Video formats for cut scenes in AGS

[cluelessnewbie]

Hi,

I usually work in Flash but am interested in making a game with AGS. I see from the AGS 3.1 features list that AGS supports cutscenes using "OGG Theora or standard Windows files such as AVI and WMV."

The problem I'm having is that I've created an opening movie cutscene in Flash (SWF format, specifically) and the AVI export is seemingly impossible for me. I do have a PC, but I don't have any good compressors for this format. The only way I could get a good AVI of this movie would be at about 50 GB! Which I assume is too large for the game.

So, my question: Are OGG Theora, AVI, and WMV the only supported file types for a cut scene, or could I use, for example, a MOV file which seems to compress much better for me?

Thanks! And I hope this wasn't a horrinly stupid first question.

[GarageGothic]

Ogg Theora is really the preferred format for AGS now, since it doesn't require any external codecs to be installed. I don't know if .swf files can be exported as lossless .flv videos. If so, I think that mplayer is capable of converting .flv files directly to Theora. If that's not possible your best bet is to export the video as uncompressed .mpg first and then convert it to Theora format using mplayer or FFmpeg.

[Trent R]

One of my favorite programs is FormatFactory, which can convert anything to anything. swf files will be no problem for you.

~Trent

[twentyfour]

If you're just gonna convert it anyway I'd suggest exporting as a .mov anyway Cluebie. An swf makes all all audio sound like it's coming from a tin can. If you have After Effects or Premiere I know you can import swfs and audio seperately to make a good quality video for your cut scenes.

Good luck!

[cluelessnewbie]

Thanks everyone for the tips. Trent, I'll try FormatFactory, it sounds perfect. Twentyfour, does that mean that .mov files *will* work in AGS for cutscenes?

[twentyfour]

That`s not what I said dude.

I said "If you're going to convert it anyway...". I think you might as well use MOV as the initial export because the audio is way better than swf's butchering.

You're probably best off using what Trent suggested. I hear it can even turn lead into gold.

[Gilbert]

In fact, AGS will support whatever files DirectShow can play on the client computer (i.e. less seriously speaking, whatever media player can play), so there should be no problem in playing QuirkTime .mov files if mplayer can play them. However, the problem is about codecs. If you encode your movies (regardless of its format, be it AVI, WMV, MOV or others) using a certain codec that is not popular, players who don't have the codec installed cannot play the movies.

On the other hand Ogg Theora support is internal and every computer should be able to play them so that's why it's the preferred format now.

[cluelessnewbie]

Thanks everyone! This is extremely helpful. Much appreciated.