Info about Action! - Gameplay Recording and Streaming:

Official game description:
**Action!** - The world's No. 1 gameplay recorder!  
With Action! you can record and stream your HD/4K/HDR gameplay, full-screen Windows desktop, selected Windows desktop region or application window, web player videos, music, benchmark and display game frame rates, add streaming overlays, live audio commentary, webcams and much more! With outstanding performance, sleek design and easy to use interface Action! provides the best user experience for real-time gameplay recording and streaming software.
Top reasons why gamers select Action!
-------------------------------------
*   **Smooth HD/4K/HDR10** gameplay recording up to **240fps**!  
*   Monitor you stream/recording status with **on-screen HUD (no need for second monitor)**  
*   **Automatic recovery of corrupted MP4 recordings** - never lose anything you record or stream. Even on power outage or system crash!  
*   The best recording performance and **low CPU usage**!  
*   Support for web browser overlays (streaming alerts)!  
*   Live preview of video composition!  
*   **Easy to use** and stylish user interface!  
*   Video recording directly to **MP4 (H.264/AVC or H.265/HEVC)** with hardware acceleration  
*   **Microphone** audio commentary and **webcams** support!  
*   Fast export directly to **YouTube and Facebook**!  
*   **LIVE Streaming** to Twitch.tv, Facebook, YouTube, Smashcast and any custom RTMP destination!  
*   Supports hardware capture devices
Key features:
-------------
*   Recording gameplay of DirectX 8/9/10/11/12/OpenGL/Vulkan/UWP games  
*   LIVE Streaming games to Twitch.tv, YouTube, Smashcast, Facebook and many more services!  
*   Multi-layer HUD with chat overlay over any streamed game!  
*   Display and benchmark FPS and average FPS for games  
*   Direct gameplay recording to MP4 (H.264/AVC or H.265/HEVC) format with Intel Quick Sync Video, NVIDIA NVENC and AMD AMF acceleration!  
*   Adding webcam to gameplay recordings with optional background removal  
*   Support for 4K webcams with hardware acceleration (like Brio 4K)!  
*   Recording 60P fullscreen Windows desktop with full support for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10  
*   Recording selected region of Windows desktop  
*   Recording web player videos  
*   Real Time On-Screen Drawing Panel in any borderless windowed games!  
*   Save game benchmark results to .CSV or .HTML file  
*   Recordings pause/resume option  
*   Adding custom logo/overlay graphics  
*   Logitech G13/G15/G19 keyboards LCD display support  
*   Live audio commentary with a microphone  
*   Microphone mixing level adjustment  
*   Advanced microphone denoising  
*   Record audio only files in WAV/M4A format  
*   Capture microphone and system sounds into two separate audio tracks or files  
*   Full-screen games and desktop screenshots to JPG, PNG or BMP  
*   Capturing selected desktop region screenshots  
*   Option to detect framerate of source web player video  
*   Exporting video recordings to popular formats and devices  
*   Upload to YouTube  
*   Smooth and easy recording playback with built-in Action! player  
*   Ultimate performance, low CPU usage, and high FPS video recording  
*   Mouse clicks visualizations  
*   Recorded webcams preview on Action! HUD  
*   Custom hotkeys  
*   Displaying detected 3D engine for games and applications  
*   Multicore CPU support for best performance

Release date: May 8, 2014

Categories: Video Recording Gameplay, Performance Optimization, Utility, Audio/Video Mixing, Live Streaming

