Showing posts with label resource. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resource. Show all posts
I installed and built this Silkroad Online website toplist site a long time ago and it never really took off. I also haven't ever marketed it or posted about it either tho. So here is my lame attempt to catch up on some backlogged work.
The point is to give your small site some exposure and a directory of sorts at the same time. I'm looking for bloggers, small forums, guild/clan sites and information/build tool sites to make a banner and sign up. The topsite then gives you a link to post at your site. If it's in the top 3 (for now, 5 later) then your banner will show up, giving you some free advertising. The people who are doing the looking/voting are also being exposed to everyone else's website and everyone gets a little more exposure than they had before. I keep the sites clean and make sure there aren't weird porn sites or malicious sites getting posted. Also, your site doesnt have to be about Silkroad, just gaming in general is fine.
Ill also be setting up an affiliate/partner box so if any other topsite owners want to exchange banners or links, just send me a message via the contact box here on the blog or on the Topsite itself.
The point is to give your small site some exposure and a directory of sorts at the same time. I'm looking for bloggers, small forums, guild/clan sites and information/build tool sites to make a banner and sign up. The topsite then gives you a link to post at your site. If it's in the top 3 (for now, 5 later) then your banner will show up, giving you some free advertising. The people who are doing the looking/voting are also being exposed to everyone else's website and everyone gets a little more exposure than they had before. I keep the sites clean and make sure there aren't weird porn sites or malicious sites getting posted. Also, your site doesnt have to be about Silkroad, just gaming in general is fine.
Ill also be setting up an affiliate/partner box so if any other topsite owners want to exchange banners or links, just send me a message via the contact box here on the blog or on the Topsite itself.
It was a pretty big shock for us all when we saw that nivlaM.com, a true staple of Silkroad Online resources, was closing down. Noobs everywhere were in a panic! "How will we know how much SP to farm!!!" I even wrote to Malvin, the owner, right away and asked for the files straight up. I kinda figured that wouldnt work.
It didnt.
But the next day, up on his website, he posted a notice that said: All good things must come to an end. Want the source to nivlam.com? Buy me a bottle of this. I'm serious. "This" was a bottle of rare Belgium beer. I dont drink so I had no idea even where to look, but thankfully, one of our forum members, PileOfMush, did know. He had that beer on it's way within the day and SUPRISE, he got the files. He passed them on to our resident boy wonder genius Cruor and VIOLA!! We have....
We of course added our own touches and the resources we already had like Cruor's emblem bank and the SRO Google map project that he had been working on with PileOfMush. I think that if you add that up with our wiki and everything else, we have a nice little batch of resources. Enjoy!
It didnt.
But the next day, up on his website, he posted a notice that said: All good things must come to an end. Want the source to nivlam.com? Buy me a bottle of this. I'm serious. "This" was a bottle of rare Belgium beer. I dont drink so I had no idea even where to look, but thankfully, one of our forum members, PileOfMush, did know. He had that beer on it's way within the day and SUPRISE, he got the files. He passed them on to our resident boy wonder genius Cruor and VIOLA!! We have....
We of course added our own touches and the resources we already had like Cruor's emblem bank and the SRO Google map project that he had been working on with PileOfMush. I think that if you add that up with our wiki and everything else, we have a nice little batch of resources. Enjoy!
Venus needs more legit players! WAY more. We are currently the largest organized group of legit players on Silkroad Online but we are always in need of more. If you are legit, willing to reroll and would like to join a unique organization, check out this page:
Come To Venus
There are currently three active unions full of members on this server and a forth one is just filling up. Right now is the perfect time to switch if you are playing on another server, getting over run by botters and playing in a silent guild. On Venus, you can play Silkroad Online the way it was meant to be played, as a group! Make full, functioning parties, have people to talk to and form a community with. We have plenty of jobbing, wars and the bi monthly fortress war is fun for everyone of any level because both forts are legit controlled.
Silkroad Online is not a game about silence and being AFK. Its an online community of people have a good time playing the way a game was meant to be played, by hand. Check out our page and hopefully, we can add you to the growing number of people that are no longer willing to let botters control the way we play. Take charge and be legit.
Silkroad Online is not a game about silence and being AFK. Its an online community of people have a good time playing the way a game was meant to be played, by hand. Check out our page and hopefully, we can add you to the growing number of people that are no longer willing to let botters control the way we play. Take charge and be legit.
Video Making Guide (revised)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
•
general gaming,
guide,
resource,
video
•
2
comments
A lot of people want information about making videos about games. So here are some resources and information.
WeGame
By far my highest recommendation. I have been using WeGame since it started almost and have always been impressed with their quality and functionality. Not only can you film in HD quality, but they have a downloadable recorder that rivals anyone elses. They combine recorder and hosting site to perfection.
XFire
I have it, but I dont use it. (user name: nightbloom) You can record movies and upload them in high quality along with social features such as live chat, screenshots, etc... You can only upload XFire videos tho, so I put it below WeGame as far as functionality goes.
FRAPS
You can use fraps for free, but it only records 30 seconds at a time. You can do a lot with 30 seconds, you'd be amazed. It's $37 if you want to buy it and record as long as you like. TIP: Start FRAPS before you start SRO and it will work. If you try to start it after you load the game, then it wont record because GG blocks it for some reason.
Gamecam
Lesser known but prolly just as good. I havent ever personally used it, but I know many people who have. Cheaper than FRAPS, you can buy the full version for $24.95 or a Lite version for $9.95 which can be upgraded whenever you wanna. I cant tell if it has a trial period, but Im sure it does. Has a cool watermark that can be added to vids.
ZD Soft Game Recorder
Purported to not lag like the first two, this is an even lesser known program. Many FPS users seem to like it. It's the most expensive at $39 but like I said, its supposed to have the least impact on your gaming while using it.
CamStudio
OMG IT'S FREE. Yes ppl, free. This is the most basic recording software there is. It isnt tied to a site, doesnt need special software, has no watermarks, is just a nice basic program.
EDITING: Putting it all together
Windows Movie Maker
Look in Accessories in your start menu and you probably already have this basic tool. Its not fancy but it will get the job done and who knows? You might hate movie making! No sense in buying something straight off. This will edit and compress your movie for upload and is great for any beginner.
Sony Vegas
This is a paid program but it is the high end where Movie Maker is the freebie low end. Its complicated to learn at first but there are a lot of tuts out there to help you out. Its worth the time because it makes some lovely movies in the hands of creative ppl.
There are many, many, MANY editing programs to choose from. http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/ This site lists the top ones and links to buy them. Its all a matter of preference. If anyone has good ideas about free ones, feel free to post them.
DivX
Prolly the best codec for compression. When you save your vid in whatever program you use, there should be an option as to what type of compression you want. Ppl may disagree, Im not as knowledgeable on this part of the process, but I use DivX and it generally makes it small enough with good quality.
UPLOADING: Share it with the world
YouTube
Easily the most widely used vid sharing site with a handy link from SilkRoad Online's main site to give added exposure. You can make your own little movie sharing site with a semi customizable URL even. [url="http://www.youtube.com/nightbloomingvids"]www.youtube.com/nightbloomingvids[/url] This is mine and the possibilities are endless. All videos uploaded to YouTube have a 100MB file size limit. The longer the video is, the more compression will be required to fit it into that size. For that reason, most videos on YouTube are under five minutes long and there is a 10-minute length limit for all videos.
Google Video
Has a bigger screen size as default but no where near as widely used. The site isnt very user friendly OR informational, I couldnt even find their vid size requirements!
WeGame
Again, easy to use. You can upload your videos from the recorder directly to this site without a problem. Their limits are 1 GB and/or 20 minutes so there is a large base to work from being twice the size of YouTube. They also specialize in machinima and HD vids.
