Implement Running Godot as Movie Writer

* Allows running the game in "movie writer" mode.
* It ensures entirely stable framerate, so your run can be saved stable and with proper sound (which is impossible if your CPU/GPU can't sustain doing this in real-time).
* If disabling vsync, it can save movies faster than the game is run, but if you want to control the interaction it can get difficult.
* Implements a simple, default MJPEG writer.

This new features has two main use cases, which have high demand:
* Saving game videos in high quality and ensuring the frame rate is *completely* stable, always.
* Using Godot as a tool to make movies and animations (which is ideal if you want interaction, or creating them procedurally. No other software is as good for this).

**Note**: This feature **IS NOT** for capturing real-time footage. Use something like OBS, SimpleScreenRecorder or FRAPS to achieve that, as they do a much better job at intercepting the compositor than Godot can probably do using Vulkan or OpenGL natively. If your game runs near real-time when capturing, you can still use this feature but it will play no sound (sound will be saved directly).

Usage:

$ godot --write-movie movie.avi [scene_file.tscn]

Missing:

* Options for configuring video writing via GLOBAL_DEF
* UI Menu for launching with this mode from the editor.
* Add to list of command line options.
* Add a feature tag to override configurations when movie writing (fantastic for saving videos with highest quality settings).

8 files changed, 67 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/editor/editor_node.cpp b/editor/editor_node.cpp
index 67d0b83bd6..5cff088d0c 100644
--- a/editor/editor_node.cpp
+++ b/editor/editor_node.cpp
@@ -2342,6 +2342,20 @@ void EditorNode::_run(bool p_current, const String &p_custom) {
 		return;
 	}
 
+	String write_movie_file;
+	if (write_movie_button->is_pressed()) {
+		if (p_current && get_tree()->get_edited_scene_root() && get_tree()->get_edited_scene_root()->has_meta("movie_file")) {
+			// If the scene file has a movie_file metadata set, use this as file. Quick workaround if you want to have multiple scenes that write to multiple movies.
+			write_movie_file = get_tree()->get_edited_scene_root()->get_meta("movie_file");
+		} else {
+			write_movie_file = GLOBAL_GET("editor/movie_writer/movie_file");
+		}
+		if (write_movie_file == String()) {
+			show_accept(TTR("Movie Maker mode is enabled, but no movie file path has been specified.\nA default movie file path can be specified in the project settings under the 'Editor/Movie Writer' category.\nAlternatively, for running single scenes, a 'movie_path' metadata can be added to the root node,\nspecifying the path to a movie file that will be used when recording that scene."), TTR("OK"));
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+
 	play_button->set_pressed(false);
 	play_button->set_icon(gui_base->get_theme_icon(SNAME("MainPlay"), SNAME("EditorIcons")));
 	play_scene_button->set_pressed(false);
@@ -2405,7 +2419,7 @@ void EditorNode::_run(bool p_current, const String &p_custom) {
 	}
 
 	EditorDebuggerNode::get_singleton()->start();
-	Error error = editor_run.run(run_filename);
+	Error error = editor_run.run(run_filename, write_movie_file);
 	if (error != OK) {
 		EditorDebuggerNode::get_singleton()->stop();
 		show_accept(TTR("Could not start subprocess(es)!"), TTR("OK"));
@@ -2788,6 +2802,9 @@ void EditorNode::_menu_option_confirm(int p_option, bool p_confirmed) {
 		case RUN_SETTINGS: {
 			project_settings_editor->popup_project_settings();
 		} break;
+		case RUN_WRITE_MOVIE: {
+			_update_write_movie_icon();
+		} break;
 		case FILE_INSTALL_ANDROID_SOURCE: {
 			if (p_confirmed) {
 				export_template_manager->install_android_template();
@@ -4949,6 +4966,14 @@ String EditorNode::get_run_playing_scene() const {
 	return run_filename;
 }
 
+void EditorNode::_update_write_movie_icon() {
+	if (write_movie_button->is_pressed()) {
+		write_movie_button->set_icon(gui_base->get_theme_icon(SNAME("MainMovieWriteEnabled"), SNAME("EditorIcons")));
+	} else {
+		write_movie_button->set_icon(gui_base->get_theme_icon(SNAME("MainMovieWrite"), SNAME("EditorIcons")));
+	}
+}
+
 void EditorNode::_immediate_dialog_confirmed() {
 	immediate_dialog_confirmed = true;
 }
@@ -6704,6 +6729,23 @@ EditorNode::EditorNode() {
 	ED_SHORTCUT_OVERRIDE("editor/play_custom_scene", "macos", KeyModifierMask::CMD | KeyModifierMask::SHIFT | Key::R);
 	play_custom_scene_button->set_shortcut(ED_GET_SHORTCUT("editor/play_custom_scene"));
 
