New video format proposal

For your consideration, the Godot Video System, or GVS for short.

Theoretically, you can make a universal video module simply by converting your finished video files to OGV or WEBM, creating a Godot Game Engine project, and uploading your video files into the project. Then, it’d be about as simple as programming menus and such. Best of all, you’re not limited in your choice of aspect ratio or resolution! You can make GVS modules in 1.5K or 2K, even 4K if you desire, and you’re not even limited to multiples of 512 horizontal pixels, either. Plus, you can choose between aspect ratios even in the same GVS module, with black bars appearing depending on your choice of aspect ratio–for example, a 1.33:1 GVS module will be viewable in 1.33:1, and may also have options for 1.66:1, 1.75:1, and/or 1.85:1.

Of course, at present, I’m only certain this theory will work with simple videos. Later, I plan to explore how this theory might work with more complex forms of interactivity and presentation, such as seamless branching and even non-anaglyphic forms of 3D. I will post in this thread again when I have updates on my end regarding GVS presentation.

This sounds very incompatible with standalone players (game consoles, smart TVs, Blu-Ray players, media players like KDLinks/Popcorn Hour/WDTV)…

Which is why I do not recommend releasing GVS modules by themselves. There should be a DVD or Blu-ray to accompany it as well. One day, someone will find a way to improve on my GVS concept to eliminate the compatibility issue altogether. Whether it will be an evolution of GVS or another format entirely, I don’t know. All I know is, for now GVS is the best possible solution I could think of for PC and Mac users.

At any rate, once I produce a proof of concept, I’ll release the source code with comments on how each function works, in the hopes that one day my dream of a truly open home media format will be fulfilled.

I guess I don’t understand what it is you’re proposing. Is this a container, like MP4, MKV, or AVI? If so, why is it different or better than any of those? If it isn’t, then…what is it? Like an EDL for fan edits, so you don’t distribute any actual video files, just this “GVS” thing and link it to the same source file, like the official BD or DVD?

It’s basically an executable file designed to resemble, in its style, a DVD or Blu-ray. Don’t worry, I intend to make sure these files are safe for viewing. In fact, if I didn’t believe the video files generated in Godot Game Engine were safe, I wouldn’t have even proposed it in the first place.

As for the EDL potential, that’s one of the things I’ll look into after I prove the concept. Also, I’m thinking of standardizing the format, so that people will have a better understanding of what GVS modules are supposed to be. One thing I’m researching is the resolution of film, so I can work out standard resolutions for each original medium (e.g. 35mm Academy format, 5/70 Todd-AO, 15/70 IMAX, 16mm, even certain videotape stocks) and ensure that every film will be made available in its original theoretical resolution. The sooner standards, including the code, video, audio, subtitles, and export format, are reached for open home media, the better.

Charles Threepio said:

It’s basically an executable file designed to resemble, in its style, a DVD or Blu-ray.

If that’s the case, this seems…completely pointless. As in, I honestly don’t understand in any way how this idea is beneficial when you can just make an MKV or MP4. It’s not like aspect ratio or resolution are an issue with those formats.

Sorry, I’m really not trying to rain on your parade, I just…don’t get it. Do you just really want to be able to make, say, a 1.5K, 1.66:1 movie with a full menu and extras without having to conform to a BR or UHD-BR standard with letterboxing and upscaling/downscaling to a set resolution for some reason?

ChainsawAsh said:

Do you just really want to be able to make, say, a 1.5K, 1.66:1 movie with a full menu and extras without having to conform to a BR or UHD-BR standard with letterboxing and upscaling/downscaling to a set resolution for some reason?

Yes.

Oh. Um… Why?

Put simply, an open home video standard allows for creative freedom in designing releases for your restorations; why settle for few choices in resolutions when you can run the whole gamut of them at whatever framerate and/or aspect ratio you think will best fit your presentation? Indeed, I’d use MKV files for the video content of GVS modules if Godot Game Engine supported them, as MKV is already a decidedly open container format as it is; with an open container format, we might as well hope for an open home video format as well, which is what GVS is intended to be. It’s not perfect, but hey, we all gotta start somewhere.

To me, if you want menus and special features, just make a Blu-ray folder/ISO. It’s already standardized, and it does pretty much everything you want. The only difference is it requires standard resolutions and framerates. But no normal person would want non-standard resolutions anyway… so that should be a non-issue. People can play it on their computer if they want, or burn it onto a disc if they so choose. It makes way more sense to me…

And as a “home video standard,” most people on here just use a media server, like Plex or Kodi or something similar. That’s really the way to go if you don’t want a BD folder/ISO, IMO.

Like Chainsaw said, not trying to rain on your parade either… but I just don’t get it. The standardized formats already have the important core features you’re describing.

Yep yep. The only major drawback I see to the BR standard is the lack of 1080p25/720p25 support (requiring many UK shows like Doctor Who to release 1080i50 BRs, or slow down the video to 24fps), and I don’t even know if that’s a thing for UHD BR.

All the other issues you present are really non-issues - resolution? Upscale/downscale; your player or the TV itself will have to do that to display it anyway if it isn’t in your display’s native resolution. Aspect ratio? Letterboxing; the amount of bitrate wasted on black bars is negligible.