Tr-Media Manager

Summary What is Tr-Media Manager? How does it work? Supported Media Kinds Menu Commands Media menu Save all necessary media files to... Verify if all media files are updated Cryptography Menu Overview about Cryptography Crypt all files Decrypt all files and remove password Tools Menu Encoding avi movie in wmv format Advanced encoding settings window Decode mpeg1 movie in avi format Edit avi movie Add another avi file to source avi file Add fix image (logo) in avi movie Add or substitute audio track to avi file using an extern wav file Add sub-titles to avi file (Sub-titler tool) Change AVI audio to convert it in 16 bits format Change brightness and contrast of avi movie Change frame rate Change frame size Change speed movie Change video format and set Cinepak Codec by Radius Change video ratio to create a Cinema effect movie Change volume of avi audio Extract frames and save them in .bmp format Extract movie interval from source avi and create another avi file Extract wav audio from avi file Remove audio from source avi and create a mute movie Remove colors to create an old style movie Tr-Media Manager preferences Common settings for Media Actions Multimedia-Triggers Settings for Movie Settings for Special Actions Settings for Send Email action Settings for Execute How create a plugin Setting for Image/Text Media Multilanguage section text Settings for text (scrolling or fixed) Setting for fixed text or no text Trouble-shooting Swap screen Flip-map synchronization trouble Geforce graphics card and clone video mode Delay for media with captured screenshot of game Troubles with too near media triggers What is Tr-MediaManager? Tr-Media Manager allows to create/prepare media files like movies, or images with fixed/scrolling text, to show when a custom level (your custom level) of Tomb Raider Level Editor, enables some CD triggers. Tr-Media Manager allows to set many settings about these media actions and at end, gives all media files to insert in own level zip file. Media files of your level, could be showed only if used with Tr Level Manager 1.4 (or higher) version. Also tr-Media manager allows you to enable your media files within level editor. You must use [Preview] button in main window and choose Full debug to test your level. Note: When you created a custom level with media files, this custom level may be played in Level Manager 1.4 (or higher) without presence of Tr-Media Manager program. Tr-Media Manager is used only to prepare media files, but to show them just Level Manager 1.4 or higher. How does it work? Tr-Media Manager or Tr Level Manager 1.4, detect when your level enable a CD trigger. Cd Triggers are triggers used to play a sound relative to wav files stored in AUDIO folder of TRLE (tomb raider level editor) folder. There are 112 triggers you can use: from 000.wav (cd = 0), to 111.wav (cd = 111) If you wish start a media file (like movie, image with scrolling text or special actions) from your level, you must put in your level a CD trigger to enable a specific wav files in audio folder, then you must set with Tr-Media manager a media file with that CD trigger number. Supported media kinds Tr-Media Manager doesn't support only "movies" but also many ohter medias like images with background sounds and/or scrolling/fixed texts, other more, special actions. Movies are more spectacular medias but they are also difficultous to create. Differently, the images with scrolling texts can be created easily and fastly and could be very useful to give information to players of your level. If you wish create movies you could download "SDK (Software Development Kit) Tr-Media volume 2" from site http://www.TrLevelManager.org or (mirror) http://www.TrLevelManager.it Tr-Media manager supports: - Movies These movies can be in .avi, .mpg or .wmv (windows media video) format. More generally you can use all formats recognized by Windows Media Player or downloadable freely from internet (window media player download them automatically) - Image/Text This media encloses many settings. You can decide background image (None i.e. fill color, single image, image sequence or current screen image i.e. it will be tomb raider current screen-shot) You could enable a backgroun sound in .wav, .mp3 or .midi format. - Special actions This media really doesn't regard a "media" file but a special action. Special actions are: * Close Tomb Raider program (to close Tomb Raider, probably when your level is completed) * Send email to you (to create a contest. For example you can enable this trigger only if player reachs end of bonus level) * Exec. To execute a pluging with new special effect when trigger will be enabled. (see below in this document) Settings for Media Actions Common Media Settings Some settings are presents in all media kinds. {Enable with CD trigger number} This setting set what trigger number will enable current media action. For example if you choose number "33", this means that when in your level will be triggered CD 33 (i.e. to sound wav file 033.wav) this media will be showed. Multimedia-Triggers If you set same cd number for two or more medias, you get a multi-media trigger. These medias will be showed in sequence, in order from top to bottom you see in media list of Tr-Media Manager. Remember you could change order of media using buttons: {move up} and {move down} {Use existing} This checkbox is present near to all trigger numbers. If you check this option means you use an existing wav files in audio folder and you don't want that media manager creates a new "silent" wav file to link this trigger. If this option is greyed means that no standard wav file exists in audio folder with that number. If you enable this option, you should remember to insert in you level zip file a wav file for this trigger, because media manager doesn't execute this operation for you. Naturally, if this wav files is a standard audio trle (like for example 104.wav) it's not necessary enclose this wav file in your level files, since it is already present in all level editor installations. {Anti trigger} This value is used to re-enable a {single-shot} media. For example if you set Anti-Trigger to value 45, this means that when 045.wav (cd = 45) will be triggered, current media will be enabled newly. Warning: it will be not "showed" but only enabled to be showed when its cd trigger (for example 33) will be triggered newly. If you don't set this value, current media will be enabled only one time (if it is "one-shot"), however it will be re-enabled when player starts newly tomb raider program in future. Tip: if you wish that medias will be handled in same way of tomb raider games, you could insert for anti-trigger the number 104. File 104.wav (by default) is played when tomb raider is in start screen (title). In this way, when Lara dies and player come back to start screen, the 104 trigger enabled newly your media, and if player re-loading the level, enable newly your trigger this media will start newly. {Before starting this media wait...