This is a great little article that gives the basics on how to make a movie look good. I have learned from trial and error myself. =) Just push a lot of buttons, dont be afraid to try things and see what they do. My first movies were SO BAD.
In-game tips
Film in the highest possible vid setting. You dont want that fuzzy look when you upload because the compression is gonna take away a lot of your quality, so start right with high settings. Most in-game recorders give you the option to turn off sound and cursor, dont forget this. In game sounds suck. lol So does seeing the cursor. Most movies use music as the BG sounds anyways which you can add when editing.
Last and final tip: PVP/PVE MOVIES ARE BORING!
Ppl.. please. No one wants to watch you train or fight noobs. If I start a movie and the first thing I see is someone buffing, bye bye. Try to find a REASON to make a movie, explore the available vids and see what other ppl have done before you and let that inspire you!
- Programs
WeGame
By far my highest recommendation. I have been using WeGame since it started almost and have always been impressed with their quality and functionality. Not only can you film in HD quality, but they have a downloadable recorder that rivals anyone elses. They combine recorder and hosting site to perfection.
XFire
I have it, but I dont use it. (user name: nightbloom) You can record movies and upload them in high quality along with social features such as live chat, screenshots, etc... You can only upload XFire videos tho, so I put it below WeGame as far as functionality goes.
FRAPS
You can use fraps for free, but it only records 30 seconds at a time. You can do a lot with 30 seconds, you'd be amazed. It's $37 if you want to buy it and record as long as you like. TIP: Start FRAPS before you start SRO and it will work. If you try to start it after you load the game, then it wont record because GG blocks it for some reason.
Gamecam
Lesser known but prolly just as good. I havent ever personally used it, but I know many people who have. Cheaper than FRAPS, you can buy the full version for $24.95 or a Lite version for $9.95 which can be upgraded whenever you wanna. I cant tell if it has a trial period, but Im sure it does. Has a cool watermark that can be added to vids.
ZD Soft Game Recorder
Purported to not lag like the first two, this is an even lesser known program. Many FPS users seem to like it. It's the most expensive at $39 but like I said, its supposed to have the least impact on your gaming while using it.
CamStudio
OMG IT'S FREE. Yes ppl, free. This is the most basic recording software there is. It isnt tied to a site, doesnt need special software, has no watermarks, is just a nice basic program.
EDITING: Putting it all together
Windows Movie Maker
Look in Accessories in your start menu and you probably already have this basic tool. Its not fancy but it will get the job done and who knows? You might hate movie making! No sense in buying something straight off. This will edit and compress your movie for upload and is great for any beginner.
Sony Vegas
This is a paid program but it is the high end where Movie Maker is the freebie low end. Its complicated to learn at first but there are a lot of tuts out there to help you out. Its worth the time because it makes some lovely movies in the hands of creative ppl.
There are many, many, MANY editing programs to choose from. http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/ This site lists the top ones and links to buy them. Its all a matter of preference. If anyone has good ideas about free ones, feel free to post them.
- Sharing
DivX
Prolly the best codec for compression. When you save your vid in whatever program you use, there should be an option as to what type of compression you want. Ppl may disagree, Im not as knowledgeable on this part of the process, but I use DivX and it generally makes it small enough with good quality.
UPLOADING: Share it with the world
YouTube
Easily the most widely used vid sharing site with a handy link from SilkRoad Online's main site to give added exposure. You can make your own little movie sharing site with a semi customizable URL even. [url="http://www.youtube.com/nightbloomingvids"]www.youtube.com/nightbloomingvids[/url] This is mine and the possibilities are endless. All videos uploaded to YouTube have a 100MB file size limit. The longer the video is, the more compression will be required to fit it into that size. For that reason, most videos on YouTube are under five minutes long and there is a 10-minute length limit for all videos.
Google Video
Has a bigger screen size as default but no where near as widely used. The site isnt very user friendly OR informational, I couldnt even find their vid size requirements!
