This in not correct. it supports ever format that is supported by the directShow filters, as I said before. Currently I am using the Realplayer format that allows to define a bitrate when you encode it, so it's up to you to set a quality from crappy to DVD-like. There are many DirectShow filters, including mpeg2, quicktime, I even remember there was a Flash player somewhere, so you could "play" Flash SWF files (I assume, only as long as they are not interactive)
And BTW Avi or Mpeg doesn't have to be bad. It really depends on the encoding part. Especialy AVI is only a name for a file that may use one out of a high number of codecs, including mpeg2 or mpeg4.
H&K - Deus Ex is a good example. I like their cutscene player very much, especially in version 1. Remember the random camera angle feature, so the scenes where never looking the same, but still using very nice looking camera angles.
But I think they didn't use B3D for Deus Ex (as you said ;). Not sure what you meant, use Blitz3D, or use a B3D animated model for the entire cutscene? The second wouldn't be practical IMHO.
Coding a cutscene tool and player module isn't that easy, especially when it comes to seamless integration into a game engine. And especially when it has to be good as eg. Deus Ex.
While there is another million of games that are using movies, besides codec problems this is the most flexible and future compatible solution IMHO. Games like NOLF where using Movies, although the engine (monolith) was surely capable of rendering cutscenes.
And BTW Avi or Mpeg doesn't have to be bad. It really depends on the encoding part. Especialy AVI is only a name for a file that may use one out of a high number of codecs, including mpeg2 or mpeg4.
H&K - Deus Ex is a good example. I like their cutscene player very much, especially in version 1. Remember the random camera angle feature, so the scenes where never looking the same, but still using very nice looking camera angles.
But I think they didn't use B3D for Deus Ex (as you said ;). Not sure what you meant, use Blitz3D, or use a B3D animated model for the entire cutscene? The second wouldn't be practical IMHO.
Coding a cutscene tool and player module isn't that easy, especially when it comes to seamless integration into a game engine. And especially when it has to be good as eg. Deus Ex.
While there is another million of games that are using movies, besides codec problems this is the most flexible and future compatible solution IMHO. Games like NOLF where using Movies, although the engine (monolith) was surely capable of rendering cutscenes.