[Patch] Automatic giant screens aka Timelapse

[Roujin]

Urgh, that's why I don't like that patch format. If anything conflicts, TurtoiseSVN just spits out a "This patch seems outdated!" message. With SVN .diffs, you get at least to view the file and can decide how to handle conflicts...

So here's a svn .diff for 0.7.0RC2. Only little (not visible in game) changes compared to pm's last version:
* renamed some leftover "patches" to "settings"
* moved stuff around a little
* replaced a wrong type (uint8) by a better one (TransparencyOptionBits)

Have fun!

edit: I've just noticed that the version planetmaker has been updating all the time was not the most recent one I made and is missing features such as number of commands until screenshot is taken, or flexible local screenshot prefix.
currently investigating if this was by mistake or on purpose for some reason...

[Iguanna]

Ah, thanks very much Roujin, that one applied no worries

[Roujin]

Well, I wasn't able to contact planetmaker until now, so I'll just assume it was by mistake..

So here's an update of the last version I made (including command limit and flexible character for local screen signs) to r15870.

-- removed, see below --

[planetmaker]

Well, I wasn't able to contact planetmaker until now, so I'll just assume it was by mistake..

That assumption is correct. Thanks for notifying and updating

Had (and have) little time lately :S

[planetmaker]

Uhm... Roujin, can it be that you forgot to include timelapse.* into the diff file? The source list(s) are updated, but the files are not there

[Roujin]

indeed, sorry.. actually I just wanted to upload it again with the missing file, but while I was at it, I implemented the idea with different directories.
Tell me if you like it, or want something changed

Now it creates a new folder "auto_screenshot" in the base dir (== wherever your openttd.cfg is found) and puts the global auto_screens there. Local screens are given a subdirectory in "auto_screenshot", after their sign name. For example if you make a sign "#important place", its local screens will saved as "[base_dir]/auto_screenshot/#important place/timelapse#000000.[ext]" onwards.

PS: Anyone who wants to test this, better apply it to r15953 instead of r15952, because an annoying little bug has been fixed in that revision. Patch applies to r15953 just as fine as it does to r15952.

[planetmaker]

Now it creates a new folder "auto_screenshot" in the base dir (== wherever your openttd.cfg is found) and puts the global auto_screens there. Local screens are given a subdirectory in "auto_screenshot", after their sign name. For example if you make a sign "#important place", its local screens will saved as "[base_dir]/auto_screenshot/#important place/timelapse#000000.[ext]" onwards.

Thanks Roujin for the fix/update. And indeed, I very much like the idea with the directories. I already thought of that as a good enhancement of this patch but - as usual - time warranted to set working on it. So... thanks for this increase in usability, too!

[Xaroth]

Nice concept, maybe some ideas:

1) standard-format screenshots instead of giant screenshots .. so you get just a portion of the map.. useful f.ex for sites that want to show what's going on on the server
1B) location of screenshot being either random location (some fancy calculation to make sure you're not taking screenshots of 80% edge in view) .. or based on last activity (might be a bit tricky?)

2) Saving options, while you can keep naming the screenshot after the date, maybe an option to use a fixed filename, or a numeric increment filename, to allow for better chronological indexing and constant-replacing of the same file (as with 1) to allow for a static filename that can be fetched for online display..


now if only there was a -proper- way to have a dedicated server with full screenshot capabilities with latest trunk, i would love to see timelapses of things like openttdcoop or h2h servers

[edit] it would actually help if i actually read -all- the pages in this topic ... some of those points might be null and void.

[Roujin]

Thanks for your feedback, Xaroth.
like you mentioned, some of those points are (partially) already possible in the latest version of my patch

Nice concept, maybe some ideas:

1) standard-format screenshots instead of giant screenshots .. so you get just a portion of the map.. useful f.ex for sites that want to show what's going on on the server

-> local screenshots in latest version of the patch

1B) location of screenshot being either random location (some fancy calculation to make sure you're not taking screenshots of 80% edge in view) .. or based on last activity (might be a bit tricky?)

Well, I think random location would not be very useful, especially if you want to make a timelapse video of it. Based on last activity is an interesting idea, but then again probably too much jumping around again if there are multiple players.

Currently you can have a bit of variety by using multiple signs for local screenshots...

2) Saving options, while you can keep naming the screenshot after the date, maybe an option to use a fixed filename, or a numeric increment filename, to allow for better chronological indexing and constant-replacing of the same file (as with 1) to allow for a static filename that can be fetched for online display..

Using only one file that gets overwritten again and again is an option I could add easily in next version. But can't this also been archieved by some clever script, that automatically selects the file with the highest number for display?

now if only there was a -proper- way to have a dedicated server with full screenshot capabilities with latest trunk, i would love to see timelapses of things like openttdcoop or h2h servers

Well, since we have such a high limit of client slots now, I guess someone could set up a machine that connects to the server of his likings as spectator with a version of openttd patched with my patch, in order to record timelapse videos...
Maybe the assembling of the screenshots to videos can also be automated... and then automatically uploaded somewhere..

Unfortunately, that's all beyond my ability, so I'm still waiting for someone to do something like this.

[Dustin]

This is such a super cool idea. It would be really nice for AI development. Is there a way we can vote it into 0.7.X sometime soon? Is it ready for prime time?

[Xander]

Things aren't "voted" in - they get developed, brought up to trunk standards, tested thoroughly and then, if it fits in with the main game and adds to the overall "fun" (this is at the lead developers discretion) it goes in.

Or at least the process looks like that. Devs feel free to correct me