+	write_movie_button = memnew(Button);
+	write_movie_button->set_flat(true);
+	write_movie_button->set_toggle_mode(true);
+	play_hb->add_child(write_movie_button);
+	write_movie_button->set_pressed(false);
+	write_movie_button->set_icon(gui_base->get_theme_icon(SNAME("MainMovieWrite"), SNAME("EditorIcons")));
+	write_movie_button->set_focus_mode(Control::FOCUS_NONE);
+	write_movie_button->connect("pressed", callable_mp(this, &EditorNode::_menu_option), make_binds(RUN_WRITE_MOVIE));
+	write_movie_button->set_tooltip(TTR("Enable Movie Maker mode.\nThe project will run at stable FPS and the visual and audio output will be recorded to a video file."));
+	// Restore these values to something more useful so it ignores the theme
+	write_movie_button->add_theme_color_override("icon_normal_color", Color(1, 1, 1, 0.4));
+	write_movie_button->add_theme_color_override("icon_pressed_color", Color(1, 1, 1, 1));
+	write_movie_button->add_theme_color_override("icon_hover_color", Color(1.2, 1.2, 1.2, 0.4));
+	write_movie_button->add_theme_color_override("icon_hover_pressed_color", Color(1.2, 1.2, 1.2, 1));
+	write_movie_button->add_theme_color_override("icon_focus_color", Color(1, 1, 1, 1));
+	write_movie_button->add_theme_color_override("icon_disabled_color", Color(1, 1, 1, 0.4));
+
 	HBoxContainer *right_menu_hb = memnew(HBoxContainer);
 	menu_hb->add_child(right_menu_hb);
 
diff --git a/editor/editor_node.h b/editor/editor_node.h
index 48df767562..89f80baeb9 100644
--- a/editor/editor_node.h
+++ b/editor/editor_node.h
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@ private:
 		RUN_PLAY_CUSTOM_SCENE,
 		RUN_SETTINGS,
 		RUN_USER_DATA_FOLDER,
+		RUN_WRITE_MOVIE,
 		RELOAD_CURRENT_PROJECT,
 		RUN_PROJECT_MANAGER,
 		RUN_VCS_METADATA,
@@ -333,6 +334,7 @@ private:
 	Button *play_scene_button = nullptr;
 	Button *play_custom_scene_button = nullptr;
 	Button *search_button = nullptr;
+	Button *write_movie_button = nullptr;
 	TextureProgressBar *audio_vu = nullptr;
 
 	Timer *screenshot_timer = nullptr;
@@ -667,7 +669,7 @@ private:
 	void _pick_main_scene_custom_action(const String &p_custom_action_name);
 
 	void _immediate_dialog_confirmed();
-
+	void _update_write_movie_icon();
 	void _select_default_main_screen_plugin();
 
 	void _bottom_panel_switch(bool p_enable, int p_idx);
diff --git a/editor/editor_properties.cpp b/editor/editor_properties.cpp
index a5c02c70d9..61b434a240 100644
--- a/editor/editor_properties.cpp
+++ b/editor/editor_properties.cpp
@@ -3747,11 +3747,11 @@ EditorProperty *EditorInspectorDefaultPlugin::get_editor_for_property(Object *p_
 				EditorPropertyLocale *editor = memnew(EditorPropertyLocale);
 				editor->setup(p_hint_text);
 				return editor;
-			} else if (p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_DIR || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_FILE || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_SAVE_FILE || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_DIR || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_FILE) {
+			} else if (p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_DIR || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_FILE || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_SAVE_FILE || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_SAVE_FILE || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_DIR || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_FILE) {
 				Vector<String> extensions = p_hint_text.split(",");
-				bool global = p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_DIR || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_FILE;
+				bool global = p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_DIR || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_FILE || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_SAVE_FILE;
 				bool folder = p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_DIR || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_DIR;
-				bool save = p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_SAVE_FILE;
+				bool save = p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_SAVE_FILE || p_hint == PROPERTY_HINT_GLOBAL_SAVE_FILE;
 				EditorPropertyPath *editor = memnew(EditorPropertyPath);
 				editor->setup(extensions, folder, global);
 				if (save) {
diff --git a/editor/editor_run.cpp b/editor/editor_run.cpp
index 6a2ff50ee0..04a3bf2915 100644
--- a/editor/editor_run.cpp
+++ b/editor/editor_run.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ String EditorRun::get_running_scene() const {
 	return running_scene;
 }
 
-Error EditorRun::run(const String &p_scene) {
+Error EditorRun::run(const String &p_scene, const String &p_write_movie) {
 	List<String> args;
 
 	String resource_path = ProjectSettings::get_singleton()->get_resource_path();
@@ -68,6 +68,16 @@ Error EditorRun::run(const String &p_scene) {
 		args.push_back("--debug-navigation");
 	}
 
