This tutorial is for using ChronoLapse on Windoze. If you're on Linux (*HIGH FIVE*) there is a program called gLapse that looks pretty good. ChronoLapse might work on Linux as well, I've never tried it.
If you're on a Mac, sorry, I can't help you (apples give me indigestion
)
Here are a couple examples of 'finished' products:
Season 9 Round 1: C$$ vs. Umbra Atlas
Season 9 Round 2: C$$ vs. Kinseth
There are 4 steps to the process:
1. Get ChronoLapse
2. Capture screenshots
3. Edit the screenshots.
4. Compile the screenshots into a movie.
1. Get Chronolapse
Here's the link for Chronolapse. It's free, open source, very straightforward. Follow the install instructions on their site if you have trouble.
2. Capture Screenshots
Here's a screenshot of my ChronoLapse settings. I find "Time Between Captures" set to 10 (seconds) to be a good interval. And if you don't have dual monitors, well you probably shouldn't have "Capture Dual Monitors" selected.
If you've got big monitors, I would definitely recommend using the "Subsection" option to crop out everything but the online heroscape window. IMPORANT: The "Top" and "Left" fields are reversed in ChronoLapse 1.0.7 (the newest version when I wrote this). These values will vary depending on screen resolution, so you'll have to experiment and find values that work for you.
After you click the "Start Capture" button, Chronolapse will dutifully begin spooling out screenshots to the specified folder. Just keep the program running while you play. When the game is over, click the "Stop Capture" button. Now it's time to edit the photos!
3. Editing the Raw Screen Captures
This part isn't especially difficult, but can be time consuming. Basically you want to look at each picture and
1) Remove any private information you may have captured (real names, e-mail addresses, bank accounts, whatever). Either delete the images, or put graphics over them. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR YOUR OPPONENT. Just because you are ok with your real name and/or e-mail being included, doesn't mean he/she is.
2) Delete captures where someone took back a move, or maybe took a break for the bathroom, etc. You don't have to do this, but it gets rid of otherwise dead time.
3) (optional) Get fancy here and add in some additional art/graphics/etc to the pictures.
Windows picture viewer is surprisingly good for flipping through the pictures. Use the forward and backward arrow keys for navigating and just hit delete for any pictures that need to be removed.
4. Compile the Screen Captures into a Movie
Once you've got your pics collected and cleaned up, click over to the "Video" tab in ChronoLapse. Change the source Images to the folder with your edited screen captures and set a destination folder. I find a "Frame Rate" of 2 works well with the 10 second capture rate. the result is roughly a 4 minute time lapse for 1 hour of play.
Now you should have a nice, quick video of your game. Upload it to a video sharing service (like YouTube) and share the link!
5. (Optional) Additional Settings
There are lots of additional settings you can play with in ChronoLapse. The Audio, PIP (Picture in Picture), and Annotate tabs can all be used to add some extra effects to your time lapse.
So that's it in a nutshell. If there are any parts that aren't clear, or you're having problems, feel free to reply and I'll do my best to Help.
C$$
If you're on a Mac, sorry, I can't help you (apples give me indigestion
)Here are a couple examples of 'finished' products:
Season 9 Round 1: C$$ vs. Umbra Atlas
Season 9 Round 2: C$$ vs. Kinseth
There are 4 steps to the process:
1. Get ChronoLapse
2. Capture screenshots
3. Edit the screenshots.
4. Compile the screenshots into a movie.
1. Get Chronolapse
Here's the link for Chronolapse. It's free, open source, very straightforward. Follow the install instructions on their site if you have trouble.
2. Capture Screenshots
Here's a screenshot of my ChronoLapse settings. I find "Time Between Captures" set to 10 (seconds) to be a good interval. And if you don't have dual monitors, well you probably shouldn't have "Capture Dual Monitors" selected.
If you've got big monitors, I would definitely recommend using the "Subsection" option to crop out everything but the online heroscape window. IMPORANT: The "Top" and "Left" fields are reversed in ChronoLapse 1.0.7 (the newest version when I wrote this). These values will vary depending on screen resolution, so you'll have to experiment and find values that work for you.
After you click the "Start Capture" button, Chronolapse will dutifully begin spooling out screenshots to the specified folder. Just keep the program running while you play. When the game is over, click the "Stop Capture" button. Now it's time to edit the photos!
3. Editing the Raw Screen Captures
This part isn't especially difficult, but can be time consuming. Basically you want to look at each picture and
1) Remove any private information you may have captured (real names, e-mail addresses, bank accounts, whatever). Either delete the images, or put graphics over them. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR YOUR OPPONENT. Just because you are ok with your real name and/or e-mail being included, doesn't mean he/she is.
2) Delete captures where someone took back a move, or maybe took a break for the bathroom, etc. You don't have to do this, but it gets rid of otherwise dead time.
3) (optional) Get fancy here and add in some additional art/graphics/etc to the pictures.
Windows picture viewer is surprisingly good for flipping through the pictures. Use the forward and backward arrow keys for navigating and just hit delete for any pictures that need to be removed.
4. Compile the Screen Captures into a Movie
Once you've got your pics collected and cleaned up, click over to the "Video" tab in ChronoLapse. Change the source Images to the folder with your edited screen captures and set a destination folder. I find a "Frame Rate" of 2 works well with the 10 second capture rate. the result is roughly a 4 minute time lapse for 1 hour of play.
Now you should have a nice, quick video of your game. Upload it to a video sharing service (like YouTube) and share the link!
5. (Optional) Additional Settings
There are lots of additional settings you can play with in ChronoLapse. The Audio, PIP (Picture in Picture), and Annotate tabs can all be used to add some extra effects to your time lapse.
So that's it in a nutshell. If there are any parts that aren't clear, or you're having problems, feel free to reply and I'll do my best to Help.
C$$
