Post by arflech

Posted: 10/31/2008 2:21 AM

Post subject: Automatic gif creator

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Ramzi

Joined: 3/25/2004
Posts: 459

Like all great technology, this was inspired to advance pornography. Wouldn't this work. At time t, take a screenshot of the frame, and give it a number based on some formula, perhaps based on color count and such. Then, at t+1 do the same thing, and compare the difference between the two frames. If they are close, group them together in the current animation. If they are far apart, a new gif sequence will be created. I imagine, then, if we were to apply this program to Mario 1, we would -- if my memory serves correctly -- get Gif 1: Title sequence. Gif 2: Black screen that shows number of lives. Gif 3: Level one part 1. Gif 4: A few frames of black Gif 5: Collecting coins under the tube Gif 6: Left of level 1. Gif 7: A few frames of black. Gif 8: The walking to the pipe. Gif 9: A few frames of black. Gif 10: Start of level 2. Or something like that. Look back off man. Anyway. The program could also be tuned to ignore trivialities, like the black wait screens between relevant sections. Or, just record every other, fifth, or 10th, or whateverith frame, if gif size is a concern of yours which it shouldn't be you cheap bastard. This could make it easier to a) illustrate tricks of specific parts of a tas without having to create the gif by hand, b) create a ton of gifs to spread on these forums and the intarwab, 3) provide another medium for viewers to watch TASs when d/ling via utorrent and d/ling an emu is not an option and they couldn't find it on Youtube or Google Video or whatever they're the same now or something. huh So. Get on that.

Posted: 10/31/2008 2:34 AM

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blahmoomoo

Joined: 2/1/2008
Posts: 347

I could see bandwidth issues here... I hope you are not proposing to replace screenshots with animated gifs, because that will just cause epilepsy over all the motion on a console page.

<ccfreak2k> There is no 'ctrl' button on DeHackEd's computer. DeHackEd is always in control.

Posted: 10/31/2008 6:52 AM

Post subject: Re: Automatic gif creator

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Bisqwit

Editor, Active player (296)

Joined: 3/8/2004
Posts: 7469
Location: Arzareth

Ramzi wrote:

Like all great technology, this was inspired to advance pornography. Wouldn't this work. At time t, take a screenshot of the frame, and give it a number based on some formula, perhaps based on color count and such. Then, at t+1 do the same thing, and compare the difference between the two frames. If they are close, group them together in the current animation. If they are far apart, a new gif sequence will be created. I imagine, then, if we were to apply this program to Mario 1, we would -- if my memory serves correctly -- get Gif 1: Title sequence. Gif 2: Black screen that shows number of lives. Gif 3: Level one part 1. Gif 4: A few frames of black Gif 5: Collecting coins under the tube Gif 6: Left of level 1. Gif 7: A few frames of black. Gif 8: The walking to the pipe. Gif 9: A few frames of black. Gif 10: Start of level 2.

Do you mean like this? http://bisqwit.iki.fi/kala/snap/smb1anim2.gif (Warning: half a megabyte long, best watched in Firefox (other browsers have a slower gif renderer))

Posted: 10/31/2008 9:07 AM

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Warp

Banned User, Former player

Joined: 3/10/2004
Posts: 7698
Location: Finland

Animated gifs are not very optimal for scrolling images, as most games are. The resulting gifs would be enormous. Besides, there would be no sound.

Posted: 10/31/2008 9:10 AM

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Bisqwit

Editor, Active player (296)

Joined: 3/8/2004
Posts: 7469
Location: Arzareth

Warp wrote:

Animated gifs are not very optimal for scrolling images, as most games are. The resulting gifs would be enormous.

Indeed. However, when the scrolling background can be made fixed and the foreground moving, as is in the animation shown above (and the basis of my "tiletracker" animator), they become moderate sized. Can only happen in games with a relatively static background though, with no parallax. Still no sound, though.

Posted: 10/31/2008 4:57 PM

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alden

Player (120)

Joined: 2/11/2007
Posts: 1522

Bisqwit is my idol... that's the coolest thing I've seen this week :D

I make a comic with no image files and you should read it. While there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free. -Eugene Debs

Posted: 10/31/2008 6:21 PM

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qFox

Joined: 4/25/2004
Posts: 615
Location: The Netherlands

But like I've said before somewhere, it doesn't need to be an entire movie exactly, or as wide as the example Bisqwit posted. It can be one screen that shows one screenshot every second or two or three (whatever). Optimization applies when nothing happens (although I believe there is little optimization in animated gifs across panels). That's something that would be awesome and doesn't have to gain in size. It can be placed at the specific game pages instead of the game list pages so not to go crazy. It would just give one an impression of the run. Maybe limit it to a certain timeframe of the run, whatever. I don't see the absence of audio as a problem here.

qfox.nl