} Normally when CD trigger will be enabled also media starts immediatly (really there is a short interval between enable trigger and start, of about 1/2 second) If you wish that media will be performed after a delay interval you could set in this field a value different than 0 For example if you choose 5 seconds, there will be following action sequence Time Action -------------------------------- - Trigger for this media is enabled but not performed 1-2-3-4 Tomb raider game will go on normally 5 Media will be performed Delay trigger is very useful for particular target, like "cover" the loading tomb screen with your media to introduce the next level. For example you can put two triggers will be enabled in sequence. The first trigger for enable your media with delay (for ex. of 2 seconds) and next trigger to terminate current level and load next level. In this way your media will be showed while progress load bar is about at half and when your media is completed, player will be in new loaded level. Note: if you have multi-media trigger, only first media should have a delay time, otherwise you'll have a "black" screen showed for delay time and this is not good. {When movie has been showed disable this media trigger (ONE SHOT)} If you enable this option, the media after first execution will be disabled. It's necessary enable this option when you use like wav trigger a real sound of trle, otherwise when media is completed, in next check cycle will be executed newly since sound wav will be yet active (they are very long). If you disable this option, you must set trigger cd, writting in "timer" field (in room editor program) number "-1", it means "execute only one time", and use a short wav file, like the silent wavs created automatically by tr-media manager if you don't select {use existing} {Crypt media ...} If you enable this option, all media files used by current media will be "crypted" This means they become unreadble out of game. This is useful if you wish use media to give important indications about enygme, secret or other mexages to players and you wish avoid players can read them simply open them out of game. For example if you insert an image+scroll text you trigger when player pick up a Von Croy's mexage and in this mexage there are a solution for a difficultous enygme, if you don't crypt text file, player could read it simply with a double click from Windows. Differently, if you enable crypting files, they will be decrypted only when media will be triggered. Note: some media files cannot crypted. You cannot crypt ".mp3" files and .wav files used by Level Editor, i.e. .wav files in AUDIO folder. Media Manager handle automatically these limits, and doesn't crypt above files. Settings for Movie {Play the movie N times} Usually you play movie only one time, however you could create a short movie with recursive background and peform it many times consecutively. This is useful to simulate a long movie with ripetitive background, as airplane fly, an elevator with moving floors ect. {At end of movie wait N seconds} Normally when movie is complete it terminates and control will go back to tomb raider. If you wish last image of movie (last frame) remains on screen at end of movie, you can set this option with not zero value. This is useful for morphing movie, where you wish that end image will showed for 2 or 3 seconds before closing. If you create a standard movie and wish show an end frame with end fixed title, you can insert only one frame with text, and set this option to many seconds (for example 7 seconds) to permit to player to read all your text. {Setup for enclosed video codec} If your movie requires an external (not standard media player) video codec you should use this field to choose name setup file to install your video codec. Remember you not need to enclose standard video codec like .wmv (window media video) because these codec will be downloaded automatically from Window Media Player. {Set codec} When you click on {Set} button it shows window to choose setup kind. You will use this codec setup only for not standard video codec like DivX. You may choose between two setup methods: 1) I'll put in my zip file, setup files to install video codec. If you choose this method you should select name of exe file to start setup, and remember to enclose in your level zip file all files need for setup. 2) Giving simple informations about where download video codec. This method is better IMHO, because first method obblige user to download (in your zip file) also files for video codec also if user already has own video codec on his computer to play your movie. With this method you set only a brief description of video codec kind and set url address where user could download it if he has not that codec. In {Short description} field you could write a mexage like this: ------- This movie requires DivX 5.5 video codec. You can find it in following site, choosing link named "Free Bundle DivX 5.5 codec" -------- And then write url address of site in {Url site or zip file} field. Note: It's dangerous use a direct link at .zip file to download because these "direct" links often die fastly. It's more sure insert url of main site because an url like "http://www.divx.com" it's surely correct (at least until whole site will be not removed :-) Remark: - If you use two or more movies with same play codec, you should insert info for codec setup only onces , otherwise Level Manager will try to install same codec more times. Settings for Special Actions {Action} First of all you must choose the action for you special trigger. You could choose between: <Close Tomb Raider>, <Send