DF2 Mod - Live Action Videos or Ingame Cutscenes?

[DT.]

What do you guys think?

 

It will take some clever scripting and audio file work, but I'm confident I can grab the audio from the live action videos for the cutscenes and make them work.

 

The live action videos from the original game will be at least 50MB each once converted if I use those.

[Kualan]

In-game cutscenes I say. Using the videos from the actual game might be too direct a use of copyrighted material for the purposes of a mod - essentially 'porting' said video from one game to another.

[DT.]

Well yeah, but copyright aside what would be better for the overall look of the mod? I do like the live action scenes, but I'm curious what you guys think.

[therfiles]

I'd definitely say ingame cutscenes. The videos were good when such scripting technology wasn't made, but It would just look dated now, I think. Also, I think many may consider it cheap to plop the videos in and not do them ingame. Or, you could release a version of both...But yeah, ingame would look cooler, more epic, and help with the overall mod.

[DT.]

Then I guess hunterhog and myself are on the learning wagon with cutscenes.

[katanamaru]

I voted for original videos. I liked those a lot.

 

I am ok with whichever decision you go with or whichever one would be easier for you to do.

[DT.]

Hmm well thinking about how some videos have alot of interaction with other objects and alot of stuff happening, maybe it would be better to use the videos.

 

What does everyone think about having some videos and some cutscenes?

[hleV]

While I love live action cutscenes (and the very idea of full motion), I think you should go with a different approach and make scripted "ingame" (there's gotta be a better name for that) cutscenes.

[Circa]

I love the live action cutscenes. I don't think it would quite be DF2 without them. It would be a lot easier to just do those.

 

Scripted sounds like it would be pretty tough. You'd probably have to make some special maps for them too. 

 

If you decide to go scripted, I can help out with getting the audio from the videos if you send them to me.

[DT.]

There would be a few that I can't recreate as cutscenes though. :/

[DT.]

Have a look at these and tell me if ingame cutscenes would do them justice:

 

Part 1:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt5sWET-5Tw

 

Part 2:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR3mTfnCh8Q

 

Part 3:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJwiYWjskNU

[Circa]

Not at all.

 

Although I forgot how cheesy the acting was.

[therfiles]

Hmm...

 

It would be a TON of work. No doubt about that. Then again though, I wouldn't stick to the cutscenes 100% either. I mean, this is YOUR mod. You can do what ever you want. As long as the main "message" of the cutscene is there, the effect will be the scene. I think you could really create a unique style of your own to make something epic - a hybrid of sorts between ICARUS and the live cutscenes. Don't approach a cutscene and be like "this has the be like this exactly". You will get burned out SO fast. Instead, analyze the cutscene and decide what it truly important to the scene. Differentiate between what advances the plot and what is just cool.

 

Yeh, just some tips.

[Botdra]

In-game for sure. As cool as it is to see real life stuff, I feel it takes away from the immersion. That's just my opinion though, and I think it would be a no-brainer if you could get better animations with the engine (which is being worked on, I believe). But it's your mod, it's totally up to you!

[DT.]

This is a mod for the public, so if the public wants ingame cutscenes AND they can be done with justice then I'm going to do it.

 

I'll wait for the original DF2 mod files and see what I have to work with in terms of levels. Some of these I can do ingame, just not so sure about the more complex scenes. For example: kyle has to escape that ship he docked with in the Moldy Crow and he throws himself litterally into the cockpit while racing to push buttons.

 

Even with these complex scenes, I still consider the actual levels to be the biggest challenge here.

[MagSul]

I really enjoyed the original cutscenes, but I think recreating your own would add a lot of charm to the mod. You'll also find it more satisfying when it comes together. I think, as a player, I'd enjoy playing the mod far more if the creator had gone the extra mile to recreate something, rather than just copy and paste from the original source.

[katanamaru]

Overall I'd say don't sweat the cutscenes too much. People are mostly going to watch them a time or two and then skip them to get to the game.

 

That's what I do anyway.

[DT.]

Especially anything with Rosh.

[katanamaru]

I actually kind of like watching those on occasion. It helps the hate flow through me.

[Onysfx]

Why not have both ingame and live action cutscenes, and an option where the player can choose which they prefer?

[DT.]

The thing that would probably not come out right is jerecs ball thingy. Would look like a DBZ energy blast lol.