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 95; verdict: Broken / Unsupported; summary: The sole user review indicates that the software does not currently support Linux, and the user is asking for that support while noting that a competitor (OBS) already provides it. No positive Linux/Proton experiences are reported, and no workarounds or launch options are mentioned. The evidence points to the software being effectively non‑functional on Linux, with no known compatibility layer success.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: Broken; summary: The software exhibits critical incompatibilities with Linux (Steam Deck), fails to record games using Easy Anti-Cheat or Denuvo, and imposes a slow, always-online startup. These issues collectively render the tool unreliable and often broken on Steam Deck, requiring extensive tinkering or rendering it unusable for many use cases.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews consistently indicate that the base price is considered too high, with multiple users recommending waiting for a sale. The sale prices that users find acceptable are under $10 or roughly half of the full price, suggesting that a fair base price should be in the range of $10 to $20. The upper bound is informed by users who found half price acceptable, implying full price may be around $20. The lower bound reflects the value seen at under $10 on sale, which would be the minimum fair baseline.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The target 'Action! - Gameplay Recording and Streaming' is a software tool, not a game with a story, campaign, or distinct endgame content. All reported hours in the reviews refer to cumulative usage time of the software itself. There is no evidence of typical time to 'finish' the software, a main story completion, consistent session lengths, or post-completion endgame activities. Therefore, all playtime metrics are returned as null.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes:
  - OBS Convert (no buy)
    - Motivation: Reliability and cost savings by switching to a free, well-maintained alternative
    - Playstyle: Previously used Action! for recording but now uses OBS; values stability, constant updates, and no DRM restrictions
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: frustrated ex-user; OBS advocate; tech-savvy streamer
    - Reference games: OBS Studio
  - Casual Recorder (buy)
    - Motivation: Simple, hassle-free recording without needing to learn complex settings
    - Playstyle: Uses default or near-default settings for recording gameplays or screen; values quick results and low CPU usage
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: beginner; casual gamer; non-technical creator
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Feature-Focused Streamer (sale)
    - Motivation: Access to specific recording features (time-shift, multi-track audio, real-time zoom) that improve content creation workflow
    - Playstyle: Customizes hotkeys and feature toggles; uses Action! for guided content, streaming, and detailed video production; may supplement with other tools
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: streamer; content creator; guide maker
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Budget-Minded Shopper (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Getting a good deal; unwilling to pay full price for recording software with free alternatives
    - Playstyle: Patiently waits for discounts (e.g., Black Friday); purchases only when price drops significantly
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: frugal gamer; sale hunter; cost-conscious buyer
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Streaming and Upload Capabilities (weight 0.34): Users praise the ability to live stream directly to platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook, as well as direct upload to YouTube and Facebook. The streaming supports up to 1080p/60fps and is free to use.
- Rich Feature Set (weight 0.32): The software offers multiple recording modes (game, full screen, window), built-in noise reduction, separate audio tracks, hardware acceleration (NVENC, Intel Quick Sync, AMD APP), and supports recording games, classes, meetings, and more.
- User-Friendly Interface (weight 0.3): The software is consistently described as easy to use with an intuitive, clean, and simple interface. Users find it straightforward and pleasant to navigate.
- High Performance and Low Impact (weight 0.28): The program is lightweight, causes no lag even on weak PCs, and minimizes FPS drops. It also produces good file sizes with high quality, making it ideal for low-end systems.
- Overall Positive Feedback (weight 0.25): Many users simply describe the program as good, excellent, or one of the best recording tools they have used. It is consistently recommended for game recording and screen capture.
- Better Value than Competitors (weight 0.24): Compared to software like Fraps, Bandicam, and OBS, this program is seen as cheaper, lighter on resources, and a more efficient alternative. It is also considered a cost-effective replacement for capture cards.
- High-Quality Recording (weight 0.23): Users highlight excellent recording quality with support for up to 4K resolution and high frame rates up to 240 FPS. The recordings are sharp and smooth.

Common complaints:
- Frequent crashes and instability (weight 0.97): A vast number of users report that Action! crashes frequently, freezes, becomes unresponsive, or causes system instability. These issues often occur on opening, during recording, after updates, or when alt-tabbing. Some users note that the program causes games to crash as well.
- Missing features and limited customization (weight 0.92): Users find Action! lacking essential features present in competitors, such as scene switching, separate audio tracks, audio layer adjustment, background replacement, chroma key for windows, plugin support, built-in video editor, and advanced streaming options. This limits its usefulness for content creators.
- Performance problems and resource usage (weight 0.41): Users report poor optimization, with Action! causing lag, frame drops, and high CPU/GPU usage even when idle. Recording can result in slideshow-like performance, especially on weaker PCs or with demanding games. Large file sizes and slow startup add to the issues.
- Inferior to OBS Studio (weight 0.37): Many users directly compare Action! to OBS Studio, stating that OBS is free, has a better interface, more features, and is more customizable. This comparison is the most common criticism, indicating a clear market disadvantage.
- Pricing and subscription model criticized (weight 0.34): Many users consider Action! overpriced, especially compared to free alternatives like OBS. The subscription fee for live streaming and watermark removal, along with the base price being high, is a major point of frustration. Users also note that the software frequently goes on sale, causing buyer regret.
- Poor customer support and slow development (weight 0.34): Users criticize unresponsive customer support, lack of community help, and slow development, especially regarding version 5 which was announced years ago but not released. Bugs from years ago remain unfixed, and some users report rude responses from the developer.
- UI and usability problems (weight 0.31): The interface is described as confusing, unintuitive, and cluttered. Settings are scattered and hard to find, and the application sometimes ignores user preferences. Beginners find a steep learning curve, and the UI is considered dated.
- Steam dependency and DRM issues (weight 0.31): Users complain that Action! requires Steam to be running even after purchase on Steam, tying the license to a single account and preventing offline use or sharing across accounts. The slow startup due to Steam authorization and constant online requirement is inconvenient.
- Recording save failures and data loss (weight 0.31): Many users experience recordings that fail to save, result in 0-byte files, become corrupted, or lose footage entirely. This is especially critical for long recordings (over an hour) where the entire file is lost. The software may freeze during the saving process.
- Recording format and codec limitations (weight 0.27): Users find format options restrictive: MP4 limited to 720p on some devices, AVI files too large, and proprietary formats (AVCHD, FV) unreadable by most software. H.264 export is missing, and the built-in converter is low quality. This hinders editing and sharing.
- Audio-related issues (weight 0.23): Users report audio sync problems, no sound after updates, low microphone volume, distortion, and echo. Workarounds like disabling 3D audio on headsets are needed. Some find audio quality inferior to alternatives.
- Compatibility issues with games and hardware (weight 0.23): Action! has specific problems with certain games (e.g., Destiny 2, Helldivers 2, DOOM Eternal, Minecraft, Garry's Mod) and anticheat systems (Faceit, Denuvo). It may prevent games from launching or cause crashes. Also issues with windowed mode and HUD recording.
- Hardware acceleration and GPU issues (weight 0.08): Some users report that hardware acceleration for newer GPUs (e.g., RTX 5080) does not work, and the program may default to the wrong GPU on multi-GPU systems. Workarounds like disabling hardware acceleration are needed for video cuts.

