This video shows how to record WebVR content in a video, although it is also valid to capture
any kind of native VR content too.
It takes advantage of the mirror mode of SteamVR so the video assumes you have a properly configured
VR setup and SteamVR running in the background.
I’m going to record myself playing A-Blast, a shoot’m up developed by Mozilla’s VR
division.
The same people behind the A-Frame VR framework.
Now locate the SteamVR icon in the Windows Icon Tray, right-click on it and select Display
Mirror.
The Headset Mirror window reflects the content sent to the VR headset in a variety of visualisation
modes: left eye only, right eye only, or both eyes.
At the moment I click on the enter-VR button, the browser will start sending VR content
to the headset and so, it will be displayed in the Headset mirror window.
Next step is to configure the recording program.
I’m going to use Open Broadcast Software.
This region shows audio sources.
I won’t record audio coming from the microphone but I’ll record system audio.
This other region shows video sources.
I’m going to remove display capture… and replace with Window capture.
Accept the default name and ensure the selected window is VR compositor in the Window combo
box.
It is important to uncheck Capture cursor to prevent the mouse cursor to appear in our
recording.
To make the VR content to cover the screen, I’m going to maximise the Headset Mirror
window.
I will center the scene too.
Before starting the recording, it is convenient to review recording settings.
Click on settings.
You will find most important settings under output and video sections.
In output you can modify the encoder options.
For this recording I chose a high quality profile.
The format flv and I will use the hardware encoder provided by my graphic card.
At video, I can chose the output video size and the frame rate for the capturing.
Since I don’t want to resize the recording, I chose the output size to match my screen
resolution.
Accept configuration when you’re happy and start recording by clicking on Start recording.
When you want to stop capturing, do click on Stop recording.
Before finishing, you probably want to export your recording to a more compatible video
container.
FLV is OK for recording since it allows to continue adding video even in case the recording
is abruptly interrupted but it is not the most convenient format to work with.
To do so, go to file and remux recordings, browse the proper file and click on remux.
After a couple of seconds the video will be ready.
The file will be in the Videos library ready to
be played.
Notice how the recording just include the content of the window and not the title, nor
menu bar and neither the mouse is visible.
And this is the end.
Now you know how to record your VR experiences.
The next thing you could do is to extract a short GIF of your favourite frames, isolate
each eye by cropping the video with a Video Editing Software, assemble an stereoscopic
side-by-side 3D video, upload it to YouTube and share in the Internet!