Adventure Game Studio

AGS Games => AGS Games in Production => Topic started by: ManicMatt on Mon 01/01/2007 23:23:13

Title: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: ManicMatt on Mon 01/01/2007 23:23:13

COMPLETED GAMES THREAD (http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=51701.0)
http://www.adventuregamestudio.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=51701.0


Limbo is now in the bug-testing stages, so I now present to you in the meantime with..

A trailer showing the game in action!
http://youtu.be/p_Te1-T029c


Introducing...

                         Matt Barker's
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b37/manicmatt/Limbotitle.png)

(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b37/manicmatt/death-talks.gif)
"Hello there, I'm death. One day I was busy reaping souls and taking them to their suitable afterlife, be it Heaven, Hell, or the inbetween place known as the Neitherworld. However not so long ago an evil being with a ridiculous and overly long name decided to start stealing souls for their own purposes! This is, naturally, really screwing up my filing system in my office. The latest victim to lose their soul is a man only known as Agent Brent.

If Agent Brent dies now, without a soul, he will cease to exist! His goal is to reclaim his soul from the hideous soul stealer who dwells in the plane of existence known as Limbo!
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b37/manicmatt/hell.png)
This baby shouldn't have stolen that candy just before he died! Hell hath no mercy!
(http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b37/manicmatt/screenshotlimbo1.png)
The trees are surprisingly friendly considering humans like to chop them up.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10952057_10153006718046101_3319657424627566517_n.jpg?oh=2eaca0c1ccbd4b265166d0ceb5231a49&oe=552F4FD2&__gda__=1428894148_29b2c37390afc8ccf505f89a3b391698)
Shopkeeper: "I found some used chewing gum on the floor yesterday and it still had some flavour!"
Brent: "How did you know it had flavour.. nevermind, I think I know the answer to that."



UPDATE: Wow, 2007 I started on this. Before, y'know, a different game called Limbo came out. So now it's called "Limbo the adventure game" because I can't picture it being called anything else. I had my heart set on that name from the start! Anyway, the game is nearing completion! I just need to do more voice acting and then test the hell out of it and I think I'm done! Whew!



Here are the statistics for how this game is coming along:

Backgrounds: 100%
Never thought I'd see the day.
Characters: 100%
Many zany and weird characters to meet!
Interactions: 100%
There is a lot of this. Mostly for the details.
Puzzles: 100%
Hopefully not too hard or too easy..
Music: 100%
All done!
Speech: 60% 400 out of 503 main character's lines done... then the rest of the cast. Less lines though!
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Gord10 on Mon 01/01/2007 23:30:00
Looks interesting. Good luck :)
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: deletethisprofile on Mon 01/01/2007 23:49:15
Looking good, Matt-man!    8)
I hope this game will be more puzzlely
and more lengthier than your last splendid attempt. :)

Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: esper on Tue 02/01/2007 00:28:51
Looks very nice, the first shot especially. It seems as though you're really giving the graphics more detail than in Secrets, but I hope  the story and humor quality will be intact. I'm eagerly awaiting the call to beta test it! YAY!
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Rui 'Trovatore' Pires on Tue 02/01/2007 10:43:18
Quotequality over quantity

Quotecram the game with loads of interactions
Quoteshelves in the second screenshot will be packed with things to look at

Yeah, I know what you mean, but it still looks a bit funny. :=
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: vict0r on Wed 03/01/2007 23:14:36
This looks like it's going to be a really cool game mate! :) I really liked "Secrets", and I'm really looking forward to this. Your gfx has absolutely improved, but I hope the gameplay don't suffer for that part. :)

You think this will be longer or shorter than Secrets?
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: ManicMatt on Wed 03/01/2007 23:48:41
I have to confess I'm losing motivation to continue now. Maybe my expectations were too high, but the very few comments on here are by people I consider friends on AGS, except for one (Bet you can guess who, too), which makes me feel like there is little interest in my game. I regret posting my game in here now..