Gameplay feedback:
- Comprehensive recording and streaming features (weight 0.38): This software offers extensive recording capabilities including screen, gameplay, and desktop capture, along with live streaming, clipping, time-shift recording, and screenshot capture. It supports multiple codecs, high resolutions, key-bindings, and direct upload to social media platforms.
- Stability issues and game compatibility problems (weight 0.15): Users report various stability issues including crashes, freezing, and black flickering during playback. Compatibility problems exist with specific games like Destiny 2 and titles using Denuvo or anticheat software.
- User-friendly interface and OBS alternative (weight 0.15): The software features a simple and intuitive interface, making it beginner-friendly. It is often praised as more practical than OBS, with a gamemode and HUD panel for easy control.
- Smooth performance across hardware (weight 0.11): The software runs smoothly on both low-end and high-end hardware, providing reliable performance even after long usage. Users report smooth capture without significant lag.

Performance notes:
- Low resource usage and lightweight (weight 0.63): Multiple reviews highlight the software's low CPU and system load, making it suitable for weak PCs. It consumes fewer resources than OBS and Fraps, with minimal FPS loss (3-7 FPS) and no noticeable performance impact on various hardware, including old systems and low-end GPUs like GTX 750 Ti or 950m.
- Crashes and freezes during recording or saving (weight 0.34): Several users report that the software freezes or crashes when saving, starting recording, or during use. These crashes often cause the game to close or the program to become unresponsive. Issues occur especially after updates or when recording in MP4 format.
- Compatibility issues with updates and hardware (weight 0.24): The software has problems after Windows 11 update, Nvidia driver updates, and with DirectX 12. There are also issues with AMD 9000 series, multi-GPU systems (wrong GPU default), and some games like CS and Overwatch showing graphic bugs. The program may require updates to fix these.
- Positive comparison to OBS and other tools (weight 0.15): Several users claim the software is less resource-intensive, has lower CPU load, higher bitrate, and even gives FPS gain compared to OBS. It also doesn't drop FPS like OBS does. However, its startup time is slower (3-5 seconds vs OBS instant).
- High-quality recording features (weight 0.13): The software supports up to 4K/8K recording, up to 144fps, hardware acceleration for direct MP4 encoding (H.264/H.265), and stable streaming. No artifacts or lag during capture.

Recommendations:
- Overall positive but with caveats (weight 0.69): Many users give positive recommendations, often coupled with advice to buy on sale or acknowledging that it is good for basic recording but not for advanced streaming. The sentiment is mixed but leans positive with conditions.
- OBS is a better alternative (weight 0.38): Multiple users strongly recommend using OBS Studio instead of Action! due to its superior features, free price, and flexibility. Users consistently suggest switching to OBS for recording and streaming.
- Recommended for beginners and low-end systems (weight 0.37): Action! is praised for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a good choice for novice content creators or users with modest hardware. It offers quick setup without complex configuration.
- Buy on sale to get value (weight 0.35): Many reviewers advise purchasing Action! only during Steam sales or discounts, stating it is not worth the full price. Recommended sale price points include under $5, 40-50% off, and specific regional prices.
- Technical issues and workarounds (weight 0.21): Users report serious problems including HDR compatibility issues, crashes, game launch conflicts with Denuvo, and AVI file playback issues on older hardware. Some workarounds exist (changing color depth, driver downgrades) but reduce reliability.
- Not recommended for live streaming (weight 0.19): Several users caution against using Action! for live streaming due to subscription models, lack of flexibility, and superior free alternatives like OBS. It is better suited for local recording.
- Avoid piracy (weight 0.03): One user explicitly advises against pirating the software, implying a stance on supporting developers.

