[CaptJosh]

Ok, so I decided to take a crack at converting the MVE files from my FS2 discs. I got the tools I needed, then copied the MVEs to my hard drive. I have managed a conversion of intro.mve that is...acceptable. It's better than the preconverted version I downloaded a while back, but I'm seeing some pixelation, but it's rather large. It's not as obvious in some parts of the converted file, but it's always there.

I was wondering if anyone had run into this before and if so, could you please give me some tips. I'm sure the first question is what program and what encoding did I use, so here's the answer in advance. After converting with MVE2AVI, I used VirtualDub and saved with the Xvid codec, having set it for highest quality.

EDIT: I changed screen res to look at it again in 1024x768 and it looked different. Pixelation still there, but it looked smaller than before. Not nearly as obvious.

[redmenace]

nm

[WMCoolmon]

There is a full set of AVIs available for download someplace, that seemed pretty good quality. There were two versions made...a somewhat crappy version, and then a more recent good version. I think the latter may have been by Sticks...not sure.

[CaptJosh]

I guess I've only found the semi-crappy older version.

The copy I made of the intro I cut off the garbage with those frames of that line of color at the beginning. I also had to cut off everything from frame 10336 on because the program wouldn't read it, but that was all extra black screen frames at the end, so no biggie. I just wish I knew why there was so much compression artifact when I set it for such high quality. OTOH, it did start out as a 4+GB uncompressed AVI after conversion and it's now only 446MB, so I don't know...Maybe I should try the DivX codec instead of the Xvid one...

[karajorma]

The first crappy version were mine and TurboNed made the improved versions by doing pretty much what I did but applying filters to the movie in VirtualDub.

Since I've got no idea what kind of arcane magic he did there I can't tell anyone how to repeat it. If you play the 4GB version you'll notice it's just as pixelated. It's something from the mve2avi process that is causing the problems.

The good versions are available here

[CaptJosh]

Actually, the link in that thread is broken.

[karajorma]

Yeah. Someone just posted to that effect on another thread. No real idea what I can do about it to be honest.

[CaptJosh]

I'll just play with it some, later. At the moment, at least I have something better than I started with. It's unfortunate that nobody has ever come up with a decoder for MVE that isn't Interplay's...

[taylor]

Originally posted by CaptJosh
It's unfortunate that nobody has ever come up with a decoder for MVE that isn't Interplay's...

Who said there isn't one?

[CaptJosh]

There isn't one available to the general public. And there certainly isn't one in FS2 Open. This led me to believe nobody had made a codec that could read MVE files except Interplay.

[taylor]

Originally posted by CaptJosh
There isn't one available to the general public.And there certainly isn't one in FS2 Open.

Yes there is, and, Yes there is.

The original decoder was written nearly 4 years ago (or more) but it was for non-Windows people who needed it for ports.  Windows people just didn't care about it and still don't for the most part.  There is also a stand alone player for Windows (if you can find it) plus nearly all major Linux and OS X open source media players support MVE now.  Just don't use Windows and you'll be happy with your movies.

[Fenrir]

If these open source codecs existed, why wasn't the SCP able to use 'em?

[taylor]

Originally posted by Fenrir
If these open source codecs existed, why wasn't the SCP able to use 'em?

A) Questionable lagality
B) SCP was largely a Windows oriented group and didn't know about it
C) The original decoder was for 8-bit and didn't support the 16-bit Freespace movies supported by a special FS capable version released to a smaller audience
D) It's technically difficult to support 3 platforms properly when one (windows) deviates in functionality in certain critical areas (audio and video)
E) All of the above

Take your pick, but "E" is the correct answer.

[CaptJosh]

Hey, I use Windows and Linux on the same machine here. Dual boot. I've just had a hard time with games under Linux in the past. Mainly due to video driver issues which I don't have anymore. I just wish I could get the CVS build of cedega I got to work. Maybe I need to run the DirectX installer in it...

Anyway, I'll try a Linux build of FS2O later. I don't have the time this morning.

[taylor]

Originally posted by CaptJosh
Anyway, I'll try a Linux build of FS2O later. I don't have the time this morning.

Just remember to get the official 3.6.7 tarball (from http://icculus.org/~taylor/fso/releases) to get that particular feature you're looking for.

[CaptJosh]

Thanks, Taylor. I'll check into that later today, probably. With SuSE linux 9.3 actually detecting my joystick as a joystick, it should be fairly straightforward to play, too. Though I might just get 10.0 first...

[CaptJosh]

Can't get this linux build to install. I get the following series of errors when trying to compile after running the configure script.

