[Guide] How to make in-game gifs!
Dec 3, 2017 17:44:09 GMT
Post by Crow on Dec 3, 2017 17:44:09 GMT
How to: Making gifs in-game
> Getting Started
The software we will be using: ScreenToGif - www.screentogif.com
This is only a preference! You can learn and use any program you want; however this is the one I am most familiar with so I am using it for this tutorial. You can also use this outside of CS for all your other giffing needs of course!
In comparison to GifCam, I like that there are more options, and that you can manually edit the size of the capturing frame; whereas in GifCam you will have to pull the sides until it is just right. However, GifCam also seems to make smoother gifs, and it's minimalist so users won't get confused. They are both similar in how the use a transparent frame that can be customized dimension-wise.
In the end, it's all up to you which you like better to use.
Step 1: Have that aesthetic shot ready!
Self explanatory. If you wish to use the game's flying camera mode, click the camera symbol in the lower right-hand corner until it cycles to "3".
This is what the initial recording screen looks like. It is a transparent frame that you can drag around and resize.
You should see whatever it is you are going to gif in the background. *Note, I took this screenshot while on my desktop.
Your screen will look different.
Step 2: Recording
With STG open, you can grab the corners or insert a specific aspect ratio/size to make the gif any size you wish. You can also adjust the FPS (frames per second). 60 is smooth, but makes the file size bigger. Once you're ready:
2a. Hit "Record", only record for a good 5 seconds to ensure it won't loop too quickly and look messy when it loops. Recording symbol: ●
2b. Hit "Stop" to finish the gif recording. Stop symbol: ☐
2c. Stopping will bring up this screen:
You're going to want to click the folder that says "Save As". A panel on the side will open up.
From here, you're gonna want to make sure the File Type is set to .GIF. Also, we're going to need to adjust the gif's quality. Click on the little "v" arrow on the far right of the "Gif options". Bring the quality up to the highest it can go, and make sure you select "Looped Gif" > "Repeat Forever." Different Encoders may affect the resulting gifs in different ways. If you aren't happy with how it turned out, come back to this step and change encoders.
Clicking the opened folder icon will allow you to change the directory of where your finished project will go. Personally I save it to My Pictures.
Then just go ahead and hit "Save" when you are satisfied!
Step 3: Saving
A window that says "Encoder" will appear on the right side of your screen. It's harmless; and shows you the progress of your project saving. Closing it doesn't hurt anything.
Step 4: Uploading and using your new creation
Now we need to use an image host to be able to generate a link for our gif.
4a. Open up Imgur (you don't need an account but it is useful for storing all uploaded pictures!) or whatever image host you like.
4b. If you have an account, you'll hover over your username in the top right-hand corner, and click "Images" on the drop-down menu.
4c. A big green button will say "Add Images", select your new gif!
4d. Click on it after it has uploaded (a thin green bar across the top of the website will display it's saving progress), and you will see a few different options:
I always choose the Direct Link. Copy it!
4e. In order to use it on the forums, it has to be within an image code. BBCode image tags look like this, in their simplest form:
[img]LINK WOULD GO HERE[/img]A more advanced appearance would be, which you'll probably get used to seeing:
[img src="LINKGOESHERE" style="max-width:100%;"]This is also really nifty because you can easily resize your image without having to totally edit the image's properties yourself with an outsize program/image editor. Just change where it says 100.
Also, make sure that it says .GIF, and NOT .GIFv. The latter will not work in BBcode!
Examples of gifs I have made using this method/program:
Additional Recommendations & Comments
- If your gif comes out in an undesirable quality, keep fiddling with the "Gif options".
- Try all kinds of weather and times of day! You never know when you'll capture your next favorite!
- If your Imgur link includes .gifv, just remove the v from it and it will work!
- If this method doesn't serve you, check out @wailing's tut here!
- The more frames, the bigger the file, but it will look a lot smoother.
- If the gif seems to be repeating too quickly, you can use a website like ezgif to adjust it!
- In the ScreenToGif settings, there are options like:
- Count-down timer
- Fixed frame-rate while recording
- Asynchronous recording (helps with lag)
- Fullscreen mode
etc. - Don't close the project out unless you are completely and totally happy with how it turned out! Or it will be lost forever!
Have fun!
