I've been wanting to break in my new mic and do some audio commentary for some gameplay videos- format would be audio commentary only, and since I don't yet have a capture card that could get high-def input from my Xbox, limited to PC games. Would you guys have any interest in seeing videos of any of these?
Quote from: Steam LibraryAudiosurf
Blockland
Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box
Crusader Kings II
Defiance
Descent: Freespace - The Great War
Disney Epic Mickey 2
Dungeonland
Europa Universalis III
Garry's Mod
Goat Simulator
Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate ...
Leviathan: Warships
Magicka
Portal
Portal 2
realMyst
Scribblenauts Unlimited
Scribblenauts Unmasked
Sid Meier's Civilization IV
Sniper Elite V2
Space Engineers
Star Trek Online
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2
Terraria
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The LEGO® Movie - Videogame
The Showdown Effect
Thomas Was Alone
Tropico 4
War of the Roses
Warlock - Master of the Arcane
Quote from: GoG Library
TIE Fighter 1994
TIE Fighter 1998
Red Faction
Red Faction II
Full Spectrum Warrior
Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers
The Journeyman Project 3: Legacy of Time
Worlds of Ultima: The Savage Empire
Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar
Tyrian 2000
Dragonsphere
Warsow
Treasure Adventure Game
Beneath a Steel Sky
Sorry, I don't watch LP videos. -_-
Quote from: garbon on November 20, 2014, 10:59:42 AM
Sorry, I don't watch LP videos. -_-
No prob. They're not for everyone- I find them to be best when treated as MST3K for gamers (which also gives you an idea what direction my commentary would probably take). :hug:
I generally like LPs, but whether or not I watch them depends on several factors:
- how long is each episode? (20-30 minutes is the sweet spot for me)
- how is the commentator? (I'm rather lenient, if I'm interested in a game, and I like folks like quill18, Arumba, Northernlion, but can't stand PewDiePie, and with SplatterCat it depends on the game he's doing)
- am I interested in the game? (duh) I would check them for games I think about buying, so I get a better picture of the gameplay, or for games I'm too lazy to play (or play again ) and for seeing some of it again. I never finished Dead Space, but I enjoyed Jesse Cox' Let's Play a lot.
- How many episodes are there, and how often do they come out? I will watch about one, maybe two web videos a day for a length of up to an hour. Folks like quill18 put out so many videos every day that I often quite an LP after several episodes because I can't keep up
I thought about doing LPs myself, but me be lazy.
Doesn't Twitch allow you to stream your video gaming? Ever try that?
Quote from: CountDeMoney on November 20, 2014, 11:27:46 AM
Doesn't Twitch allow you to stream your video gaming? Ever try that?
Twitch is really just an alternative platform that's slanted more toward live play. On one hand, since everybody on Twitch is effectively looking for either a walkthrough, a playthrough, or a LP, the viewer counts tend to be higher. On the other hand, it's a little harder to keep people engaged without the ability to cut, edit, or rewrite commentary. Basically, if LP is stand-up comedy, Twitch is an open mic- you'd better be damn good at improv to make anything come out of it.
Goat Simulator. :)
I hate that so much stuff these days is communicated with videos. I would much rather enjoy reading a guide to tanking, for example, than seeing a youtube film.
Quote from: Syt on November 20, 2014, 11:25:04 AM
I generally like LPs, but whether or not I watch them depends on several factors:
- how long is each episode? (20-30 minutes is the sweet spot for me)
- how is the commentator? (I'm rather lenient, if I'm interested in a game, and I like folks like quill18, Arumba, Northernlion, but can't stand PewDiePie, and with SplatterCat it depends on the game he's doing)
- am I interested in the game? (duh) I would check them for games I think about buying, so I get a better picture of the gameplay, or for games I'm too lazy to play (or play again ) and for seeing some of it again. I never finished Dead Space, but I enjoyed Jesse Cox' Let's Play a lot.
- How many episodes are there, and how often do they come out? I will watch about one, maybe two web videos a day for a length of up to an hour. Folks like quill18 put out so many videos every day that I often quite an LP after several episodes because I can't keep up
I thought about doing LPs myself, but me be lazy.
Have you considered doing a collab with someone on one? A lot of the more popular LPs I've seen have involved groups of commentators. Also, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who doesn't get PewDiePie- he's got good presence, but he gets so wrapped up in grinding in games that he just completely disengages from the viewer for huge parts of his videos.
You don't get Swedish people who try to be entertaining? :o
Quote from: Martinus on November 20, 2014, 11:40:20 AM
I hate that so much stuff these days is communicated with videos. I would much rather enjoy reading a guide to tanking, for example, than seeing a youtube film.
I can't agree more. First I prefer to read, and I am not able to retain as much when watching a video. It is also harder to find my place again when I realize I wasn't paying attention.
