Effects and Techniques
Back to basics
If you would like to brush up on the basics of screenshot taking, please consult this article I wrote for bs angel’s screenshot blog: Basic Tips
Effects Archive
Fog by AusQB
Mystique by StarvingMarv
Recharge by StarvingMarv
Depleted by StarvingMarv
Smoky Flames by CostlyAxis
Lysergic by StarvingMarv
Fiery Colours by StarvingMarv
Dawn by AusQB
Phaser by AusQB
In Violet Light by StarvingMarv
Colorization by jdars1804
Rainbow by cd00
Comic Book by cd00
Infrared by Virgl
Lava by TheDogWisperer
The Blue Room Effect by I30l3
Forge Filters
This is an overview of the Forge Filters available on Avalanche, Blackout, Ghost Town and Cold Storage:
| Normal | Avalanche | Blackout | Ghost Town | Cold Storage |
| Nova | Avalanche | Blackout* | Ghost Town | Cold Storage |
| Pen & Ink | Avalanche | Blackout* | Ghost Town | Cold Storage |
| Old Timey | Avalanche | Blackout | Ghost Town | Cold Storage |
| Colorblind | Avalanche | Blackout | Ghost Town | Cold Storage |
| Gloomy | Avalanche | Blackout | Ghost Town | Cold Storage |
| Juicy | Avalanche | Blackout | Ghost Town | Cold Storage |
All Filters (PNG Image, 2000×1969 pixels)
* “Nova and Pen & Ink filters are producing all white screenshots on Blackout because those two filters specifically have conflicts with the lightmaps used in the nighttime lighting model that appears on Blackout.” – Bungie Weekly Update: 4/18/08
Any combination of filters can be used, which can yield some very interesting effects.
What you see is not what you get
When you take a screenshot, the image that is originally rendered (when the image gets “built” by addings blocks horizontally) is what is actually saved. Although you will end up seeing what you scoped out in theater while the screenshot is uploading, what is actually being uploaded is that image you saw a second ago. Keep this in mind and always inspect the original rendering before saving.
Go wide
Halo 3 renders it’s images depending on the TV format you choose in the Xbox 360 settings. If you go in there and choose 16:9, then when you take screenshots in Halo they will come out as widescreen images. There will be no difference between these images and ones taken from a real 16:9 TV, as the game produces the image regardless of what the output resolution actually is. I’m not sure exactly if the image is squashed to fit the TV screen or it the edges just get cut off, but either way the end result will not be distorted at all.
Note: You cannot take widescreen images if the film was recorded in standard resolution.
Assplosions away
It is possible in theater mode to remove explosions while leaving the lighting effects that they produce. Find the right frame and start recording a film clip. As soon as it starts recording press stop. Discard the clip and when it returns you to the film any explosions in that frame will be missing. They will reappear if you resume or rewind/fast forward the film.
Forge Art
Predator5791, master of Forge, has written a tutorial that explains how to make weapons float in midair. This highly sought after technique is a excellent way of expanding the limits of screenshots.
How to make weapons float for screenshots
Get outta here
How to get out of the map for scenic shots, presented by CostlyAxis.
BOTH METHODS REQUIRE YOU TO PLAY ALONE
Pan-Cam Method
Preparation:
- You must be in a LOCAL MATCH
- Key: LB= Left Bumper RB= Right Bumper LS= Left Analog Stick (pressed) RS= Right Analog Stick (pressed)
Directions:
- Enter a Custom Game
- Use this button combination: LB + RB + LS + A + UP [D-PAD] and hold it. Coordinates should show up on the screen.
- Use this button combination: [HOLD LS + RS] Press LEFT on D-PAD and you will see in the coordinates “Pan-Cam”
- End the Match
- Start up Forge and die as the ORACLE and end the match
- Start up Theater and watch it until you die as the ORACLE and pause
- Press Y to enter Free-Roam camera
- Press UP on the Directional Pad until you get a number in the range of 1,000 – 800,000 should work and move
- You should go flying all over the place, but that is OK, and the game might Lock Up for second or two, but that’s OK too. You may have to lower the number and move backwards or to random directions to see again.
- Once you know you are clearly out of bounds, lower that previously mentioned number until you can control your movement
- Enjoy since it’s difficult
My Discovered Way:
- This is to be done in Forge, I do not know if it will work with video footage from a regular match
- You must be the Oracle when doing this, it will not work with you being the normal character
- Okay, you now need to start a match in Forge, when it begins become the Oracle
- You may use teleporters to help you reach areas you normally can’t reach (this will help you in some levels) but it isn’t required.
- What you are looking for are what I call “weak spots” You will know when you find these spots if you explode without taking any previous damage
- Repeat step 5 about 3 times to make sure you got it
- Now end the match and go to theater mode, follow your character (as the Oracle) until you get to the point where you exploded. Before you explode, enter free roam camera and pause
- In free roam camera mode try to move around a little bit and if you are pulled back to your character, you’ve got it. (Note that sometimes you will have to do this more than once to get it)
- While in free roam camera, let the film continue playing until you explode and pause. You are now free to roam where ever you want within what has actually been programmed in
- Take all the screenshots you want!
