In this tutorial we are going to make a simple space dream.

Lets start by downloading and installing our space simulator from here,

http://www.shatters.net/celestia/

Now thats done we can start,run celestia and the first scene we get is of the earth

lets go somewhere more interesting.I`ll choose saturn for this tutorial.

Choose the solar system browser from the navigation menu,select saturn then hit the go to button.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Now were at saturn lets set up our scene.

Pull the window out so it almost fills your screen,ALT/ENTER toggles window / fullscreen.

Drag with the left and right mouse buttons to position the camera or use the arrow keys.

Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.

Ok,it doesn`t look like a dream yet so lets add some animation.

Use the L key to speed up time,i found 1000 worked nicely.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

The K key slows time down if you go to fast,holding shift makes time adjust in smaller increments.

Rather than just watching the planet rotate,lets orbit the camera round the planet by selecting sync orbit selection from the navigation menu.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

 

Now were ready to record,go to the file menu and select capture movie.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Select your screen resolution,file name and destination.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Press save and the compression dialogue box comes up,select full frames uncompressed.

Warning..this will create a very large video file but we need the full quality.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

 

Now when the planet has almost gone dark hit F11 to start recording.

Your computer will run very slowly as it renders the frames,this is normal so don`t worry.

When the planet has done one full rotation hit F12 to stop recording.

Now lets import our uncompressed avi movie into windows movie maker.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

we need to scrub forward in time on the timeline to find a point that matches our first frame,we can use the thumbnail as a reference to what we are looking for.

Use the frame forward and frame backwards buttons to get it just right.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Make a note of the time were you think it matches the first frame and trim your clip back to that point.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

Nearly there,now lets select publish to this computer.

Use this setting for widescreen.

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

and this one for 4:3

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

I know they say pal but i assume the NTSC ones are very similar.

And thats it,have fun.


Comments
on Aug 31, 2008
Arghh..
screenshots show up when i go to edit post but not on the forum  
on Aug 31, 2008
Fixed it...
on Aug 31, 2008
thank you for the quick response   
on Aug 31, 2008
Nice post.