Ideas for "The CD"

Well, I decided to extend the discussions on the CD, which we started in the Movies thread, into this thread so members and especially anonymous members won't have to dig too much into it to find some posts. Anyways, I have some more ideas for the CD project and I am serious about them.
First off, I want to know if anyone does know how to make the CD playable on a DVD player, Phillip's CD-I, or any MPeg/VCD reading machine... However, my idea strays from that idea...
Anyways, this is what I thought up so far. Since there is theoretically 650MB of free space on a CD-R (I say theoretically because I have had issues, but rarely) We definitely have room for videos AND MORE!!! I know this is more of a project, but we're testing through a first impression. And well, I say we at least make that first impression BIG! Maybe my ideas are too big for some or too little for others, but here they are flat out.
First of all, the content of the video can be presented in "web-format." I mean, we (I figure people can collaborate to make this happen and I'd like to be a part of it if that's alright with you Jeff) can present the content (texts, movies, etc...) in HTML or whatever script is preferable (I like what you use on your site to be honest). Assuming this CD is about the Omaha Gathering, we could include pages on player biographies, quick character facts (playstyle tendencies etc.), faqs, and whatever... I even had the idea that if there were pictures from the event we could even do a gallery of people, location, sites of the area. Now what makes me think of this as something really special is that we can actually design pages (maybe in 3 different formats: 520, 640, 800 res) without the worry of space (however, we do want to keep memory as a concern). We can use backgrounds you wouldn't put on an internet web page. We can use sounds you wouldn't use on an internet web page. You get the idea. There's more...
I also have Flash (3 not 4 unfortunately so I'm stuck with wav support and not mp3). I could work with a friend or by myself and design Flash segments. Segments for the introduction. Segments which introduce each aspect of the page. And I wouldn't have to worry about space as much as memory. I could also get someone to make a nice autorun.exe for the CD that would have a nice little graphical menu asking the user to choose on format between the other resolutions. I also have a bunch of friends in Graphic Design that could contribute some cool stuff as well I also have friends that do a lot of music producing, mixing, and even DJing. Music from all sorts of Genres. I know, this is sounding like a bit much, but I'm just raising the potential scope of this project and encourage anyone to do so. I think it can be amazing.
We can even put it in virtuafighter.com format with the bonuses I mentioned above to get people acquainted with it. Let them know they have a place to ask the experts or just talk VF, right here at Versus City.
We could have the video running from the webpage, but it would also be obvious that those who want to watch the video in whatever size or what not from their video programs can just go through and open the file from its location.
Can anyone picture this that I'm seeing? The potentials of this disc? I am going nuts, but I think it's a good thing in this case. The cool part is that if say, we do go ahead and make this CD into what I have just described, all of those who collaborated in making this thing, all of those who can be proud in putting this together (especially on a good deadline) can only get better and quicker at what they did for the project. I can keep on getting better at Flash presentation production if I go through with it. Whoever does the HTML (Jeff?) will only get better from it. Anyone who writes some good stuff will at least have a sort of template to work with it the next time. I'm sure you all get the picture. Anyways, that's what I just had the urge to say and some of my hopes. I don't want this project to turn out as a burden either. I'm just giving an example of the scope of this thing. I can see this project blowing a lot of other projects out of the water... I have yet to see something like this come out for any other single fighting game (at least something like this in the US). And because of this, I think the message will eventually come across to at least quite a few of people that here is a game worth the excitement and effort of these individuals to come out with something really special.
Anyways, before I rant you guys to death if I have not done so already, have a good one and hope to hear what all of your ideas, thoughts, or concerns.
-Chanchai

 

I am all for the idea about Flash (afterall you don't need to worry about baudwidth). In fact i will volunteer Jeff if you need someone to design the flash interface.

Perhaps we can also co-work on this stuff, Chanchai (do you use Dreamweaver?)

 

I would love to co-work with you! And yes, I do use Dreamweaver, but I'm not at all an expert on it. I use 1.2 though... Wish I had 2.0 (I have a thing for not pirating the productivity software I respect, but I can make an exception if you use 2).
Oh yeah, I had another idea, but hope that the main topic on this list will be the CD (I'm sure it will anyways, this isn't that much of a big deal in comparison). To Ice-9: Have you thought about creating webs withing virtuafighter.com for each crew? I think it would be pretty cool if the crews had their own pages withing virtuafighter.com
-Chanchai

 

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

Have you thought about creating webs within virtuafighter.com for each crew? I think it would be pretty cool if the crews had their own pages within virtuafighter.com

<hr></blockquote>

I think this would be a cool idea. It's tough to allocate time to such things but it would be very cool.

Cheers,

<font color=white> Llanfair the prized <font color=green>cabbage</font color=green></font color=white>

 

I could probably get ahold of dreamweaver 2.0 (or any other programs this project may need). Again, These ideas sound great and I would love to see it happen.I will do whatever I can.

 

All of these ideas sound fantastic, but I do want to start of small first and work our way up. There are a lot of bottlenecks to this whole thing--copies of the tape, my ability to actually pull this off, etc.--so I do think it's best to try it on a small scale, see how it fares, how much time and resources it will take, and go on from there.