+	if (p_write_movie != "") {
+		args.push_back("--write-movie");
+		args.push_back(p_write_movie);
+		args.push_back("--fixed-fps");
+		args.push_back(itos(GLOBAL_GET("editor/movie_writer/fps")));
+		if (bool(GLOBAL_GET("editor/movie_writer/disable_vsync"))) {
+			args.push_back("--disable-vsync");
+		}
+	}
+
 	int screen = EditorSettings::get_singleton()->get("run/window_placement/screen");
 	if (screen == 0) {
 		// Same as editor
diff --git a/editor/editor_run.h b/editor/editor_run.h
index 50604ff032..4cbc6838e4 100644
--- a/editor/editor_run.h
+++ b/editor/editor_run.h
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ private:
 public:
 	Status get_status() const;
 	String get_running_scene() const;
-	Error run(const String &p_scene);
+	Error run(const String &p_scene, const String &p_write_movie = "");
 	void run_native_notify() { status = STATUS_PLAY; }
 	void stop();
 
diff --git a/editor/icons/MainMovieWrite.svg b/editor/icons/MainMovieWrite.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..21464bb57c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/editor/icons/MainMovieWrite.svg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<svg height="16" width="16" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M8 2a6 6 0 0 0-6 6 6 6 0 0 0 6 6 6 6 0 0 0 4-1.535V14h.002a2 2 0 0 0 .266 1A2 2 0 0 0 14 16h1v-2h-.5a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8a6 6 0 0 0-6-6zm0 1a1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1-1 1 1 1 0 0 1-1-1 1 1 0 0 1 1-1zm3.441 2a1 1 0 0 1 .89.5 1 1 0 0 1-.366 1.365 1 1 0 0 1-1.367-.365 1 1 0 0 1 .367-1.365A1 1 0 0 1 11.44 5zm-6.953.002a1 1 0 0 1 .547.133A1 1 0 0 1 5.402 6.5a1 1 0 0 1-1.367.365A1 1 0 0 1 3.67 5.5a1 1 0 0 1 .818-.498zM4.512 9a1 1 0 0 1 .89.5 1 1 0 0 1-.367 1.365A1 1 0 0 1 3.67 10.5a1 1 0 0 1 .365-1.365A1 1 0 0 1 4.512 9zm6.904.002a1 1 0 0 1 .549.133 1 1 0 0 1 .365 1.365 1 1 0 0 1-1.365.365 1 1 0 0 1-.367-1.365 1 1 0 0 1 .818-.498zM8 11a1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1-1 1 1 1 0 0 1-1-1 1 1 0 0 1 1-1z" fill="#e0e0e0"/></svg>
diff --git a/editor/icons/MainMovieWriteEnabled.svg b/editor/icons/MainMovieWriteEnabled.svg
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b12ea38bed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/editor/icons/MainMovieWriteEnabled.svg
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<svg height="16" width="16" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M8 2a6 6 0 0 0-6 6 6 6 0 0 0 6 6 6 6 0 0 0 4-1.535V14h.002a2 2 0 0 0 .266 1A2 2 0 0 0 14 16h1v-2h-.5a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8a6 6 0 0 0-6-6zm0 1a1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1-1 1 1 1 0 0 1-1-1 1 1 0 0 1 1-1zm3.441 2a1 1 0 0 1 .89.5 1 1 0 0 1-.366 1.365 1 1 0 0 1-1.367-.365 1 1 0 0 1 .367-1.365A1 1 0 0 1 11.44 5zm-6.953.002a1 1 0 0 1 .547.133A1 1 0 0 1 5.402 6.5a1 1 0 0 1-1.367.365A1 1 0 0 1 3.67 5.5a1 1 0 0 1 .818-.498zM4.512 9a1 1 0 0 1 .89.5 1 1 0 0 1-.367 1.365A1 1 0 0 1 3.67 10.5a1 1 0 0 1 .365-1.365A1 1 0 0 1 4.512 9zm6.904.002a1 1 0 0 1 .549.133 1 1 0 0 1 .365 1.365 1 1 0 0 1-1.365.365 1 1 0 0 1-.367-1.365 1 1 0 0 1 .818-.498zM8 11a1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1-1 1 1 1 0 0 1-1-1 1 1 0 0 1 1-1z" fill="#e0e0e0" style="fill:#ee5353;fill-opacity:1"/></svg>
diff --git a/editor/project_settings_editor.cpp b/editor/project_settings_editor.cpp
index 404199d2da..1524993bd0 100644
--- a/editor/project_settings_editor.cpp
+++ b/editor/project_settings_editor.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "editor/editor_log.h"
 #include "editor/editor_node.h"
 #include "editor/editor_scale.h"
+#include "servers/movie_writer/movie_writer.h"
 
 ProjectSettingsEditor *ProjectSettingsEditor::singleton = nullptr;
 
@@ -261,6 +262,7 @@ void ProjectSettingsEditor::_add_feature_overrides() {
 	presets.insert("standalone");
 	presets.insert("32");
 	presets.insert("64");
+	presets.insert("movie");
 
 	EditorExport *ee = EditorExport::get_singleton();
 
@@ -698,4 +700,6 @@ ProjectSettingsEditor::ProjectSettingsEditor(EditorData *p_data) {
 	import_defaults_editor->set_name(TTR("Import Defaults"));
 	tab_container->add_child(import_defaults_editor);
 	import_defaults_editor->connect("project_settings_changed", callable_mp(this, &ProjectSettingsEditor::queue_save));
+
+	MovieWriter::set_extensions_hint(); // ensure extensions are properly displayed.
 }