Screenshots Tutorial

[legacy-eviL<3]

You've seen some cool Screenshots somewhere, like in the High Quality Screens Thread, and want to know how to make them?

I'll give you some tipps


First of all, here's some Usefull Console Commands, that you can also bind to keys.

Usefull Commands

• ToggleScreenShotMode - This removes the HUD, type again to show your HUD
• HideHUD - This removes the HUD, but still keeps the XHair; type again to show the HUD
• Slomo 0.1 - Slow Motion, type Slomo 1 to Reset
• FreezeAll - Stop All Movement
• Fly - Guess what
• Ghost - Same as Fly, but you can fly through Walls
• Invisible 1 - Makes you Invisible for Bots, type Invisible 0 to Reset
• FreeCamera 1 - This makes it possible to Cycle around your player, like in Spectator Mode, type FreeCamera 0 to Reset
• LockCamera - Lock the Camera to the Current Location, type again to reset
• Shot / ScreenShot - Make a Shot of the Current Screen
• Fov X - Changes the Field of View. Set one of following for X: 90=Standard, Below 90=Zoom, Above 90=Wierd Effect
• AddBots X - Add X Bots to the current match. Replace X with a number. Typing no number will kill 1 Bot.
• KillBots X - Kills X Bots. Replace X with a number. Typong no number will kill ALL Bots

Note: (Theese commands are all non-Case sensetive, so "SHOT"="shot"="Shot"="ShOt")

I personally have following bound: Slomo 0.1, Slomo 1, ToggleScreenShotMode, LockCamera, FreezeAll;

I bet you can make some good Screenies using only FreezeAll and ToggleScreenShotMode / HideHUD, experiment with differen't commands.


Settings

If you want to go make some nice Screenshots, go to your Game Settings,
and Make Sure they are all set to the Maximum, look at mine:


(my Monitor doesn't support any higher Resolution)


Also Activate AA (Anti-Aliasing) and AF (Anisotropic filtering) in your Graphic Card Settings



That's how i do it with my ATI Card, i don't know about other though.


Converting

Having that done, you'll need some Software to convert the taken Shots to JPG:

Wilhelms Soft's UT2004 Screenshot Convertor (UT2004SC)

Irfan View for Basic Editing and Converting

FurrSoft's UTPicConverter, excelent converting Program

Or Photoshop if you own that


Now we want to go and Take some Screens. Load up UT2004 and UT2004SC, if you want to use that.


Taking the Screenshots

Game Settings

Okay, Go to Instant Action and Select the Gametype, Map, and Set the Game Rules as Following:

---Bots---
Nubmer of Bots: 0
Bot Mode: Specify Number / Use Bot Roster
---Game---
Goal Score: 0
Time Limit: 0
---

Mutator Settings

And Mutators.... there are some Mutators that have some cool Visual effects.
Use Weapon Mutators (Weapons of Evil look cool), or Try the XxxX Weapons Pack.
Santa Hats (Mirror) and VAS on Fire (very cool Fire Effect) are some of my personal Favourites.

You might want to use the Bot Manager by FlakMagnet, to add and Remove any Bots ingame.

Bot Config Menu

If you Selected "Bot Mode: Use Bot Roster" in the Game Rules Tab, then you can select the "Bot Config" Tab.
Add whatever bots you like. Just your Favourite Models .

Note: You can also do this ingame with the Botmanager Specified Above.


Now there's 2 Options...

1. Spectator

If you enter the Game as spectator, you can use the Scroll wheel to zoom close, and you have a free camera View.
Just add some bots, go into slow-motion mode (See Usefull Console Commands) and wait for a cool moment.
Now Freeze the Game, remove the HUD, and change the Angle untill you're satisfied.
Take a few Shots from different angles and then Move on.

2. Active Player

This is Harder than the Spectator version, but you can decide more. It's more advanced.

Start as an active Player, chose the skin you would like to use, and get your coolest looking (custom) weapon. Go to the place in the map that you would like to take a screen of.

Now use LockCamera, hide your HUD, put the Game into Slomo mode. Use a Zoom if needed and whatever else. Now move (you will move slowly) and take screens. You might have some cool poses in them.

Just experiment with differen't bots, Settings, Mutators and you'll see what looks cool.


Other Tipps

Lowering your Minimum Desired Framerate (Thanks Gades)

If you Lower your Framerate, you will keep cool effects, and they won't be removed for Performance.

You can change it as following: Open the Console and type "Preferences" and you'll see a window like this:



In the Display Section change the MinDesiredFrameRate from 35 to 0



You can change it back when finished by simply typing "Preferences" or by opening your "UT2004.ini" File, that is located in your "C:\UT2004\System" Folder.

There, search for "MinDesiredFrameRate" and Change the Setting back there.





Anything to add? Make Suggestions!

eviL

[Peerless_One]

Wow, great tutorial here. Good job man!

[legacy-elusivex]

it covers almost all you ever needed to know about making screenshots...i wanted to ask how to but this came out as a new thread and it was helpful

[legacy-gades]

Nice thread evil, bookmarked.

Only one thing I can think to add, setting minimum framerate to 0, so having low framerates doesn't kill your special effects (and thus see a gory gibbing in all it's gory glory, lol).

[legacy-eviL<3]

Thanks Guys! To show how effective this is (imo) i made these shots in about 5-10 Mins:









Hope to see some cool Screenies from you guys

gades
Is there a command to change the Min (desired?) Framerate ingame, or do i have to change it in the ini / Preferences?

Thanks!

[legacy-BoogaHunta]

Where did you get the enforcers!? me must own with enforcers!

[legacy-eviL<3]

Originally posted by BoogaHunta
Where did you get the enforcers!? me must own with enforcers!

Pick 'em up Here, but it's a pretty big Download.

[legacy-BoogaHunta]

Here comes [glow=green]Ownage[/glow]

[legacy-eviL<3]

I added the MinDesiredFrameRate to the Tutorial. Thanks to gades!

[legacy-Troy88]

isnt the enforcer the same as the assault rifle?

[legacy-BoogaHunta]

Nope. Enforcers are semi-automatic pistols that you can hold double. Heres a picture of it.



The enforcers are also going to be in UT2007. But it looks different.

[legacy-SpeeDyLOCO]

Do you know howe to change default screenshot directory ?

[legacy-eviL<3]

Do you know howe to change default screenshot directory ?

As far as i know this is not possible. But i recomend you use UT2004SC to move the screenshots after playing. It also has an option to only move and not convert