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How to take kickin' Screen Shots in JA
Nov 15 2003 10:22pm

dartH|Bodhi
 - Student
dartH|Bodhi
I spent the better part of the past two days playing with the various cg_thirdPerson variables to take screenshots from all angles of the character I wanted for my Forum avatar.

In this is case it was the Zabrak. I didn't want static shots of her posing, I wanted some action shots of her in mid moves like the Kata and the Standing Spinning Windmill Thing(TM). So what I did was setup the Jedi Academy map by using the devmap command. Start up the multiplayer game and when you reach the main menu pull down the console and type:

devmap jedi_academy_v4

The reason for devmap is that it allows you to use cheats, and thus make changes to the cg_thirdPerson variables. I then chose the inner temple area for my setting. The various variables you want to change to get a better view of your character other than from behind is:

cg_thirdPersonRange: the distance from the character to the camera.

cg_thirdPersonVertDistance(I think that's it): the height of the camera from the center of the character. Positive is above, negative is below. Will not change the pitch of the camera (see below). I lowered this to around -24 to get the entire character into view.

cg_thirdPersonAngle: what position the camera is at with regard to your character. The camera is always pointed at the character but this changes what you are looking at. This is what you want to experiment with. Some values:

cg_thirdPersonAngle 0 - default behind the back
cg_thirdPersonAngle 180 - directly in front
cg_thirdPersonAngle 90 - right
cg_thirdPersonAngle 270 - left

cg_thirdPersonPitch: changes the vertical angle of the camera. Didn't use this at all.

cg_thirdPersonAlpha: the characters alpha channel. Essentially how transparent the character is. Didn't use it.

timescale: this allows you to speedup or slowdown the animations and events in the game in the same way it works in Single Player. Setting the value to 0.1 slows every thing down to 1/10th the speed. And when I say everything I mean it. Sparks slow down, the trails from the lightsabers stay longer, character animations and so on. It looks amazing. I used a setting of 0.01 (1/100th the speed) to get my captures of the staff kata in mid flight and other movements. Have "Street Spirit(Fade Out)" by Radiohead playing in the background ;)

As mentioned, cg_draw2D 0, to turn off the HUD.
Bind "screenshot silent" to a key. With the silent argument the game will not print the screen shot messages so you can snap away. Another option would be g_forceRegenTime (or g_forceRegenDelay...) so that when you are doing katas and other force intensive moves, your force points regen quickly. Set it to 0 for the fastest regen rate.

To get the highest quality screenshots turn all the graphic details to their highest and set your resolution to 1600x1200. Turn on Anti-aliasing and Anisotropic filtering on your Graphics Card if you can. You will probably get brutal frame rates but since these are still shots it won't matter ;)

That is it. I am going to snap some more shots when I get the chance tomorrow and post the results to the Academy Album on MSN when I get the chance.

Good luck and I hope this helped!
_______________
The Force is a powerful ally...
...and a terrible foe.

This post was edited by dartH|Bodhi on Nov 18 2003 04:47am.

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Comments
Feb 02 2004 02:07pm

Odan-Wei Belouve
 - Student
 Odan-Wei Belouve

I think that cg_thirdpersonvertpitch works too... Not sure if it does something else though...
You don't really need to play with the vertical offset since you still may move your mouse to have the desired camera angle. Then it takes a few tries. :D

:alliance:
Odan-Wei

P.S.: cmad X, yes it is here that I learnt the commands that brought me to make the screenies. I suggest to bind 2 keys to the following commands : "timescale 0.01" (slow motion, long saber trail) and "timescale 1" (go back to normal speed). Using these commands will allow you to slow down or get back to normal speed at will. Important note: some moves won't allow you to move the mouse at all or at the beginning of the move. Others (like katas) are allowing full mouse movement and camera positioning while performing. To screenshoot katas, I suggest to try to move the mouse back and forth to have a less regular saber trail. Hope this helps :D
_______________
Padawan and brother to SmilyKrazy :D - Adopted in the Belouve Family by Fizz and Bubu, BELOUVE ON! :D - Vladarion, you'll always be in my heart and memories - Spam-Padawan of Jacen Aratan ;) - [DJ is my beloved wife! :P - JA Family: Brothers:
Virtue, Furi0us, Vladarion, Hardwired, Janus, Axion, D@RtHM@UL, Motrec, Mike , xAnAtOs , Luke Skywalker; Little bro to SilkMonkey ; Special kind of brother to Kenyon ; Sisters in-law: Rosered, Ain-Soph Aur]
Photoshop works: click here


Jan 31 2004 05:31pm

Zeta
 - Ex-Student
 Zeta

in im game its cg_thirdPersonVertOffset, hope that helps someone.

