[Video] My Sonic Adventure DX Let's Play (Could use Feedback)

[HylianSith]

Hey guys!  A few months ago I started a Youtube let's play channel.  My first let's play ended up being Sonic Adventure DX (because I just adore that game) and I just finished the series a few days ago.  I currently have another let's play in the works, so I was wondering if any of you could give me constructive criticism and feedback on my SA let's play (I assume the Showcase thread is the correct thread for this).  I really want to do the game's I play justice (especially the Sonic ones) and any feedback anyone can give would be fantastic.  Here's the link to the first episode of the let's play below:

 

[Hero of Legend]

Good taste in games!

However, a big no-no in recording and uploading footage is the aspect ratio, you have it stretched to 16:9.

Another thing you can do is record in 480p (provided you have a device that can use component or HDMI, I personally recommend a Hauppauge or Elgato device!).

If you record in 480p, you have 60fps footage (480i gives you essentially 30fps but this can be used to fake 60fps, more on that later), you can use a program to resize it to be 720p which YouTube will allow to play in 60fps. BUT the video has to be no smaller than 720p, even 719p won't cut it and will only render in 30fps.

I recommend Avidemux and Handbrake as programs to use, the former for upsizing and the latter for downsizing (optional) and for compressing which works well to retain quality.

As for that faking 60fps comment. A trick is to take advantage of interlaced recordings (480i and 1080i. 720i isn't a thing for some reason), and if you downsize, say a 1080i recording into 720p, the resize will blend the frames to sort of give you two frames in one (so you sort of see... double, as it were), this helps simulate 60fps in a 30fps recording.

To demonstrate, see my Zero Gravity Wii video done with this technique:

Pause it when you see a cutscene (say when Sonic and Jet first show up at around 1:37) and you'll see that two blended frames thing I was talking about.

Just a few tips for recording and uploading game footage.

[HylianSith]

Thank you for those criticisms.  

I've already finished the let's play, and yeah I've put a lot thought into many of your critiques while making it.  In later videos, I do fix the aspect ratio and it looks so much better!.  I am recording with an Elgato, and it does record in 480p and uploads in 480p.  I just never thought of using a program to resize it to 720p.  When I do another gamecube game, I definitely will try that out!

Thanks once again for checking out the video.  I will try to make better quality content as time goes on

[Hero of Legend]

6 minutes ago, HylianSith said:

Thank you for those criticisms.  

I've already finished the let's play, and yeah I've put a lot thought into many of your critiques while making it.  In later videos, I do fix the aspect ratio and it looks so much better!.  I am recording with an Elgato, and it does record in 480p and uploads in 480p.  I just never thought of using a program to resize it to 720p.  When I do another gamecube game, I definitely will try that out!

Thanks once again for checking out the video.  I will try to make better quality content as time goes on

Oh I hope I didn't appear negative, I didn't want to seem rude (you using the word criticisms made it seem like I did), I just wanted to provide tips to make things easier for you. Sorry if I was rude at all.

[HylianSith]

Just now, Detective Hero of Legend said:

Oh I hope I didn't appear negative, I didn't want to seem rude (you using the word criticisms made it seem like I did), I just wanted to provide tips to make things easier for you. Sorry if I was rude at all.

You weren't rude at all!  I apologize if I made it seem like you were.  By "criticisms", I meant more so constructive criticisms/feedback.  So I didn't mean to make it sound like I was displeased with your comment or anything  

[Hero of Legend]

No worries!

[HylianSith]

6 minutes ago, Detective Hero of Legend said:

No worries!

Here is a future episode where the aspect ratio is fixed.  It's still in 480p, but the whole series is done now so there's no fixing it now.  I'll probably do more Sonic gamecube games in the future, and hopefully they'll be in 720p.

 

[skull902]

Now, if I'm not mistaken, the Elgato Game Capture HD allows 480(i and p) capture at 60fps, so I don't quite think interpolating the frames would be necessary for a 720p video. Furthermore if the game you're recording is running in 480i or 1080i at 60 fields/second, I would suggest learning how to deinterlace in your video editor and then render the video at 60frames/second and seeing if the look satisfies you. Interpolating the frames I feel should be a last resort. It's what I've done for my recordings but I'm stuck with rendering in 480p for now due to computer issues and 30fps looks much more jarring in 2D sprite-based games than in later 3D ones because of the former's reliance on flashing effects.