Anyway, hopefully I'll get over it and stop being so petty, and continue on the game soon......

Well the game is shorter than Secrets as I said, but there will be more things to do in the game world. And the puzzles are actually planned before I've even made the  background and any characters relating to it, where as in Secrets I was making them up as I went along.

There are more animations for the main character too. I drew him actually crouching for example, rather than just using photoshop to bend legs and knees like I did with Secrets.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Chicky on Thu 04/01/2007 00:42:46
Looks cool! Look forward to playing.

*edit* after reading your post before mine i would just like to say that i check out a hell of a lot of GIP threads and rarely bother to reply but this one really caught my eye! And today was the first time i had seen the thread.

so carry on and finish it and if you ever need inspiration then just give me a shout. I'm quite often out of mind if you catch my drift.

Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: floorboards on Thu 04/01/2007 00:48:26
Quote from: ManicMatt on Wed 03/01/2007 23:48:41
I have to confess I'm losing motivation to continue now. Maybe my expectations were too high, but the very few comments on here are by people I consider friends on AGS, except for one (Bet you can guess who, too), which makes me feel like there is little interest in my game. I regret posting my game in here now..

I'm impressed that you have the balls to do a game entirely by yourself. I'd love to, but I'm not confident enough with my graphics/animation to do something. I'll hopefully start off as a writer-for-hire and build my way up to having a team of artists/animators to work with ;)

Of course, while I'm doing that, you'll be working on fully fledged projects of your own... so good luck, and keep going!

Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Da_Elf on Thu 04/01/2007 00:57:08
yeah. looks cool. and as he says. it does take balls. im trying to do mine by myself and i wish i could get an animator to help me out with my asterix game. i like your style, i remember the .... creature you have in that image from when you posted him back in the critics area.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: auriond on Thu 04/01/2007 02:10:40
I really like the concept, and the evil being with the ridiculous and overly long name cracks me up. XD

I'm excited that you say the game will be really detailed with little touches and interactions :) I love those types.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: ManicMatt on Thu 04/01/2007 02:12:54
Okay, now I'm glad i bitched!  ;D

I decided to comment on "I want to die" and found it really hard to think of something to say. But I came up with something anyway. This tells me a little something here. But I think even if one says any old crap it's nice to see some feedback!

Quote from: Chicky on Thu 04/01/2007 00:42:46
so carry on and finish it and if you ever need inspiration then just give me a shout.

Thanks!  :)  :)  :) I appreciate your support.

Floorboards: Yeah, I could never make a game in the style of Shivah, as I can't do low-res OR hi-res serious sprites! Still, my humour is my strong point really, so doing comical games is for the best. Some people who can't draw will work around it, by taking photos and using them, or finding a graphics artist.

Da-Elf: I hope you find someone for your game, as that looks most promising!

auriond: Hehe, thanks! Expect jokes such as that in the game!

*ManicMatt gets his motivation back*
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: The Ivy on Thu 04/01/2007 02:19:57
Nice to see someone else going with the "death is kind of cute" theme. :-, Good luck with this, I'll certainly play it when it's done. I'd probably play it for the voice acting alone, that was the best part of Secrets.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: auriond on Thu 04/01/2007 02:58:18
I'm glad you got your motivation back, Matt. :) This game is too cute not to finish just because you didn't get enough comments! And you're right, every little bit counts when you're embarking on projects like this.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Steel Drummer on Thu 04/01/2007 03:16:21
Looks like another good game from ManicMatt. Do you need voice actors? I might be willing to give it a shot.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Peder 🚀 on Thu 04/01/2007 07:15:20
This is looking good Matt!!!!

Keep up the good work and get this game finished!


Peder Johnsen.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Rui 'Trovatore' Pires on Thu 04/01/2007 08:01:54
Hey, I hope my comment didn't contribute to that black moment of desperation...

