Been using the in game video camera but my recorded footage quality compared to others I've seen is horrifying. I mean theirs was crystal clear and mine had those square pixels. Been saving as 1080p, as well as the settings are at it's highest. I have fraps and used that, but my empty space on my laptop only goes so far! 30 seconds = 1 GB for fraps.

Is there any sort of error/trick I'm missing? I'm using Vegas Pro 10. I have a hunch that it MAY be the video size resolution but I don't know.

Any help? D=

I think I know what you're talking about. I had to do some research on quality when I made my entry for SIFF this past spring, to make sure the quality was good, and the process involved making a change in a text file. Okay, I just found the page I was looking for, and it wasn't so much quality as recording in HD, but still worth looking at here

When it comes to recording in game, always make sure that recording for video is at its highest, which you've already seemed to do. Also, something that may help is changing the camera speed, which is included in that link above that I gave. What it involves is slowing down the camera speed, which will give you better composition, but the article will give you a better idea.

Keep in mind that changing up to HD will make your files larger. I remember a couple of times that I had to refilm a couple of areas because there was some glitch that occurred which can happen from time to time.

I'm starting to ramble, so lemme just reiterate:

1 - Make sure that your graphics quality, as well as your recorded video qualities are at the HIGHEST. Yes, absolute highest. Sim detail needs to be at the highest, etc. etc.

2 - Use the directions in the article to slow your camera speed down [so the camera movements are less choppy, more precise] as well as switching the recorded size to HD, which might help the quality.


If these things don't work, and you're still noticing some issues, it might be that you're running it on a laptop, the lack of a graphics card with enough power [due to it, or due to lack of enough output from a power supply] or both.

I honestly don't do much math with regards of fraps. I know I probably should, but I've usually relied more on just looking at the video and seeing how okay it looks. So when it comes to figuring out what a good fraps is, I have no clue.

If you could, could you upload the clip that you're having trouble with to Mediafire or another host [zshare you used to not have to register for, so long as your clip is under a certain size] and link it? If I could see what it looks like, I might be able to recommend something else

It's basically this video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmnJYOgX1fw ) that I uploaded last week, and the quality is a little on the fuzzy side for me even in 1080p. And when I look at just a dream I go ":O" because of the quality.

Maybe it is my computer and/or a figment of my imagination. I'll look more into it. Thanks once again AE

Watching it, I honestly saw nothing wrong quality wise. Now at the end, when you start fading out, I do see some square pixelation, and I think it could be because of the graphics in the game, but other than the tips I gave, there's not much else I can think of.

In Just a Dream, I did dress it up. Before editing, my quality looked similar to yours. I used an overlay in editing to make it look less game-like. The overall color quality in Just a Dream is from the overlay I used. Overlay can be fairly helpful, especially when doing something from The Sims 3. It can give it a more edge of realism than just keeping the original look from the game.

Other than that, I think you did a great job, and didn't see anything horribly off with the quality. I especially liked your beat use during the bridge of the song, and I'm guessing you were using the fog emitter? Very nicely done with that, I liked that!

But yeah, quality wise, it's not horrible, but if you think it is, and can't seem to find something to help it, using an overlay might help distract from that. ^_^

And to think I just play the Sims as a game...
I have to laugh at myself a little, because I just read all of the above and didn't understand half of it. And if I did, I still wouldn't have the patience for it. But I enjoy seeing the products of other peoples' talent.

Hehe, I was the same way, Taffy ^_^

I'm more used to making videos out of TV shows or movies, because those things have already been filmed. It's a bit more challenging to do it via The Sims 3, because you have to film everything as well.

I'll likely sticky with making only a couple pieces of machinima a year for SIFF. Other than that, I'll stick to vidding LOST