Question / Help Need help setting up a local recording (not live streaming)...

[Gavin P.]

Hello, I am extremely new to this and have no prior experience with this cool techie stuff. So please use layman's terms.

What I am trying to do is create a CSGO tutorial video that I can save to my computer. I have no interest in live streaming. I want to be able to:
- make audio commentary while watching a CSGO demo
- supplement commentary by bringing up map overview pictures which I can draw on

I read through the Official Overview Guide and this is where I'm at:

- I created a scene titled "CSGO"
- I opened my CSGO game and started a previously recorded demo, then I minimized the application
- I created a source: Monitor Capture (when I select the Preview Stream button with this source selected it shows everything that is on my computer desktop monitor in The Preview Window. The Preview Window also displays this info in window inside a window to infinity....I'm not sure why it does this).
- I created a source: Game Capture (In the properties window I chose: Counter Strike Global Offensive)

Now when I check the "Monitor Capture" box in my Source window it shows my desktop, as mentioned above, but when I uncheck that box and check the "Game Capture" box in my Source window it just shows a black screen.

Can someone help me get this fixed and assist me in moving on to the next step? Any other info or links to tutorials for what I'm trying to do would be greatly appreciated as well! Thanks!

 

[dodgepong]

If CS:GO is minimized, it will not render. The game has to be open in order to render.

 

[Gavin P.]

I appreciate you replying to my question, however, I do not understand.

If my CSGO game is open (and not minimized), then my entire screen is filled with CSGO. How am I supposed to access and use OBS then? I can no longer see the OBS interface.

 

[dodgepong]

Get a second monitor, or run CS:GO in Windowed mode, or check that the output is working correctly by viewing the stream on a different device, or do a local recording to test and then view the video afterwards.

 

[Gavin P.]

Again, thanks for taking the time to reply.

When I run CSGO in Windowed mode, I am able to bring up the OBS interface in front of the CSGO window. However, then my OBS Preview Window shows everything appearing on my monitor - which is the OBS Interface in front of the CSGO game. And it still shows "picture within a picture" to infinity. How do I change this? What do I need to do to clearly view the CSGO demo playing so that I can edit it and add content & commentary?

Also, how do I do a local recording? Is there a tutorial for this? I need as many specific steps as possible as I'm very new and green to all of this. Thanks.

 

[dodgepong]

If you capture CS:GO with Window capture then you should only capture CS:GO itself, even if things are on top of it (assuming you're on Windows 8, or you're on Windows 7 and Aero is enabled. The same should be the case if you use Game Capture on CS:GO. Note that Window capture and Monitor capture should not be used to capture fullscreen games.

For local recording, I recommend following this guide: https://obsproject.com/forum/resources/how-to-make-high-quality-local-recordings.16/

 

[Gavin P.]

Thanks again for the help! Ok, I am making progress here! Part of the problem is that I'm on Windows 7 and Aero was disabled, so I fixed that and now I can view my CSGO game in the Preview Window of OBS.

I had previously read the guide you linked and I applied those settings. My question was more basic... What do I do to start a local recording? After some looking around I was able to figure it out.... I had to go to Broadcast Settings and change the Mode to File Output Only. I have a couple more questions/problems:

1) When I make a local recording of myself playing CSGO and then watch the recording, the recording is very laggy and jumps around. What can I do to fix this? I have attached 2 jpegs below so that you can see the settings I have selected.

2) Also, is there any way to bring up an image on OBS and then write on it? I figured out how to bring up an image in the Preview Window, but don't know how to write on it (like in Microsoft Paint). Is this possible?

Thanks again so much for the help!

 

[dodgepong]

1) Can you post your log? (Here's how)

2) Unfortunately, that's not possible at this time. There isn't a plugin for that, and the OBS preview can't pass mouse inputs to plugins as far as I know, so such a plugin won't be possible until the OBS rewrite.

 

[Gavin P.]