In English:
- Start up Forge and as the Oracle, fly to the boundaries of the level you are in (Boundary must not be a visible wall)
- Die in any means possible (Grenades, recommend Plasma or fly to your death)
- Repeat Step 2 as many times as you want
- End match and go to Theater
- In Theater watch your character (as the Oracle) until you get to the boundaries and pause
- Enter Third Person perspective and rotate until your camera is no longer in bounds
- Enter Free Roam mode and move around, and if you are thrown back at your character, you’ve got it (May take more than one attempt)
- Continue the film until you die (as the Oracle) and pause
- You can now move anywhere you want in the map
- Take all the shots you want
Weapons used: None
Equipment used: Frag grenade
Filters used: None
Description: This effect adds a faded quality to the screenshot, almost resembling an oil painting.
Method: At the moment of detonation of a frag grenade, proceed through the film very slowly until the large white “cloud” blooms out. Move the camera slowly backwards into the explosion. As you move the camera back, the screen will turn bright (as is typical for any explosion) but soon after it will get very dark and then suddenly flick to white. Now the hard part is to get the camera right where it flicked to white. By carefully moving back and forth, side to side, and up and down, you should be able to see the gradient shades of the edge of this “white sphere”. Moving the sticks even the slightest bit will make the image either too dark or too light, and so it requires painstaking patience and minute movements of the thumbsticks and bumpers. This almost always only works when zoomed in.
Example: Ghostly Oil Painting
Weapons used: None
Equipment used: Deployable Cover
Filters used: None
Description:
Method: Start by finding a nice light source to stand beside, so that your character will be illuminated. One place I suggest is during Floodgate, after you are joined by the elites on the the lakebed, just walk around here and you’re bound to find a killer light source. Once you’ve found the right spot throw your cover down. In multiplayer the cover will only stick around for a limited time, but if your in Campaign the cover will stick around as long as you don’t destroy it. Stand with your back to the deployable cover and try out some poses. To create different background colours, melee the shield. Depending on how many times you whack it, the cover will turn different colours:
Normal: Blue
One Hit: Pink
Two Hit: Orange
Try positioning the camera on the other side of the deployable cover, as shown in AusQB’s Chief Mystique.
Example: N’tho ‘Sraom
Weapons used: None
Equipment used: Deployable Cover
Filters used: None
Description: A brilliant blue background with wavy effects in the foreground.
Method: Throw your deployable cover down, and then melee the generator. Turn around to face the camera and strike a pose. After about 5 seconds the cover will regenerate, creating a flash of brilliant blue.
Example: Dervish
Weapons used: None
Equipment used: Deployable Cover
Filters used: None
Description: An offshoot of Recharge, cool wave effects with as much background colour.
Method: Throw down a cover and stand in front of it. Melee it so it disappears, but don’t destroy the base. Turn around and wait for the cover to regenerate, which takes about 5 seconds. In the Theater make sure to go through the film very slowly, the effect doesn’t last long. Try taking shots during all the stages of the regeneration, you can get a variety of looks from this one method.
Example: Times of War
Weapons used: None
Equipment used: None (Fusion Coil)
Filters used: Gloomy
Description: Since Blackout cannot accept bright screenshots, what happens to your awesome explosions? With the use of the filter, Gloomy, it’s possible to tone down the brightness just enough, but still get that epic explosion of flames.
Method: The method is quite simple, first you need to have the filter, Gloomy, in place and then place a fusion coil or two or even thirty-two. (I recommend using thirty-two fusion coils and sixteen propane tanks as you can get better explosions) You then walk up to and melee a fusion coil which will in turn explode. Pause the moment the explosion turns white, and then by slowing down the replay continue until the explosion has turned into darker flames. By positioning the camera so that your character is behind or within the remains of the explosion, zoom in until you can clearly see your character. Angle the camera until you get at the angle you desire. You can continue the film from this point and the view will get darker until it turns pitch black and then it lights back up again and returns to normal.
Example: Clear Character | Fog Covered | Darker Fog Color
Weapons used: None
Equipment used: Deployable Cover, Bubble Shield
Filters used: Juicy (optional)
Description: Spiderweb effect from bubble shields combined with funky colours.
Method: This effect is relatively easy to recreate- just throw down a whole bunch of bubble shields and deployable covers. The effect is possible just about anywhere but I would suggest the Snow Room. You can also melee the covers to create different colours. In Theater Mode fly the camera around (this may be a bit tricky with all the stuff to navigate around) with the zoom on. Try placing the camera just in front on a cover. The example below uses the Juicy filter which isn’t required for the effect.
Example: Strange Brew
Weapons used: Brute Shot
Equipment used: None
Filters used: None
Description: Bursts of unpredictable colour from Brute Shot grenades.