WeGame
Again, easy to use. You can upload your videos from the recorder directly to this site without a problem. Their limits are 1 GB and/or 20 minutes so there is a large base to work from being twice the size of YouTube. They also specialize in machinima and HD vids.
- TIPS
This is a great little article that gives the basics on how to make a movie look good. I have learned from trial and error myself. =) Just push a lot of buttons, dont be afraid to try things and see what they do. My first movies were SO BAD.
In-game tips
Film in the highest possible vid setting. You dont want that fuzzy look when you upload because the compression is gonna take away a lot of your quality, so start right with high settings. Most in-game recorders give you the option to turn off sound and cursor, dont forget this. In game sounds suck. lol So does seeing the cursor. Most movies use music as the BG sounds anyways which you can add when editing.
Last and final tip: PVP/PVE MOVIES ARE BORING!
Ppl.. please. No one wants to watch you train or fight noobs. If I start a movie and the first thing I see is someone buffing, bye bye. Try to find a REASON to make a movie, explore the available vids and see what other ppl have done before you and let that inspire you!
Yet another IGL Service
Thursday, January 01, 2009
•
resource,
silkroad online,
site news
•
0
comments
I am pretty proud of this one. I did it all myself. From the MySQL database, the subdomain, the installation and the skin (not much to do there tho). It was some major work tho.
SilkRoad Trader
This is a place to buy and sell your SilkRoad Online goods. Gears, weapons, wolves, tablets, etc. You can also advertise your guild. The listings are completely searchable and sortable. I'm hoping that people outside of the Confederation use it. It has it's own login seperate and should really have its own domain, but I havent thought that far ahead yet. Its still kinda beta-ish. Ayways, I hope you enjoy this new addition. Go make some money offline why doncha!
Media Center Unveiled
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
•
resource,
silkroad online,
site news
•
0
comments
Well yeah, its done. I wanted to make a download center for my website to distribute the various renders and fantkits I have collected over the years. I had them all in my MediaFire account but then, due to events outside my control, I had to make them all private. I didnt want to have to download them and reup them somewhere else, make a new thread, organize them and post them all. SO I decided to go look for a nice download center script. I found a nice one at RedGalaxy and got it all installed. That is the easy part.
Skinning, my worst nightmare, is next. Oh it makes my brain ache just thinking about it. I messed it up, over and over, Fly came and helped me till he had to go to bed, then I accidentally uploaded the wrong file and completely destroyed all the hard work I had done. ARGHHH! Trying to fix it, I accidentally overwrote the index page of IGL. DOUBLE ARGHHH! I sent Fly some frantic, late night text messages, which of course he slept through. So I went to Cruor and asked if he had a backup of the main page. He didnt but fixed it in ten seconds. *whew* He also spent 30 minutes skinning the Media Center. <3 Media Center
Skinning, my worst nightmare, is next. Oh it makes my brain ache just thinking about it. I messed it up, over and over, Fly came and helped me till he had to go to bed, then I accidentally uploaded the wrong file and completely destroyed all the hard work I had done. ARGHHH! Trying to fix it, I accidentally overwrote the index page of IGL. DOUBLE ARGHHH! I sent Fly some frantic, late night text messages, which of course he slept through. So I went to Cruor and asked if he had a backup of the main page. He didnt but fixed it in ten seconds. *whew* He also spent 30 minutes skinning the Media Center. <3 Media Center
Whew! Just when I think im done....
Sunday, November 30, 2008
•
general gaming,
resource,
site news,
video
•
0
comments
Work is progressing on the forum. I hand coded a new post bit (technical for where your avatar goes) and I think I did a pretty good job. Im getting better, slowly learning how the whole thing works and how to fix things. I had installed something else and had to change the div tag and thought, "Hmmmm I wonder if that would work here..." and yeah, it did nicely.
