...These cutscenes are provided in MPEG2 format with OGG Vorbis audio.
Viewing these cutscenes thus requires a version of ScummVM compiled
with both libmpeg2 (preferably 0.4.0 or greater) and libVorbis support.
...
Does this mean that ScummVM can play any (properly packed) MPEG2 file???
Packed HOW?
jumpjack wrote:
I thought scummvm was able to play an MPEG2 included into a game "ROM". Isn't this correct?
no, it's just some .mpg file in the game/extra directory, simultansously played with an .mp3 / .ogg file of the same name
no game uses mpg files internally, they are just a workaround because ScummVM cannot support Smacker video files
clem
I see...
So, scummvm could not be used (in a simple way) to play an user-selectable MPEG2 file? I mean, without recompiling it for each clip! I'm thinking to a file-selection dialog like the one to select games: if it was possible to write such a scummvm "spin-off", we wouold obtain an amazing crossplatform mpeg2 player, which even works on Series60 and UIQ phones.
jumpjack wrote:
I see...
So, scummvm could not be used (in a simple way) to play an user-selectable MPEG2 file? I mean, without recompiling it for each clip! I'm thinking to a file-selection dialog like the one to select games: if it was possible to write such a scummvm "spin-off", we wouold obtain an amazing crossplatform mpeg2 player, which even works on Series60 and UIQ phones.
that be of course be possible, but ScummVM wouldn't be needed for that at all (if libmpeg2 existed for Symbian, no idea if that is the case) - you'd just need a menu, the lib and the gfx/sound output parts
on the other hand, ScummVM for Symbian does not even include the Sword engines and thus the mpeg capabilities
most things that can be done have been done - if there's no mpeg player for SymbianOS by now, I doubt one is possible
hmm, i already wanted to suggest a switch to libtheora. i think this really would make sense. not dropping libmpeg2, but making it an alternative. i could help integrating libtheora if needed...
loki1985 wrote:hmm, i already wanted to suggest a switch to libtheora. i think this really would make sense. not dropping libmpeg2, but making it an alternative. i could help integrating libtheora if needed...
My experience of Theora is that it's still far too slow. I bought the game Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood some time ago. The Linux version uses Theora for animated cutscenes (all two of them), and that's the only part of the game that my computer (450 MHz Pentium 3) is far too slow for.
Those movies are 640x320 pixels, 25 fps and 24-bit colour, though. Most movies ScummVM plays are larger, but use 8-bit colour and fewer fps. I don't know how Theora would perform for those.
Theora is a much newer codec than MPEG2, and as such, it's no surprise that it takes more resources (CPU, RAM), to achieve a higher quality encoding. It is also geared toward true color videos (like MPEG2), which makes both a relatively bad choice to encode the videos in Broken Sword etc.. Unfortunately, there aren't really many alternatives out there that are better suited.
However, I strongly doubt that Theora would provide any advantage over MPEG2 in the very specific & special situation of ScummVM games. I.e. I am not making a statement about MPEG2 vs. Theora in general.
eriktorbjorn wrote:and that's the only part of the game that my computer (450 MHz Pentium 3) is far too slow for.
Are you using this low spec system to test SCUMMVM as a guide to see how well it would work on PDA's and so forth?
No, I'm using it because that's the only computer I have. I'll have you know that it was fast when I bought it, and it hasn't gotten any slower since then.
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