Method: Very easy to do, but requires care in Theater Mode. Just shoot a brute shot in front of your subject. To change up the angle try firing the grenade up in the air (but not at too steep an angle, otherwise you won’t be able to reach the explosion with the camera). Once in Theater advance the film very slowly. The Brute Shot grenade explodes in two stages: first a short bright flash, then a puff of colourful smoke. Forward the film frame by frame until the initial flash is gone, and then fly the camera into the smoke. One can achieve a whole spectrum of colour by playing around with the zoom and camera position.
Example: Fiery Impact by MagikMonkey | Spartan (RED)
Weapons used: Spartan Laser
Equipment used: None
Filters used: None (Can use at own discretion)
Description: This effect increases the contrast of the shot and adds a red hue, producing an illusion of a dawn-like setting.
Method: Simply move the camera near the muzzle of a Spartan Laser at the moment of discharge. You will notice the screen get darker and turn a tint of red. That’s all there is to it.
Example: Standoff at Dawn
Weapons used: Spartan Laser
Equipment used: None
Filters used: Juicy, Gloomy
Description: This effect drowns the screen in extremely vibrant colours, producing a very surreal image.
Method: With Juicy and Gloomy filters enabled, move the camera into the muzzle of a Spartan Laser upon discharge. Move the camera around and tweak the angles until whatever subject you are using comes into view. The distance of the camera from the muzzle of the Laser, the angle of the camera to the laser beam and the horizontal deviation all contribute to the effect, so quite lot of minute adjustments might be necessary.
Example: Saturated
Weapons used: Needler
Equipment used: None
Filters used: Juicy, Gloomy, Pen & Ink (for best results)
Description: Picture becomes saturated with purple light.
Method: The effect can be done anywhere, but for best results use dark spaces. Just shoot a Needler, zoom in, and move the camera into the flying needle. Maneuver the camera to the edge of the needle’s glow. Try making tiny adjustments, which can change the intensity greatly.
Example: Electronegativity | Venom
Weapons used: None
Equipment used: None
Filters used: None
Description: Creates a colorization effect of an object or person. Needles, energy blasts, etc. do not show up.
Method: Have the grunt confetti skull on in Campaign. Then, shoot the grunts head. When the confetti comes out, you must be in a shadow and then when the confetti is close enough, it will become semi-transparent making the object in the shadow colorful. Different colors work better with MC/Arbiter. Note: Other grunts (not the ones you shot) are extremely hard to do with this effect.
Example: Red Fight
Weapons used: None
Equipment used: Flare
Filters used: Juicy, Gloomy, Old Timey
Description: This creates a “rainbow” effect.
Method: You have to be playing on Ghost Town.
Go to the cave made of pipes on one side of the map, once you have the filters on. Once there, spawn the flares and any other equipment to add color (power drain, regenerator etc.) Throw the flare and equipment(s) and you should notice a blue room like rainbow effect
Example: Taste the Rainbow
Weapons used: None
Equipment used: Flare
Filters used: None
Description: This creates a “comic book” effect.
Method: While in the blue room on Snowbound, make sure you have active camo on. Spawn a flare and go to one end of the blue room. The blue room is split into small sections, separated by lines in the wall, go to the 2nd section and stand against it on either side, then throw the flare. The camo should go away right after you throw the flare, go frame by frame and when the camo starts to come back, you will get this effect more and more until your completely invisible
Example: Art
Weapons used: Spartan Laser
Equipment used: None
Filters used: Juicy
Description: This creates an illuminated type of effect (infrared spectrum).
Method: On Avalanche, towards the center of the map (facing the shotgun) take a left. Here is a darkly shaded area. Crouch with your character and then simply fire your laser. Go back in the film, and as soon as it fires, look around and you will get an infrared effect. If you slowly look though, you may find a paint blotch effect.
Example: Spectrum
Weapons used: Rocket Launcher
Equipment used: None
Filters used: Juicy
Description: Just find the “Rock Room” and any type of explosive will cause a lava/or yellow effect.
Method: Fire a rocket in the “Rock Room”.
Weapons used: Whatever looks coolest
Equipment used: A flare, sometimes poor camo looks good.
Filters used: None
Description: Quite a variety of colour effects reversal, dark patches sometimes even rainbows
Method: Get in the blue room, chuck a couple of flares, face the flare, face away, repeat a few times, watch in theater.
Example:My first blue room
Assets: Blue room map
[...] take some time to look over our collection in the new Effects and Techniques [...]
Effects and Techniques « Ar7is7s of Halo said this on July 9, 2008 at 1:58 pm |
Could anyone possibly update this page plz? Or is therer another page with more techniques? I’m really curious about different methods and effects that i can use to make good screenshots. Thnx.
Well right now this is all we have (with the exception of one which I will add soon). Perhaps you could suggest some things that you would like to know how to do and we can make a little FAQ.
Well I love some of the screenshots that just have a pitch black background and I’ve always wondered how to get that effect without using the grav. hammer. (which is the only way I know how to do it)
That’s a really good one cLuTcH. I’ll get right on that.