Trying to add a New Ingame (Sidebar) Video...

Lee3y · Disk Thrower **Joined**: 09 Feb 2018

Greetings everyone,

I'm not sure how many people have done this, or even if anyone has done this, but I'm trying to implement an ingame (sidebar/radar screen) video I have made.

I have already successfully implemented an intro video for this new campaign's 1st mission (currently a placeholder video featuring wildlife!), but this one doesn't seem to want to play....

The into video works as intended; it plays upon selecting the mission, then the loading screen commences.

The ingame video I have, which is created in the same format (.bik), is set to play via a basic trigger. I know the trigger fires, because it is enabled (via action 53 enable trigger) by another trigger, which fires of several triggers, which in turn tells me it's been activated. The trigger which is supposed to play the clip, I called 'Play clip', uses an event of time elapsed '1', and action #100 Play Ingame Movie, referencing the movie index.

I know this is a very, very specific area to delve into, but if anyone has managed any success with sidebar movies, your advice would be appreciated. After all, I would like to make this new campaign as complete as possible.

djohe · Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2019 1:20 pm Post subject:

I have not exactly researched this subject but could your trouble mabe be related to the resolution of the video?

You did not specify what resolution you used in your question about sidebar video and if you used standard video resolution for like full screen vids or if you used a smaller resolution. (always provide as much info as possible so we do not have to guess)

Check what resolution the already existing sidebar videos use.

All I really know is that tiberian sun used much lower resolution for its sidebar .vqa videos compared to the fullscreen .vqa videos.

Lee3y · Disk Thrower **Joined**: 09 Feb 2018

djohe wrote:

I have not exactly researched this subject but could your trouble mabe be related to the resolution of the video?

You did not specify what resolution you used in your question about sidebar video and if you used standard video resolution for like full screen vids or if you used a smaller resolution. (always provide as much info as possible so we do not have to guess)

Check what resolution the already existing sidebar videos use.

All I really know is that tiberian sun used much lower resolution for its sidebar .vqa videos compared to the fullscreen .vqa videos.

Hi sorry, yes I compared what setting to use with an existing one in game, and as such i scaled my video down to match the resolution (i believe 140x110pixels). Also the other videos in game ppear to be .bik format, rather than .vqa, so i haven't considered trying .vqa. The fullscreen into video was made to match the games other fullscreen vids, scaled down to i believe 800x600. Both videos were originally HD quality, and converted to .bik using the game's corresponding settings (based on existing videos).

djohe · Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 5:13 am Post subject:

Ok then I am unsure what the problem is, mabe someone else knows more about .bik videos and if the sidebar versions require anything special to function. All I really know is that it is .bik format (that may or may not need a specific version of RAD Video Tools for compability with RA2/Generals but seeing that you were able to get a fullscreen one to work I do not see why a sidebar one would be causing trouble) and that the movie needs to be listed under [Movies] at the end of artmd.ini for RA2:YR and under [Movies] in art.ini if TibSun/RA2(non YR)

Have you tried to replace one of the already existing sidebar videos (same filename) or any of the fullscreen ones?

Beyond this I do not know anything more and seeing you were able to play the FMV (fullscreen Motion Video) you clearly used the correct .mix file for it.

Lee3y · Disk Thrower **Joined**: 09 Feb 2018

djohe wrote:

Ok then I am unsure what the problem is, mabe someone else knows more about .bik videos and if the sidebar versions require anything special to function. All I really know is that it is .bik format (that may or may not need a specific version of RAD Video Tools for compability with RA2/Generals but seeing that you were able to get a fullscreen one to work I do not see why a sidebar one would be causing trouble) and that the movie needs to be listed under [Movies] at the end of artmd.ini for RA2:YR and under [Movies] in art.ini if TibSun/RA2(non YR)

Have you tried to replace one of the already existing sidebar videos (same filename) or any of the fullscreen ones?

Beyond this I do not know anything more and seeing you were able to play the FMV (fullscreen Motion Video) you clearly used the correct .mix file for it.

@djohe Apologies for the late reply,

At this stage I can only confirm I have indeed listed the entry correctly to the best of my knowledge. There is no further breakthrough at the moment, however I have not tried replacing an existing video. I don't have much more ideas, so you've at least given me that to think about.

I shall report back here with updates on the matter either way, thank you for your thoughts!