...then again, I guess it did, a bit. I'm very sorry, I really didn't mean it that way. It struck me funny, and I wanted to point it out. I certainly wasn't implying anything about the amount of quality OR quantity in your game - I can't tell anything like that from a couple of screenies, anyway. Glad to see you're back to track, and again I'm REALLY sorry if I helped contribute to your moment of doubt.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Nikolas on Thu 04/01/2007 10:44:13
A friend here!

You know...

Being away from home as it happens in holidays, does mean difficulties in the internet... So... Sorry for not posting earlier.

Graphics looks WAY better than secrets! And the story looks ultra cool as well!

Did you expect to fill 3 pages in a couple of pages??? Comon! get real! ;D ;D
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: ManicMatt on Thu 04/01/2007 12:35:46
The Ivy: I concur! It's a shame there isn't a "best speech" award in the AGS awards! Closest thing would be "use of sound" I guess. I can't wait to do the voices myself! But I'm leaving it till last due to the non-linear-ish nature of the rooms. (Like in "Sydney finds employment" really, which is also probably about the same length as this one will be.)

Auriond: Thanks again! "Cute", hehe!  :)

Steel Drummer: Cheers for the offer, but I'm keeping other actors to a minimum. Having things recorded elsewhere sounds noticably different, and makes it inconsistent. Plus I love doing the voices myself!

Folks:

I will need a female actor however, for any female parts, but they'll need to be able to record with a good microphone. I was playing some AGS game recently, and one voice was obviously done over the phone! That ruined the atmosphere. Anyway, PM me if you're interested!

Peder:   :D

Rui: Um, well I appreciated that you posted, but you didn't say anything about the game, just a comment on my admittedly funny sentencing. But don't worry about it, I would have gone on a mardy even if you hadn't posted that! Made no difference.

Nikolas: Oh hey Nik! How is the holiday? I wasn't expecting to hear from you yet, so no worries! Cheeky! I wasn't expecting three pages unless my thread was controversial or was for a game with a price tag on it.. ;)
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Erenan on Sat 06/01/2007 03:21:59
Neat! I want you to finish! Yippee! I like games!

I don't tend to say much in these threads, but know that I think it looks good.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: EagerMind on Sat 06/01/2007 10:00:41
This looks kind of silly (in a good way), justing lookin at the screen shots made me chuckle. Do you play Brent or Death? And voice acting? ... Very posh! Good luck with finishing this up!

Quote from: ManicMatt on Thu 04/01/2007 12:35:46I will need a female actor however, for any female parts

What, you can't get a good falsetto going? Just clamp a clothespin onto your you-know-what and step up to the mic! :D
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: ManicMatt on Sat 06/01/2007 10:58:49
Erenan has good taste.  ;)

Quote from: EagerMind on Sat 06/01/2007 10:00:41
This looks kind of silly (in a good way), justing lookin at the screen shots made me chuckle.
Hehe!  That shopkeeper scratches his arse when idle and has a look of pleasure on his face as he does it. It cracks me up!

QuoteDo you play Brent or Death?
You play as Brent! Death just gives you advice etc. Brent is quite a blunt man:
(To shopkeeper:) "Most of the fat in your body appears to be in your chins."

QuoteAnd voice acting? ... Very posh!
Hell yeah! I built a reputation for amusing voices in the last game! I can't wait to do them!

QuoteWhat, you can't get a good falsetto going? Just clamp a clothespin onto your you-know-what and step up to the mic! :D

haha! The flaw in that plan is the stepping up to the mic part.  ;) Doubt I'd reach the mic!

I filled in more info on the first post, about how much is done (In detail).
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Petra on Sun 07/01/2007 00:44:57
Hi ManicMatt,

Can't wait to play your game.

Nice graphics and the story sounds interesting :)


Good luck with finishing this beauty ;D
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: deadsuperhero on Sun 07/01/2007 00:50:22
Looks like a funny game, Matt! I'll be waiting to play it!
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Tom S. Fox on Sun 07/01/2007 01:01:48
Ah, see that game only now.
Nice to see, that you are on your next game.
Nice graphics, better than in "Secrets"!
Did you do them by yourself?
Because it reminds me a little in "Silent Knight".