Jan 31 2004 02:55pm

Steinin
 - Student
 Steinin

Open up a map with the devmap command. :)
_______________
362 Ohi on!

Jan 31 2004 03:09am

ExiLe
 - Ex-Student
 ExiLe

ok it says all of thoes are "cheat protected" no matter what i do!!! how do i fix this!?!?:(:mad:
_______________
Padawan of Silkmonkey!! :D SILKY ROCKS!!!
Proud Member of the {FOA}
-a.k.a SeSShoMaRu


Jan 28 2004 11:19pm

Steinin
 - Student
 Steinin

Got it working. Thanks QuietGuardian :)
_______________
362 Ohi on!

Jan 28 2004 08:55pm

Coogee
 - Student
 Coogee

Quote:
I can't get the cg_thirdPersonVertDistance working. No such command error. What's the real one?

cg_thirdPersonVert worked for me.
_______________
Bro of many in a very deformed family tree || Formerly a Padawan of Motrec, Kenyon & Aphex AKA Quiet Guardian, QG and Coogie

Jan 28 2004 07:04pm

Steinin
 - Student
 Steinin

I can't get the cg_thirdPersonVertDistance working. No such command error. What's the real one?
_______________
362 Ohi on!

Jan 24 2004 07:20pm

Steinin
 - Student
 Steinin

I didn't know about this. Thanks for the commands. :)
_______________
362 Ohi on!

Jan 17 2004 07:11pm

dartH|Bodhi
 - Student
 dartH|Bodhi

Heh, he did mention it in one of his posts. I hope everyone finds this post usefull.

One thing I am wondering is, is it possible to create your own animations for the characters?

How would such a thing be done?
_______________
The Force is a powerful ally...
...and a terrible foe.


Jan 16 2004 01:42pm

_cmad_
 - Ex-Student
 _cmad_

So THAT'S where Odan learned how to take all those cool screenies :P
_______________
Your friends of today, are your enemies of tomorrow.

Jan 16 2004 02:49am

AngelD'Kana
 - Ex-Student
 AngelD'Kana

REVIVE THIS THREAD f00s I MUST LEARN MORE!!!!! :D:D:D pssssstttt JAC's this thread is worthy of a sticky :D
TarpMan freeze <Secs> freezes the game

_______________
SMILY RULES ALL AND SHE CANT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT
Quote:
Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live. - Mark Twain

<Jedi_Prodigy> BOOOO angel! SEE SMILY? JP EVEN THINKS IM RIGHT :D I WIN :D 12:15:30(AM)] * DJ_Sith gives Jacen_Solo a golden shower }{ [01:33:00(AM)] * DJ_Sith give `orion a wonderful golden shower! }{ [01:35:41(AM)] * DJ_Sith gives doobie|broke a wonderful golden shower!


This comment was edited by AngelD'Kana on Jan 16 2004 03:50am.

Dec 12 2003 03:00pm

Jacen Aratan
 - Student

Oooo, and it works with JK2 too. Yay! :D

Dec 07 2003 07:30pm

dartH|Bodhi
 - Student
 dartH|Bodhi

*BUMP*

Perhaps DJ should make this a permament thread?

;)
_______________
The Force is a powerful ally...
...and a terrible foe.


Dec 04 2003 11:31am

Odan-Wei Belouve
 - Student
 Odan-Wei Belouve

RyTandus, just try to put a VERY low value when using timescale, like 0.001 if it works.
I made my screenies using a 0.01 value.
_______________
Padawan and brother to SmilyKrazy :D - Adopted in the Belouve Family by Fizz and Bubu, BELOUVE ON! :D - Vladarion, you'll always be in my heart and memories - Spam-Padawan of Jacen Aratan ;) - [DJ is my beloved wife! :P - JA Family: Brothers:
Virtue, Furi0us, Vladarion, Hardwired, Janus, Axion, D@RtHM@UL, Motrec, Mike , xAnAtOs , Luke Skywalker; Little bro to SilkMonkey ; Special kind of brother to Kenyon ; Sisters in-law: Rosered, Ain-Soph Aur]
Photoshop works: click here


Dec 03 2003 09:58pm

dartH|Bodhi
 - Student
 dartH|Bodhi

As far as I know there is not, unfortunately. :(
_______________
The Force is a powerful ally...
...and a terrible foe.


Dec 03 2003 09:26pm

tarpman
 - The Tarped Avenger
 tarpman

thanks a lot bodhi, these cmds work great!

do you know of anyway to actually freeze the game? timescale 0 just sets it back to normal time... :(
_______________
Saving the world, one kilobyte at a time.

Dec 03 2003 03:35pm

dartH|Bodhi
 - Student
 dartH|Bodhi

Bodhi quietly walks into the room, whistling a tune....

