Screenshots of M2TW

**Reinis** · 03-22-2007, 11:52

I've been carelesly screenshoting with the default button PrintScreen and should have a bunch of screens. But now when I want to see them, can't find the location. Are they even stored somewhere? I supposed they would be, as the PrintScreen button is mentioned in Keyboard Options.

**Lorenzo_H** · 03-22-2007, 12:49

There is some file deep inside the game files that stores all of the screenshots. I tried to open them once, but you need a special picture viewer. I'm sure someone here can tell you what that file is called, and also what picture viewer is needed.

Alternativly, if you just want to see the occaisional screenshot, you can take it (print screen), press ctrl+alt+delete and it will minimize the game. (don't do this during battles - your computer will crash). Open up paint and paste the screenshot, and then save it. I have a few which I took like this, but its not the best if you are taking a lot of them.

**Andres** · 03-22-2007, 22:35

You can take screenshots with PrintScreen indeed. You'll probably find them in c:\program files\sega\Medieval II Total War\tgas. The pictures are in tgas format. This format sometimes causes troubles.

Alternatively you can download FRAPS here. It's a small program you can run while playing M2TW. It'll count your frame rates and you'll be able to take screenshots in bmp format, which is usually more convenient.

Hope this helps

**Reinis** · 03-23-2007, 12:24

Thanks for the help.

Why didn't CA just use .jpg...

**R'as al Ghul** · 03-23-2007, 13:40

CA has always used the same system for screenshots in all Total War titles.
You press a key, F2 or Printscreen, and a .tga image is stored in the folder
"MainGameFolder\tgas\".
The tga format isn't that unusual either. It can be opened by most graphic editors and viewers. Here's a link to Irfanview, one of the most popular free viewers. http://www.irfanview.net/
With Irfanview you can view tga's and convert one or many files to any other format you like, for example jpg. If you take a lot of screens, this will considerably lessen the space needed to store them.
Using Fraps may lessen your performance and alt-tabbing out of the game to insert the content of the clipboard is just tedious and may lead to ctd.

R'as

**Lorenzo_H** · 03-24-2007, 15:56

Well I couldn't open tgas with 3 or 4 different image viewers.

**naut** · 03-25-2007, 00:16

If the viewers don't work, search for Ultimate Paint on Google.

**OliverWKim** · 04-02-2007, 14:58

FRAPS can also record gameplay videos, but to record clips over 30 secs long you have to buy the product, which sucks. Does anyone know a free alternative for capturing video game movies? I've also tried CamStudio, which is sort of messy with keyframes and capture rates and that sort of stuff, which I didn't like at all.