email> and <Execute> Settings for <Close Tomb Raider> None Settings for <Send Email> You must create a special text file containing all informations about your email. To create this text file you should click on [Create Now] button. In window "Set Data for email trigger" there are following fields: {Send email to address} Here you should type your email address. The email will be sent to this address. {Send as attachment the last savegame} If you enable this option, in email will be enclosed the savegame with highest internal number. {Subject (title)} In this filed insert the title of email {Send email only if date when will be triggered is previous of:} If you enable this option, you should also set data to limit email sending. This option is useful to avoid that email will be sent also if your contest is expired. For examply you could organize a context that expires at 1/1/2005. If when player enable this trigger, current date is following of above date (for example 2/5/2005) the email will be not sent and player doesn't understand this trigger has been enabled because no action will be performed. {Email body} Here you should type text body of email. For example if you organize a contest, you could insert in this email a "secret" code. In this case, remember to crypt this media file. Note: you can use multilanguage section to support many different languages. {FileName} If you hust created data email, you must choose a text file where save these data, click on [FileName] button and inserting a file name. Remarks: - Differently by other medias, for technical reasons, <SEND EMAIL> action will be not executed immediatly (when trigger is enabled) but only when Tomb Raider program has been terminated. - It's useful you insert in text body also an explanation about this email. Remember that player could have not read your "readme.txt" file and when he closes tomb raider and finds an email window he could close it, if he doesn't understand what is it. - In text body you can use multilanguage features with <LANGUAGE> and <END_LANGUAGE> sections. For more infos see MultiLanguage section. Settings for <Execute> {Let Tomb Raider works} If you enable this option, your plugin will be executed without stopping and hiding tomb raider program. Pratically your program will work simultaneosly with tomb raider. {Suspend and hide Tomb Raider} With this option tomb raider will be put in stand-by mode and it will be hided. The screen will become "blank", waiting your plugin shows its window or other graphical media. Tomb raider will be resumed only when your plugin has terminated its execution {Show my program} If you enable this option, the main window of your program will be showed. When you enable this option, you should enable also option {Suspend and hide tomb raider} {Hide my program} With this option the main window of your program will be invisible. {Browse} To choose .exe file to execute you should click on [Browse] button and choose an .exe, .bat or .com file. How create a plugin Your executable program, should read the command line to get path of "trdata.bin" file. This path is in short format like: "c:\progra~1\corede~1\trle\trdata.bin" (without spaces) In "trdata.bin" file there are all data about current tomb raider process. Using visual basic, the UDT for this file is: Public Type TrDataBin HandleProcess As Long HandleThread As Long HandleWindow As Long IdProcess As Long IdThread As Long CdTrigger As Long PathTomb As String * 256 End Type While in C/C++ typedef is: typedef struct { unsigned long HandleProcess; unsigned long HandleThread; unsigned long HandleWindow; unsigned long IdProcess; unsigned long IdThread; unsigned long CdTrigger; unsigned char PathTomb[256]; } TrDataBin; First 5 fields are handles of tomb raider process. CdTrigger is trigger number that has enabled this plugin. This is useful if you wish use a single plugin to perform different effects. In this way you can decide that cd trigger number #30 execute an explosion on tomb raider screen, while trigger #31 execute another effect. PathTomb contains full path of tomb4.exe in short format. You can use this path also to get trle folder. Note: pathtomb is a null terminated string (in C style format). If you use a Visual basic program to read it, you should use this code: '--------- dim MyDataBin as TrDataBin dim FileName as String dim i as Long i = InStr(1, MyDataBin.PathTomb, Chr(0), vbBinaryCompare) FileName = Left(MyDataBin.PathTomb, i-1) ' ----------- Setting for Image/Text Media {Background settings} You can choose between: [IMAGE] If you choose [Image] you should choose an image in .jpg, .bmp or .gif format using [Choose image] button. Image will be resized to fit whole screen. [FILL COLOR] If you choose this option, you should choose the background color using [Choose color] button [CURRENT SCREEN] With this option, the background will be the tomb raider screen captured when trigger will be enabled. If you use trigger with delay, the capture will happen after delay time. note: in preview mode you see like background the image of Tr-Media Manager program, but when this media will be enabled in game, it will be the tomb raider screen. [IMAGE SEQUENCE] With this option you can choose a sequence of images to show in background, from first to last. If you enabl this option, you must click on [Sequence] button to choose images to insert in sequence and time to be showed each images. Durate is set in percentage of all media durate. {Text} You can choose between: {Scrolling text} The text will move from down to top screen and it could be more length of screen height. Pratically with this option you can show also a very long text. {Fixed text} Text will be in fixed position, it will centered and should be enough short to enter in screen otherwise part of it will be cut. {No text} This option meants you not use text from text file. Obviously you could create an image with graphical text enclosed in it to have anyway text in image. This option is advisable when you use [IMAGE SEQUENCE] like background. In this way you could insert in each image of sequence an "graphical" text and every image will be showed with its own text. {Choose Text} If you enabled {Scrolling text} or {Fixed text} you should select a text file with text to show. Multilanguage section text About text file you can insert