A How-To for creating History-Files

What exactly are "history-files" ?

History-files are WinVice-internal data that allow you to record
your forthcoming in games - in picture and sound.
Later, you can watch these files like a movie, showing others
how you were able to make it in that game.

The immense benefeit against standard-video-files is, that these are mostly just 2-3 MB
big and thus, much easier to send via web oder email than large AVI- or MPEG-files.
However, for playing back you need the WinVice Emulator of the same version and
the game-file wherefrom this was created ("played"), otherwise most likely errors will occur.

How to create history-files:

First of all let's start the WinVice Emulator and load the
game wherefrom we want to do the record of.
For that, point to the upper bar of the Emulator-windwos and choose
"Autostart disk/tape image...", whereupon the following window appears:

Here we choose the folder in which our C64 games reside and select it (single click).
Normally, double-clicking the desired file then is enough here to load/start the game.
Should this fail, we use the directory in the lower area of the window to start
the game (double click the program name here).
If this does not start the game at all, the .D64-file is obviously damaged.
Try to obtain the game from another source or try to get a different version.

The game is now running.

Now we set the controls for the game:
Choose "settings" from the menu-bar.
A pull-down-menu opens, containing the "Joystick Settings". Open it.

Because the required joystick port varies at the orginial Commodore 64-games
(controlport one or two), we now have to choose from these two ports.
Anyhow, in the WinVice-emulator you just need to configure one single port.
That is, because you are able to switch the joystick "on the fly" in games by means
of a simple key-combination on your keyboard. So, configuring is not necessary
at every single game.But - more about that later.
If you have a joystick connected, simply choose it here, if not, you can
control the game via the keyboard.
Choose "Numpad + RCtrl" for that.

If you selected "Numpad + RCtrl", you can control the game easily
via the numeric key pad and the right CTRL-key.
The numberkeys control the movement and the CTRL-key is the fire-button.
Hint: you can choose your own control-keys by clicking the "Config Keyset"-buttons.
In the following window, just assign a key you like to any direction a joystick can move.

Now you should be able to play the game without any problems.
If the joystick does not seem to respond or the movement of th
controlled figure is wrong, you must change the joystick-port.
For this, as described above, you do not need to walk through the
"Joystick settings"-menu again, just press this simple key-combination:

Now for the recording:

If we want to save our progress in the game, we use the already mentioned "History"-function.

Therefore, again we use the upper menu bar. This time choose "Snapshot" and then select
"Select History files/directory" from the pull-down-menu.

A windows opens. Type the name you want to save your history file.

IMPORTANT:
It is a MUST to put "_start" at the end of the gamename,
otherwise the emulator will NOT recognize the file and NOT open it.
So all the recording work you do would be in vain!

After this, confirm with the "SAVE"-button.

Do the same with the second file, and don't foget
to append "_end".
The reason for this should be obvious.

Again, confirm with the "SAVE"-button.

Well, as the file is written now, you're almost done..
The only thing you have to do now, is to choose "Start/Stop Recordind History"
from the SNAPSHOT-menu and you are ready to go.

The game will then be recorded.

You can check that your recording is running by watching the
timer in the right lower corner of the emulator window.
When you start a recording, the timer starts to count.
While recording you can of course save your game, and, if necessary,
jump back to the last point of where you saved.

Don't worry about the final recording. You won't see any gaps in the
final video, neither from points of saving nor using them.
 

Use the following keys:

Whilst you can set a save-point with "ALT" + "G",
"ALT" + "H" easily brings you back to this saved point.




I recommend you to save your game in a "calm" moment, that is while loading,
or a display of text messages, where no joystick-movement or other inputs are required.

In Actiongames a good time to save is when you are in a "peaceful" area.
A good example is -Turrican-, where I used to save, when an end-of-level-foe
was defeated or I had the chance to stand some place no shot could hit me. 
 

Ending the recording

Okay, you finished your game and want to do the same with the recording.
For that, use "Snapshot" and click "Start/Stop Recording History" again,
that completes the recording.

To watch your movie, simple choose
"Snapshot / Start/Stop Playback History".
Now you can lean back, enjoy the show or give it to others to admire your work :)

For further questions use this thread in our forums. 

THANKS TO HTTP://WWW.C64-LONGPLAYS.DE FOR PLACING THIS TUTORIAL AT OUR DISPOSAL.

Show comments (0) - Add comments to this article: