How to create TF2 videos without using FRAPS or other external recording programs

Kuiper · 08-08-2009, 06:30 PM

With frightening regularity, I see people post TF2 videos with atrocious quality to Youtube, citing their "low-end hardware" as an excuse for the low settings and poor framerates in the video.

If you use FRAPS or any screen recording tool to make your TF2 videos, you are doing it wrong. Here's how you can create a video using max graphics settings with constant framerates even if your hardware sucks:

If you haven't already done so, you need to record a demo of the gameplay that you want to create a video from. Do this by typing "record [demoname]" in the console while you are playing and "stop" when you are done. Once you have your demo file, follow these steps:

Load up TF2 using the settings that you want to show in the video. This includes screen resolution. If you are planning to upload to a low-quality Streaming site, I advise using 640x480 so that it will take less time to render and upload. If you're uploading an HD video to Youtube, use 1280x720.
Open up the console and enter the following commands: "sv_cheats 1" and "host_framerate 30" (You can record at a higher framerate if you want a 60 FPS video for editing purposes, but most streaming sites like Youtube use 30 FPS.)
Start playing the demo either via the console command "playdemo [demoname]" or the demo ui accessed via the command demoui or keyboard shortcut shift+f2
When you get to the part of the demo that you want to record, type "startmovie [videofilename] avi"
You should get a pop-up window with a list of codecs to choose from. I recommend using the XviD codecs. If the list doesn't include the codecs you need, you may want to grab CCCP or K-Lite (pick one, you can try the other if it's not working).
After you've begun recording the movie, allow the game to play out. The playback will be choppy and look buggy and the sound may loop or be completely muted. Don't worry, this is normal and the finished video will not look like this. Just allow the demo to play until it's gotten as far as you want to record. If you have a lower-end system or you're recording a rather lengthy video segment, this could take awhile, so you might want to find something else to do while the video renders.
Type "endmovie" in the console when you are done recording.
The resulting AVI file will not be located in your TF folder. It will be put in your "team fortress 2" folder with the name you required, e.g. C:/Program Files/Steam/SteamApps/bobsmith/team fortress 2/mymovie.avi
Now you can import the AVI into Windows Movie Maker or whatever program you use if you need to do any further editing.

Now you guys don't have an excuse to upload 10 FPS videos to Youtube.

Some other stuff:

Most problems involving the codec window not appearing can be solved by running the game in windowed mode. Open up your launch options and enter "-windowed -noborder" to enter windowed mode and eliminate the annoying border that usually comes with it. An added benefit to running windowed mode is that you can run the game using any resolution you'd like using "-h" and "-w" in the launch options, i.e. "-w 1280 -h 720". This can be very helpful if your display doesn't natively support the resolution that you want to use.

If you are having trouble with AVI codecs or need to record a long stretch of video, you can use the command "startmovie [videofilename]" instead of "startmovie [videofilename] avi". The difference between the two is that the first one will record a TGA sequence and a WAV file. You can import these into a program like Sony Vegas or VirtualDub and export them as video later, but keep in mind that a TGA sequence will chew up a LOT of disk space.

If you're really serious about TF2 moviemaking, I recommend checking out Quantums Little Config v2.0. I've found it to be highly helpful. If the movie settings in the config are drastically different from the settings you normally use, it might be advisable to rename or move your teamfortress game folder so you can keep two different sets of game settings, one for gameplay and one for recording, as it's a lot easier than manually changing all of your game settings each time you want to record.

More advanced moviemaking tips can be found at the Valve Developer Community Wiki. Le Duc De GuiSe has also made a helpful forum post briefly listing some of the more useful settings to use when recording.

Also note that everything isn't exclusive to TF2, it works for all Source games. You can use this method to create videos for any games that run on the Source engine, like gmod, CS:S, and L4D.

CritMonkey · 08-08-2009, 06:36 PM

Great post, been looking for something like this for a while

Ty4on · 08-08-2009, 06:56 PM

Let's hope this gets stickied

NanoSquid · 08-08-2009, 06:58 PM

STICKY NAO PLZ

I had no idea about this.

Claybay1 · 08-08-2009, 07:00 PM

Sticky please.

Mogg · 08-08-2009, 07:02 PM

I already knew it, but it always helps people

+rep

Polendino · 08-08-2009, 07:05 PM

Sticky plz!

