or FOV with 'Numpad7/8'.
• Screen Recording, Dumpframes and 3D export
  • 7.1 : Either third party screen recording software (such as FRAPS, http://www.fraps.com/) or UT3 itself can record videos.
  • 7.2 :Dumpframe: save screenshots in the UT3 screenshots folder (My Games\Unreal Tournament 3\UTGame\ScreenShots\). VirtualDub (http://virtualdub.org/) can convert the screenshots into a video.
    • 7.2.1 : In  order to record at a constant framerate, run UT3 in the benchmark modus: open up the properties of a shortcut to UT3.exe and add "-benchmark" (without quotation) at the end of the file path (example: "D:\Unreal Tournament 3\Binaries\UT3.exe" -BENCHMARK).
      The game will not run at the default speed, but the converted video footage will run at a perfectly constant frame rate.
    • 7.2.2 : The desired framerate can be configured in UTRypelCam.ini ('dumpframes_fps'). The default recording framerate is 30 fps.
      Note that one minute of full HD video (1920x1080) at 30 fps requires more than 10 GB disc space. The screen recording software FRAPS applies a fast compression method during the video capture and therefore requires less disc space.
  • 7.3: Export for 3D animation software: RCam records camera informations for every screenshot when recording dumpframes. Finished recording, two COLLADA project files (Blender.dae and C4D.dae) are created in My Games\Unreal Tournament 3\UTGame\User.
    Blender (http://www.blender.org/) and Cinema4D (http://www.maxon.net) can import the camera data from the recorded video, with some limitations (see below).
    The Unreal Editor can export UT3 maps in the following formats: stl, obj and dae format (with UDK also .fbx format, which is the most accurate and detail rich export)
    • 7.3.1: Limitations:
      • FOV animation is not supported in Cinema4D.
      • Roll animation is not supported in Blender.
      • Blender: correct camera: set "rotate X" to 90 degrees in object: "delta transform".
      • This is an early approach to export 3d data fróm UT3. For more details, support and feedback visit http://www.rypelcam.com.
  • 7.4 : Tiledshot: combine multiple screenshots into one high resolution image. This allows to run the game at low video resolutions and still record high definition footage. Configure 'dumpframes_tiledshot_factor' in UTRypelCam.ini. The video resolution increases exponentialy: 2 => 4 times the used game resolution, 3 => 9, 4 => 16 etc.

• Path edit mode
  • 8.1 : RypelCam will compute a smooth cam path between Campoints. In some situations you might want to change the way the Campoints are connected. For example if you placed the Campoints close to a wall, the resulting Campath might cut through the wall. With Pathedit mode you can change the bending of the path between selected cam points in order to turn sharper or softer.
  • 8.2 : First you have to hit 'F3' to enable the Pathedit mode. Select a Campoint with 'Numpad+' and 'Numpad-'. You can switch back to the free camera to keep track of the changes in the path. Finally, change the path with 'Numpad1' and 'Numpad2'
• Console Commands
  • 9.1 : 'tpstart (opt. speed)': load and prepare a timed path. The optional speed variable sets the fast forward speed until the start time is reached.
  • 9.2 : 'hit': remove the red screen overlay when a player takes damage.
  • 9.3 : 'beep': remove message sounds.
  • 9.4 : 'dumpfps': fps for dumpframe records.
  • 9.5 : 'dumpres': tiledshot value for dumpframe records.
  • 9.6 : 'update': camera path updates only when required.
  • 9.7 : 'startpaused': demo starts paused.
  • 9.8 : 'mouse X': set mouse sensitivity to the value 'X'  (example 'mouse 20').
  • 9.9: 'render (flag)': change render mode (example: render levelcoloration. list of flags: decals dynamicshadows fog foliage lensflares levelcoloration meshedges particles postprocess skeletalmeshes skelmeshes speedtrees sprites staticmeshes terrain terraincollision terrainpatches unlittranslucency zeroextent)
• Keybind Overview
  • F1 - Help
  • F2 - Dumpframes
  • F3 - Path edit mode. See Chapter 8
  • F4 - Save current camera path
  • F5 - Load a Campath from the RypelCam.ini
  • WASD,Spacebar,C - speccam movement
  • Leftshift, Alt - change speccam altitude
  • UpArrow - Sets demospeed to normal
  • DownArrow - Pauses the demo
  • LeftArrow - Slows the demospeed down
  • RighArrow - Speeds the demospeed up
  • Numpad0 - Relative camera. See chapter 5
  • Numpad0+X - Set target for targetlook
  • Numpad1/2 - Change camera speed. (in path edit mode: change the shape of the Campath). See 2.2, 4.2 and 8
  • Numpad3 - Puts you into cam view and starts the camera. See 2.6
  • Numpad4 - Delete the last Campoint. See 6.1
  • Numpad5 - Creates a new Campoint. See chapter 2
  • Numpad6 - Follow a projectile, relative camera mode. See chapter 5
  • Numpad6+X - Select and orbit around a projectile
  • Numpad7/8 - Change ROLL and FOV for Campoints. See Chapter 7
  • Numpad9 - Make the Campath invisible. See 2.6
  • Numpad multiply - Toggle targetlook (camera focuses on a selected target)
  • Numpad-/+ - Selects a Campoint so that you can roll it, replace it, or to change the path next to it. See 6.2, 7 and 8
  • 1-9 - Change the camera speed. See 2.2
  • F - Pause the demo
  • H - Switch Game HUD on/off
  • I - Deactivates weapondisplay in 1st person view
  • J - Enable Timed Path mode. See 4.3
  • K - Switch to Speccam from the current location. See 2.2
  • L - Lock third person view. See Chapter 5
  • M - Show RCam informations
  • O - The 'O' key(not the zero key) is used to switch between rollmode and fovmode. See chapter 7
  • P - If the camera should stop when the demo is paused. See Chapter 4
  • U - speccam will no longer collide with obstacles
  • Z - Reposition a Campoint (to the current location). See 6.2
  • RightCtrl - Switch between 1st and 3rdperson mode (behindview command)
  • Scrollwheel Up/Down - change demo playback speed
  • Scrollwheel Up/Down+X - switch between players
  • LeftMouseButton - view next player
  • LeftMouseButton+X - view previous player
  • MiddleMouseButton - Create a new Campoint. See chapter 2
  • RightMouseButton - Switch to Speccam