Help Wanted: Looking for the "Episode III Game - MTV Music Video Mod"

Originally posted by: daveytod
Nice one Gillean,

how did you do that BTW, I tried for ages to get a downloadable version
The usual method, though this particular example threw in a few more steps since it was running through Flash.

You just need a basic knowledge on how web streaming works. In the most basic situations (such as how own sites), the file is saved somewhere on the server, then another file is created that simply redirects to that file. This file is the one that is presented to the viewer, so if you download it you only have a very small file that when played still streams the content off the web. You need the actual file and therefore need to know where it is, so you obviously check the file that points to it. You do this by opening it up in a text editor as usually it is just plain text inside it. Sometimes it will point to multiple files, some are for different bandwidth speeds of the same content, or, in the case of this MTV video, it is like a playlist, first showing a splash video before showing the actual video. In the basic cases you can just download this file as it is uploaded to the file server just like a regular file (such as the case of the Special Effects IMAX video I posted here on request a few months ago).

Bigger sites will employ an actual streaming server or service though. In these cases the video file isn't on the regular server, but another that only the video client can connect to, one the web client can't. You can usually tell this as instead of starting with http:// the URL will start with something like mms:// or rtsp://. In these cases it is usually impossible to conventionally download the file (though in rare cases you can acheive a downloadable link by modifying the URL). For these you need a program that can record the streaming data into a usable file, basically like tape recording. I don't recommend any particular program as I don't usually require one so I just downloaded a random one for this situation. It was free but I won't mention it in case it contains malware. If you only want the audio from a stream then it is much easier, you just need a sound recorder/editor.

As I mentioned, this MTV case had additional steps due to the Flash, still simple though. You couldn't find the reference file by simply looking through the page source, at first I thought I was going to need to decompile the Flash file, but in the end you just had to right click the playing video and select Properties. This then gives the link twister111 supplied.


Yes, but I don't approve of ripping content from those sites as it is unjustifiable piracy. Each time you watch a video on one of those sites the video creator gets a little bit of cash. The way this works is the site splits its advertising profits with all the videos on site, each creator gets a percentage based on how many times their video was watched. If a video receives no views during a particular time period then they receive no cash. If you download videos that you enjoy then you aren't rewarding its creator. They usually don't get a lot (though it has at least paid back the creation cost on a few videos an old friend made), but considering it basically costs the viewer nothing to stream the video they may as well do it the right way. In the case of these MTV videos anyone benefits per view, it just costs MTV bandwidth. Possibly the bands might make something per view, and if these ever came out on DVD it obviously would be unjustifiable. In my case I had to download it just to view it properly, the screen would go black, change hue to green or even flip upside down in WMP!

Originally posted by: Ell the Ewok
it wont play for me, it says it needs a licancse and then cant get it.

Yes, but I don't approve of ripping content from those sites as it is unjustifiable piracy.