Hmm, the plot seems somewhat similar... *cough*Grim Fandango!*cough*
Nah, I'm just yankin' ya!

However, looks promising!
If I'd known about this I would haven written about it earlier, so you wouldn't have to worry that only your friends wrote, to whom I don't belong, I guess. (Or do I?)
Anyway, please go on, as there is interest!
C'mon, your gonna make it!
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: ManicMatt on Sun 07/01/2007 01:35:52
Hi Petra! Hi Alliance! Thankyou for the support! It means a lot to me!

Quote from: Thomas VoàŸ on Sun 07/01/2007 01:01:48
Ah, see that game only now.

Hmm! Time for a banner in my signature!  :)

Quote
Did you do them by yourself?
Because it reminds me a little of "Silent Knight".

I'll take that as a compliment!  ;)

Maybe we both grew up watching Garfield cartoons!

QuoteHmm, the plot seems somewhat similar... *cough*Grim Fandango!*cough*
Nah, I'm just yankin' ya!

Har har!

The thought occured to me at one point actually, so I made sure the "death has an office" was pretty much the only similiarity!

Quoteso you wouldn't have to worry that only your friends wrote, to whom I don't belong, I guess. (Or do I?)

Hmm! I guess you are a friend! (Or are you?)

Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Tom S. Fox on Mon 08/01/2007 01:11:41
Quote from: ManicMatt on Sun 07/01/2007 01:35:52
Hi Petra! Hi Alliance! Thankyou for the support! It means a lot to me!
Oh, you're welco- hey, wait a minute, it doesn't say my name!
Please leave the room, children!
*Church organ music, brids flying away*
(Ned Flanders:) That's the loudest profanity I've ever heard!

Quote from: ManicMatt on Sun 07/01/2007 01:35:52
Maybe we both grew up watching Garfield cartoons!
Heck, who didn't?

Quote from: ManicMatt on Sun 07/01/2007 01:35:52
Hmm! I guess you are a friend! (Or are you?)
Hmm, I thought I was, but after that thing with the name... I don't know...

Nah, just kidding! I think you're cool!  :D
It's just didn't know what it takes until you consider somebody as your friend.
I mean, we had PM contact...
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: pantsworth on Mon 08/01/2007 23:57:38
It looks like a fun game.

Also, there were a couple of posts about your balls on the first page.  I have only skimmed this page, but did not see your balls mentioned at all.  For that reason I felt the need to mention your balls.  So here it goes...

your balls

-pants
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Steel Drummer on Tue 09/01/2007 05:49:57
lol! Some people are so noobish. This game looks awesome.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Dualnames on Tue 09/01/2007 22:21:46
Ok this game sucks it's the worst looking game I've ever seen and I am a liar. good job mate. I hope it's free or something. Good work mate ok, i am gonna shut the &&&& up now. If you need help lemme know. About that speech thingy. My voice is kinda like Dominic Armato.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Rui 'Trovatore' Pires on Tue 09/01/2007 22:50:33
<reads the previous 3 posts>

Sheesh. The garbage that gets in here sometimes.

BTW, I posted twice and still managed to forget to mention it: looooove the concept.
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: ManicMatt on Thu 11/01/2007 11:18:19
*ManicMatt and Thomas VoàŸ become friends on icq*

Pantsworth: It's only right that pants and balls go together.

Dualnames: If you're a liar, how do I not know you are lying about being a liar? Uh..
Anyway the game is definetely freeware! Well Guybrush sounds a bit like a girl I suppose?   ;)

Thanks Rui! Yeah I held back the itch to make a game until I had a concept I'd be really happy with!

