Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects)

**Exploding_Silver** · 07-21-2008, 05:34 PM

collected here are the best previous quotes for recording all sounds
that's you talking + squad talking + game sounds + teamspeak (if connected to TS)
the key is to unmute your mic so that your own voice is fed back through the speakers & recorded with everything else
this first post are for procedures that have worked on XP
these quotes refer to battlefield games, but the procedure would would with other games too

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rock

ref BF2

With thanks to Exploding_silver on the write up

On the movies tab, set to 'Detect best sound input'

Click start/control panel/sounds and audio devices/advanced, to get the menu pictured below (assuming you have sound blaster card)
Under microphone untick 'mute'
If you can now hear your own voice when you talk then this procedure will work for you.
Your voice is now feading back through your speakers/headset and can be recorded by Fraps.
Normally Fraps records ingame sounds & other players talking but not your voice, however by hearing your voice as well, this enables Fraps to record it as well.
The volume of feedback is a key factor to tinker with latter to make sure your voice is load enough in-game and on video playback.

Under microphone click advanced. Make sure '+20Db boost' is ticked.
This is the same setting as 'Boost mic gain' in BF2 Options/audio menu

Inside BF2 options/audio menu, lower game volume effects to 20-40%.
This is a key factor to play with latter because in-game sounds are loader in the video then when ou hear them live in game.
If the setting was 100%, the video in-game sounds would be loader and drown out the voices recording

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exploding_Silver

ref BF2

I was just re-writing this advice as a coincidence and here it is......Click here for sample movie of it working 1Mb

How to record all sounds with FRAPS

Download fraps at www.fraps.com
Test out this procedure on the free version of Fraps before buying.
The free version allows you to record 6 secs of video.
On the movies tab, there are two settings.
'What you hear' will record in game sounds, the voices of other people on your squad & voices on teamspeak BUT will not record anything you say
'Microphone' will record your voice BUT nothing else.
I wondered if there was a way to record all sounds so that I could record all voices when I was SLing.
I emailed fraps and they vaguely mentioned soundcard settings.
With the help of my friend Rock we worked out how to do it, with Sound Blaster cards (thats what we both have)

Click start/control panel/sounds and audio devices/advanced, to get the menu pictured below (assuming you have sound blaster card)
Under microphone untick 'mute'
If you can now hear your own voice when you talk then this procedure will work for you.
Your voice is now feading back through your speakers/headset and can be recorded by Fraps.
Normally Fraps records ingame sounds & other players talking but not your voice, however by hearing your voice as well, this enables Fraps to record it as well.
The volume of feedback is a key factor to tinker with latter to make sure your voice is load enough in-game and on video playback.

Under microphone click advanced. Make sure '+20Db boost' is ticked.
This is the same setting as 'Boost mic gain' in BF2 Options/audio menu

Inside BF2 options/audio menu, lower game volume effects to 20-40%.
This is a key factor to play with latter because in-game sounds are loader in the video then when ou hear them live in game.
If the setting was 100%, the video in-game sounds would be loader and drown out the voices recording.

What you hear in-game while playing is not quite what FRAPS records

You will nead to experiment with your settings so that in-game audio experience and
recorded movie audio experience are both OK. I suggest playing with these factors;

The microphone volume, inside the sound card menu (I suggest set at 50%)
Game volume effects, inside BF2 audio menu (I suggest 30%)
Game volume voice over, inside BF2 audio menu (I suggest 100%)
Output volume, in Teamspeak input/output settings (I suggest 40%)

Sample movie

This is the sample movie that Rock recorded to demonstrate all sounds being recorded, he then edited down and compressed with Windows movie maker.
Click here for sample movie 1Mb
Windows Movie Maker is a good editor and comes with Windows XP as standard, you can do all basic editing methods and it compresses as well !

