LFS Movie Maker - Copyright © 2004-2005 Ian Hardcastle aka peeps1980
The Bass audio library available from http://www.un4seen.com
Website: http://cgi.ihardcastle.free-online.co.uk/mm
Email: lfsmm@ihardcastle.free-online.co.uk
This software comes with no warranties of any kind.
By installing this software you agree that you do so at at your own risk and you accept full
responsibility for any damage caused by the use or installation of the software.
Myself or anyone involved in the making of LFS Movie Maker is not responsible for any damage
of any kind to your system including corrupted files, lost data or damage to hardware.
Contents:
Installation
Help
Key
Menus
Tools
Timeline
Properties Panel
Getting Started Wizard Panel
Effects Configuration Panel
Intro/Outro Sequence Panel
Using the Timeline
Installation:
- Ensure you have the latest patch for LFS, at the time of writing this document the current patch is H.
- Run LFSMM.exe from the installation directory.
- Complete the setup process when the settings form appears.
- Make sure you press apply to save the changes.
- You can now use LFS Movie Maker.
Help:
Below is the help for LFS Movie Maker. You can also access quick help tips for certain options by
clicking the (?) symbol where you see one.
Key:
- Node - A replay, camera, script, effect, sound etc..
- Cell - A single square on the timeline referenced by a column and row position.
- Column - A single line running vertically down the timeline.
- Row - A single line running horizontally across the timeline.
- Track - A single row of cells running horizontally across the timeline.
Menus:
- File:
- - Start New Movie - Resets LFS Movie Maker ready to start a new movie from scratch. You will lose all
unsaved work in the process.
- - Open Movie - Open a previously saved movie.
- - Save Movie - Save the movie you are currently working on.
- - Open Movies Folder - Opens the movies and screenshot folder
- - Exit LFS Movie Maker - Will close LFS Movie Maker down.
- Options:
- - Setup LFS Movie Maker - Opens the setup form where you can configure LFS Movie Maker.
- - Adjust LFS to Fit - If LFS fails to resize automatically when you run it from LFS Movie Make then you can
use this option to make LFS resize manually.
- - Reconnect LFS Movie Maker - If the connection times out between LFS Movie Maker and LFS for any
reason then select this to reconnect.
- - Un-Freeze Live for Speed - If LFS becomes locked as a result of going forward or backwards
through a replay then select this to unfreeze LFS and resume the replay.
- Movie:
- - Quick Preview - Plays back the replay from the beginning and only shows custom cameras and scripts.
- - Preview Movie - Plays back the replay in full as it would be if rendered. Effects won't be visible, only in the
rendered movie.
- - Debug Movie - Does no processing at all but when playing back the movie it displays all actions recognised in the
timeline on the Debug window. This option is a toggle option meaning you can turn it on and off
when required.
- - Render Movie - This records your finished movie into an avi.
- Tools:
- - Load Script Editor - Opens the script editor where you can create new or edit saved scripts to be
used in LFS Movie Maker.
- - Node Library - Opens a categorised list of all nodes on the timeline.
- - Screenshot - Takes a screenshot from LFS at the current camera and time position. This feature is usefull for
getting screen captures from custom camera positions. The screenshot size will be determined by the size of the
LFS window. The screenshot will be saved as a jpeg.
- Help:
- - LFS Movie Maker Help - Loads the help files for LFS Movie Maker
- - LFS Movie Maker Website - Loads the LFS Movie Maker website
- - Live for Speed Website - Loads the LFS webstite
- - Live for Speed Addons - Links to other LFS projects I have been involved in
- - BSKfr SteF Links - Links to projects by BSKfr SteF
- - About LFS Movie Maker - Shows the credits
Tools:
- - Quick Preview - Plays back the replay from the beginning and only shows custom cameras and scripts.
- - Preview Movie - Plays back the replay in full as it would be if rendered.
- - Debug Movie - Does no processing at all but when playing back the movie it displays all actions recognised in the
timeline on the Debug window. This option is a toggle option meaning you can turn it on and off
when required.