In file included from cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:33:
./sound/ds.h:174:20: error: AL/al.h: No such file or directory
./sound/ds.h:175:21: error: AL/alc.h: No such file or directory
./sound/ds.h:176:22: error: AL/alut.h: No such file or directory
./sound/ds.h:225: error: ‘ALuint’ does not name a type
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:65: error: ‘ALenum’ does not name a type
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:70: error: ‘ALuint’ does not name a type
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:71: error: ‘ALuint’ does not name a type
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:72: error: ‘ALuint’ does not name a type
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp: In function ‘void mve_audio_createbuf(ubyte, ubyte*)’:
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:248: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘format’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:248: error: ‘AL_INVALID’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:267: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘format’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:267: error: ‘AL_FORMAT_STEREO16’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:269: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘format’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:269: error: ‘AL_FORMAT_MONO16’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:273: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘format’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:273: error: ‘AL_FORMAT_STEREO8’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:275: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘format’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:275: error: ‘AL_FORMAT_MONO8’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:280: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘format’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:286: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:286: error: ‘alGenSources’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:290: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:290: error: ‘AL_GAIN’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:290: error: ‘alSourcef’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:291: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:291: error: ‘AL_POSITION’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:291: error: ‘alSource3f’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:292: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:292: error: ‘AL_VELOCITY’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:292: error: ‘alSource3f’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:293: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:293: error: ‘AL_DIRECTION’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:293: error: ‘alSource3f’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:294: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:294: error: ‘AL_ROLLOFF_FACTOR’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:294: error: ‘alSourcef’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:295: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:295: error: ‘AL_SOURCE_RELATIVE’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:295: error: ‘AL_TRUE’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:295: error: ‘alSourcei’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:297: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘audio_buffer’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:297: error: ‘ALuint’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp: In function ‘void mve_audio_play()’:
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:309: error: ‘ALint’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:309: error: expected `;' before ‘status’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:311: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:311: error: ‘AL_SOURCE_STATE’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:311: error: ‘status’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:311: error: ‘alGetSourcei’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:313: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:313: error: ‘AL_BUFFERS_QUEUED’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:313: error: ‘bqueued’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:313: error: ‘alGetSourcei’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:317: error: ‘status’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:317: error: ‘AL_PLAYING’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:317: error: ‘bqueued’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:318: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:318: error: ‘alSourcePlay’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp: In function ‘void mve_audio_stop()’:
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:329: error: ‘ALint’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:329: error: expected `;' before ‘p’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:333: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:333: error: ‘alSourceStop’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:334: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:334: error: ‘AL_BUFFERS_PROCESSED’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:334: error: ‘p’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:334: error: ‘alGetSourcei’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:335: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:335: error: ‘p’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:335: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘audio_buffer’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:335: error: ‘alSourceUnqueueBuffers’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:336: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘audio_buffer’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:336: error: ‘alDeleteBuffers’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:337: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:337: error: ‘alDeleteSources’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp: In function ‘int mve_audio_data(ubyte, ubyte*)’:
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:356: error: ‘ALint’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:356: error: expected `;' before ‘bprocessed’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:357: error: ‘ALuint’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:357: error: expected `;' before ‘bid’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:359: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:359: error: ‘AL_BUFFERS_PROCESSED’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:359: error: ‘bprocessed’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:359: error: ‘alGetSourcei’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:361: error: ‘bprocessed’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:362: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:362: error: ‘bid’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:362: error: ‘alSourceUnqueueBuffers’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:368: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:368: error: ‘AL_BUFFERS_QUEUED’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:368: error: ‘bqueued’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:368: error: ‘alGetSourcei’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:370: error: ‘bqueued’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:373: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:373: error: ‘AL_SOURCE_STATE’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:373: error: ‘status’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:373: error: ‘alGetSourcei’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:375: error: ‘status’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:375: error: ‘AL_PLAYING’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:375: error: ‘bqueued’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:376: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:376: error: ‘alSourcePlay’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:379: error: ‘bqueued’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:403: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘audio_buffer’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:404: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘audio_buffer’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:404: error: ‘alGenBuffers’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:407: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘audio_buffer’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:407: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘format’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:407: error: ‘alBufferData’ was not declared in this scope
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:409: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘source_id’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:409: error: ‘struct MVE_AUDIO_T’ has no member named ‘audio_buffer’
cutscene/mveplayer.cpp:409: error: ‘alSourceQueueBuffers’ was not declared in this scope
make[1]: *** [mveplayer.o] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/jbelanger/fs2_open-3.6.7/code'
make: *** [install-recursive] Error 1

After that it terminates and nothing's been installed. I know I installed openAL on my SuSE install, so I don't know what's going on...

[Bobboau]

going to take a wild guess and say you don't have the openAL SDK installed.

[CaptJosh]

Probably not, as SuSE 10 does not come with the openAL-devel package. I guess I'll be hunting up an RPM...*sigh*

[CaptJosh]

I should correct myself on that earlier post. The CD isos of SuSE 10 don't come with it. I found an FTP source and was able to compile, but now I can't figure out what to do after that. I didn't find an install dir. Only an install-sh script and I don't know what to do with it, exactly. I know it wants a source file, a destination, etc. I'm also pretty sure I need to use mkinstalldirs to create my install directory, unless the fact that it didn't install from the make command means I still have a problem? Also, I didn't see anything about a launcher in any of the directories from the source.