09:20:36: Open Broadcaster Software v0.625b - 32bit (´・ω・｀)
09:20:36: -------------------------------
09:20:36: CPU Name: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU  540  @ 3.07GHz
09:20:36: CPU Speed: 3066MHz
09:20:36: Physical Memory:  4095MB Total, 4095MB Free
09:20:36: stepping id: 5, model 37, family 6, type 0, extmodel 1, extfamily 0, HTT 1, logical cores 4, total cores 2
09:20:36: monitor 1: pos={0, 0}, size={1920, 1080}
09:20:36: Windows Version: 6.1 Build 7601 S
09:20:36: Aero is Enabled
09:20:36: -------------------------------
09:20:36: OBS Modules:
09:20:36: Base Address  Module
09:20:36: 011B0000  OBS.exe
09:20:36: 5A430000  OBSApi.dll
09:20:36: 5B160000  DShowPlugin.dll
09:20:36: 5A710000  GraphicsCapture.dll
09:20:36: 5B5C0000  NoiseGate.dll
09:20:36: 5A6F0000  PSVPlugin.dll
09:20:36: ------------------------------------------
09:20:36: Adapter 1
09:20:36:  Video Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770
09:20:36:  Video Adapter Dedicated Video Memory: 2087387136
09:20:36:  Video Adapter Shared System Memory: 2147807232
09:20:36:  Video Adapter Output 1: pos={0, 0}, size={1920, 1080}, attached=true
09:20:36: =====Stream Start: 2014-06-27, 09:20:36===============================================
09:20:36:  Multithreaded optimizations: On
09:20:36:  Base resolution: 1920x1080
09:20:36:  Output resolution: 1920x1080
09:20:36: ------------------------------------------
09:20:36: Loading up D3D10 on NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 (Adapter 1)...
09:20:36: ------------------------------------------
09:20:36: Audio Format: 48000 Hz
09:20:36: ------------------------------------------
09:20:36: Audio Channels: 2 Ch
09:20:36: Playback device Default
09:20:36: ------------------------------------------
09:20:36: Using desktop audio input: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
09:20:36: Global Audio time adjust: 0
09:20:36: ------------------------------------------
09:20:36: Using auxilary audio input: Microphone (Realtek High Definition Audio)
09:20:36: Mic time offset: 0
09:20:36: ------------------------------------------
09:20:36: Audio Encoding: AAC
09:20:36:  bitrate: 128
09:20:36: Using graphics capture
09:20:36: Trying to hook process: csgo.exe
09:20:36: Scene buffering time set to 700
09:20:36: Using custom x264 settings: "crf=15"
09:20:36: x264: VBV maxrate specified, but no bufsize, ignored
09:20:36: ------------------------------------------
09:20:36: Video Encoding: x264
09:20:36:  fps: 30
09:20:36:  width: 1920, height: 1080
09:20:36:  preset: veryfast
09:20:36:  profile: high
09:20:36:  keyint: 250
09:20:36:  CBR: no
09:20:36:  CFR: yes
09:20:36:  max bitrate: 1000
09:20:36:  buffer size: 0
09:20:36:  quality: 17
09:20:36: ------------------------------------------
09:20:36: SharedTexCapture hooked
09:22:03: Total frames encoded: 2592, total frames duplicated: 1195 (46.10%)
09:22:03: Number of frames skipped due to encoder lag: 1138 (43.90%)
09:22:03: Total frames rendered: 1470, number of late frames: 23 (1.56%) (it's okay for some frames to be late)
09:22:03:
09:22:03: Profiler time results:
09:22:03:
09:22:03: ==============================================================
09:22:03: video thread frame - [100%] [avg time: 2.372 ms] [children: 42.7%] [unaccounted: 57.3%]
09:22:03: | scene->Preprocess - [0.0843%] [avg time: 0.002 ms]
09:22:03: | GPU download and conversion - [42.6%] [avg time: 1.011 ms] [children: 37%] [unaccounted: 5.61%]
09:22:03: | | flush - [9.02%] [avg time: 0.214 ms]
09:22:03: | | CopyResource - [27.9%] [avg time: 0.662 ms]
09:22:03: | | conversion to 4:2:0 - [0.0843%] [avg time: 0.002 ms]
09:22:03: Convert444Thread - [100%] [avg time: 3.662 ms] [children: 99.4%] [unaccounted: 0.601%]
09:22:03: | Convert444toNV12 - [99.4%] [avg time: 3.64 ms]
09:22:03: encoder thread frame - [100%] [avg time: 18.147 ms] [children: 0.226%] [unaccounted: 99.8%]
09:22:03: | sending stuff out - [0.226%] [avg time: 0.041 ms]
09:22:03: ==============================================================
09:22:03:
09:22:03:
09:22:03: Profiler CPU results:
09:22:03:
09:22:03: ==============================================================
09:22:03: video thread frame - [cpu time: avg 0.509 ms, total 748.804 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
09:22:03: | scene->Preprocess - [cpu time: avg 0 ms, total 0 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
09:22:03: | GPU download and conversion - [cpu time: avg 0.159 ms, total 234.001 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
09:22:03: | | flush - [cpu time: avg 0.116 ms, total 171.601 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
09:22:03: | | CopyResource - [cpu time: avg 0.021 ms, total 31.2 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
09:22:03: | | conversion to 4:2:0 - [cpu time: avg 0 ms, total 0 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
09:22:03: Convert444Thread - [cpu time: avg 2.6 ms, total 3759.62 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
09:22:03: | Convert444toNV12 - [cpu time: avg 2.589 ms, total 3744.02 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
09:22:03: encoder thread frame - [cpu time: avg 2.993 ms, total 7753.25 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
09:22:03: | sending stuff out - [cpu time: avg 0.036 ms, total 93.6 ms] [avg calls per frame: 1]
09:22:03: ==============================================================
09:22:03:
09:22:03: =====Stream End: 2014-06-27, 09:22:03=================================================


