Tutorial for RypelCam v3.17, Unreal Tournament 3 Edition

• Introduction
  • What is RypelCam?
    RypelCam is a tool to enhance the playback of demos, create cinematic sequences and further features for movie makers.
  • Where can i get support?
    Visit http://rypelcam.ut3darkclan.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=RCam317.RCamDecalManager

    Note: A demo will ask for every custom package that was installed at the time when the demo was recorded.
    Custom packages from remote game server can be mutators and used custom maps. You will need to install those packages in order to get the demo working. Temporary files in the local cache are not sufficient, but can be used to properly install mutators and custom maps. (Consider the tool UT3 Cache Extrator for doing so.)
    The demo will tell you what content packages are still missing when you try to play it. Many UT3 content packages can be downloaded from cr4zyb4st4rd.co.uk.
    
    If you record demos locally on your PC, also your own custom packages will be required for the demo playback. Therefore, never remove installed packages, including the RypelCam packages. If you upgrade to a new RypelCam version, just add the new RypelCam version next to the previous versions and use any version of RypelCam as wish for the demo playback by editing the version number in UTGame.ini.

• 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 placed in the map and define the path of the camera. The camera will fly through all the Campoints and will compute a smooth path between them. A Campoint contains coordinates, informations regarding the field of view angle and rotation values and also the cam point's creation time for time based courses (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 about 500-600 cam points. '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 : Settings and a camera path can be saved with 'F4'. 'F5' loads a camera path. 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. Different RypelCam verions will not affect their saved data even though they share and subdivide the same 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 Campoint you are currently viewing with 'Numpad4'. If no specific Campoint is selected, the last Campoint is deleted instead. 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".
  • 7.4 : TiledShot: combine multiple screenshots into one high resolution image. This allows to run the game at a low video resolution and still record high definition footage. A value of '2' for TiledShot combines 4 screen shots, 3 => 9, 4 => 16 etc., configurable in the RypelCam Menu

• 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'

• Replay mode
  • 9.1 : RypelCam keeps track of the player movements and allows to reproduce them in the so called replay mode, while the normal game is paused. To activate the replay mode, hit 'page down', which also is the key to rewind. 'Page up' will fastforward up to the current time in the game, than jump back to the start time of the demo. Unpausing the game will exit the replay mode and resume the normal demo playback.
  • 9.2 : During replay mode, you can create and edit Campoints. These Campoints will use the time from the replay mode, therefore you can add them in a chronological order. This allows to edit and preview a camera path which uses the timed path mode without restarting the demo. As a limitation, the first four Campoints have to be created in increasing chronological order (until the camera path turns visible). Afterwards Campoints can be inserted at any time, even before the creation time of the first Campoint.
  • 9.3 : The timed path mode can be previewed simultaneously in the replay mode. Activate the timed path mode with 'J' and hit 'numpad 3' to place the camera on the camerapath. The time in the replay mode is shown in the on-screen informations of RypelCam, make sure it is relevant for the timed path (after the creation time of the first cam point and before the last cam point). The position of the camera is indicated with a red circle during replay mode with active timed path mode to ease the editing of the camera path.

• Console Commands
  • 10.1 : 'tpstart (opt. speed)': load and prepare a timed path. The optional speed variable sets the fast forward speed until the start time is reached.
  • 10.2 : 'hit': remove the red screen overlay when a player takes damage.
  • 10.3 : 'beep': remove message sounds.
  • 10.4 : 'dumpfps': fps for dumpframe records.
  • 10.5 : 'dumpres': tiledshot value for dumpframe records.
  • 10.6 : 'update': camera path updates only when required.
  • 10.7 : 'startpaused': demo starts paused.
  • 10.8 : 'mouse X': set mouse sensitivity to the value 'X'  (example 'mouse 20').
  • 10.9: '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)
  • 10.10 : 'avoidphysicsbug': avoid a rare bug in client demos, where the character moves around in a lying pose instead of walking or jumping (third person perspective). The view rotation hangs in the first person perspective. This console command should be called just before the bug occurs and only aims at keeping the first person perspective working. The character won't be animated anymore in the third person perspective. The effect of this console command disappears when the player dies, altogether with the bug.
• Keybind Overview
  • F1 + X - 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
  • R - Open the RypelCam Menu
  • 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