in text file language section, to have multilanguage support. When your media will be enabled, if in text there is a language equal than current language PC, it will be used that section, otherwise will be used <ENGLISH> section. For example. If you create a text file "mytext.txt" with this contents: <ENGLISH> Hi folks <END_ENGLISH> <ITALIAN> Ciao a tutti <END_ITALIAN> <GERMAN> Aufviedersehen <END_GERMAN> When media will be executed, if language of current tomb raider installation is ENGLISH will be showed only text "Hi folks" If it is ITALIAN, will be showed "ciao a tutti". If it is GERMAN, will be showed "aufviedersehen" If language is different of all above, for example is FRENCH, it will be showed for default ENGLISH section. If english section is missing, will be showed the whole text. Language names are in same format of language.dat in SCRIPT folder of TRLE (without ".DAT", of course) Note: in Tr-Media Manager the language showed is based only on language.dat file in level editor folder. Differently, in Tr Level manager the language will be get from original installation of trle and not that of current .dat in trle folder. Settings for text (scrolling or fixed) {Text Color} To set text color click on {Choose color} button. {TextAlignment} You can choose alignment text: {Center}, {Left} or {Right} {Chracter per row} This field set how much characters can be showed in a row. If you increase this number, the size of character font will decrease. If you decrease this number, the size of character font will increase. {Let orizzontal/vertical border} This is useful setting. If you choose 0 as border, text fit whole screen. Sometimes it could be useful set an orizzontal and vertical border, to reduce text area. For example if you use like background image, a picture showing a computer and a monitor, you can show text only inside of "pictured" monitor, just enlarge borders until text is enclosed in that restrict area. Settings for scrolling text If you use scrolling text, you should set two parameters for scrolling speed. {Milliseconds for scroll delay} This parameter is useful to avoid that on other PCs more fast of your, the scroll text goes too fast. Note: To verify, you should execute your media with scrolling text, using [Preview] button of {add/properties text/image} window. If at end of this preview, you receive the warning mexage: Warning, no waiting. Time per cycle = 80 (for example) , this means you should insert as {milliseconds for scroll delay} value 80. In this way you are sure that on different computers the text will be scrolled with same speed you see in preview mode on your computer. {Scroll pixel interleave} Pixel interleave is the "group" pixels for a single moving of scroll text. The numeric value you set is in proportional inverse to screen hight , for this reason, if you choose big number the interleave pixel will be lower, while if you choose little numbers the pixel interleave will be bigger. For example if you chose value 480, and your screen resolution is 640 x 480, the pixel interleave correponds to 1 pixel, 480 / 480 = 1 This is a very little movement. Differently if you chose value 40, the pixel interleav will be 12 (480 / 40 = 12). Advantage of little moving is gradually of movement, but the bad thing is that the text will scroll too slowly. You should perform many tests to find the correct pixel interleave for your scrolling text. It dependes by text lenght, and size font too. {Advanced stop scroll} Normally, media with scrolling text ends when last row went out from screen. If you enable {Advanced stop scroll} the scrolling ends when last text row is visible on screen but before to go out of screen in top side. When you enable this option, you should set also a not null value in setting {Show media for N seconds}. Time you set will be used like end-delay after scroll stopped. Note: remember you can insert in text also empty rows using line feed character, in this way you can decide position of text in last screen when scroll text will be stopped. {Audio settings} If you wish a background sound while image/text is showed, you should check the main sound option named {Sound audio file} If you wish use an external (not standard level editor sound) you should use {Choose audio} button and select an audio file (.mid, .mp3 or .wav) Differently if you wish use a standard wav files in audio folder of trle, you should set numeric value in {Use standard trle audio} field. In this case this audio file will be not copied in your level files. Pratically this option is like {use existing} for cd trigger. If you wish the sound will be played continuosly, you can check {Sound with infinite loop} option. To reduce gradually audio volume before closing your media, you can set a fade out for XX seconds. This is useful to render less traumatic end of media. Ideal time is 3 seconds, however you could do some tests to verify fade effect. Settings for fixed text or no text If you don't use scrolling text, you should set durate of media. In fact, while with scrolling text the durate of media is the necessary time to scroll whole text, when you use fixed text or no text, it's necessary decide show time. If you choose first value "~", it means "infinite", i.e. media will be showed until player hit ESC key on his keyboard. (In this case, you should remember to advise player, writing on background image a note like "press ESC to close") If you choose a numeric value, the media will be showed for that number of seconds. Menu Commands Media Menu Save all necessary media files to... When you've completed your work and all your media files are ready to be inserted in your level zip file, you should use command {Save all necessary media files to folder ...