Cactuschef · 08-08-2009, 07:24 PM

i've got that codec pack, but the dropdown doesn't include XVID as one of the options...?

TheTyperShark · 08-08-2009, 08:11 PM

This information is easy to find, and a lot of people know about, and use it. You really shouldn't need to make a thread about this stuff, because of how easily accessible this information is, but I'm glad you did.
I have no clue how so many people are in the dark about the Source Recorder. Hopefully this thread will get more people using it, and this really deserves a sticky. Yes, its just the basics, and there are a lot more advanced functions not mentioned here, but this is great for the people who aren't aware of, or do not know much about the Source Recorder.
I do want to point out, however, that this tool is not Team Fortress 2 exclusive. People can, and need to, use this with other Source games.
+rep.

NewfDraggie · 08-08-2009, 08:12 PM

Plus one for sticky.

Einchy · 08-08-2009, 08:19 PM

Wow, that's actually really helpful.

OldFirm · 08-08-2009, 08:24 PM

Nice Job!!

Cactuschef · 08-08-2009, 08:29 PM

well sweet, I just made this using the posted method.

although I still can't record in XVID, that short clip was huuuuge, thankfully youtube converts on its own

also, there's a small black bar across the top of the screen when I watch demos, which also appears in the video. anyone know how to remove that?

xwhysoseriousx · 08-08-2009, 08:33 PM

please sticky! Thanks for the post.

xbox1825 · 08-08-2009, 08:41 PM

Sticky this so I don't have to search back for this later.

08-08-2009, 06:30 PM	#1
Kuiper Join Date: Feb 2008 Reputation: 212 Posts: 1,389	How to create TF2 videos without using FRAPS or other external recording programs With frightening regularity, I see people post TF2 videos with atrocious quality to Youtube, citing their "low-end hardware" as an excuse for the low settings and poor framerates in the video. If you use FRAPS or any screen recording tool to make your TF2 videos, you are doing it wrong. Here's how you can create a video using max graphics settings with constant framerates even if your hardware sucks: If you haven't already done so, you need to record a demo of the gameplay that you want to create a video from. Do this by typing "record [demoname]" in the console while you are playing and "stop" when you are done. Once you have your demo file, follow these steps: Load up TF2 using the settings that you want to show in the video. This includes screen resolution. If you are planning to upload to a low-quality Streaming site, I advise using 640x480 so that it will take less time to render and upload. If you're uploading an HD video to Youtube, use 1280x720. Open up the console and enter the following commands: "sv_cheats 1" and "host_framerate 30" (You can record at a higher framerate if you want a 60 FPS video for editing purposes, but most streaming sites like Youtube use 30 FPS.) Start playing the demo either via the console command "playdemo [demoname]" or the demo ui accessed via the command demoui or keyboard shortcut shift+f2 When you get to the part of the demo that you want to record, type "startmovie [videofilename] avi" You should get a pop-up window with a list of codecs to choose from. I recommend using the XviD codecs. If the list doesn't include the codecs you need, you may want to grab CCCP or K-Lite (pick one, you can try the other if it's not working). After you've begun recording the movie, allow the game to play out. The playback will be choppy and look buggy and the sound may loop or be completely muted. Don't worry, this is normal and the finished video will not look like this. Just allow the demo to play until it's gotten as far as you want to record. If you have a lower-end system or you're recording a rather lengthy video segment, this could take awhile, so you might want to find something else to do while the video renders. Type "endmovie" in the console when you are done recording. The resulting AVI file will not be located in your TF folder. It will be put in your "team fortress 2" folder with the name you required, e.g. C:/Program Files/Steam/SteamApps/bobsmith/team fortress 2/mymovie.avi Now you can import the AVI into Windows Movie Maker or whatever program you use if you need to do any further editing. Now you guys don't have an excuse to upload 10 FPS videos to Youtube. Some other stuff: Most problems involving the codec window not appearing can be solved by running the game in windowed mode. Open up your launch options and enter "-windowed -noborder" to enter windowed mode and eliminate the annoying border that usually comes with it. An added benefit to running windowed mode is that you can run the game using any resolution you'd like using "-h" and "-w" in the launch options, i.e. "-w 1280 -h 720". This can be very helpful if your display doesn't natively support the resolution that you want to use. If you are having trouble with AVI codecs or need to record a long stretch of video, you can use the command "startmovie [videofilename]" instead of "startmovie [videofilename] avi". The difference between the two is that the first one will record a TGA sequence and a WAV file. You can import these into a program like Sony Vegas or VirtualDub and export them as video later, but keep in mind that a TGA sequence will chew up a LOT of disk space. If you're really serious about TF2 moviemaking, I recommend checking out Quantums Little Config v2.0. I've found it to be highly helpful. If the movie settings in the config are drastically different from the settings you normally use, it might be advisable to rename or move your teamfortress game folder so you can keep two different sets of game settings, one for gameplay and one for recording, as it's a lot easier than manually changing all of your game settings each time you want to record. More advanced moviemaking tips can be found at the Valve Developer Community Wiki. Le Duc De GuiSe has also made a helpful forum post briefly listing some of the more useful settings to use when recording. Also note that everything isn't exclusive to TF2, it works for all Source games. You can use this method to create videos for any games that run on the Source engine, like gmod, CS:S, and L4D. Last edited by Kuiper : 10-27-2009 at 05:57 PM.

