The Great Tree

Cycreim · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:10 pm Post subject: Videos Lite

As time permits, I may start making "lite" versions of all the quicktime files. People have been complaining that our file sizes are a bit on the heavy side. That's understandable. 320x240 is the "standard" size for internet video and it's super easy to process. I could go back to Ep0 and also the videos for Ep1 and make versions in that size for all languages, for those of us not gifted with a fast connection.

I'm actually surprised we aren't doing this. Is there a reason I don't know about?

Alternatively, and less of a requirement on my part, we could host our videos on YouTube, and save the big files here for those who want the high definition experience.
_________________
KI: 34353

Lord Chaos · Great Tree Member Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 208

I like the big files. They are worth the download time, and the Great Tree story needs the large format more than most. Subtitles are hard to read at 320X240, at least for those of us with middle-aged eyes.

I think providing smaller files is a good idea, but please don't eliminate the big ones. People with slower connections can contact friends with fast connections and then use a USB flash drive. Or wait for the CD compilation.

Durin Mephit · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:50 pm Post subject:

Cycreim, that would be a wonderful thing. But people are not complaining about the file size. They are complaining about the download speed, and that is a different thing if you think carefully about it.

Rusty_Russell indicated that he is only getting 9KB/s download speed from The Great Tree's website. On broadband. And that speed is pretty darn slow. 2 hours download time. 5 times faster (45KB/s) would be a download of only 24 minutes. 10 times faster would be 12 minutes.

Making the files smaller may reduce the total download time, but it doesn't change that Brian's host is not handling the surge of traffic well. If we shrink the file to half, but the next video gets twice the amount of attention, we'll be back to square one. This is just a guess, but it seems that Brian's server is not "bursting" upstream in response to the traffic surge.

So shrinking the files more may help, but we need to put our minds together and come up with a better solution for the bandwidth issue in general. One thing we can try is that I could leave the videos on treeweasel and Brian can link from the TGT website, and see how that goes. Or, set up Treeweasel as a "mirror" site so people can pick either site to download. If Brian wants to get crafty, he can set up a round-robin picker to randomize the download site, and we can upload the videos to TGT, Treeweasel, and perhaps other willing sites as well (maybe ask Tweek? He might like the attention at D'ni Jazz Club). A round-robin method is how Cyan distributes the Until Uru client.

I've posted links to my host at Treeweasel for now to several of the forums - UO, UL, DRC, and GoG. I know this will interfere with Brian's measurement of interest in the project, but if people are only getting 9KB/s, I think it's pretty clear that interest is high. Either that, or Brian's ISP is getting overloaded by other things at a very inconvenient time. We can try to measure this again for Episode 2 when we're ready for the Slashdotting.

I'll investigate the Xvid codec that I've seen several people talk about. I just hope it doesn't stick a watermark in the corner. I hate that. And, Windows Media Player needs to be able to download the codec on its own. If people have to go to Divx.com to download the decoder, that's no good for me. I want it to be dirt simple to play these videos.

Edit Malia says Ep1 downloaded in under one minute from the mirror link. http://www.urulive.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1352
_________________
Durin Mephit * Member of Guild of Messengers - Unless otherwise stated, opinions are mine only and not Guild endorsed.
rel.to | Marten KI: 59474 | Durin M KI: 11883768

Professor Askew · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:05 pm Post subject:

That's strange. I've had no trouble downloading from the media page. It just a few minutes for me. Are we talking about people with dial-up modems? If so, they won't be able to get into the Cavern anyway. Embarassed

Was that a terrible thing to say? I'm going to assume it was so scratch that.

Not really. Twisted Evil

_________________
Professor Daniel Askew - Securing our reality from the machinations of the Station Masters.

brian · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:30 pm Post subject:

This site runs on a T3 - however, it might be set to throttle bandwidth. I'll look into it.
_________________
#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

brian · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:33 pm Post subject:

ug, I'm dl'ing and I get 10kb/sec ... that's kinda bad. Still looking into it.
_________________
#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

brian · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:36 pm Post subject:

There must be an upstream bandwidth limiter. I'll have to call my friend who hosts the site.

In the mean time, Marten, should I change the links on that page to your mirrors? :/
_________________
#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

brian · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:21 pm Post subject:

Did. Added mirror link.

I'm watching the logs... we're getting hizammered. Very Happy

Eleri posted here http://forums.adventuregamers.com/showthread.php?p=345473
_________________
#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

Durin Mephit · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject:

:thumbsup:
_________________
Durin Mephit * Member of Guild of Messengers - Unless otherwise stated, opinions are mine only and not Guild endorsed.
rel.to | Marten KI: 59474 | Durin M KI: 11883768

brian · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:30 pm Post subject:

BTW, sorry about the limiter... :/ I guess that's the price of free unfettered hosting. Working on fixing that.
_________________
#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

a'moaca' · Great Tree Member Joined: 30 Jul 2005 Posts: 29

Maybe try BitTorrent? If it offloads some of the load especially in peaks it could help.

brian · Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:43 pm Post subject:

*great* idea... now, to learn how to make one...
_________________
#Brian Fioca
#KI: 11882331
#KI: 1504111 [disconnected]

CuzinJohn · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 5:38 am Post subject:

there's a ton of fan-created URU movies and videos on YouTube.

Free registration to post videos, and they stream, so downloads aren't necessary.

I know our project is much more than your standard "Fan Movie", but if filesize and bandwidth are becoming issues... you could give it a try.

just my couple of coppers...
_________________
KI 182798

Science is how you talk about the universe with words that bind it to a common reality.
Magic is how you talk to the universe with words that it cannot ignore.

Lord Chaos · Great Tree Member Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 208

I must have gotten lucky when I downloaded the movie. I got upward of 150kb/sec from Brian's server. I think that was before the widespread notice.

Rils · Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 11:14 am Post subject:

Yeah, I was gonna say YouTube, also. As for other sites, what about the Explorer's Guild? I know you guys were talking to Deg at Mysterium about working with him on some stuff...
_________________