How to record video from your game
When developing computer games you need to make a video trailer sooner or later. My advice would be to create some gameplay video as soon as possible and then upload it to YouTube or another video hosting service. Then you can improve your game if you get any relevant feedback. When the game is done you can record video from the final version of the game and use this to make a trailer that can also be uploaded to a video hosting service.
Recording video from your game requires the right tools however. Depending on your choice of game engine you need a program running that can store all images that are sent to the monitor. Two popular choices for doing this are CamStudio and Fraps.
CamStudio
CamStudio is an excellent tool for recording anything from your Windows desktop like tutorials or games that run in a window. I have made most of my video tutorials with it and I recommend the program if you want to capture video from a game made with any version of Game Maker.
One of the advantages of the tool is that it can be set to record any portion of the desktop. So if your game runs on a part of the desktop you can set it to only record that part of the screen. One more thing: CamStudio is free to download. I recommend getting the Lossless Codec along with tool itself since it greatly improves image quality.
Fraps
Where CamStudio is great for desktop recording Fraps is excellent for recording full screen 3D games. Fraps has a limited free edition but if you want to have the full strength of the program you need to order it through its website. Recording 3D games in full screen requires a good pc and you should avoid using video that stutters or shows a low frame rate. Nobody will understand how cool your game is if it does not run smooth or the sound is not synchronised with the image in the video trailer.
When done recording you should always edit what you have captured in a video editing tool. If you don’t have anything else then Windows Movie Maker can be a decent solution. If your Windows comes without Movie Maker you can download it via a search on Microsoft.com
Paint.net – free image editor
When making games you will often need a tool for image editing. This can be for creating new backgrounds, sprites, textures etc. There are many good image editors available and an excellent free one is Paint.net. All images in articles found here on YourGameDesign.com have been edited in Paint.net for optimal web quality.
On the website you will find a download link for the latest version. The program comes with an automatic update checker so you always have the latest version.
Paint.net is not the most advanced image editor but this is also one of its strengts. It has a focus on highly useful features rather than loads of stuff you will never need. Learn how to edit images with layers and expand the color toolbar for access to transparent colors and you have a really strong tool at your hands.
If you have any problems with Paint.net you can visit the offical forum. Here you can also find loads of plug-ins for the program which will expand its abilities in any direction you need. Drop shadow or fire effects, it can all be found there.