I'm working full time now which will obviously delay the game's progress quite a bit, sob!
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: Dualnames on Sat 13/01/2007 00:10:35
Quote from: ManicMatt on Thu 11/01/2007 11:18:19

Dualnames: If you're a liar, how do I not know you are lying about being a liar? Uh..
Anyway the game is definetely freeware! Well Guybrush sounds a bit like a girl I suppose?Ã,  Ã, ;)


So do you need any girl voices?
Kidding. If you need voice like Dominic lemme know.
Just that. Bye now
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: buloght on Sun 21/01/2007 22:22:08
Why goodluck with this matt. I hope you don't mind me posting here. It looks great, and I hope it will be as awesome as secrets  :D
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: ManicMatt on Sun 21/01/2007 22:25:00
Why would I mind? You rescued my game from the second page!  :D
Thanks for the kind words!

Oh folks, I have actually updated the progress report recently on the first page!
Title: Re: Limbo
Post by: ManicMatt on Thu 01/02/2007 11:54:12
BUMP! New screenshot and info on first page!  :D
Title: Re: Limbo (New screenshot and info)
Post by: auriond on Thu 01/02/2007 12:07:07
Poor baby! :(

And did the guy next to it steal candy from the baby? :P

Looking good, and good luck for the voice acting too - glad that's coming along well :)
Title: Re: Limbo (New screenshot and info)
Post by: Chicky on Thu 01/02/2007 12:11:44
new screeny looks ace :)
Title: Re: Limbo (New screenshot and info)
Post by: Snake on Thu 01/02/2007 12:41:35
Sounds great, Matt :)
I loved the caption for the first screenie - I laughed out loud and scared my sleeping dog ;)

Good luck with finishing limbo, - hell, just make it a big white area with nothing in it and you're done ;D


--Snake
Title: Re: Limbo (New screenshot and info)
Post by: ManicMatt on Thu 01/02/2007 13:15:59
Auriond: Haha! Candy from the baby! Not a bad idea, actually!  ;)

Chicky: Cheers Yufster! ;)

Snake: Teehee! Maybe I should put a disclaimer in the game - "Warning - Can wake people up"

Big white area? Very good haha! I seem to recall someone was making an AGS game where one room was just white!
Title: Re: Limbo (New screenshot and info)
Post by: esper on Mon 12/02/2007 14:42:38
I can do the Monty Python woman's voice... Who did that? It wasn't John Cleese... I think it was either Eric Idle or Michael Palin... Anyways, I've got that spot-on, and seeing as how this is a British comedy game...
Title: Re: Limbo (New screenshot and info)
Post by: Kweepa on Mon 12/02/2007 14:51:59
Terry Jones, usually.
Game looks interesting. Carry on!
Title: Re: Limbo (New screenshot and info)
Post by: thewalrus on Mon 12/02/2007 15:26:32
     Looking good, Matty, looking good mate!!!
Title: Re: Limbo (New screenshot and info)
Post by: CosmoQueen on Sat 17/02/2007 07:45:56
I'm so excited to see that you're doing a new game! It look fantastic!!

I love the "an evil being with a ridiculous and overly long name" part LOL ;D
Title: Re: Limbo (New screenshot and info)
Post by: ManicMatt on Sat 17/02/2007 19:37:07
Sweet! I am loving the feedback!

Esper, I'll keep your monty python man-woman voice in mind!

ooh dear, Final Fantasy XII is out 23rd February, I am afraid that will dominate my life till I finish it! (Sad I know, but meh)
Title: Re: Limbo (New screenshot and info)
Post by: hystericbliss0 on Mon 23/04/2007 23:14:12
So, how is the game coming?
I'm looking forward to the release!
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: ManicMatt on Sun 18/01/2015 21:43:05
BUMP! New details on the first page!
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: Dualnames on Mon 19/01/2015 00:03:38
BUMP? THIS IS THE NECROPOST OF NECROPOSTS. I felt a great disturbance. Regardless, wonderful to see you around, Matt.
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: Mandle on Mon 19/01/2015 02:22:16
It will be quite the inspiration to all potential game authors with long-time projects on back burners when you release this project!