- - Render Movie - This records your finished movie into an avi.
- - Script Editor - Opens the script editor where you can create new or edit saved scripts to be
used in LFS Movie Maker.
- - Screenshot - Takes a screenshot from LFS at the current camera and time position. This feature is usefull for
getting screen captures from custom camera positions. The screenshot size will be determined by the size of the
LFS window. The screenshot will be saved as a jpeg.
- - Node Library - Opens a categorised list of all nodes on the timeline.
- - Setup LFS Movie Maker - Opens the setup form where you can configure LFS Movie Maker.
- - Adjust LFS to Fit - If LFS fails to resize automatically when you run it from LFS Movie Make then you can
use this option to make LFS resize manually.
- - Reconnect LFS Movie Maker - If the connection times out between LFS Movie Maker and LFS for any
reason then select this to reconnect.
- - Un-Freeze Live for Speed - If LFS becomes locked as a result of going forward or backwards
through a replay then select this to unfreeze LFS and resume the replay.
Timeline:
- Tracks - Lists any tracks you have added to the timeline. Tracks can be added at any time and are used to store
replays, cameras, scripts, effects, sounds and more. You can rename a track at any time to something
more appropriate like 'Replays' or 'Cameras' by simply double clicking on the name.
- Track Buttons:
- - Add Track - Use this to add a new track to the timeline.
- - Delete Track - Use this to delete the selected track. You cannot undo this once you delete a track. All nodes will
be lost aswell.
- - Move Track Up - You can use this to change the order of the tracks. This option moves the selected track up the
list.
- - Move Track Down - You can use this to change the order of the tracks. This option moves the selected track down
the list.
- - Lock Track - This will lock the selected track so you can't delete or edit any part of it.
- Timeline Buttons and Labels:
- - Set LFS Position - If you select a new cell on the timeline you can use this option to set LFS to the same position.
You can either make LFS go the selected position and play or go to the selected position and
pause.
- - Frame Label - Show the currently selected cell number.
- - STD/PAL/NTSC/LRG - Shows the recording format. You can adjust this in the settings.
- - 25fps - Shows the current frame rate. You can adjust this in the settings.
- - 0.00s - Shows the current replay time in seconds.
- - Last Action - Shows the last action performs for example; Last Action: Added new track
- Timeline Right Click Menu:
- - Edit, Cut - You can cut a selected node on the timeline to be pasted later.
- - Edit, Copy - You can copy a selected node on the timeline to be pasted later.
- - Edit, Paste - You can paste a cut, or copied node on the timeline providing there is sufficient room for it.
- - Add Replay - Adds a new replay node to the timeline. It is recommended that you allow LFS Movie Maker to
automatically extend the replay for you.
- - Add Camera - Adds a camera node to the timeline for creating custom camera shots.
- - Add Scripts - Adds a script node to the timeline. Scripts are used to perform camera movements not possible
by using the functions available in LFS.
- - Add Effect - Adds an effect to the timeline. Effects are used for applying image filters to the replay like blurs and
image enhancements.
- - Add Sound - Adds a sound node to the timeline. Sounds can be full songs or sound effects. Supported file types are
MP3, MP2, MP1, OGG, WAV, XM, IT, S3M, MOD, MTM, UMX, MO3.
- - Add Node - Lets you add a note to a node for reference purposes
- - Add Time Marker - Adds a marker to the timeline that can be used to mark an event or point in a song etc..
- - Add Replay Start - Marks the start point for a replay to start from.
- - Add Replay Stop - Adds a stop node to the timeline. This is used to tell LFS Movie Maker when to stop recording.
- - Add Camera Start Marker - Marks a camera as a starting point for a smooth camera movement
- - Add Camera Stop Marker - Marks a camera as a stop point for a smooth camera movement. LFSMM will tween the
motion between a start and stop marker automatically resulting in a smooth camera
movement.
- - Convert Selected Hot Moment to... - Will convert the selected Hot Moment into one of the chosen cameras from
the sub menu
- - Convert All Hot Moments to... - Will convert all Hot Moments into one of the chosen cameras from
the sub menu
- - Distribute Node, Selected Range - This is used to extend the duration of a node like cameras and effects. You can
use this to make cameras go to a position over a set time.