} to have a complete list of media files to enclose in your level. Verify if all media files are updated When you use cryptography, there are two files for each media file: crypted media file used by tr-media manager, and original not-crypted media file. If you change the original not crypted media file then you should use command {Verify if all media files are updated} to update cryted file with original not-crypted media file. Cryptography Menu Overview about Cryptography You can crypt your media files to avoid that players (or other level designers) could watch or use your media files externally by Level Editor game. For example, if you don't crypt a text file used for a scrolling text + image in your game, players could read it simply open it like a normal document. Differently if you enable crypting for your media files, all texts, images and movies will be unreadable without enabling them in game when their triggers will be activated. If you meant crypt your media file you should use a password (your own password) without it nobody can decrypt them. Technical notes: A] - Crypted media files will have their name starting con '@' character. For example the movie filename: "c:\movies\@gobacklara.avi" is a crypted movie because its name starts with "@" character. Tr-Media Manager doesn't delete or overwrite the original not-crypted media files in your PC. This means you could find your not-crypted media files in same path (folder) of crypted media file but without starting "@" character. For example if you have a media files "c:\mymovie.wmv" and you enable crypting, you'll get two files: c:\mymovie.wmv (not crypted and not used by tr-media manager) c:\@mymovie.wmv (crypted and used by Tr-Media manager) B] Not all media files could be crypted. You cann't crypt following files: - Mp3 files - Wav files used directly by level editor, pratically we are speaking of wav files stored in "trle\audio" and "trle\sounds\samples\" folders. Differenlty you can crypt a generic (custom) wav file, like "mybackgroundsound.wav" if it is not used directly by level editor. Crypt all files This command crypt all your media files (except .mp3 and .wav files). You must create a password before crypt your files and you must remember this password because you'll use it everytime you wish load your media files in Tr-Media Manager. Decrypt all files and remove password This command allows to reverse previous command "crypt all files" All files will be decrypted and password check will be removed. Usually it's bettere work with not-crypted media in debugging phase, while you can crypt all files only when you have completed your work and you meant save them in your level zip file. Tools Menu Encoding avi movie in wmv format Windows Media Video format (.wmv) is perfect to get tomb raider movie in a short size and good quality. I supported this video format in Tr-Media Manager with {encoding movie} tool to encourage use of movies in this short and standard video format. However teorically you can use for your movie other formats like avi and mpeg. Note: remember to use this encode window you must install Microsoft Windows Media Encoder 8, you can find in Tr-Media SDK volume 2. {Source AVI movie} In this frame you should load full name of avi file to encode. {Edit Avi file with Virtual-Dub} If you've installed Virtual Dub (you find it in Tr-Media SDK 2) , you can change your source avi file in many different ways before encode it. For more informations read Edit Avi file with Virtual-Dub topic. {Target wmv movie} In this frame you can set full path where save new .wmv movie. However it's not necessary set immediatly this path because when you click on {Encode} button, program will ask you where save target .wmv movie. {Encoding settings} In this frame you can set many options to change quality and size of future wmv movie. {Frame size} Teorically you can change frame size of source avi, for example to have a littler size for wmv movie and save many kb. It's not usefull, differently, enlarge frame size in wmv movie because quality image will be not best but it will increase size of wmv file. If you wish use same frame size of souce you can set this field with <SOURCE> value. {Bit Rate} This misterious value is really the most important value to set quality and size of target .wmv movie. Bit rate is number of bits per seconds you meant assign to play this movie. For example if your source avi movie is long 10 seconds and you set as bitrate value 384.000 bps, your movie will require about 480Kb, because 384.000 / 8 = 48.000 (byte per seconds) 48Kb * 10 seconds = 480Kb (really it is lower because 1Kb = 1024 byte and not 1000 bytes :-) If you set a low bit rate, your target movie will be very little as size, but it could be also very poor as quality. Normally you should try many attempts to find a correct bit rate and encoding setting to have a movie not too big but also with good quality. To easy this work at right of Previsions field you can read future size and (probably) future quality index. Usually, when you set big frame size, you should set also a big Bit Rate value, while when you choose a little frame size you could set a lower bit rate. {Audio settings} If you source avi has an audio track, you can set audio settings for target wmv movie. The bps value is bit rate for audio track and it can increase or decrease size of target movie in same way of video Bit Rate Tip: if your source audio track ha no stereo effects you should use always "mono" audio for your target movie. {Encoding method} You can choose between {Single step} and {Double step} Double step requires more time but it enhance encoding quality. Normally you could use {Single step} for your fast tests, while you should use {Double Step} for final release of your target movie. {Frame rate} In this field you can set fps (frame per second) of your target movie. Normally it's better use same frame rate of source movie, however you could use a lower frame rate. For example if your source movie has 30 fps, you could use 20fps to have better image quality (but worse motion quality) in your target movie. {Previsions} This field will show previsions about target movie using current settings. The future size is enough correct, while video index and audio index quality are values get mathematically but they often are not sure. The last way to verify video quality is encoding and watching the target movie. {Show last encoding report} This button will show encoding report generate by Windows Media Encoder. If you are expert about video formats, you could find useful notices. For example if you check the real average video bitrate used for encoding you could choose to change your bitrate to save bytes. For example if you chose as video bit rate 384.000 bps, and after encoding, you read in encoding report that real bit rate is 320.000, this means you could reduce bit rate to get a shorter movie that (probably) could have same quality but minor size. Note: sometimes, probably for a bug in encoder, durate of .wmv movie is 0 seconds. In spite of this anomalye .wmv movie should be correct. {Set advanced options} With this button you open the window to set advanced options. If you are not an expert it's better not change options that you don't understand. Advanced encoding settings window {Movie's author} Here you can write your name. It will be saved in information header of target .wmv movie. {Movie title} To give a title or a short description of your movie. {Image quality} Teorically this field should set image quality of static frames but really I didn't see any changes modifying this value. {Key frame distance} To set every how much seconds there will be a key frame. For experts only. {Codec version} Windows media encoder is version 8, however this encoder supports also encoding method used in old version 7. You should change from version 8 "WMV8" to old version "VMV7" only if your .wmv movie encoded con WMV8 walks "jerkilly". {Buffering Time} In this field you can set microseconds used for buffering time. Wmv movies are "stream" movie and they could be showed in real time while they have been loading. If you increase this value, movie size will be bigger because buffering time will be added to real time durate of movie. For example if your avi movie is 10 seconds long, and you set 1000ms (i.e. 1 second) like buffering time, you movie will be encoded how if it is 11 seconds long. If you reduce this value, the movie size will be littler but you could have troubles at start of movie with still images or not correct speed. Reasonable values for buffering time are enclosed between 500 ms - 3000 ms interval. It's not allowed choose a value littler than 500 ms, and it's not useful use values bigger than 3000 ms because this wmv movie will be showed with local load (from local PC and not from remote server). {Preprocessing filters} You can set a filter to deinterlace your source avi file (if it is interlaced). For experts only. {Additional command line options} This field is only for future versions of Windows Media Encoder. If you install a newest version (for example WMV9 encoder), it could have new command line options you can set in this field. Currently, with version 8 encoder, this field it's not useful. {Encode only following interval} You can use only a limited sequence of your avi file to encoding. For example if your source avi has a time durate of 2 minuts, you could set an interval time to get a .wmv movie of only 15 seconds. {Encode only following rectangle} If you wish capture only a limited area of original frame size, you can set clipping area. For example if your source avi show lara from a large distance you could use a short rectangle in center of the screen to magnify lara. Decode mpeg1 movie in avi format If you have mpg movie you should transform it in avi format to encode it in .wmv format. You can use this command to convert mpeg 1 movie in avi format. Note: this command is enabled only if you've installed Virtual-Dub. Edit avi movie Tr-Media Manager allows you to use many capabilities of Virtual-Dub directly with Tr-Media Manager. To use these avi tools you should have installed Virtual-Dub. If you have not an edit movie program, like Adobe Premiere or Ulead Media Studio, or Pinnacle Studio, you can use these avi tools to perform many common video operations. These tools don't modify original avi source but they create new changed avi movie. For final scopes of these tools you can read help of Tr-Media SKD volume 2 in section "how create a tr movie" Add another avi file to source avi file This tool is very useful, togheter with Extract Movie Interval, to cut & paste single sequences to create a final movie with many short sequences in wished order. To past two avi file it's necessary that both movie have same: frame rate, frame size and audio track format (if you keep audio in past operation) If you meant add an avi file with different frame rate you must convert frame rate with tool Change frame rate. Same thing if you must modify frame size, you may do with tool Change frame size. Add fix image (logo) in avi movie You can use this tool to create "target" effect (like the scene has seen whereby a binoculars), or to add a little logo like in TV channels. {Main Image button} Click on this button to load the main image. {Relative postion from left/top corner} You must set coordinates in pixels where locate image in movie frame. For example if you choose (0,0) your image will be put in top left corner. {Use mask image to set transparence} If you don't wish that image cover a whole rectangle ma there is a transparent background, you should enable this option and then select Mask Image. {Mask image button} This button is visible only if you enable {Use mask image to set transparence} Click on button to load mask image. Mask image must have same width and height of main image. Mask image should have only two colors: black and white. You use black color to set transparent zones, while white color to se zone where will be showed the main image. For example if you use like main image this picture: And you wish that gray background will be transparent, you should create and load as mask image an image like following: {Opactity of not transparent zone} This field allows to set transparent level of main image. If you use 100% main image will have no transparence. If you set 50% main image and movie background will be pasted with effect of partial transparence. {Add image} Click on this button to start creation of new avi file with logo image. Add or substitute audio track to avi file using an extern wav file With this tool you can add music or speaked saved in a wav file to your avi movie. Previous audio track of movie will be removed. Add sub-titles to avi file (Sub-titler tool) This is very powerful tool. You can add fixed or scrolling text, in different colors and sizes, to your movie. You can use this tool simply to add "The end" words to end movie, but also to show what lara and her friends/enemies are saying. Remember you can show two or more text in same temporal sequence, just choose different align positions for them. You can insert many texts to show in your movie. For each text you should follow this procedure: - Click on {Add