ADDING new videos to the TV (small tutorial)

[batte]

I read the thread by Bladeghost (nice work, man) on how to add new songs to the jukebox recently and got a bit inspired. So i figured I'd write my own tutorial on how to add new videos/channels to the TV. Perhaps not as popular as adding new songs, but since people already are customizing the roadhouse and it took me an hour or two too figure out how to do it I thought it might intrest people. So to the guide:

As with case in adding new songs you'll need an unpacker, like winrar, to open the .pk4 files. In addition you'll also need a ROQ-converter to convert your videofile to the ROQ-format, since the videofile used by the game is in that format (unless you have a earlier recorded video-file from games like quake or doom3 which have the .roq format). I used the freeware program Switchblade 3.12 for this. You also might need a videoediting program like Virtualdub to edit your video so you can correctly convert it to .roq. More on this can be read in the instructions provided by the converter program.

When adding new channels/videos to the TV there is 3 files you'll be working with:

1)Your video file
Create a folder named "video" in the base folder of Prey
Now here comes the tricky part of the guide. You need to convert your videofile you want to use to the .roq format. Depending on wich program you use this part will be diffrent but there are some things you should think of:
*Try not to make your video exceed the dimensions 640x480 since that's the dimension of the TV as it seems. It may still work with larger dimensions, because the program seems to resize the video to fit the TV, but you will be working with a big .roq-file so lets not do that, oki?
*I may be hard to find a converter which can convert video-files using special codecs like Xvid and similar, so try to avoid such files. But if you find a converter that can do it make sure to let me know!
When you finally converted your videofile put the ROQ-file in the video folder you previously created. Name it whatever you want, as long as you remember the name.

The next file you'll be working with is
2)video.mtr
Create a folder named "materials" in the base folder of Prey
Open the file pak000.pk4 located in the base folder, find the materials folder and extract the file video.mtr from it to your newly created "materials" folder
Open video.mtr with notepad
For every channel you want to add copy the following into video.mtr

video/tv/channelx {
qer_editorimage textures/editor/video.tga
translucent {
videomap loop "video/your_videofile_name_here.roq"
linear
}
}

where x stands for the number of your channel starting from 4 (since the channels 1,2 and 3 already exists).

The last file you'll be working with is
3)tv.gui
In the base folder create the folder "guis" with the subfolder "roadhouse".
Now open once more the pak000.pk4 from earlier and extract the file tv.gui found in guis/roadhouse and put it in your newly created subfolder "roadhouse".
Open tv.gui with notepad
Scroll down to the line where it says (Ctrl+F, if you cant find it):
float ch3reset 0

For every channel you want to add, write the following beneath this:

float chxreset 0

where x stands for the number of your channel starting from 4 (since the channels 1,2 and 3 already exists).

Then scroll further down to:
else if ("desktop::channel" == 3) {

Change the number 3 on this line to the last number of your channels from earlier in the video.mtr file. In the example when you only add one channel this number should therefore be 4.
Now make room on the line above this line and for every channel you want to add, write the following (you could copy, paste and edit from the else if-block from above if you want it to look better):

else if ("desktop::channel" == x-1) {
set "desktop::channel" "x" ;
set "ChannelNumber::text" "any_number_you_want_here";
if ("desktop::news" == 0) {
set "AllChannels::background" "video/tv/channelx" ;
if ("AllChannels::chxreset" == 0) {
resetCinematics ; // Reset cinematics once, then let them loop
set "AllChannels::chxreset" "1" ;
}
}
}

where x stands for the number of your channel starting from 4 (since the channels 1,2 and 3 already exists).

Voila! Now you should be good to go!
If you done everything correctly your base folder should contain the following files

/materials/video.mtr
/video/your_videos_filename.roq
/guis/roadhouse/tv.gui

and you should be able to se your video on the TV in the roadhouse

I'll be happy to answer any questions or comments here.
Since this is the first time I'm writing a tutorial I'm expecting a lot of misunderstanding from my guide so, dont be afraid to ask if things dont work out!

Good luck!

[Bladeghost]

I'd like to be Watching some music videos in the bar.

Good Stuff!

I'm wondering if the TV can show a camera view?
not that that matters, more tunes,with visuals is ok fine. lol ......./_\


I'll bet the poker and slot machines are going to be next.
maybe,
ah and maybe a pool table and dart board. hmm
Good post Batte,
now I'm getting new ideas.
Modding is sometimes more fun than playing the game really.

Keep Rockin!

Sweet, I wonder what I will be watching

[batte]

Bladeghost:
Yeah I guess the poker and slot machines are next
The pool table idé sounds exciting. Then you could replace the wrench with a cue, with a swing attack on normal-fire and a billiard-poke-move on alt-fire, which could be used to play on the pool table and then of course to blind opponents.

Your completly right! Many times modding is more fun than playing the game. I guess thats a hazard with programming...