Arcen Games

General Category => AI War Classic => AI War Classic - After Action Reports => : quickstix January 16, 2010, 09:26:22 PM

: Taking Screenshots
: quickstix January 16, 2010, 09:26:22 PM
Taking screenies with the PrtSc key is good for single screenies, however I sometimes forget I've taken a screenshot and either make another one, or forget to save the screenie when I quit AI War.

Without a screen cap key in AI War at the moment, what (free) methods do people have of taking multiple screenshots in AI War that automatically save to a certain location. Currently I'm looking at FRAPS or XFire and deciding at what will have the smallest impact on my system (FRAPS looks good in this regard). Anyone have some suggestions?
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: x4000 January 16, 2010, 09:27:37 PM
I use FRAPs for my own video-taking needs with the game.  Definitely a good one.

UPDATE 7/13/2011:   This thread is waaay out of date with regard to screenshots.  As of version 4.0 of the game, all you have to do is hit the F12 key and it will log a full-resolution png file right into your screenshots folder.  All of the discussion in this thread was back before we moved to the Unity 3D engine.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: quickstix January 16, 2010, 09:45:21 PM
Sounds good to me, compatibility was something I wasn't sure of either. FRAPS looks like the way to go.

Thanks again.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: x4000 January 16, 2010, 09:46:10 PM
Sure thing!  XFire is also compatible, so either actually works.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: raptor331 January 17, 2010, 08:57:18 PM
Sure thing!  XFire is also compatible, so either actually works.

Yup I use XFire myself, thought one question, how do you insert the pics from xfire onto a post instead of just being an attachment.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: x4000 January 17, 2010, 08:58:57 PM
Anyone feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but I think you need to upload your pictures to something like PhotoBucket, and then link them using the IMG tag in order to have them show up in the body.  In my case, I use the Arcen FTP, but it amounts to the same thing.  I am nowt aware of a way to use SMF forums to upload an attached image and also have it show in the body of that same post.  But again, someone correct me if I'm wrong -- hopefully I am!
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: quickstix January 17, 2010, 09:17:24 PM
When you upload to photobucket, there is a way to make clickable thumbnails. This is the ideal way to do it, as the bandwidth use is done by Photobucket, not Arcengames. You get 10GB bandwidth with photobucket.

http://photobucket.com/faq?catID=49&catSelected=f&topicID=403

This is what I have done for my AAR, so check that out to see the results.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: eRe4s3r January 17, 2010, 09:25:53 PM
Its ideal for arcengames, but not for the reader, it switches to a new tab and thus requires you to click through your tabs back to the forums here (unless you only have 1 tab open.. in that case, use your tabs better ,p)


I really dislike photobucket as well because not only does it open a new tab, it requires me to click zoom in all the time (annoying) ^^
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: x4000 January 17, 2010, 09:27:39 PM
You can embed fullsize images in posts using photobucket and other similar sites, too.  It's then ideal for everyone, no zooming or clicking or anything. :)
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: Echo35 January 17, 2010, 09:29:33 PM
I use LightScreen for my screenshots. Very configurable, easy to use, and incredibly tiny footprint. There's even a portable apps version if you don't want both megabytes on your hard drive.

http://lightscreen.sourceforge.net/
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: x4000 January 17, 2010, 09:31:06 PM
I am moving this to the AAR thread and stickying it, because I think it is most relevant there.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: quickstix January 17, 2010, 09:59:09 PM
Here is how you embed a photobucket thumbnail which links directly to the picture and doesn't open it in a new tab.

First, you grab the 'IMG clickable thumbnail for message board' link from your photobucket album. For example, it may look like this:

:
[URL=http://s803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/quickstix/AI%20War%20Report%201/?action=view&current=aiwar1.jpg][IMG]http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/quickstix/AI%20War%20Report%201/th_aiwar1.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Now, to link directly to the picture, you need to remove '?action=view&current=' from the URL opening tag, so it will look like this:

:
[URL=http://s803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/quickstix/AI%20War%20Report%201/aiwar1.jpg][IMG]http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/quickstix/AI%20War%20Report%201/th_aiwar1.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Finally, change the URL tags to iurl to stop it from opening in a new window, like this:

:
[iurl=http://s803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/quickstix/AI%20War%20Report%201/aiwar1.jpg][IMG]http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy311/quickstix/AI%20War%20Report%201/th_aiwar1.jpg[/IMG][/iurl]
Enjoy.

Edit: Fixed the opening iurl tag in the third codebox.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: carlosjuero January 18, 2010, 07:51:08 AM
I don't really care for PhotoBucket or ImageShack - the ads and slow loading annoy the heck out of me when I click for a full version :/ (they slip some ads right by AdBlock)

Instead I use Google's Picasaweb - ads are more understated, interface is cleaner, and it seems to work much faster for me.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: raptor331 January 18, 2010, 11:25:16 AM
I've tried it but it only shows the red x... Am I the only on seeing this?
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: eRe4s3r January 18, 2010, 11:49:03 AM
Whats the code you are trying to use?
:
[code] text [/code] is the way to display it without the forum parsing it (i think)

Oh.. i see the forum doesn't allow to display the code* of the code command in a code tag ;)
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: raptor331 January 18, 2010, 11:49:45 AM
I used img
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: eRe4s3r January 18, 2010, 11:51:53 AM
yeah.. but what link!  :D - post it here, here in this topic you can experiment because its stickied, so it doesn't affect the posts below..
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: raptor331 January 18, 2010, 11:55:21 AM
http://s804.photobucket.com/albums/yy325/Raptor331/?action=view&current=HomePlanetLayout.png&newest=1

(http://s804.photobucket.com/albums/yy325/Raptor331/?action-view&current=HomePlanetLayout.png&newest=1)
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: raptor331 January 18, 2010, 12:03:20 PM
:
[URL=http://s804.photobucket.com/albums/yy325/Raptor331/?action=view&current=WormHoleDefence.png][IMG]http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy325/Raptor331/th_WormHoleDefence.png[/IMG][/URL]
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: raptor331 January 18, 2010, 12:05:37 PM
(http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy325/Raptor331/th_WormHoleDefence.png) (http://s804.photobucket.com/albums/yy325/Raptor331/WormHoleDefence.png)

figured it out :D
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: syndicatedragon February 07, 2011, 09:47:51 PM
 I don't participate in the Steam betas, but supposedly the beta Steam client allows you take screenshots which are stored in the Steam cloud (no need for Photobucket or whatever).
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: Diazo March 11, 2012, 02:11:44 PM
Yes, the Steam screenshot key (F12 by default) will save a screenshot to your steam profile. You can then go into your Steam profile and make it public on your profile if you want.

Note that this overrides the AI War screenshot function, I had F12 bound to screenshot in the AI War options but Steam was intercepting it so I could only take Steam screenshots, I could not save a screenshot to disk via AI War. Went and rebound AI War's screenshot key to F11 to get around this.

I can't remember if F12 is AI war's default screenshot key or if I changed it, but just a heads up for you guys about this quirk.

D.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: Cyborg May 27, 2012, 08:38:24 PM
The latest and greatest image site is imgur. You can drag-and-drop images right onto the webpage without even having to register. From there, you click upload and then you copy in the BBcode ready to use forum link on the right-hand side of the page.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: eRe4s3r May 27, 2012, 10:13:33 PM
agreed, imgur is great ^^
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: Kahuna August 21, 2012, 01:28:25 PM
Yes, the Steam screenshot key (F12 by default) will save a screenshot to your steam profile. You can then go into your Steam profile and make it public on your profile if you want.

Note that this overrides the AI War screenshot function, I had F12 bound to screenshot in the AI War options but Steam was intercepting it so I could only take Steam screenshots, I could not save a screenshot to disk via AI War. Went and rebound AI War's screenshot key to F11 to get around this.

I can't remember if F12 is AI war's default screenshot key or if I changed it, but just a heads up for you guys about this quirk.

D.
I always take all my screenshots with F12. The screenshots are saved in 2 folders (1 screenshot taken, 2 images created)
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ai war fleet command\RuntimeData\Screenshots"
and
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\41085946\760\remote\40400\screenshots"

Also I use photobucket. Uploading the images is easy and fast. It's also easier to use and more intuitive than imgur.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: Volatar October 16, 2012, 07:55:11 PM
Also I use photobucket. Uploading the images is easy and fast. It's also easier to use and more intuitive than imgur.

What can be more intuitive than drag and drop?
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: Kahuna October 17, 2012, 02:34:28 AM
Also I use photobucket. Uploading the images is easy and fast. It's also easier to use and more intuitive than imgur.

What can be more intuitive than drag and drop?
Good and easy to read UI.
: Re: Taking Screenshots
: eRe4s3r October 17, 2012, 07:02:16 AM
Then IMGUR is better, because you don't need a GUI at all

click your imgur bookmark
Drag file into window
Done.

That said, Photobucket has annoying bandwidth limits and that is why I am not using it. For uploading a dozen of files, IMGUR is still superior, because you can share entire image albums anonymously