Before you buy FRAPS consider these things

The price of a unlocked Fraps, its not cheap, unlocked fraps removes the 6 sec recording limit
That the above procedure works for you and you can record all sounds ie
1. In-game special effects
2. Squad mates talking
3. Your own voice talking
Recording fraps with the above settings halves your frame rate, Rock has a powerful computer and his frames go down from 100fps to 45, even 35 ! so you need a powerful enough computer that can cope with recording without destroying gameplay. The best test is to be assualt and when there are ten guys in close proximity deloy smoke and test recording FPS.
That the size of fraps movies in the raw recored format is massive, 20 mins of footage could be Gigabytes (tip defrag your hard drive first)

What can we do with this

Make a movie of in game squad chatter and post it to the wider BF2 community as a marketing tool for TG

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exploding_Silver

ref 2142

I've got it all working now.

Video Settings
I've reduced my video settings to a level where I can record at 30fps & half size and still play fully without lag

Sound Settings
My 2142 sound settings are;
Effects = 15% (really quiet ingame but 3 times louder in video, just the way fraps works)
Voice Over IP
enable = YES
Transmit = 100%
Receive = 100%
Boost Mic Gain = YES
Microphone threshold test = 0%

Alt-Tabbing
Three factors add to causing alt-tab crashes
1) screen resolution of windows different from 2142
2) being in 2142 menus
3) being connected to server in 2142
This procedure eliminates two of these three factors, to minimise chance of crash

Tap test is where I tap the microphone with my finger tip and if I hear it in my mic then I know mute mic is off. tap test I have found that this is really useful at certain key stages.

Procedure that I find works well;

Set windows screen resolution to the same as 2142
Load up 2142 and goto options / audio
Alt-tab to windows desktop
Start / control panel / sounds & audio devices / volume / device volume advanced / options - properties - playback / microphone untick mute
Taptest in windows = mute is off
Alt-tab back into 2142 audio menu and taptest = mute is off
Connect to server
As map loads taptest = mute is off
Map loads click Done, select kit & join squad & spawn, tap test = mute is off
Get recording

The key here is to alt-tab and unmute mic in the audio menu and not while connected to server (credit to DirtyLude)

I have found that if I disconnect from server then connect to a server again then mic goes muted. I find it more reliable to work to just go to the start of the above procedure each time I want to connect to a server.

Editing & Publishing
I use for editing and rendering Windows Movie Maker that comes with windows XP as standard.
For uploading I use Fillzilla and my TG supporting members space. An alternative is youtube, I got some great footage last night on Gilbraltar that I intend to put on youtube.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exploding_Silver

ref 2142

The best way I find to reduce the risk is
1. load game goto options /audio
2. alttab & unmutr
3. alttab back in
4. goto advanced server search
5. filter for name tacticalgamer
6. refresh and refresh till you are sure there are 2 slots (if I join and get a server full message then my mic is muted again)
7. join

this procedure does not crash 90% time for me
alttab from inside a map crashes 30-40% time for me

but I do understand if you choose not to risk a crash

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exploding_Silver

ref 2142

For setting up fraps there are two tests.

For sound;
Join talking squad, you and your squad mates talk and you fire your gun at same time. In the video all voices are equal volume and clarity and clearly audible over your gunfire.

For video;
Reduce settings by about 40% of normal. Record in a very busy environement with lots of effects, like berlin crossroads at the start of the map. If while recording your frames dont dip below 30 then youre good. I fps do die then reduce your graphic settings further and test again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc1ence

ref 2142

after much fooling around, I finally have it working. I have on board sound from a very cheap mobo (the mobo came free with my vid card from EVGA).

using modified steps outlined by silver I am able to get it to work. screen res must be the same.
the mic will be muted when you join a server. so making sure it is on before you join does nothing. what alt tabbign out before you join does is make alt tab work when you are in game.