title} button to show data title frame. - In data title frame: click in white text box and write your text. You can insert also carriage returns if you wish. - Now you must set when this title will be showed in your movie. - You can write directly number of microseconds in fieds {Start time} and {End time} but the most easy way is to move slide cursor below movie screen to set exact frame where you wish your title start and then click on {Start time} button. Then you can insert manually durate in {Durate} field, or move slide cursor of movie and click on {End time} button. - Now you can choose: color of title (all characters will be enclosed in black border), the style text (fixed or scroll) and size (in pixels) of text. - If you choose fixed text you should set align kind. You can choose between four corners screen and also middle position on four borders or central position. - If you choose scrolling text you should select also scroll speed. This field regard pixels for seconds and an acceptable value in enclosed between 20 and 60 pixel per seconds. When you choose scrollin text it is advisable choose like {End time} the whole movie durate, because text will scroll and disappear in time necessary for its lenght and scroll speed. If you set a specific and limited time, differently, your scrolling text could disappear from screen before it is all showed. This is bad. {Dark Shadow} If you enable this option, your text will have (under text) a dark gray shadow. {Update current title} When you inserted all values for your title, you should click on {Update current title} to update values in title list box. {Save title file} and {load title file} Since the subtitler work is a bit long and complicated, it's useful save whole titles in a title file (*.ttl). In this way you can if future re-load it using {Load title file} button. {Create AVI} When you completed all your titles, you can click on this button to start avi creation. Change AVI audio to convert it in 16 bits format If your source avi file has audio track with 8 bits you should convert it in 16 bits because Microsoft Windows Media encoder requires avi in 16 bit audio format. Change brightness and contrast of avi movie With this tool you could increase or decrease brightness and contrast of your avi movie. Change frame rate You can change frame rate (fps = frames per second) of your source avi, adding or removing frames for second. Time durate and speed of avi file will be not changed. Change frame size You can resize resolution of your avi source. Sometimes it could be necessary for example if your avi file has frame width or hight not multiple of 4. To encode your avi file in .wmv format it needs have multiple of 4 pixels width and height. Change speed movie With this tool you can create slow motion effect or fast forward effect. Time durate of movie increase (with slow motion) or decrease (with fast forward). Final frame rate will be not changed. Change video format and set Cinepak Codec by Radius A good video format for avi file is Cinepak Codec by Radius. It supports many size formats and has a good compression level. When you create an avi file should use always this format for you target avi. However if you use a program that doesn't support choiche for video format (like Blender) you can use this tool to convert your avi from any avi format to Cinepac Codec by Radius format. Change video ratio to create a "Cinema effect" movie You can create wide screen effect with this tool. Really this effect uses tool Change Frame size with specific values. This effect is a clever way to reduce movie size. For example if you choose for new height for avi 1/2 of source avi, your can choose to encode it witg 1/2 of video bit rate and in this way get a .wmv file with halfed size. [Resize method] If you use Stretching method, image will be changed to fit new hegith frame. If you use Clipping Image method, image will be cut in vertical central area. Change volume of avi audio With this tool you can increase or decrease volume of audio track. 100% is same volume of source avi movie. 150% is +50% of source avi movie. 50% is -50% of source avi movie. Extract frames and save them in .bmp format If you wish get single static images (frames) from avi movie you can use this tool. You must choose interval time where extract frames, clicking on [Set interval] button. In only-read field [Number of images will be created] you can read how much images will be created for that interval time. If you think it is a too much number, you can set a shorter interval time. When you click on [Extract frames] button, you will be prompeted to choose a base image name. Extracted frames will have that name + _NNNN suffix, for example if you choose like base name "image.bmp" you get frames starting from "image_0000.bmp" name. Extract movie interval from source avi and create another avi file This tool, togheter with Add another movie to source avi , allows you to cut and paste different short scenes to create a final movie. Click on {Set interval} button to choose interval time to extract. Extract wav audio from avi file You can extract original audio track from avi file and save it in a common .wav file. Then you could modify .wav file and then add newly the changed .wav file to audio track of avi movie using command Add or substitute audio track. Remove audio from source avi and create a mute movie This tool allows to remove audio track. Remove colors to create an old style movie This tool convert a color movie in a black and white movie. This effect could be useful to short sequence where Lara is remembering old events. Tr-Media Manager preferences You can read/set preferences using menu command: Preferences->Change settings Settings for Tomb Raider Level Editor {Primary TRLE} This folder is default folder to convert .tom files and using Room Edit program. Usually it is "c:\Program Files\Core Design\trle" {Test TRLE} This folder could be in any path. Teorically you could use same folder for {Primary} and {Test} trle, however if you wish avoid to corrupt too much files (like .wav) in your primary folder, you could create a copy of trle in a different path of your local disk and set this path in this field. If primary and test folder are different, Tr-Media manager will use {Test TRLE} to copy media files and audio trigger, and use primary source only to get .tr4 and .dat files to copy in test trle folder before starting full debug. {Before starting full debug copy following ....