- - Distribute Node, To End or Next Node - This is used for effects only and allows you to duplicate the selected effect
very quicly accross the whole movie.
- - Delete - Deletes a node or nodes' extentions. You can select multiple cells at one to delete a number of nodes' cells.
- - Move LFS Here And.. Play - Same as the option on the timeline button.
- - Move LFS Here And.. Pause - Same as the option on the timeline button.
Properties Panel:
This area shows the properties for the nodes on the timeline. Most nodes have properties that you can adjust and any changes
you make are instantly updated.
- - Replay Properties - You can select a replay to use from a list, the list contains all Single and Multi Player replays. You can also
choose to do a Hot Moment scan on the selected replay.
- - Camera Properties - You can everything that you can adjust in LFS, this includes the position on the x,y,z axis, heading, pitch
and more.
- - Script Properties - You can select a script to use from a list. You can also choose to edit the script from the properties. You won't
be able to edit locked scripts.
- - Effect Properties - You can select an effect to use from a list. You adjust the effects properties you can use the Effects
Configurations panel on the right.
- - Sound Properties - You can browse for a sound file to use in your movie.
- - Replay Start Properties - You can select a replay that is on the timeline that the start node will attach to.
The rest of the nodes do not have properties but will still appear on the timeline.
Getting Started Wizard Panel:
This area is used to help you get started with LFS Movie Maker. It has a step by step guide to help you create your
first movie.
Effects Configuration Panel:
Use this area to configure any effects you add to your movie, you can also preview the effect before you render your
final movie.
Intro/Outro Sequence Panel:
Use this area to load in an intro or outro sequence created using the intro/outro sequence tool available from the
LFS Movie Maker website. The intro and outro sequences are added to the beginning and end of your movie just
like in a real movie.
Using the Timeline:
The timeline is split into tracks and cells, each track has a number of cells on it, the tracks run vertically down the timeline and the
cells run horizontally. Each cell represents a fraction of a second, this fraction depends on the frames per second you are
recording at. For example, if you are recording at 25fps, then each cell represents 0.04 seconds because there are 25 cells to
1 second of video. Each track has a name which is on the left, you can change this name by double click it.
If you want to know the current time or the number of cells selected then you can look at the Action Status Caption under
the timeline. This will also display other information that may be of use to you when making your movie.
Everything on the Timeline is controled by the Right Click Menu. When you right click on the timeline you will see a menu with all
of the controls on it.
The menu is fairly self explanitary, you have your cut,copy and paste options which allow you to manipulate the nodes on the
timeline. There are the New Node Options that add new node types to the timeline. There are the options for converting Hot
Moments to cameras and also the Distribute Node and Delete options.
The Distribute options allow you to copy a node over a number of cells, to do this select a node on the timeline and click and
drag it across a range, right click on the last selected cell in the range and select the distribute option you want. If you are
distributing an effect you can select to distribute the effect across the whole row or until it reaches another node on the track.
This is usefull if you don't want to copy the effect manually.
If you want a camera to perform an action over a duration, you can use the 'click and drag' then distribute option to set the timing.
You can see how many seconds the distribution will take up by looking at the Action Status under the timeline.
LFS Movie Maker has a feature called Camera Markers, when you add a camera and have it set up you can right click on it and
select Set Camera Start Marker, this will tell LFS Movie Maker that this camera is the start of a camera path. When you add
another camera further along the timeline you can select this as the Camera Stop Marker, LFS Movie Maker will automatically
tween the cameras making them move smoothly.
Another useful feature is the Time Markers, a time marker adds a new node to the timeline that can be used as a reference point in
time to mark an event or position in a song that you want to do something with etc... You can also add a Time Marker at any time
by pressing F9, this is useful for making markers while the replay is running. When you add a time marker for the first time
LFS Movie Maker will automatically add a new track to the timeline called Time Markers, any additional markers will be added on
this track.