If you're upsizing/scaling, I would personally recommend some type of scaler to do it (you don't necessarily have to go spend $300 on an XRGB-Mini to get good results; there are plenty of scalers for a lower price that get the job done.) I haven't heard of the software for up/downscaling that DHoL mentioned, but his description of them preserving the clarity of the image reminds me of using Game Maker to upscale PNGs.

It seems like you got aspect ratio down in later parts. Personally I'm of the belief that aspect ratio should be preserved (or, if it has to be stretched, making the stretch nearly unnoticeable.)

Finally, if image clarity is important to you I would also suggest also learning how to color correct in your editing software. I saw that when Part 5 begins it's at night time before Speed Highway. The footage was so dark I had trouble making out details. And, if you want the cleanest, sharpest image for GameCube games, I suggest using component (YPbPr.) Component on the GameCube is tricky though since the cables are rare and very expensive. The best recommendation for someone on a budget (or if you generally don't want to spend hundreds on a video cable) is using component on the Wii. Technically the image isn't as good as the GC but the difference is so negligable that most people can't tell the difference just by looking at the screen. There are mods allowing connections to HDMI or Wii component cables coming about, so if you want to play on and record from an actual GameCube (which is what I'd personally prefer) I would look into that.

[HylianSith]

31 minutes ago, skull902 said:

Now, if I'm not mistaken, the Elgato Game Capture HD allows 480(i and p) capture at 60fps, so I don't quite think interpolating the frames would be necessary for a 720p video. Furthermore if the game you're recording is running in 480i or 1080i at 60 fields/second, I would suggest learning how to deinterlace in your video editor and then render the video at 60frames/second and seeing if the look satisfies you. Interpolating the frames I feel should be a last resort. It's what I've done for my recordings but I'm stuck with rendering in 480p for now due to computer issues and 30fps looks much more jarring in 2D sprite-based games than in later 3D ones because of the former's reliance on flashing effects.

If you're upsizing/scaling, I would personally recommend some type of scaler to do it (you don't necessarily have to go spend $300 on an XRGB-Mini to get good results; there are plenty of scalers for a lower price that get the job done.) I haven't heard of the software for up/downscaling that DHoL mentioned, but his description of them preserving the clarity of the image reminds me of using Game Maker to upscale PNGs.

It seems like you got aspect ratio down in later parts. Personally I'm of the belief that aspect ratio should be preserved (or, if it has to be stretched, making the stretch nearly unnoticeable.)

Finally, if image clarity is important to you I would also suggest also learning how to color correct in your editing software. I saw that when Part 5 begins it's at night time before Speed Highway. The footage was so dark I had trouble making out details. And, if you want the cleanest, sharpest image for GameCube games, I suggest using component (YPbPr.) Component on the GameCube is tricky though since the cables are rare and very expensive. The best recommendation for someone on a budget (or if you generally don't want to spend hundreds on a video cable) is using component on the Wii. Technically the image isn't as good as the GC but the difference is so negligable that most people can't tell the difference just by looking at the screen. There are mods allowing connections to HDMI or Wii component cables coming about, so if you want to play on and record from an actual GameCube (which is what I'd personally prefer) I would look into that.

Thanks for the feedback.  I am in fact using Nintendo branded component cables for my recording.  The video editor right now that I'm using is Windows Movie Maker, as that is the most affordable option for me at this point.  So I honestly have no idea if it can do anything with deinterlacing.  But yeah, I'll try out your suggestions for when I do another gamecube game.

[skull902]

51 minutes ago, HylianSith said:

Thanks for the feedback.  I am in fact using Nintendo branded component cables for my recording.  The video editor right now that I'm using is Windows Movie Maker, as that is the most affordable option for me at this point.  So I honestly have no idea if it can do anything with deinterlacing.  But yeah, I'll try out your suggestions for when I do another gamecube game.

Are you sure you're not using composite (yellow, red, white) instead of component? After looking at the opening of Part 1 I didn't see a prompt come up asking if you want to play in progressive mode.

[HylianSith]

11 minutes ago, skull902 said:

Are you sure you're not using composite (yellow, red, white) instead of component? After looking at the opening of Part 1 I didn't see a prompt come up asking if you want to play in progressive mode.