Here are the steps I follow

1. start game
2. alt tab out
3. alt tab back in
4. join server
5. alt tab out
6. using nvidia control panel I make the following settings:
6a. Unmute mic output and set it at 20% (one tic just above audable - 2 ticks up from bottom) - any higher and fraps only records awful noise like a speaker that is turned up WAYYY too loud.
6b. mic2 input with boost turned up to 100%
7. alt tab back in game
8. game volume at 5%
9. voip recieve at 30%
10 voip send at 100%
11. start recording

because I have cheap onboard sound, I get some static and hiss with my voice, but it is accaptable, not something I would want to play with alot, but it is fine for playing and recording.

you can test all of the above using the sharware version of fraps before plunking down the money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtyLude

ref 2142

You should be able to set the unmute by:

a) before you join a server, go to option -> audio
b) tab out and unmute
c) tab back in and select a your server to join.

The unmute will hold. This only works if you select a server from the server favorites list, though. If you join from the buddy list the audio will mute again.

This is the only reliable way I found of holding it unmuted. Once you have joined a server, the alt-tab is very flakey, even if you escape out to the menu.

The problem I am having and the reason I don't use it more often is that I get a good amount of high ptched hissing/whine when the mic is unmuted. I can reduce it by reducing the mic input gain, but I can't totally reduce it before losing mic volume. The hissing whine is high pitched and fairly quiet, but it gives me a headache after too long. It doesn't come over the recording, though.

EDIT: Just read your Alt-tab thread. I'll give that a try.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc1ence

ref 2142

leaving eax on during recording for my x-fi card introduces a minor (300-400 ms) sync problem with the audio. the audio lags behind teh video. not a big issue. but for movie recording, eax does not make much of a difference since the showcase is the teamwork, not the earcandy.

**Exploding_Silver** · 07-21-2008, 05:38 PM

.

The above shows procedures that work for XP

The principle of unmuting the mic should work fine in vista too

I have been asked how to unmute in vista, I dont have vista,

can anyone help ?

help with pics would be best

thanks

.

**Exploding_Silver** · 09-06-2008, 03:03 PM

I have been asked in another forum

Could you tell me what recording software you used, and what kinda of mic you use? Whenever I try recording so that I can hear both myself and my squad in order to give both sides ofthe conversation you can hear me breathing all the time, whereas your setup gives a much better result

my answer is;

try wegame recorder, it will either work for you or it wont, after than try fraps, fraps is a good all rounder in all games. aprt from that grpwler guncam is the only other pb friendly recorder but its not that good

there is a difference between what you experience sound wise during the game and what gets recorded, on my rig the ingame sounds are quieter than what is on the recording

tweek then test and repeat the tweek test cycle, I have to go through 30-60 mins of iterations with each new game to get the settings right, the test is to record your voice while firing your rifle and grenading, you should have the sound of your voice & squad memebrs of equal volume and the VOIP louder than the game sounds (on video playback)

my recording settings are very different fro my play without recording settings, basically I have to lower my grqphics and drop my game sounds volumes to 15%

I have my mic down by my jawbone, so breathing through my nostels is not recorded
this is my headset here

pics of my sound setup by game

Project Reality
ingame video settings
ingame sound settings
soundcard settings

Point of Existence 2
ingame video settings
ingame sound settings
soundcard settings

BF2142
ingame video settings
ingame sound settings
soundcard settings

**Anospa** · 09-16-2008, 11:24 AM

I think that since the last patch, the voice-over also controls the volume of comm-rose communication, or is it still independent and the same volume of the in game sounds?

**Catman1975** · 10-05-2008, 02:00 AM

Alright I'm using Vista and I can't get it to record any ingame sounds.

Here is a screenshot of my sound control panel after I have joined a game in 2142 while I'm speaking. Vista doesn't appear to have muted my mic and I can still hear myself in my headphones.

I have some emails into Beepa, but so far, no luck. Am I looking in the wrong place for a muted mic?

**Anospa** · 10-05-2008, 07:17 PM

Well, on a side, note, switch yourself from headphones to 5.1. The X-Fi will simulate 5.1 on any headphones.