Last game capture log:
2014-06-27, 09:20:36: we're booting up:
09:20:36: CaptureThread: attached to process csgo.exe
09:20:36: D3D9 Present
09:20:36: GL Present
09:20:36: (half life scientist) everything..  seems to be in order
09:20:36: D3D9EndScene called
09:20:36: D3DPRESENT_PARAMETERS {
09:20:36:    BackBufferWidth: 1920
09:20:36:    BackBufferHeight: 1080
09:20:36:    BackBufferFormat: D3DFMT_A8R8G8B8
09:20:36:    BackBufferCount: 1
09:20:36:    MultiSampleType: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
09:20:36:    MultiSampleQuality: 0
09:20:36:    SwapEffect: D3DSWAPEFFECT_DISCARD
09:20:36:    hDeviceWindow: 197320
09:20:36:    Windowed: true
09:20:36:    EnableAutoDepthStencil: true
09:20:36:    AutoDepthStencilFormat: D3DFMT_D24S8
09:20:36:    Flags: None
09:20:36:    FullScreen_RefreshRateInHz: 0
09:20:36:    PresentationInterval: 2147483648
09:20:36: };
09:20:36: successfully set up d3d9 hooks
09:20:36: D3D9Present called
09:20:36: DoD3D9GPUHook: success
09:20:36: D3DSURFACE_DESC {
09:20:36:    Format: D3DFMT_A8R8G8B8
09:20:36:    Type: D3DRTYPE_SURFACE
09:20:36:    Usage: D3DUSAGE_RENDERTARGET
09:20:36:    Pool: D3DPOOL_DEFAULT
09:20:36:    MultiSampleType: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
09:20:36:    MultiSampleQuality: 0
09:20:36:    Width: 1920
09:20:36:    Height: 1080
09:20:36: };
09:20:36: successfully capturing d3d9 frames via GPU
09:22:03: ---------------------- Cleared D3D9 Capture ----------------------
09:22:03: D3D9EndScene called
09:22:03: D3D9Present called

 

[Gavin P.]

Ok, i posted my log above. I'm not sure if I did it exactly right. I didn't understand the code brackets instruction. After pasting it, I just selected the "Use BB Code Editor" button at the top, that's the only button I could find that looked similar to the instructions. Please let me know if I need to do something differently.

As for my recording. The audio portion of the recording seems to be fine with no lag. It is the video portion that will lag and/or freeze and then "catch up" several seconds later.

I also noticed I received a couple red warning messages during the recording at the bottom of the OBS screen that said something like "WARNING: Taking Too Long."

Your help is greatly appreciated!! I really want to get this fixed! Thanks!

 

[ShishKebab]

If you want to write on an image, try a window capture of Microsoft Paint, or your preferred drawing software.
You could use two scenes to switch between game and drawing.
You'll really like this: If you set the background of your drawing to bright green or something you won't use, you could set the window capture properties of your drawing software to use a chroma key of that color in OBS, so you could draw right over the game screen =D

 

[dodgepong]

Your CPU is not powerful enough to record at 1080p. You need to downscale your resolution to 720p or 540p. That is what is causing the jumpiness.

I'd also recommend trying to set your CRF to 20 instead of 15 to ease up on CPU load.

 

[Gavin P.]

dodgepong - Thanks again for all your help! I finally was able to do a successful recording! I kept tweaking my resolution settings until I found a pair that worked. The best I'm able to do is 1152 x 864 in OBS and 800 x 600 in game. I also moved my CRF value to 20 as you suggested. It records the video fine now with no lag. Much appreciated!

ShishKebab - I really appreciate the info you provided as well. I'm stuck on the final step getting it to work, but I posted a message on your profile home page, hopefully you don't mind helping me out. Thanks!

 

[ShishKebab]

That's totally cool. Once you get a window capture of Paint, tick the "edit scene" button in OBS and you can crop the capture down to just the green stage by holding ALT and dragging the sides. Once you have it down to just your green box, hit CTRL+F to fit it to the screen. Depending on if you got the aspect ratio right, it should fit more or less perfectly.

Hope it helps!