Question / Help x264 settings for my new desktop

[Wambat]

I need help finding proper settings for my new desktop. I had bought this desktop with the intention of using it as a dedicated video capture box for game-play, playing the games on my laptop, however, my video capture card got lost in the mail, so in the interim I am trying to see if I can get this desktop to play games while recording. I am playing old games (10+ years old), so I thought it might be possible.

I had been recording on my laptop, which was a pain because the laptop overheats very quickly. My laptop has Quicksync, so I am used to the settings associated with that option. My (very basic) desktop only has the x264 option, and I am very confused on how best to adjust settings to yield good recordings.

I need multiple audio tracks (game and voice), and I should like to record in MKV because I typically have hour+ long recordings and do not want to lose large chunks of recording should OBS fail at any point. I know I will have to tweak things to get them just right, but I should like a suggestion as to where to start my settings, and which settings to tweak in what direction. I have already used the auto-configuration tool, and the resulting videos are atrocious.

Below are my specs, let me know if further information is needed. I only record, never stream.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f26/mrman01231/gpu specs_zps4bj1il5b.jpg

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f26/mrman01231/computer specs_zpsf7gc4k1i.jpg

 

[c0nsecro]

Configure your scene like you want it and then make test recordings of one game (take one where you know the cpu-usage is the highest). CPU preset and bitrate is dependent to your resolution you capture your gameplay. Start with a bitrate of 5000 and the CPU preset veryfast. You need to grope on the "perfect" setting, everybody goes that way, there are no settings which perfectly fit for every system ;) .

Well you don't use a dekstop with a core2duo, aren't you O_o ? I don't think that there's a huge potential to record games in acceptable quality :/ .