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08-08-2009, 06:36 PM	#2
CritMonkey Join Date: Jun 2008 Reputation: 5 Posts: 237	Great post, been looking for something like this for a while

08-08-2009, 06:56 PM	#3
Ty4on Join Date: Sep 2008 Reputation: 43 Posts: 1,850	Let's hope this gets stickied

08-08-2009, 06:58 PM	#4
NanoSquid Banned Join Date: Jul 2008 Reputation: 54 Posts: 1,545	STICKY NAO PLZ I had no idea about this.

08-08-2009, 07:00 PM	#5
Claybay1 Join Date: Jan 2009 Reputation: 65 Posts: 755	Sticky please.

08-08-2009, 07:02 PM	#6
Mogg Join Date: May 2009 Reputation: 11 Posts: 479	I already knew it, but it always helps people +rep

08-08-2009, 07:05 PM	#7
Polendino Join Date: Jan 2009 Reputation: 124 Posts: 2,083	Sticky plz!

08-08-2009, 07:24 PM	#8
Cactuschef Join Date: Jun 2009 Reputation: 27 Posts: 413	i've got that codec pack, but the dropdown doesn't include XVID as one of the options...?

08-08-2009, 08:11 PM	#9
TheTyperShark Join Date: Apr 2009 Reputation: 26 Posts: 176	This information is easy to find, and a lot of people know about, and use it. You really shouldn't need to make a thread about this stuff, because of how easily accessible this information is, but I'm glad you did. I have no clue how so many people are in the dark about the Source Recorder. Hopefully this thread will get more people using it, and this really deserves a sticky. Yes, its just the basics, and there are a lot more advanced functions not mentioned here, but this is great for the people who aren't aware of, or do not know much about the Source Recorder. I do want to point out, however, that this tool is not Team Fortress 2 exclusive. People can, and need to, use this with other Source games. +rep.

08-08-2009, 08:12 PM	#10
NewfDraggie Join Date: Oct 2008 Reputation: 5 Posts: 155	Plus one for sticky.

08-08-2009, 08:19 PM	#11
Einchy Join Date: Jun 2008 Reputation: 37 Posts: 1,158	Wow, that's actually really helpful.

08-08-2009, 08:24 PM	#12
OldFirm Join Date: Jan 2008 Reputation: 3 Posts: 263	Nice Job!!

08-08-2009, 08:29 PM	#13
Cactuschef Join Date: Jun 2009 Reputation: 27 Posts: 413	well sweet, I just made this using the posted method. although I still can't record in XVID, that short clip was huuuuge, thankfully youtube converts on its own also, there's a small black bar across the top of the screen when I watch demos, which also appears in the video. anyone know how to remove that?

08-08-2009, 08:33 PM	#14
xwhysoseriousx Banned Join Date: Feb 2009 Reputation: 6 Posts: 85	please sticky! Thanks for the post.

08-08-2009, 08:41 PM	#15
xbox1825 Join Date: Mar 2007 Reputation: 0 Posts: 560	Sticky this so I don't have to search back for this later.