**Exploding_Silver** · 10-05-2008, 07:38 PM

Catman can you put up a pic of 'what you hear' options

with the settings you have tried
is the ingame experience as normal, ie you hear your squad + game sounds + you hear teamspeak, + squad can hear you and you can be heard on TS ???

in the fraps video, what is recorded sound wise, is it just your voice ?
if so then change the option in fraps to record from 'what you hear' instead of your mic, then feedback your voice into 'what your hear' by unmuting mic

make sense ?

please reply with pics and details

**Catman1975** · 10-05-2008, 09:53 PM

I'm pretty sure, I've tried all of the combinations in the video tab of FRAPs, attached is what Beepa suggested.

Here's a screenshot of their settings. I know I originally had it set to "Record what you hear" I'll shoot another screenshot of those settings a little later and post it up.

In game, I hear everything I did when I was using XP. I believe my squadmates and people in TS can actually hear me better than on my XP machine. When I'm talking I can hear myself through my headphones.

As for the sound that is recorded, I don't get anything. Here's a screenshot of my Vegas program and I've marked where the audio that I used to get with FRAPs, where it would show up in Sony Vegas.

One time I did get snipets of TS chatter in game, but I never get any in game noise.

Here is the video I got with the above settings

http://files.filefront.com/FRAPSwmv/.../fileinfo.html

=Sarc= · 10-05-2008, 10:53 PM

I find that it's hit and miss with video recording in Vista. The sound sometimes records properly in games but it's never perfect. Vietcong records the game sounds, even in 5.1, but the TS chatter doesn't record my own voice. In ArmA, nothing is recorded from the game but I managed to record sound from the mic.

I don't think it's perfect with Vista right now. The change in the sound architecture has really made things complicated for video recording. The video records fine but the audio isn't consistent.

**Catman1975** · 10-05-2008, 11:40 PM

OK FRAPS, Vista streaming Multichannel

corresponding video file

http://files.filefront.com/vistamult.../fileinfo.html

My only other option:

corresponding video file

http://files.filefront.com/windowsin.../fileinfo.html

After a recording these videos I have found out that when I "Push to Talk" in TS, all of my ingame sounds are coming through with my voice. I am using a headset with a build in microphone? Had this happening before with my XP computer with onboard sound, never once I installed the sound card. It also looks like FRAPs isn't recognizing my sound card because I don't have the "Record what U hear" option...hmmm. I know Rage is having the same problems that I am with Vista and he has uninstalled his onboard sound.

EDIT: Alright, TS is a factor in some way. I have dictation software on my computer, I just found out that if I have TS open, the dictation program gives me an error message if I try to record. Close TS and it works fine. I loaded up FRAPS and recorded another quick session. Well I could hear myself breathing and talking but other than that no in game sounds

**Catman1975** · 10-05-2008, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anospa

Well, on a side, note, switch yourself from headphones to 5.1. The X-Fi will simulate 5.1 on any headphones.

Maybe I've got bigger problems then, when I switch from headphones to 5.1, when I do the channel test, I do not get any sound from the center or rear channel tests. I get simulated surround when I do the headphone test.

TOPMO3 · 10-14-2008, 03:07 PM

Hey guys,

I'm having the same issue. I have Vista Ultimate 64bit. Creative Audigy card, Plantronics headset with mic, and I'm trying to record a playthrough of STALKER: Clear Sky with my voice over as I play. I'm trying to use fraps and I have it set to "What you hear". Now the problem is this...

When I select "What you Hear" as the default device in my audio options, it turns off my mic, so when I'm recording in Fraps, it'll only record the sounds of the game. Alternately, if I turn on Mic in the audio settings, it turns off my "What you hear", and only allows my Mic sounds to be recorder during STALKER. Basicaly it's only one or the other. I remember in XP you could set it to play back the mic sounds through the speakers, then your "What you hear" device would pick it up, in Vista, I can't find this work-around.

Anyone able to help???

