How does one record Alpha Centauri?

[Alfapiomega]

Ok I have to admit I am at bit of a loss here. I asked at Weplayciv subsection for SMAC and they redirected me here so hopefully someone here might help. Also feel free to move this topic, I haven't found a subsection for it

Original post: "For a long time now I desired to make an LP of this wonderful game that I spend hours and hours with. Many people also showed support when I announced that I have this plan as there are still no to very few good LP sof it. But unfortunately, up until now, I was able to maket his work.

The problem is that after I installed the game with full instalation (AC + AX) I can run the game perfectly. I just can’t record it. Whenever I try it just records a black screen (although it records the intro movie).

I tried Camtasia Studio 7, I tried CamRecorder, I tried FRAPS.

I went through the forums here but directdraw did not help (putting it in .ini file) and nobody else seemed to have this problem. Can anyone here try to help me? He will get a memorable mention and also the LP with be dedicated to him  I also tried PMing some of the people that DID record AC on YT but none of them ever got back to me :-/"

I actually decided to scratch this and start from the beggining today. I uninstalled everything and made a clear (GOG) installation of SMAC alone. If someone can help me and we make it work, then we can move from there

[Alfapiomega]

also omg - that basic smiley ( ) is creepy as hell 

[Buster's Uncle]

I made that smilie - oh well.


I suspect you might need to run SMAC/SMAX in a window - that might fix the problem.  My partner knows how to do that, but he's in Europe and won't be by for another five hours at soonest.  Petek knows how, too, I think, and probably others.  We'll see.

Welcome to AC2, BTW.  We're really glad to have you.

I think this ought to go in Theory of Everything, so I'll move it there.

[Alfapiomega]

Thank you very much for the reply!

I have no problem with waiting. I played this game years and years and wished to make the LP for about a year and a half now. So a couple of days won't matter. If this fixed the problem I will just feel sad that I haven't asked earlier.

Also I am taken by amazement that SMAC has such a dedicated community when it's such an old game. I mean that game is in my top 5 of all time but this is such an honor to it I will have to scout this place to see what's up!

[Buster's Uncle]

Definitely.

The game is special -the story and personality of it especially, I think- and the fans it attracts are a top-notch bunch.  Please do poke around; every little comment made adds to the content for the community, every question is valuable.  Every person is valuable. 

We really are glad to have you.

[Green1]

Be aware there is an issue with SMAX and certain newer internal notebook gfx cards like the Intel HD family in regards to screwing up colors in pre 2000 games. In order to work around this, open up your screen capture/ recording software then SMAX.

[Buster's Uncle]

So I guess telling what OS and machine might help...

[Green1]

Yeah.. OS Windows 7. I keep forgetting the folks running under WINE in Linux or that evil Apple.

[Buster's Uncle]

You say that like Windows isn't evil...

[Green1]

Well... less evil. It works with most things. Unlike Linux where you durn near need a BS in Comp Sci just to get something to work or Apple where it must all be Apple stuff.

[Buster's Uncle]

Just as evil.  In a different way, perhaps.  I can't claim Apple isn't an obnoxious cult, but you can't claim that Microsoft isn't a robber baron monopoly.

[Kilkakon]

I don't know how to record SMAX, sorry, and yeah I just tried Fraps and it didn't work.

[Green1]

I don't know how to record SMAX, sorry, and yeah I just tried Fraps and it didn't work.

GrimithR is the guy on youtube that does a lot of AARs for SMAX. I think he had the same problem. Maybe I  should pop into his channel and ask.

[Alfapiomega]

Did GrimithR make an LP of AC? I had no idea! I'll have to watch his LP as well.

Anyways to the problem! I use Windows Vista and there is no real problem playing the game at all. Both SMAC and SMAX works like a clock. But again we can forget about the AX for now, I would be content to first make AC work and then move from there (or not, some things are just not meant to be).

As I have a channel of my own and spend hundreds and hundreds of hours recording I understand it a bit. I had the similar problem once before with Dwarf Fortess but that one was easily fixed by the direct draw (which here did not help at all - and yes, I put it in the Virtual Store folder). What makes me baffled in this case is that the recording software actually does record the game but it just records black screen and nothing else. There might be a problem with the resolution as well or it might be the problem I am (and everyone else) has. The software tries to capture the game but at the end records about 7/8 of the screen in black with a small part of the screen on the left side.

I suspect you might need to run SMAC/SMAX in a window - that might fix the problem.

that actually seems like a valid idea. I can try that on my own but help with that would be appreciated (still being a patient bear). Asfaik there is no native way to do that.

[sisko]

@Alfapiomega: i seem to remeber that CamStudio was succesfully used for recording video and in-game audio.

regarding playing the game in a window, you should try this:
- start the game and wait for the game to load the main menu
- alt-tab to windows
- start the game a second time and wait for the game to load the main menu
- close one of the two games you have started (i close the second one usualy)
- now you should have the game in a window; you can't move or resize the window, but it's still a window.
please note that i never tried this in Vista, but in WinXP is always working.

HTH