} If you use two different trle folders, you should set name of your custom level. Tr-Media manager will copy your custom level from {Primary TRLE} folder to {Test TRLE} folder, before starting full debug. Note: it's better set in this list the level.tr4 you use with your media files, in this way Tr-Media Manager may detect changes of your .tom file and propose you to convert automatically your .tom file in .tr4 when you exit from Room Edit program. {Copy also script.dat ....} If you use two different trle folder, and your custom level use script.dat or language.dat not standard, you should enable this option to have in {test TRLE} folder .dat files always updated. {Settings for extern utilities} Tr-Media Manager is able to handle for you two extern utilities: Microsoft Windows Media Encoder 8 and Virtual-Dub. Both utilities are enclosed in TR-Media SDK volume 2. If you wish use front-end of Tr-Media Manager to use these two utils, you should: 1) download tr-Media SKD volume 2 from Tr Level Manager site 2) Install these two utilities (really only Microsoft encoder needs of setup run) 3) Set in tr-Media manager preferences full path where you've installed utilities. {Sound used for CD triggers...} Tr-Media Manager allow you to choose kind of sound for cd trigger. You can use {mute sound} or {click sounds} Usually it's useful use {click sound} in debug phase, while, before exporting media files to insert in your level zip file, it's better using {mute sounds} {Preview settings for simulate debug} Simulate debug doesn't require to enable really CD triggers. In simulate debug, Tomb Raider will be started and then N seconds selected (in media manager) medias will be performed. With these options you could choose delay time before start media, and delay time to close tomb raider after media execution. {Auto load: at start load last media file} If you enable this option, when you start Tr-Media Manager program, it will be loaded last media file you used in last job session. Trouble-shooting Swap screen Last trouble kwnow is relative a swapping between media screen and tomb raider screen when Lara is continuosly running. If player keeps down arrow keys (keyboard) or direction buttons (joystick or joypad) control swapping between media screen and tomb raider screen could be difficultous. Sometimes there is a "flashing" video with two screens overlapped for any seconds. When Windows desktop has different resolution of Tomb Raider screen, movie or ohter media could have a screen little or bigger when it will be showed. For example if windows desktop has 1024 x 768 pixels, while tomb raider game has 800 x 600 pixels, when happens this trouble, movie could be 800 x 600 inside of 1024 x 768 screen. To avoid this trouble more easy way is using trigger that doesn't permit to Lara to move continuosly. For example are good triggers: switch, key, pickup and monkey. If you wish use a pad or simply "trigger", you could put this trigger in corner of room, where lara cann't run because there are walls to block it. Note: It has been used a new method to swap screen and now above problem has not ever repeated. However, now if program detects that it's not possible swap screen the media will be not showed to avoid disturbing player with flashing screen and other troubles. Flip-map synchronization trouble If you use a media trigger (CD trigger) to enable in same time: media (like a movie) and flip-map to change current room in a new room, there is a problem of synchronization because flipmap will be executed before showing movie. Normally you wish this event sequence in this case: - Lara enable multi-trigger - Start movie showing flipmap changing - Movie ends and lara is in new room This is not possible without using a trick. You must use a black room to create intermediate blank screen between start flipmap and start movie. You should use this trigger - Insert in a square following triggers: [1] Trigger to enable flipmap, [2] trigger to enable movie, [3] trigger to enable target camera placed in a different room, fully dark (black), This target camera should have a timer to show black room for 3 seconds. In this way you avoid above trouble. When lara enable above triggers will happen: - Enable target camera and screen will become black (because camera is showing black room) - Current room change in new room ma player cann't see this changing - Start movie and when movie is end, return controls to tomb raider and it shows or black room for about 1 second or directly new flipped room. In both cases we have get our target. Geforce graphics card and clone video mode On systems with Matrox Geforce graphics card if video mode is set on "clone" mode, there could be trouble in size of media screen. In this case screen of media could be more little of real screen wide. This trouble disappears if graphic card is set on "Dual View" or "Single view" mode. Delay for media with captured screenshot of game It's normal (but annoying) that time requested to start media with background captured from game screen was more length of other medias. While normal medias (movies or fixed external images ) require about 1/2 second, captured screenshot media could require 2 or 3 seconds. This time depends overhall by current pixel resolution of game screen. When tomb raider runs on 1024 x 768 pixels require time will be very bigger than screen with resolution 640 x 480. Troubles with too near media triggers Level Manager requires about from 0.5 to 2 seconds to detect a trigger activation. If you put two triggers for two different medias too near, there is the risk that player was able to activate both triggers in less than 2 seconds. When this happens only one media (usually the first) will be performed while other (the second) will be ignored. To avoid this problem you should put trigger with at least 4 squares of distance, or put some obstacles between first trigger and second. Note: also me, in my test media level have put this mistake. :-) Triggers belove monitor in flipped room, are too near to trigger for ending movie. If you run speedly on monitor trigger and without stopping, run on ending movie trigger you could see what's happen.