How To Create Screenshots Using Fraps

Overview

This tutorial will demonstrate how to use the unregistered version of Fraps to capture screenshots and then show how to convert the raw BMP images into a format suitable for distribution over the Internet.

This tutorial was documented using the following software:

• Fraps 3.2.2 (32-bit, unregistered) - Source Location
• ImageMagick - Source Location
• Windows 7 Ultimate, 64-bit
• Tutorial files can be downloaded from TESNexus

NOTE: For 32-bit Operating Systems, you will see "C:\Program Files" instead of "C:\Program Files (x86)" when following these instructions.

Files included in the archive

• ImageMagick-6.6.1-5-Q16-windows-dll.exe - The ImageMagick utility
  • CRC32 = 8909DBB4
  • MD5 = 246E2DD2A91536C5DE66324107351CAE
  • SHA-1 = 3D8F1F5EF47ED7404BE3BE390487323FB71587AD
• Fraps 3.2.2 Unregistered.exe - The Fraps utility (can also download directly from www.fraps.com)
  • CRC32 = 851287AC
  • MD5 = D3024B9D0E57F0DD310EAF49CE0CC1D4
  • SHA-1 = 6C7ABCDE51DF3805532898B9643B50373930C702
• Fraps Readme.txt - The readme file that comes with Fraps.
• Fraps Tutorial.txt - The LHammonds tutorial on how to install and use Fraps, ImageMagick and the batch files.
• BMP-To-JPG.bat - LHammonds Batch file to automate image conversion.
• BMP-To-PNG.bat - LHammonds Batch file to automate image conversion.
• PNG-To-JPG.bat - LHammonds Batch file to automate image conversion.

Background Information

Fraps is a screenshot and video recording utility which is specially designed to capture content inside a DirectX or OpenGL application.

The unregistered version has these limitations (must buy the program to remove the limitations):

• Video capture limited to 30 seconds maximum at a time.
• Fraps logo watermarks on all screenshots and video captured.
• Screenshot output limited to BMP format only, registered version also allows JPG, PNG and TGA.

Since the unregistered version only creates BMP images, we are going to use a utility called "ImageMagick" to quickly and easily convert all the BMP images into better formats for distribution of the Internet such as PNG or JPG.

• BMP images are uncompressed and not good for sharing or storage since they tend to take up a vast amount of space.
• PNG images are compressed in a lossless format which means you save space without losing image quality. You can edit and save to this format multiple times without worrying about the image quality being reduced over time like a fax-of-a-fax.
• JPG images are compressed but usually in a lossy format which means you save space but at the cost of losing some image quality. You can edit and save to this format but it is not recommended that you do it repeatedly because the image quality is reduced each time...like a fax-of-a-fax. Saving to this format can save a lot of space but do so when the image is "finished" and needs no further editing.

Install Fraps

1. Run Fraps 3.2.2 Unregistered.exe
2. License Agreement - Click I Agree
3. Installation Folder - Click Next to accept default of "C:\Fraps\"
4. Start Menu Folder - Click Install to accept default of "Fraps"
5. Completed - Click Close

Configure Fraps

1. Click Start --> All Programs --> Fraps --> Fraps
2. Set the options to whatever you want but the default options are as follows:

 Save Movies to: C:\Fraps\Movies\
 Video Capture Hotkey: F9
 Save Screenshots to: C:\Fraps\Screenshots\
 Screen Capture Hotkey: F10
 Image Format: BMP (no other option for unregistered users)
 Save Benchmarks to: C:\Fraps\Benchmarks\
 Benchmarking Hotkey: F11

Install ImageMagick

1. Run ImageMagick-6.6.1-5-Q16-windows-dll.exe
2. Welcome - Click Next
3. License Agreement - Select "I accept" and click Next
4. Information - Click Next
5. Select Destination Location - Click Next to accept default of "C:\Program Files (x86)\ImageMagick-6.6.1-Q16"
6. Select Start Folder - Click Next to accept default of "ImageMagick 6.6.1 Q16"
7. Select Additional Tasks - Click Next to accept defaults.
8. Ready to Install - Click Install
9. Information - Click Next
10. Setup Finished - Uncheck "View index.html" and click Finish

Install LHammonds Batch Files

1. Copy BMP-To-JPG.bat to C:\Fraps\Screenshots\
2. Copy BMP-To-PNG.bat to C:\Fraps\Screenshots\
3. Copy PNG-To-JPG.bat to C:\Fraps\Screenshots\

Capturing Screenshots

1. Start Fraps.
2. Review the options and make sure you know which key is the hotkey for capturing screenshots (e.g. F10).
3. Minimize Fraps and start your game.
4. While in-game, press they hotkey to take a snapshot (e.g. F10)
5. When finished, exit your game.
6. Close Fraps.
7. Go to C:\Fraps\Screenshots and your BMP images should be there.

Preparing Screenshots

1. Run the BMP-To-PNG.bat file to convert the BMP files to PNG format.
2. When the conversion is complete, verify that all BMP files were converted and have PNG equivalents...then delete the BMP files.
3. NOTE: If you have no intention of editing the images, you can run the BMP-To-JPG.bat file instead and skip the following steps.
4. Use your favorite image editor to edit / crop / merge / whatever you want to do to the images.
5. When ready to share your images on the Nexus Image Share, run the PNG-To-JPG.bat file to convert the images into the best format for sharing them on the site. It is advised to keep the PNG files in your own archive in case you decide to make any edits in the future.

Contents of LHammonds Batch Files

BMP-To-JPG.bat

 @ECHO OFF
 REM ***************************************************
 REM ** Author: LHammonds
 REM ** Date: April 30, 2010
 REM ** Requirements: ImageMagick (accessible via the environment path)
 REM ***************************************************
 CLS
 ECHO.
 ECHO Converting BMP images to JPG...
 ECHO.
 MOGRIFY -monitor -format jpg *.bmp
 ECHO.
 ECHO Conversion complete.
 ECHO.

BMP-To-PNG.bat

 @ECHO OFF
 REM ***************************************************
 REM ** Author: LHammonds
 REM ** Date: April 30, 2010
 REM ** Requirements: ImageMagick (accessible via the environment path)
 REM ***************************************************
 CLS
 ECHO.
 ECHO Converting BMP images to PNG...
 ECHO.
 MOGRIFY -monitor -format png *.bmp
 ECHO.
 ECHO Conversion complete.
 ECHO.

PNG-To-JPG.bat

 @ECHO OFF
 REM ***************************************************
 REM ** Author: LHammonds
 REM ** Date: April 30, 2010
 REM ** Requirements: ImageMagick (accessible via the environment path)
 REM ***************************************************
 CLS
 ECHO.
 ECHO Converting PNG images to JPG...
 ECHO.
 MOGRIFY -monitor -format jpg *.png
 ECHO.
 ECHO Conversion complete.
 ECHO.

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