Video Capturing and POTCO
Now the adventure begins in the world of POTCO. Note – Camtasia can be used to capture any Video off a PC, but this tutorial is focused at POTCO and getting these treasured scenes from the game. Feel free to explore Video Capturing once you get better at doing videos.
- Instructions: Video Capturing In POTCO
Here are the steps to do a capture of POTCO using Camtasia. Note Capturing Video in POTCO is not just the capture – but there are several steps after the capture to do in Camtasia which need to be done once you hit the Stop Recording button – make sure your pirate ends up in a safe spot or else…
-- Starting POTCO
1) Start POTCO and log in.
2) If not already so, change the screen to a Window Format under the Options Screen to 800x600 (note: This is the old options Screen - The New Screen has the options under the Display Tab
-- Starting Camtasia
3) Start Camtasia (the Load Screen will appear, showing the Quick Start screen)
4) Click the Video Capture option shown in the quick Launch Screen (Camtasia will minimize and show the Video Capture Tool box)
5) Click the Select Area to Record Button, then Click the POTCO World Box (the inside of the box edge - The Record Button Appears at the ready)
-- Using POTCO and Record Your Scene
6) Position your Pirate to start your scene (ship, town)
7) Click the Record Button - You are now Recording!! (Note the attached Recording Bar at the bottom of POTCO)
8) Press the F12 Key on the Keyboard to remove the Game Interface
9) Proceed to do your Pirate Scene
10) Press the F12 Key on the Keyboard to bring back the Game Interface
11) Click the Stop Recording Button (Camtasia will display a Review Screen)
-- Complete Camtasia and Encode Your Video
12) Click the Save Button on the Review Screen (Camtasia will render the video to prepare to produce a file - NOTE - this can take some time and you should not do anything while processing! When complete, the Produce Video Box Appears)
13) The Save Box Appears. This Folder is in the My Documents section under a new Folder called Camtasia Studios. Save your new File here. This Will begin the Post Save Options and the actual encoding from Camtasia to AVI Movie Format.
14) In the Post Save Box, click the Produce My Video In a Shareable Format, then click the OK Button
15) If not already selected, click the Custom Production Settings, then click the Next Button
16) Click the AVI Option in the list, click the Next Button
17) If not selected already, Select the highest Color Setting from the Video Colors box and the highest Framerate from that box by clicking each item and changing the option. Click the Next Button to continue.
18) As a recommendation select the Preset Box and click the 640x480 or 800x600 setting. The reason is the ‘condensing’ of the video in many cases produces a slightly crisper picture in the end. Click the Next Button to continue.
19) Some extra options (none required), click Next Button to continue
20) The Finish Screen – note the filename of your Video Clip in the top line (you need it for later). For faster completions (not MUCH faster mind you), remove the checkmarks from Show Production Results and from Play Video After Production. Click the Finish Button… and hang on….
The Video will now go from its Captured Encoded State (when you first ported it out of POTCO and saved that file) to an actual AVI Video File. Once again you play the waiting game and everything comes to a standstill at times. But, once its done…
YOU GOT A VIDEO CLIP!
--- Doing More Than One?
If your doing several Video Captures, you’ll notice that the Capture Box (step 4) is waiting in the bottom corner and is ready to go again. Get your Pirate to their next Scene and do it again! Rinse and Repeat until you have enough clips to put together a Video.
If you did the whole video in one shot that’s fine, or you have finished getting all your clips and are ready to process them – then proceed with the final phase… Windows Movie Maker (and yes – you can exit Camtasia now using the Close X Buttons and you should exit POTCO – you’ll be too busy to play at the moment anyway).