Actually, I think I am using composite.  But I believe they are Nintendo branded cables, I'm just not sure which system they're originally from.  I use these cables for my NES, SNES, N64, and Gamecube.  Sorry, I get confused between Component and Composite.

[skull902]

39 minutes ago, HylianSith said:

Actually, I think I am using composite.  But I believe they are Nintendo branded cables, I'm just not sure which system they're originally from.  I use these cables for my NES, SNES, N64, and Gamecube.  Sorry, I get confused between Component and Composite.

Yup, that would be composite alright.

Component has a red, green, and blue cable for video in addition to the red and white cables for audio.

This is what the GC component cables look like. Most other ones include the audio cables but for the GC, you use the audio from the composite or S-Video plugs. These are very rare and there are no third-party options unfortunately, due to a chip inside the connector that converts the digital video signal to analog.

[HylianSith]

1 hour ago, skull902 said:

Yup, that would be composite alright.

Component has a red, green, and blue cable for video in addition to the red and white cables for audio.

This is what the GC component cables look like. Most other ones include the audio cables but for the GC, you use the audio from the composite or S-Video plugs. These are very rare and there are no third-party options unfortunately, due to a chip inside the connector that converts the digital video signal to analog.

Yeah I've heard they're pretty rare.  I may actually have other component cables laying around come to think of it.  I had some for my Xbox360 that had multiple plugins and were red, blue, green, white, and yellow.  I'll have to see if it would work for my GC as well.

[skull902]

23 minutes ago, HylianSith said:

Yeah I've heard they're pretty rare.  I may actually have other component cables laying around come to think of it.  I had some for my Xbox360 that had multiple plugins and were red, blue, green, white, and yellow.  I'll have to see if it would work for my GC as well.

Let me stop you right there. While that would be awesome, it won't work. If Microsoft actually did make the plug compatible with the GameCube I'm sure Nintendo would've rounded up a team of lawyers and taken them to court.

Unfortunately, the only option for the GC without looking into one of the mods is Nintendo's proprietary cable. The Wii really is the best option if you don't want to mod your console or spend loads of cash.

[HylianSith]

12 minutes ago, skull902 said:

Let me stop you right there. While that would be awesome, it won't work. If Microsoft actually did make the plug compatible with the GameCube I'm sure Nintendo would've rounded up a team of lawyers and taken them to court.

Unfortunately, the only option for the GC without looking into one of the mods is Nintendo's proprietary cable. The Wii really is the best option if you don't want to mod your console or spend loads of cash.

Yeah.  Actually I just looked at the cable, and it is an off-brand cable that works for PSOne, PS Two, and all the xbox consoles, just none of Nintendo's consoles.  I don't have access to a Wii at the present moment (it's a long story), so Gamecube is the best I have.  

[skull902]

8 minutes ago, HylianSith said:

Yeah.  Actually I just looked at the cable, and it is an off-brand cable that works for PSOne, PS Two, and all the xbox consoles, just none of Nintendo's consoles.  I don't have access to a Wii at the present moment (it's a long story), so Gamecube is the best I have.  

In that case I would look for an S-Video cable if your TV supports it. Not that I know what your long story about it is but if for whatever reason you need a new Wii, the model number for GC-compatible ones is RVL-001. Hope that helps.

[HylianSith]

5 minutes ago, skull902 said:

In that case I would look for an S-Video cable if your TV supports it. Not that I know what your long story about it is but if for whatever reason you need a new Wii, the model number for GC-compatible ones is RVL-001. Hope that helps.

Yeah my local retro game store has an original GC compatible Wii for $50.  That might just be the easiest way for me to get the quality I want.

[skull902]

9 minutes ago, HylianSith said:

Yeah my local retro game store has an original GC compatible Wii for $50.  That might just be the easiest way for me to get the quality I want.

From everything I've heard about GameCube in 480p, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Here's a list of GC games that run in 480p, as well as ones that have a native widescreen mode.

[HylianSith]

2 minutes ago, skull902 said:

From everything I've heard about GameCube in 480p, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Here's a list of GC games that run in 480p, as well as ones that have a native widescreen mode.

Yeah just about every game I own are a part of the 480p list.  Thanks!