I was using a trial version for the video library to see if I wanted to pay real money for the pro mod but decided against it and installed a different one. Its not as pretty but it has all the same functionality so it will work beautifully. I have all the links already and Im gonna have to learn how to write new api's for it so that I can upload more types of videos, like WeGame. Everyone is screaming for that one cause they have high def recording and playback. I havent made a movie in a long time....
I should tho. Too busy atm.
Anyways, this is just a heads up. Ill back to betas when I have some time. I havent really heard of any new ones that peak my interest but I havent looked either. ><
I was using a trial version for the video library to see if I wanted to pay real money for the pro mod but decided against it and installed a different one. Its not as pretty but it has all the same functionality so it will work beautifully. I have all the links already and Im gonna have to learn how to write new api's for it so that I can upload more types of videos, like WeGame. Everyone is screaming for that one cause they have high def recording and playback. I havent made a movie in a long time....
I should tho. Too busy atm.
Anyways, this is just a heads up. Ill back to betas when I have some time. I havent really heard of any new ones that peak my interest but I havent looked either. ><
So.. the wiki is finally fully functional.
I am so glad to see that back up and functional. I did a lot of work in there and a lot my guild mates and union mates did as well. I think the biggest contribution came from DarkAshlin and Pi tho and they are both hardcore legit players.
You know, adversity makes you really get a clear look at people. Some you know about but others that just take you by complete surprise. People that I had thought were my friends turned out not to be and others that I thought werent turned out to be very supportive. I could survive with Fly alone but its nice to know I have some good and loyal people out there are arent just decent for gain. Id like to thank Fly, Corrupt, Guardia and everyone else that gave me that support. Without you guys to lean against, i would have been down and out a long time ago. Its funny how many people say you cant have real friendships online...
To everyone coming here to find some kind of explanation. You wont get it. I walked away. I didnt accuse anyone of anything, I just walked off and let them have it. I needed my own space and my own site that belonged only to me. I am good at building sites. Despite the accusations, Fly and I made IGL alone. Cruor came to install his creations after it was all up and running. He fixed a couple things... He always does. That brilliant kid is amazing to me. To anyone with an ounce of reason reading this... Why do you think that THC is standing alone at SRA and everyone else who ever really put in an ounce of effort there is working over here now?
So Im gonna have to make a blog roll now to get all the new sites listed. Im becoming a one woman network of websites. I also downloaded a brand new beta that I havent had time to play, but i will tonight because I think that Corrpt is gonna start it and test it with me. Its a new Chinese import called XN Online.
I am so glad to see that back up and functional. I did a lot of work in there and a lot my guild mates and union mates did as well. I think the biggest contribution came from DarkAshlin and Pi tho and they are both hardcore legit players.
You know, adversity makes you really get a clear look at people. Some you know about but others that just take you by complete surprise. People that I had thought were my friends turned out not to be and others that I thought werent turned out to be very supportive. I could survive with Fly alone but its nice to know I have some good and loyal people out there are arent just decent for gain. Id like to thank Fly, Corrupt, Guardia and everyone else that gave me that support. Without you guys to lean against, i would have been down and out a long time ago. Its funny how many people say you cant have real friendships online...
To everyone coming here to find some kind of explanation. You wont get it. I walked away. I didnt accuse anyone of anything, I just walked off and let them have it. I needed my own space and my own site that belonged only to me. I am good at building sites. Despite the accusations, Fly and I made IGL alone. Cruor came to install his creations after it was all up and running. He fixed a couple things... He always does. That brilliant kid is amazing to me. To anyone with an ounce of reason reading this... Why do you think that THC is standing alone at SRA and everyone else who ever really put in an ounce of effort there is working over here now?
So Im gonna have to make a blog roll now to get all the new sites listed. Im becoming a one woman network of websites. I also downloaded a brand new beta that I havent had time to play, but i will tonight because I think that Corrpt is gonna start it and test it with me. Its a new Chinese import called XN Online.
