Same settings, different result

[ryeguy]

Hi. First of all, I want to state that I am working on a gaming movie, not a traditional dvd rip or whatever, but that shouldn't matter. There is this video out that has amazing compression by xvid. It is extremely clear and the size:length ratio is about 15.5mb/min. I have done everything I can to mimic the output that he has achieved but I just can't do it. I used the DRF Analyzer to look at his settings, and I was amazed at his quant distribution:

DRF=1&2: 4160 24.1%
DRF=3: 3608 20.9%
DRF=4: 6393 37.1%
DRF=5: 2172 12.6%
DRF=6: 803 4.7%
DRF=7: 117 0.7%
DRF=8: 0 0.0%
DRF=9: 0 0.0%
DRF>9: 1 0.0%
KeyF/DeltaF: 2.55%
KeyDRF<4: 304
KeyDRF=4: 135
KeyDRF>4: 1

Frame types:
I Frames: 2.48%
P Frames: 40.54%
B Frames: 33.49%
S Frames: 23.48%
N Frames: 0.00%

He has such low quantizers but yet he is able to achieve amazingly low file size. If we are recording from the same game, use the same audio codec and same bitrate for that, use the exact same end resolution, then why is it even when I use HIGHER quants then him I get bigger file size and crappier quality? What else is there to change? You might say do some blurring or similar operations, but it doesn't appear that he has done that either -the quality is pretty clear. I can provide a screenshot if needed. AND ALSO - how does he get such a wide range of quant distribution? I've tried constant bitrate, constant quant, quant through zone, 2p target file size, and 2p target bitrate, but no matter what I do, I am unable to get such a large range as him. I know this is alot to ask, but I really have no clue - no one else who makes gaming movies really gets into the technical aspect of it as much as I do.

[gircobain]

The low quants are most likely due to the presence of bframes (B-VOPs) and gmc (S-VOPs)

[ryeguy]

I use the same "Consecutive [sp] BVOPS" setting as him, and also have GMC enabled.

[ChronoCross]

I use the same "Consecutive [sp] BVOPS" setting as him, and also have GMC enabled.

Custom zones.

[ryeguy]

Regardless, even with higher quants, I'm still over his size, so why would lower do me any better? If he's not doing any blurring, what else could possibly increase compressability?

[ChronoCross]

Regardless, even with higher quants, I'm still over his size, so why would lower do me any better? If he's not doing any blurring, what else could possibly increase compressability?

are you encoding the same exact clip from source? Most likely his clip is just way more compressible

[ryeguy]

I found out the problem - he was doing direct, unedited ingame footage, but I was doing some editing, to make the colors look better and whatnot. I never realized how much bigger each frame becomes once you brighten it up and make the colors more vivid.