The game also looks very cool! Can't wait to play it!
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: Stupot on Tue 20/01/2015 12:22:03
Good to see you back in the game Matt :-)
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: miguel on Tue 20/01/2015 14:05:24
Welcome back
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: Fitz on Tue 20/01/2015 19:46:36
Wow! Did you just pick it up one day after 8 years or did you secretly work on it all this time? Looks pretty darn sweet, too -- and has the benefit that, as a retro game, it hasn't aged at all :)
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: Erenan on Tue 20/01/2015 19:58:26
Yo! Glad to see you're almost done with this! I have a pile of AGS games that I never completed myself.

Anyway, if you want beta testers, when the time comes I'd be happy to beta test again.
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: ManicMatt on Tue 20/01/2015 22:49:10
Erenan: Really? Cool! It's like getting the old band back together! It's pretty much ready for beta testing - it's easier if I omit the speech to make it a lot smaller to send to you! Did I er... email it you last time round? Cheers!

Fitz:
Haha, I worked on it for a year or two (I can't remember) and then needed a break from it. Then years later I wanted to work on it again after writing an album, but my pc then had to be stored away at my parent's house as I am.. lets say, inbetween houses. Then I bought a laptop, and used my external hdd to copy the game over to my laptop and then since the start of January I have used most of my free time to finish it! Much to my girlfriend's annoyance..

Thanks Miguel and Stupot for your support!

Mandle, I like the idea of inspiring/motivation others! :)

Dualnames, Hello! I remember when you were new to the AGS scene, now your an old dog ( I mean that in a nice way)! Necropost, lmao! I guess I did just announce Limbo isn't dead just out of the blue! Ironic then that the game was in limbo itself eh.. ;)
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: Erenan on Tue 20/01/2015 23:46:56
No, for Secrets you just PMed me a download link (apparently Nikolas hosted the file for you).
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: selmiak on Wed 21/01/2015 01:29:09
hi...


uhm.. do it!? (laugh)
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: Dualnames on Wed 21/01/2015 06:01:28
Quote"Hello! I remember when you were new to the AGS scene,"

PLEASE DON'T TELL THEM ANYTHING. I'm trying to forget myself! ^_^
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: Darth Mandarb on Wed 21/01/2015 13:26:34
Welcome back Matt, glad to know you've picked this back up (nod)

[moderator]
We're gettin' a little off topic in here... let's get back on track!
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game
Post by: ManicMatt on Wed 21/01/2015 23:12:04
Haha, I guess you're right Darth ol' chum!

So I updated the first page again with the shop as it is now with more stock in it. There's about 9 rooms in the whole game so I'm reluctant to post any more pics! It's not a linear game so you go back and forth a bit.

Just 9 rooms. Jesus. Glad I didn't make it more, I'd never finish it! But hey you can interact or even talk to anything in each room and get a unique response. You have to ask yourself, is Agent Brent naturally mad for talking to inanimate objects or did you, the player, make him mad by being the voices in his head commanding him to talk to a stop sign?
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game - NEW TRAILER!
Post by: ManicMatt on Fri 30/01/2015 21:47:04
Um, is it right of me to bump my thread so people notice there's a trailer now? Well, er, I just did. Ahem.
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game - NEW TRAILER!
Post by: Cassiebsg on Fri 30/01/2015 21:59:10
I think it's okay to dump whenever YOU have something new to add or report. :-D

Nice trailer, but are you actually using a hand held camera to capture the image?
You do know you can use video capture software to make your trailer? Even free software!

I use VirtualDub, pretty good, give it a try (even if it's interface isn't very user friendly at start). If you get it and need help setting it up, let me know (just PM). (nod)
Title: Re: Limbo The Adventure Game - NEW TRAILER!
Post by: ManicMatt on Fri 30/01/2015 22:05:38
Thanks for watching! Yes it's a handheld camcorder! I tried a different program prior and the frame rate was awful - something to do with not having the best codec - and it was an hour of my life wasted so I thought "sod it" and used my camera. At least I could zoom in.. ha! If I ever want to try screen capture again for something I'll try this program you mention, thanks!