TOPMO3

07-21-2008, 05:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Exploding_Silver Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: With Wonder Woman in Awesomeland ! Posts: 4,664	Re: Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects) . The above shows procedures that work for XP The principle of unmuting the mic should work fine in vista too I have been asked how to unmute in vista, I dont have vista, can anyone help ? help with pics would be best thanks . __________________ TG-E1st European Division - having fun on the battlefield, the "TG way" see the E1st pre-game preparation drill here

09-06-2008, 03:03 PM	#3 (permalink)
Exploding_Silver Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: With Wonder Woman in Awesomeland ! Posts: 4,664	Re: Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects) I have been asked in another forum Could you tell me what recording software you used, and what kinda of mic you use? Whenever I try recording so that I can hear both myself and my squad in order to give both sides ofthe conversation you can hear me breathing all the time, whereas your setup gives a much better result my answer is; try wegame recorder, it will either work for you or it wont, after than try fraps, fraps is a good all rounder in all games. aprt from that grpwler guncam is the only other pb friendly recorder but its not that good there is a difference between what you experience sound wise during the game and what gets recorded, on my rig the ingame sounds are quieter than what is on the recording tweek then test and repeat the tweek test cycle, I have to go through 30-60 mins of iterations with each new game to get the settings right, the test is to record your voice while firing your rifle and grenading, you should have the sound of your voice & squad memebrs of equal volume and the VOIP louder than the game sounds (on video playback) my recording settings are very different fro my play without recording settings, basically I have to lower my grqphics and drop my game sounds volumes to 15% I have my mic down by my jawbone, so breathing through my nostels is not recorded this is my headset here pics of my sound setup by game Project Reality ingame video settings ingame sound settings soundcard settings Point of Existence 2 ingame video settings ingame sound settings soundcard settings BF2142 ingame video settings ingame sound settings soundcard settings __________________ TG-E1st European Division - having fun on the battlefield, the "TG way" see the E1st pre-game preparation drill here

09-16-2008, 11:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
Anospa Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Northeastern University (Boston) Age: 21 Posts: 4,149	Re: Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects) I think that since the last patch, the voice-over also controls the volume of comm-rose communication, or is it still independent and the same volume of the in game sounds? __________________ 3rd SFD \| 2142 Guide Index \| Check out my live broadcasts! \| Submit a Ribbon Nomination Proud to have been an IRRegular!

10-05-2008, 02:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
Catman1975 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Purgatory Age: 33 Posts: 2,918	Re: Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects) Alright I'm using Vista and I can't get it to record any ingame sounds. Here is a screenshot of my sound control panel after I have joined a game in 2142 while I'm speaking. Vista doesn't appear to have muted my mic and I can still hear myself in my headphones. I have some emails into Beepa, but so far, no luck. Am I looking in the wrong place for a muted mic? __________________ A captain of the most awesome IHS ever and remember to burn before you pillage. "I proceeded to burn him alive by saturating his clothing and his face with benzene and igniting it with a match. So horrible was this torture that in writing of it I have been tempted to attribute his death to some humane means-not with a wish to spare myself, but because I fear that it will not be believed that one could be so heartless and depraved."

10-05-2008, 07:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
Anospa Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Northeastern University (Boston) Age: 21 Posts: 4,149	Re: Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects) Well, on a side, note, switch yourself from headphones to 5.1. The X-Fi will simulate 5.1 on any headphones. __________________ 3rd SFD \| 2142 Guide Index \| Check out my live broadcasts! \| Submit a Ribbon Nomination Proud to have been an IRRegular!

10-05-2008, 07:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
Exploding_Silver Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: With Wonder Woman in Awesomeland ! Posts: 4,664	Re: Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects) Catman can you put up a pic of 'what you hear' options with the settings you have tried is the ingame experience as normal, ie you hear your squad + game sounds + you hear teamspeak, + squad can hear you and you can be heard on TS ??? in the fraps video, what is recorded sound wise, is it just your voice ? if so then change the option in fraps to record from 'what you hear' instead of your mic, then feedback your voice into 'what your hear' by unmuting mic make sense ? please reply with pics and details __________________ TG-E1st European Division - having fun on the battlefield, the "TG way" see the E1st pre-game preparation drill here