*BUMP* :D

Keep up the good work Odan-Wei and CuZzA, your shots are excellent!
_______________
The Force is a powerful ally...
...and a terrible foe.


This comment was edited by dartH|Bodhi on Dec 03 2003 03:36pm.

Nov 25 2003 08:02pm

Acey Spadey
 - Student
 Acey Spadey

wow good work there. here you might want to join in the competition..

http://www.thejediacademy.net/forums_detail_page.php?f_id=5598
_______________
.Lag Bro to Xanatos. Adopted Twin to Bubu. Big-Brother to SmilyKrazy ---- JATSRAD Guru, JASE Member, JA SP Mod Staff ---- The Order of the Stick -- Big thanks to Mango for my avatar -- Quote:
Sometimes you've got to specifically go out of your way to get into trouble. It's called fun.
Quote:
(Random hella old quote) <Fizz of Belouve> .. in sovjet russia, cereals spit at YOU!
Quote:
whats the point of growing up, if your not allowed to act childish!
Padawan - Henkes


Nov 21 2003 03:57pm

Wolfwood
 - Student
 Wolfwood

Awesome :) I didnt know that
_______________
~ Honor is a fool's prize. Glory is of no use to the dead ~


Nov 21 2003 01:30pm

Odan-Wei Belouve
 - Student
 Odan-Wei Belouve

:D


<---------- Look at the result :D

_______________
Padawan and brother to SmilyKrazy :D - Adopted in the Belouve Family by Fizz and Bubu, BELOUVE ON! :D - Vladarion, you'll always be in my heart and memories - Spam-Padawan of Jacen Aratan ;) - [DJ is my beloved wife! :P - JA Family: Brothers:
Virtue, Furi0us, Vladarion, Hardwired, Janus, Axion, D@RtHM@UL, Motrec, Mike , xAnAtOs , Luke Skywalker; Little bro to SilkMonkey ; Special kind of brother to Kenyon ; Sisters in-law: Rosered, Ain-Soph Aur]
Photoshop works: click here


This comment was edited by Odan-Wei Belouve on Nov 21 2003 01:31pm.

Nov 18 2003 04:45am

dartH|Bodhi
 - Student
 dartH|Bodhi

Just uploaded some new screens to The Jedi Academy Album at http://groups.msn.com/TheJediAcademyAlbum/shoebox.msnw

Check it out! Under "dartHBodhi's Screenshots of Fury"
_______________
The Force is a powerful ally...
...and a terrible foe.


This comment was edited by dartH|Bodhi on Nov 18 2003 04:47am.

Nov 17 2003 10:17pm

dose
 - Ex-Student
 dose

Thanks man, WEEE!!!

*runs off to comp* :D

_______________
"If you hold back anything, I'll kill you. If you bend the truth or I think you're bending the truth, I'll kill you. If you forget anything , I'll kill you.
In fact, you're going to have to try very hard to stay alive Nick.
Now do you understand everything that I have said? Because if you don't, I'll kill you!"


Nov 16 2003 01:39am

Vasper Ba'xian
 - Student
 Vasper Ba'xian

Try /cg_thirdpersoncam .0000000.......1
thats a good one

_______________
Brother to: Tamal, Kavar, J.D.,Jermia, Devlin, Ulic, Xiabara, Seij,Tarron Mib,>>>ROCK ON:).My Spacescapes art page.My Everything Else art page. MY FAV. Jedi Are: Qui-Gon Jinn, Corran Horn, and Anakin Solo. Unofficial Master to Tamal. and Kavar. Founder of the Wuji Hundun Jian saber style. Proud owner of Tamal's 200th comment!//Proud owner of Refl3x's 300th comment!>>>Proud owner of Tyrant's 800th comment>>>Proud owner of Lucky's 170th comment>>>Proud owner of BDKawika's 444th comment>>>To except Existance is to except Reality.

Nov 15 2003 11:17pm

dartH|Bodhi
 - Student
 dartH|Bodhi

In the console type "/dir maps" and it will give you all the maps that are available.
_______________
The Force is a powerful ally...
...and a terrible foe.


This comment was edited by dartH|Bodhi on Nov 15 2003 11:19pm.

Nov 15 2003 10:35pm

dose
 - Ex-Student
 dose

Hey, sweeet. I just wrote all that down.
Do u know any more commands for any more levels used only in cutscenes?
_______________
"If you hold back anything, I'll kill you. If you bend the truth or I think you're bending the truth, I'll kill you. If you forget anything , I'll kill you.
In fact, you're going to have to try very hard to stay alive Nick.
Now do you understand everything that I have said? Because if you don't, I'll kill you!"


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