Introduction by Rocky

Ghost Recon saves replays of missions by default, and it does this on your own PC or on the gamer server from which it is running in online games. To view the replays you must use the Ghost Recon Replay option as they are not saved as movie files, but as a record of the instructions Ghost Recon receives during the mission. This report from [S]IronMan investigates every aspect of Ghost Recon replays, including how to investigate why a replay does not run on your system.

The Replay Code

Replays are basically a small program built by the server. This small program is run by the larger GR program to display the game.

If you want to find out what mission and game type were used to generate the replay then open it with notepad and check the first line. Most of it is garbage but the mission file 'whatever.mis' and the game type 'whatever.gtf' will be in the first line.

To check the mods, (in notepad) search the replay for the word 'mods' it should show you the mods the server had active. This is handy for when you have a replay but it will not display because you do not have the required mission file installed.

The replay will NOT however show you any modified files on the server. It will not show you any modified gun files (unless you really know what you are looking for) or modified script, environment, or mission files. So if any changes were done to the server (full auto removed etc) then you need to make the same changes.

I have yet to find a replay I cant view once I copy what the server had installed. Oh I have some bad replays, most of which were either stored or downloaded incorrectly (no end of file.. looks like half the replay got lost). But I have viewed replays from around 10 different major servers and a whole bunch of minor ones, including those hosted by somebody on their computer.

If you want to check the gun files being used in the replay you can scroll down thru the replay. A complete player list (as of when the game started) and the kit names (not the gun names but the kits they chose) are in the replay as well.

If your replay crashes due to not finding a mission or mission name (altered or renamed mission) you can usually find it in the ike.txt in your default GR folder. If, on the other hand, you are trying to review a replay that has a different game type (assasination, seek & destroy, command & conquer), than what is available on your computer (IE you don't have the GTF file) then NOTHING will show up in your IKE.TXT. This is why you check the first line of the actual replay.

You can run replays from Desert Siege and Island thunder missions with other mods active (like Hx5), but you cannot run a replay from HX5 without having the HX5 mod active. You cannot run a replay from DS/IT (mp1 or mp2) without having the MP1 and/or MP2 mods active

You must activate the mods then stop and restart your GR.. why? because when GR loads it pulls into memory all the available GTF (game files) it can run, among other things. Even just activating the mod doesn't necessarily bring everything into memory.

Replay Funk

As in when the replay display something strange.. some is caused by the way the program is written.. other is caused by the server that created the replay and the system playing the replay not having the same files.

Offset aim: some of you have seen this in OBS or observing in game after your last life. Player shoots over here, and kills a guy way to the left of the ret. aim is offset in OBS therefore it would be offset in replays. The offset is worse depending how much zoom you use.

Kit Funk

In game I have seen a guy drop two sensors yet his kit (in observe) still shows two sensors. It's a bug folks. The replay showed him having no sensors.. tracked it later and found that some times in game it fails to update OBS as to the number of sensors or grenades or whatever. Replays sometimes do this as well. You want to see if a guy laid three or four sensors.. then you better be able to see and count them on the ground... and he better not have been carrying the MP5 (do this with F1)

Ammo Funk

Replays often change the ammo from 19/10 as in 19 rounds 10 clips .... it is changed to 65273/?? doesn't matter.. it's a replay funk bug.

Reticule/Gun Changes

These are caused by mismated gun files I think, as in the gun your system chose for the replay doesn't match exactly the gun the server had in the kit. It shows a different gun or ret from the start of the game, sometimes the ret or gun changes after the first death. Sometimes this is a pistol instead of a sniper rifle, or a sniper instead of an assault rifle, or a m146 instead of an oicw or whatever. Nope not a cheat or indication of one.. its replay funk.. bring down the funk.

White Guns/Skins

this I have to credit to Gephion[BAD] as he did the research. If you are showing white guns or white skins then your system does not have the same gun/skin files as the main server has.

Actor/Player

Blood/no blood - lagg. You saw blood when you shot the guy in game, yet he wasn't wounded and there was no blood in the replay? This one is simple LAGG people.. your computer controls minor things such as orientation of the guy you are shooting at (his back was turned and he shot you), and what is displayed to you. But the server is the computer that controls the major issues as to who got shot and who got dead. You fired, your computer said you hit him and showed you blood. the server said he killed you before you fired so you died and he didn't get hit.

Now its very possible that THE SERVER has modified files... but the replay is based on the SERVER files, not the files in your computer or any one elses.

In-game chat or displayed messages are not normally displayed during replays (as in eliminated messages) but you will get Alpha Bravo Charlie messages to help determine who shot who at the time.

Also please realize that some of these servers are in different countries. As in the Canadian version of the game does NOT have the same files as the US version, found that one out already. Most are fixed by making sure all versions have the 1.04 patch installed but if you are not up to snuff on the version and patches then you will have mismatches.

Replay Viewing Controls

To change teams you are watching hit command squad view (default key is Tab I think) then select the team tab you wish to view.

Scroll thru the players with page up or page down or you can or use the command squad view again and click on the guy you want to watch.

P = pause replay
+ = fast speed +2 +4 +8
- = slow speed .5 .25
map keys are as you defined them.. shift is the command map default

hit numpad to get replay console
type in 'shadow' to have the replay display shadows
type in 'names' to have the replay show all names of players on screen

F1 will give you alternate views IE two separate 3rd person views

by [S]IronMan