Instant Replay Buffer Recording
Save the Last 30 Seconds On Demand
Circular buffer recording for Unreal Engine. Continuously capture gameplay in the background and save instant replays when highlights happen. Hardware-accelerated, cross-platform, zero dependencies.
How Buffer Recording Works
Unlike traditional recording that captures everything, buffer recording keeps only what you need.
Continuous Capture
RVR continuously records frames to a circular buffer in memory, keeping the last 30-60 seconds.
Event Trigger
When something interesting happens - a kill, achievement, bug - trigger a save via button press or game event.
Instant Save
The buffer is encoded and saved as an MP4 file. Hardware acceleration ensures fast encoding with minimal CPU usage.
Quick Implementation (C++)
void AGameMode::BeginPlay()
{
URuntimeVideoRecorder* Recorder = GEngine->GetEngineSubsystem<URuntimeVideoRecorder>();
if (Recorder)
{
Recorder->StartRecording(
TEXT("%auto%"),
30, 1920, 1080, // 30 FPS, 1080p
Settings,
true, true, false, false,
30.0f // ← Buffer duration: 30 seconds
);
}
}
// Save replay when player gets a kill
void ACharacter::OnEnemyKilled()
{
URuntimeVideoRecorder* Recorder = GEngine->GetEngineSubsystem<URuntimeVideoRecorder>();
if (Recorder && Recorder->IsRecordingInProgress())
{
Recorder->StopRecording_NativeAPI(); // Saves the buffer
}
}
Also available as Blueprint nodes - no C++ required.
Buffer Recording vs. Traditional Recording
Buffer Recording (RVR)
Traditional Recording
Perfect For
Highlight Capture
Automatically save replays when players achieve kills, complete levels, or hit milestones. Share-worthy moments captured instantly.
Bug Reporting
When testers find bugs, they save the last 30 seconds showing exactly what happened. No more "cannot reproduce" issues.
Crash Recovery
Buffer is preserved even when games crash. Capture the moments leading up to crashes for debugging.
Mobile Games
Works on Android and iOS. No external screen recording apps needed - buffer recording built right into your game.
VR Experiences
Capture VR moments on Oculus and Meta Quest. Buffer recording works seamlessly in XR applications.
CI/CD Pipelines
Trigger buffer saves from automated tests. When tests fail, you get video evidence of what went wrong.
Performance Impact
CPU overhead with hardware encoding
Memory for 30-second buffer at 1080p
Recording independent of game framerate
Frequently Asked Questions
What is game recording buffer software?
Game recording buffer software continuously records gameplay in the background, keeping only the last 30-60 seconds in memory. When something interesting happens, you save that buffer to a video file. This is more efficient than recording everything because you only keep what matters.
How does instant replay work in Runtime Video Recorder?
RVR uses a circular buffer that continuously captures frames. When you trigger a save, it writes the buffered frames to an MP4 file. The buffer duration is configurable from 10 seconds to several minutes, and encoding uses hardware acceleration for minimal CPU impact.
Is this like NVIDIA ShadowPlay for Unreal Engine?
Yes, similar concept but built directly into Unreal Engine. Unlike ShadowPlay which is external and NVIDIA-only, RVR works on all platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS) and integrates with your game code for programmatic control.
Can I trigger instant replay saves from game events?
Yes! You can trigger saves via Blueprints or C++ from any game event - player achievements, kills, crashes, errors, or custom conditions. Perfect for automatic highlight capture or bug recording.
How much memory does buffer recording use?
Memory usage depends on resolution and buffer duration. A 30-second buffer at 1080p/30fps uses approximately 100MB. You can configure buffer duration based on your needs and platform constraints.