Game does NOT play videos (.mov) after the game is installed ?

[Jeff]

Can you email me an example mfa and mov file?

Then I can see how your trying to play the file. This does work in mmf so I am sure I can spot the problem in seconds

[puzzele]

Here is the latest:

I FINALLY was able to have MMF2 play the video file clip on 2 different computers. How? I converted it to .mpg. That is the ONLY thing I did different. Hence, it seems to me that .mov and .avi simply do NOT work well in MMF2 since the ONLY thing I changed was the format of the video. I changed nothing else and now suddenly it works.

Secondly, MMF2 seems to even have bugs when using a video in .mpg. Here are the 2 bugs I found:

1. MMF2 does NOT display the .mpg video. It just shows the 'mpg' icon in the box. However, when you save your MMF2 creation as an .exe or create an installer, the .mpg does does play properly. But again, you cannot view the .mpg video inside MMF2 (unlike a .mov file that you can view inside MMF2 -- but as noted previously -- a .mov file doesn't play properly on lots of computers so I wouldn't bother using it).

2. MMF2 does NOT allow you to 'move' the .mpg video. For example, insert a .mpg video into MMF2 and then try and have the video simply move across the screen. (I do this normally by clicking on the .mpg/graphic, clicking on properties, click on "movement" and then changing it from 'static' to path (where I create a small path of where I want it to move to). For whatever reason, MMF2 does NOT allow me to move .mpg files at all.


NOTE: I am a 100% novice... so there is a very good chance I'm doing some stuff wrong. I sincerely apologize for that. Nonetheless, I felt it appropriate to post the within message to advise others in case they are having the some problems. And if the bugs do exist, then hopefully this message will alert people so it can be fixed. But again.. I am indeed a schmuck and a total novice at MMF2. But seriously... it simply does NOT make sense to me why a .avi & .mov doesn't work.. but a .mpg does... or why a .mov can be viewed in MMF2 but a .mpg can't.

Hope this helps.

[lh37]

Like what Jacob said:

.mov is the problem. You need special codecs usually that sometimes you can get with installing Quicktime, but mostly they're only available for macs.

This is especially true and I would avoid using .mov in future. There are many video converters out there (or even using Windows Movie Maker) which can easily convert it from one file format to another. The DirectShow object is better suited (like Francois said) and that is dependent on DirectX on the user's PC which most users have installed anyway. Windows Media Video (*.wmv) would be a better option for Windows PCs, but isn't friendly if you was to port your app to another platform (eg. Java)

DirectShow supports MP3, MPEG, AVI, WMV, WMA and many others, providing the codecs are properly installed. I'd suggest experimenting with them.

2. MMF2 does NOT allow you to 'move' the .mpg video.

Try using the Active Direct Show object instead. I think this is better for moving around the screen, since it's "windowsless".

[MuddyMole]

Yep, definitely avoid .mov files. Avi is undoubtedly the way to go - you just need to be sure that data inside the .avi file is compressed using a mainstream codec (.avi itself is just a container format for data that may be compressed in many different ways).

[redhat39]

Like the original poster was asking I'd like to see some sort of tutorial or step-by-step instructions on how to insert videos into these games. I've tried for hours trying to get one simple video to work and all I get is a blank white screen. I know its something I'm doing wrong but with no help at all on how to insert videos I don't have any idea what to try next.

Thanks in advance for whoever is willing to step up with a tutorial like this.

[Danny]

redhat39 - use the DirectShow object that supports most formats such as AVI/MPEG. Use the load action then use the Play action to commence.

[lh37]

I'd like to see some sort of tutorial or step-by-step instructions on how to insert videos into these games.

Here you go. I've put together an example MFA with all the events commented (in the Event Editor) on how I would use MMF2 to insert a video using the DirectShow Object. I hope it helps everyone who's struggling.

Inserting Video Example: Video Tutorial.mfa

I've also listed the supported formats and some other advice regarding distributing the video as well as the program.

[danjo]

ive never had a problem. there is nothing wrong with mmf2 and video files.

[Francois]

MMF cannot include the dozens of different codes that exist. It does its best to play with what is available on the machine.
To play an AVI, just use the DirectShow object (or the Active Direct Show object). Also make sure that the codecs used by the video are installed on the machine (to do so, just open the Media Player on this video, if it plays it then it is OK). If the coded is not installed, do a search on Internet for "Windows Codec packs", you'll find good ones, install them it should work.

[Nifflas]

A good solution is to abandon every single video extension in MMF3. Just create one single new one that plays a single video format (ogg theora is a nice option, but there are others too) and build the codec into MMF3. Right now we unfortunately have five bad options (Direct Show, AVI, MPEG, QT, and VideoPro).