Other player notes:
- Steam invisibility feature request (weight 0.04): Users request an option to hide the game's presence on Steam, similar to how OBS can be configured to not show in game lists, to improve privacy or avoid detection while streaming.
- Windows 10 support concerns (weight 0.04): Players express worry about the future of Windows 10 support for the game, fearing potential compatibility issues or lack of updates on that operating system.
- Recommendation from Bilibili influencer (weight 0.03): Multiple players report discovering the game through a recommendation on Bilibili by Joe, highlighting a significant source of new users and potential marketing impact.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.32): Users are satisfied because the software is reliable, performs well with low system impact, and offers many useful features for recording and streaming, especially for niche needs like HDR capture and old games. It consistently works without issues, is intuitive to use, and provides high-quality output with minimal resource usage.
- Frustration (weight 0.21): Frustration stems from persistent bugs such as crashes, freezes, corrupted recordings, and loss of data, as well as performance degradation after updates. Users report compatibility issues with certain games and hardware, confusing interfaces, broken features (like streaming and hotkeys), and poor support responsiveness.
- Disappointment (weight 0.07): Disappointment arises when the paid software fails to match the quality of free alternatives like OBS, with issues such as declining performance over time, limited advanced features, critical bugs that go unfixed, and unmet expectations. Users feel the value proposition weakens as problems accumulate.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is driven by repeated bugs that worsen with each update, critical broken features (like not saving videos or opening the program), lack of support responses, DRM restrictions, and rude developer interactions. Users feel betrayed by a paid product that becomes unusable.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Excitement comes from discovering a lag-free recording solution with advanced capabilities like 8K resolution, HDR capture, and flawless crash handling. Users appreciate the comprehensive feature set, ease of use, and sale pricing that deliver a surprisingly positive experience.
- Gratitude (weight 0.03): Gratitude is expressed toward the developers for ongoing maintenance and improvements, as well as toward friends who gifted the software. Users thank the program for enabling their YouTube growth and for years of reliable service.
- Positive (weight 0.02): Positive sentiment centers on the software being a good tool for screen recording, especially for gameplay, with reliable performance, a solid feature set, and improvements such as Korean language support.
- Frustrated (weight 0.02): Frustrated users point to slow startup, recording failures due to headphone dependency, HUD bugs that ruin whole videos, playback corruption, and Steam version restrictions with weak streaming features.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia comes from using Action on low-end PCs in the past, with memories of high school days and a friend’s support. The software holds a sentimental place for accompanying users through years of old hardware.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance arises from minor but persistent issues like a distracting drawing function, immovable windows, black flickering, HUD capture quirks, hotkey failures, and the lack of a pause button.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation is directed at the software’s long-term support and improvements, the helpful HUD, Android remote control, direct upload features, and the Time Shift system with free streaming.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief comes from finding a workaround (changing color depth) that resolved recording issues, no longer experiencing crashes and lag from other recorders, and trusting a corporate-backed product over unstable individual projects.
- Approval (weight 0.01): Approval is given for the software’s lightweight nature, high quality, and use of GPU encoding to minimize system load while producing low-weight videos.
- Satisfied (weight 0.01): Satisfied users find the program excellent for game recording, with a comprehensive feature set, low resource usage, good performance, and affordable pricing on sale.
- Slight disappointment (weight 0.01): Slight disappointment is felt due to suboptimal file compression and transfer times, missing Twitch chat overlay and music display, and a HUD issue in windowed mode.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Admiration is for the program’s evolution into a professional tool with amazing capture speed, allowing fast single-button frame capture.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Desire reflects wishes for additional features such as audio layer adjustment, background replacement with video, and the ability to stream to Kick.
- Recommendation (weight 0.01): Recommendation comes from users who feel the software is worth it and has not disappointed over time, indicating consistent value.
- Impressed (weight 0.01): Impressed users highlight highly customizable controls (like a Boeing cockpit), 8K recording, low CPU usage, and ease of use.
- Warned (weight 0.01): Warned users caution about input lag, frame skips, delay, and incompatibility with Faceit AC causing graphic bugs.}