But I do like the ideas, and I'm definitely receptive.

ice-9 | Sennin

 

Hmm.... while the idea sounds really cool ChanChai, but I believe that the original preogative of VFDC was to keep the site simple to d/l for those with slow connections. (While bandwidth eaters like us have no problems with connection, do spare a thought for the low end users./images/icons/smile.gif)

It would be great to turn the site more towards multimedia, but I don't see it anywhere in the near future. (At least, not until 56.6KBPS turns into <font color=red>THE</font color=red> standard, instead of the lousy 33.6KBPS.) Not to mention that it would be awfully tedious to maintain and troubleshoot when problems arise.

As for the individual crews thing, while it IS cool, I have a fear that it would end up like many of the so called "Global VFers Listings". A good example would be VF Miscellany's Global Players page. It was a good idea initially, but the index was soon outdated. (I've tried to look up many players in my region, but most of the email addresses were already out of date.) So unless players are WILLING to keep it constantly updated, there isn't much of a point. (Though at this point in time, its only the casual players who probably can't be bothered, so there shouldn't be any problems./images/icons/smile.gif)

As for the VCDs/Tape/Media Distribution, can I have the honor of testing it out first Jeff ? /images/icons/tongue.gif



-Rulakir

 

Hehe, I think you misunderstood part of what I was proposing in my ideas. The multimedia and all that is not for the site... it's for the CD All websites, I believe, should be sensitive to the low bandwidth, it's only logical when about 97% of internet goers are on modem connections I was just referring that the CD could have a strong presentation with a sort of user interface and bells and whistles through the art of web-page multimedia

 

This all sounds so great. But the majourity of ppl that will be coming into VF will not have access to a computer to watch the CD's. So I was just thinking if it would be possible to code them to be played on the DC? I read that on the Jap ver of VF3:tb came with a bonus CD with an interview with Yu Suzuki ( I hope that is his name) so wouldnt it be possable to do the same thing with Text and video?

just an idea..



Im a VF scrub. If you are looking for a arcade quality controller for the home system Email me.

 

Thing is, The reasons why we're suggesting MPEG format, is so that you can watch it on a conventional VCD player too. It doesn't necessarily have to be on a computer. And as for coding it for the DC... I think that's impossible right ? Or am I wrong ?

-Rulakir

 

I understand the reason. I was just thinking about the average gamer jsut begining to play and how easy it would be to just buy a learning VF cd and pop it into the DC and BAM!!! there you go.



Im a VF scrub. If you are looking for a arcade quality controller for the home system Email me.

 

Hee..... Wasn't that what the training/practise mode is for ? /images/icons/smile.gif But I do get your point... thing about VF is, you can't truely progress, unless you play with live, human opponents. That's when you truely learn. /images/icons/smile.gif For some reason or the other, you ALWAYS stagnant when you play the CPU. /images/icons/frown.gif

The other thing that I dislike about learning videos, is that, most casual players would take the shortcut method, and just replicate most of what they see in the videos. /images/icons/frown.gif Most of the time, they would take the time to learn the needed moves, and that's it. Follow the video. I believe that Shota termed it as "Mass Produced" ? While such videos would indeed propagate VF popularity and interest, such deadpan play is not exactly what I would expect from a learning video. A very good example, would perhaps be perhaps, SF. EVERYONE plays the same bleeding way. /images/icons/frown.gif Hardly any room for innovation, and creativity.

My recommendation, would be to try to progress in the game on your own (with or without human opponents), until you reached the point where you can't seem to excel anymore. THEN watch the video. You discover unique aspects of your character/gameplay that you never really noticed before, and you LEARN in the process.

Anyway, that's my thoughts on training videos. /images/icons/smile.gif No offense intended. /images/icons/smile.gif

-Rulakir

 

Hi all this is Chanchai, I'm at my Business Department lab computer so I don't know if I'll be able to use my account here (don't know if they like us enabling cookies here) so I'm posting anonymous for that.

Anyways, about the MPEG thing, I do think that's great. I don't know if Jeff knows how to set it up to be read on any CD-I, DVD, VCD, or MPeg enabled hardware though. However, at the same time, the PC presentation in HTML can still work even if it is setup for all of that. It just has to have things pointing to the proper MPEG files. However, if it is strictly for reading on an MPEG enabled player (hardware player like CD-i for instance) then I believe that everything has to be on one file. Hence no options in going between fights and stuff... maybe I'm wrong about that, I don't know what the layout for that is. However, I think an HTML put in the CD would help the PC user find his way through the thing anyways and still have room for all the features I mentioned.

To CigarBob... Sorry to tell you (it's not really bad news), the Dreamcast uses a format (I think Yamaha designed it?) called GD-Rom. It's a completely different format, but it holds a full gig on a disc. Give or take a few MB most likely. Anyways, if you ever come across a DC disc, look at the back and you'll see a certain ring-shaped section. I believe that part is encoded to be standard CD while the rest is highly compressed. I don't know if this format of discs are actually less or more scratch-resistant, but some evidence might point that the DC discs might really be sensitive. Anyways, it's a totally different format so it would be way too much for Jeff to get the hardware to burn those discs. Sorry man, but hey, at least we get a full gig at the cost of a CD (well Sega and manufacturers at least).

I'm not at all against the ready to be read on an MPeg enabled movie player idea at all I'm for it if Jeff knows how to do it. If he can put multiple Mpegs and still work it out, definitely. But I also believe that this can be set up as a neat multimedia presentation AND work on players. However, I have had issues trying to run VCDs on a lot of DVD players (particularly ones I *ahem* got off the net *Matrix*... don't worry I bought the Matrix DVD in the end and I love it)... Hope that clears some things up