Recording Info Recording xtrekrc resources Resource Type Default Meaning ---------- ------ -------------- -------------------------------------- recordGame Bool off Record game recordFile String noFileName.trk Record filename maxRecord Int 0 Max. bytes to record, 0 for unlimited recordIndiv Bool off Record indvidual (personal) messages confirmOverwrite Bool on Confirm before overwriting existing file recordGame and recordFile can be overridden by command line arguments specifying either the record file or the playback file. If confirmOverwrite is on and you try to record over an existing file, you are given the option of overwriting it, disabling the recorder, or specifying a new record filename. It's easy to forget which flag you're using and accidently wipe out an existing recording while trying to view it, so using this option is reccommended. To record a game: Either set recordGame (and optionally recordFile) in your .xtrekrc or add the arguments: -R filename.trk to the command line. To make the recording compatible for viewing with the paradise client, add the -Z command line option (see Paradise Compatibility Mode below). The ` key can be used to toggle recording on and off during a game. If you are going to toggle recording off, make sure you wait at least a minute (maybe a few minutes to be safe): you need to get certain packets sent near the start that identify your slot and specify the server features or else things will be screwed up on playback. Toggling recording off and then turning it on a while later has unpredictable results. If you miss a player logging in, that player will appear to be 'Independant'. If someone changes teams you probably won't pick that up either. If you want the recording to look good, don't use this key except to stop recording. To playback a game: -F file.trk to playback the recording in "file.trk". If viewing a game recorded with the paradise client, enable the Paradise Compatibility Mode mentioned below. Playback controls: There's decent help available during playback, here it is again: Continuous Play Mode: Enter this mode with 'C'. Select the frames per second to use from 1-9, (0 is max speed). + and - increment/decrement the frames per second. Frame at a time Mode: Enter this mode with 'F'. The spacebar advances you a frame at a time through the recording. Scan Mode: Enter this mode with 'S'. You can scan for the next occurance of: Red, Yellow, Green Alert, or Death. Switch between modes by hitting that mode's key (C, F, S). P pauses, Q quits, ? gives help on a key. All commands work with upper/lower case (except + -). If there's a command you want to use which is stolen by the playback stuff (e.g. P), you'll have to remap it in your keymap. Compatibility bugs with paradise: Paradise doesn't support short packets version 11 (it uses 10), or the SHIP_CAP feature. If you don't record with paradise compatibility enabled, paradise playback will be screwed up badly (even then, the first ship may be messed up as viewed from paradise as it takes some time to tell the server to disable SHIP_CAP). Conversely, if you don't playback a paradise recording in the brmh client with paradise compatibility enabled, things will also be screwed up. Paradise Compatibility Mode: To enable paradise compatibility mode, add the flag "-Z" to your other client options. Use this mode when recording or for playback to have compatibility with the paradise client. This compatibility mode will: Use short packets version 10 instead of the current version 11. You may take a performance hit here if you play with fat UDP or with a lot of ploss. The improvements of version 11 over version 10, in Heiko's words: "Biggest improvements is if you play with fat UDP. Otherwise it's mostly good for playing with ploss. PS: makes a difference of ~5%." Disable the SHIP_CAP feature in the client. If you are recording while playing, the first ship still seems to use the SHIP_CAP feature, but after that it doesn't, so in paradise playback your first ship will look messed up but after that it will be fine. If you are observing then paradise playback will be fine once you lock onto a ship. Implementation: For compatiblity with paradise recordings and for simpliclity, an extra packet type 127 is recorded by the client when the screen is redrawn so that we know when to display the packet info during playback (also, some information about T/P status is recorded in the fake packet).