10-05-2008, 09:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
Catman1975 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Purgatory Age: 33 Posts: 2,918	Re: Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects) I'm pretty sure, I've tried all of the combinations in the video tab of FRAPs, attached is what Beepa suggested. Here's a screenshot of their settings. I know I originally had it set to "Record what you hear" I'll shoot another screenshot of those settings a little later and post it up. In game, I hear everything I did when I was using XP. I believe my squadmates and people in TS can actually hear me better than on my XP machine. When I'm talking I can hear myself through my headphones. As for the sound that is recorded, I don't get anything. Here's a screenshot of my Vegas program and I've marked where the audio that I used to get with FRAPs, where it would show up in Sony Vegas. One time I did get snipets of TS chatter in game, but I never get any in game noise. Here is the video I got with the above settings http://files.filefront.com/FRAPSwmv/.../fileinfo.html __________________ A captain of the most awesome IHS ever and remember to burn before you pillage. "I proceeded to burn him alive by saturating his clothing and his face with benzene and igniting it with a match. So horrible was this torture that in writing of it I have been tempted to attribute his death to some humane means-not with a wish to spare myself, but because I fear that it will not be believed that one could be so heartless and depraved."

10-05-2008, 10:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
=Sarc= Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 4,625	Re: Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects) I find that it's hit and miss with video recording in Vista. The sound sometimes records properly in games but it's never perfect. Vietcong records the game sounds, even in 5.1, but the TS chatter doesn't record my own voice. In ArmA, nothing is recorded from the game but I managed to record sound from the mic. I don't think it's perfect with Vista right now. The change in the sound architecture has really made things complicated for video recording. The video records fine but the audio isn't consistent. __________________ JO Guides & Tutorials Team Element - It's who you game with.

10-05-2008, 11:40 PM	#10 (permalink)
Catman1975 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Purgatory Age: 33 Posts: 2,918	Re: Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects) OK FRAPS, Vista streaming Multichannel corresponding video file http://files.filefront.com/vistamult.../fileinfo.html My only other option: corresponding video file http://files.filefront.com/windowsin.../fileinfo.html After a recording these videos I have found out that when I "Push to Talk" in TS, all of my ingame sounds are coming through with my voice. I am using a headset with a build in microphone? Had this happening before with my XP computer with onboard sound, never once I installed the sound card. It also looks like FRAPs isn't recognizing my sound card because I don't have the "Record what U hear" option...hmmm. I know Rage is having the same problems that I am with Vista and he has uninstalled his onboard sound. EDIT: Alright, TS is a factor in some way. I have dictation software on my computer, I just found out that if I have TS open, the dictation program gives me an error message if I try to record. Close TS and it works fine. I loaded up FRAPS and recorded another quick session. Well I could hear myself breathing and talking but other than that no in game sounds __________________ A captain of the most awesome IHS ever and remember to burn before you pillage. "I proceeded to burn him alive by saturating his clothing and his face with benzene and igniting it with a match. So horrible was this torture that in writing of it I have been tempted to attribute his death to some humane means-not with a wish to spare myself, but because I fear that it will not be believed that one could be so heartless and depraved." Last edited by Catman1975; 10-06-2008 at 01:10 AM.

10-14-2008, 03:07 PM	#12 (permalink)
TOPMO3 Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 1	Re: Recording all sounds (you + squad + game effects) Hey guys, I'm having the same issue. I have Vista Ultimate 64bit. Creative Audigy card, Plantronics headset with mic, and I'm trying to record a playthrough of STALKER: Clear Sky with my voice over as I play. I'm trying to use fraps and I have it set to "What you hear". Now the problem is this... When I select "What you Hear" as the default device in my audio options, it turns off my mic, so when I'm recording in Fraps, it'll only record the sounds of the game. Alternately, if I turn on Mic in the audio settings, it turns off my "What you hear", and only allows my Mic sounds to be recorder during STALKER. Basicaly it's only one or the other. I remember in XP you could set it to play back the mic sounds through the speakers, then your "What you hear" device would pick it up, in Vista, I can't find this work-around. Anyone able to help??? TOPMO3

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