How to contribute to game-endings.co.uk

No no, I don't want your money... well, actually I wouldn't say no. What this page is for is to tell you how you can send in a game-ending to us, and what we're after.

First off, you'll need a video capture card of some sort, they aren't super expensive these days, and a whole bunch of the ATI graphics cards seem to include them - which is nice. We're not really interested in seeing the last boss fight or whatever, just that last second before a cut scene kicks in and shows us the ending.

You'll notice the clips we have here are in quite low-resolution, just 320x240. That's not because my capture card is really crappy... ok, it is, but it would manage a higher rate capture than that, but we do need to keep the clip size down and keep an eye on our bandwidth usage, so we've hit on this as an acceptable rate.

Ok, if you have a clip, how can you get it to us - odds on it'll be far too big to email, so we're relying here on the fact that most ISP's seem to give us around 25-50MB of free webspace that we normally ignore. So stick your clip up you free webspace, then email us at contribute@game-endings.co.uk and we'll pick it up. You'll also notice that in each of the clips we offer some opinion on the game, and a little about the clip, so please feel free to write something along these lines, and we'll post it up on the site.

So if you're now sat there thinking about the awesome game endings you'd love to provide, but haven't got access to a capture card, then record them on video - y'know scart lead from console to you VCR and record on tape. Then email us and we'll give you a postal address you can send your tape to and we'll capture it for you.

Update 03/05/05: Got some helpful info today from hub2 at www.rllmukforum.com firstly about a much easier way of transferring large files to us. Obviously if you are quite happy in using ftp to put files up on your webspace, then by all means use that. Alternatively use a great website called www.yousendit.com. This is a free service which lets you email files of up to 1GB to people. Effectively it just lets you upload you file onto yousendit's server, and then mails the intended recepient to come and get it. The main thing is that it's free, and easy to use - so is highly recommended if you don't want to faff about with ftp and such like.

The second piece of info from hub2 was about using fraps (www.fraps.com) as a method of recording PC game video's without need for any capture hardware. I haven't tested this out myself, mainly because my PC is too shit to run any games, but it looks good.

Stuff we're after

Update: 20/02/2006 So, pretty much all our original list of stuff (as seen below) is complete. Admitedly we really have to crack on with Resident Evil, but all the other stuff is done and dusted. So, new list time:

• Viewtiful Joe on the Gamecube
  Ok, so even in Kids mode, I can't finish this game, it's too much for me, but it is - until the point where it does me in a fantastic game, and hugely stylish Update: We have the adult ending so feel free to contribute other difficulty levels if you have them (yeah, including kids... lightweight *wink*).
• Grand Theft Auto games - Various platforms
  I managed to get to the end of GTA3 on my Xbox, but I've really just driven around a bit in Vice City, and San Andreas - and frankly I can't even remember the ending for GTA3. Nor do I know if you get anything extra for completing all those little extras and getting that full 100% rating.
• Final Fantasy Series on PSX/PS2
  We've got the FFVII ending up, so why not the rest. I have to admit to owning at least 5 FF games, and I haven't finished a single one, but I'd like to see what happens.
• Devil My Cry series on PS2
  I'm far too lazy to really work hard enough and get all those combos right to play through Devil May Cry, I also am unfortunate to own the PAL version of DMC1 which it like running through treacle.

Previous Wanted list

• Knights of the Old Replubic on Xbox
  Two endings here, light side and darkside. I finished the game with a light side ending, but I can't be bothered to play through 40 hours+ again to see what happens if you succumb to the darkside. Update: Both these endings are now availible for download.
• Resident Evil on Gamecube
  6 endings I think, small variations on a theme, but I want to see them. I managed to see 3 of these from a save game, but I've since deleted this, and could see the other 3 because of an earlier branching desicion
• Silent Hill games on Various platforms
  More endings than you can shake a stick at here. I have to admit I'm a tad slow on this one, Silent hill still sits in my PS1 unfinished, and I know there are a stack of endings, Silent Hill 2 is on my Xbox's hard drive, and I haven't even got around to starting that one yet.
• Eternal Darkness on Gamecube
  Wonderful game this one, very much underated IMO. At the beginning of the game you can chose one of three items, that vary slightly the monsters in the game and some of the sub bosses. This is all very well and good and I finished the game ok, but start again on your save after finishing and play through again, then again, and you see the "full" ending. Bollocks, if I've got the time for that though. Update: We now have this ending online.

So that's just an idea. The other endings target are ones that people find a bit tough to get to. Some people can't seem to get through the shark stage in Gitaroo Man so won't see the ending, and others can't do the legendary difficulty on Halo to see the extra bit of ending that this provides.