How to create a good combo video?
OK you all know I love to post my videos on here but I've heard from a few friends that want to see me make a combo video. I've been working on it for about 7 hours now but im looking for advice and ideas maybe even some direction
Footage: (should every combo / link be different so things don't get repetitive if not how many times can the same link be shown without it getting boring)
Characters: I play with a pretty good selection of characters but should I just stick too 1 in the video or a couple?
Audio: i was planning on using other fighting game music such as MVC1, SF-EX plus Alpha. Also should I mute the game-play sound effects (punches kicks grunts yada yada yada)
Shenanigans: I have footage of links and taunts that get blocked but look good (in my eyes anyway) should those go in the vid or get discarded?
Time: I've got about 5 minutes of solid video so far without any more editing
Editing: I'm using Windows Live Movie Maker (Vista 64 Beta) it gets the job done as you've seen in my videos on YouTube but if any of you are familiar with editing then let me know. Thanks guys.
Responses (1 total)
Everyone gets something different from combo videos. However, I believe that the ones that are the most popular consist of one of the following:
- Very flashy (often impractical) combos and setups
- Educational content that people can learn from
Transcendant combo videos usually contain both, but they are few and far between.
That being said, here are some things that I think make for a truly good combo video:
Respect Meter Limits
So many combo videos take place in the Training Stage of SSF4. This isn't so much an issue as much as the fact that people sometimes forget to turn off the options to refill meter (both Super and Ultra). Also, some end up utilizing the fact that they have infinite meter to produce results that are not usable in the game.
Most people who play are playing to win, and if they are playing to win, they aren't playing in training mode against their opponent with infinite meter. Give people actual tools to enable them to win.
Truly Unique Combos
Lets use '"What just happened?" A Street Fighter IV combo video' by DaDoppen as an example (it's for vanilla, but it exemplifies my point):
Notice that the first three Cammy combos use the exact same startup sequence, j.HK -> cr.HP. If this is the case, why not just start with the cr.HP?
Let's compare that to Mr. DustKicka's Rose Combo video:
On the surface, it seems to be the same, concentrating on Rose's Soul Satellite Ultra almost exclusively for each combo displayed in the video. However, if you notice, there is almost always a different setup for the Soul Satellite, ranging from connecting with the Super in the corner to a Soul Sprial to even a standing HK and another with a slide. There's a lot to process here.
Music Selection and Game Audio
It's a fact of life, combo videos are going to have music in them. However, music should never be the vocal point of a good combo video. If it is, then you aren't creating a combo video, you are creating a music video with Super Street Fighter 4 footage.
That said, I think that you want something that is understated, something you would notice is missing if it wasn't there, but doesn't overshadow the game audio at all.
Also, as a personal preference, I like it when the background music from the game is muted, but the effect sounds still come through.
Follow Basic Design Guidelines
This is really just the visual version of the advice on the audio, but still as pertinent. Don't use flashy animations to compensate from lack of content. Use stylish, clean fonts and graphics if you are going to blend them in between your gameplay (and if you overlay them, make sure they don't interfere with it). Remember, everyone has access to basic video editing software, so all those transitions, effects, and fonts are going to seem common to people. Sometimes, simpler is better. And by all means, stay away from the Comic Sans Serif font (or any variant/similar one, seriously, it's considered the bane of the design world).
Be Creative
Easy to say, but hard to do. Remember, there are a lot of combo videos out there. You have to find some way to distinguish yourself.
The Perfect Example
Given all the points above, here is what I think is one of the best combo videos ever (done by the man who typically makes the best combo videos), Maj's brilliant "SF? Ryu Exhibition (Evo2k9+OHN8 HD Edition)" video:
It exemplifies all of the points made above:
- Respect Meter Limits - Maj uses his famous disclaimer: "Absolutely no cheats, hacks, or game-altering devices were used in the making of these combos." He always respects the game engine as it would be used by someone playing in a match.
- Unique Combos - He shows footage of Ryu from 28 different games, maybe showing an incarnation of Ryu from a particular game only two or three times max. He doesn't get a chance to repeat combos. Add to that the fact that the man lives to break games.
- Music and Game Audio - The music is there, but the game audio shines through.
- Design/Style - The style is simple. With the exception of some creative masking, there isn't much here to gunk up the video. The fonts used are clean, and the effects serve to enhance the content of the video, not prop it up.
- Creativity - Again, footage from 28 games. Add to that the transitions from one game to another, it is Ryu doing the move in one game and then a fade-in of him doing the move in the next, and different, game. I remember seeing this at Evo 2009 on the big screen and spending the next 6:15 picking my jaw up from the floor. I'm still floored every time I watch this.
