Random scene selection

Dagibit wrote on 12/17/2007, 5:36 AM
I'm working on a section in a DVD with still images from my room. I want it so that you start on a still, and when you press left or right it switches to a .2 second clip of the camera moving to the location of the original still to the next still and so on, in a continuous circle around the room. Is it possible to easily have the DVD choose the starting still at random? Thanks!

Comments

MPM wrote on 12/17/2007, 6:39 AM
If you google on it you'll find scripts for random selection -- create a script in DVDA to match and test. Expect some initial glitches -- IOW be prepared to tweak the scripting a bit to get it working well.

That said, the hard part I'd imagine is using the next & prev buttons on the remote -- the prev button works differently depending on the player, & sometimes not at all. If you want consistent playback I think you might have to go to menu buttons or BOV. If you opted for using the prev/next buttons anyway, I'd suggest to try and make using the prev button optional, where the viewer could still navigate OK if they only can use the next button, and use chapters rather than separate titles or menu pages as that's the one place the next button seems to always work.

And if you're planning on PC-only viewing, you might check out the software that's available for creating 360 degree views instead of relying on DVDs. This is the sort of thing you might see on on-line catalog pages, with real estate, &/or hotels. I think Quicktime VR started it, but several companies like Ulead came out with their own products; I have no idea what's available today.
Dagibit wrote on 12/17/2007, 3:50 PM
First, sorry for the lousy writing- I was in a rush to get this posted before leaving for the day.
The DVD is of this video project I've let drag out too long, and the part I described is just an "extra" to show the production-related photos still stuck on the walls of my room- I'm hoping to make this a worthy Christmas gift.
Thanks for the info. Ill see what can happen- if nothing soon enough, Ill just let it go :)