Quote from: DontSayBanana on November 20, 2014, 11:47:24 AMHave you considered doing a collab with someone on one?
Not very good on teamwork when it comes to creative stuff. :blush:
Also, it would probably be like all my projects: I start, do it for a week or three and then get distracted/bored/lose interest otherwise. :P
Another LPer I enjoy is getdaved - he only puts out a video per day (which can suck if you're not interested in whatever he's playing at the moment), and is rather stoic/slow in his commentary, but it's easy to follow his style. And he occasionally does retro stuff (I found him through his Zelda - Link to the Past LP).
If you want to go viral, make sure to wear an offensive shirt. :P
I like Gopher's LP videos, he tends to really immerse himself in the game.
Quote from: Syt on November 20, 2014, 12:42:26 PM
Not very good on teamwork when it comes to creative stuff. :blush:
Artists. :rolleyes:
QuoteAlso, it would probably be like all my projects: I start, do it for a week or three and then get distracted/bored/lose interest otherwise. :P
Serious artists. :rolleyes:
What a small steam library. Tsk tsk.
Quote from: Ed Anger on November 20, 2014, 01:46:20 PM
What a small steam library. Tsk tsk.
Only because of my small paycheck, or it would be bigger. Also, I happily accept gifted games. :P
Ask fhdz for his DEFCON.
Which reminds me, I have to yank those sound file out of that game for ringtones. *COUGH*
Quote from: The Brain on November 20, 2014, 11:52:45 AM
You don't get Swedish people who try to be entertaining? :o
I don't find Pewdiepie entertaining. I do get that he's trying.
Quote from: DontSayBanana on November 20, 2014, 11:05:34 AM
Quote from: garbon on November 20, 2014, 10:59:42 AM
Sorry, I don't watch LP videos. -_-
No prob. They're not for everyone- I find them to be best when treated as MST3K for gamers (which also gives you an idea what direction my commentary would probably take). :hug:
I like LP videos that go in that direction; I just find "serious" ones uninteresting at all. You may want to pick a game that has potential for parody then.
Quote from: Martinus on November 20, 2014, 11:40:20 AM
I hate that so much stuff these days is communicated with videos. I would much rather enjoy reading a guide to tanking, for example, than seeing a youtube film.
http://www.theonion.com/video/christ-article-a-video,36101/
Agreed.
Quote from: celedhring on November 21, 2014, 05:10:38 AM
I like LP videos that go in that direction; I just find "serious" ones uninteresting at all. You may want to pick a game that has potential for parody then.
It depends on whether I want to be entertained, or if I want to learn about a game. If I want to know how a game works or plays a constant barrage of goofy jokes with little to no comment about the mechanics will chase me away, while Goat Simulator would be the complete opposite.
Who the fuck plays Goat Simulator for laughs?
Everybody but the Brain
Since it came up in the bargain thread, how's this project going for you, DSB?
And speaking of Twitch: there's so many people streaming there who shouldn't be in front of a microphone, and who shouldn't have their cameras switched on. I like hanging out in streams of games I like with relaxed streamers who have maybe a couple hundred people watching, so that you can still properly chat if you feel so inclined. Streams with 1000s of people are a bit crazy that way. Though I do watch QuickyBaby's World of Tanks stream from time to time, but that's probably more because he's one of the few who streams in English and not some Eastern European Orc language. :P
Quote from: celedhring on November 21, 2014, 05:10:38 AM
Quote from: DontSayBanana on November 20, 2014, 11:05:34 AM
Quote from: garbon on November 20, 2014, 10:59:42 AM
Sorry, I don't watch LP videos. -_-
No prob. They're not for everyone- I find them to be best when treated as MST3K for gamers (which also gives you an idea what direction my commentary would probably take). :hug:
I like LP videos that go in that direction; I just find "serious" ones uninteresting at all. You may want to pick a game that has potential for parody then.
So basically, you are talking about a retsupurae.
I watch LPs, or at least parts of them, about games I'm considering buying. One thing I've noticed is I start getting really annoyed by certain things in the commentary. For example, one I was watching (I want to say it was for Banished), the dude kept saying "sort of." "This is sort of a food unit, click on it to sort of create a new one" or whatever. Bothered the hell out of me. It IS a food unit and that's how you create it, douchebag.
So. Uh. Don't do that. :P
Quote from: Syt on December 30, 2014, 09:57:09 AM
Since it came up in the bargain thread, how's this project going for you, DSB?
It's been shelved a bit with things getting crazy around the holidays. I'd still like to do this, though I'm still trying to decide a gameplay direction to go with this. Indie games are cheaper, but pop up way more frequently, and there's more of a scoop competition going on with commentators for those games. AAA games are a bigger cash drop, but have more of a built-in viewership. Retro and previous-gen gaming is probably closest to where my tastes fall, and emulation of those games makes it easy to get most of those to the screen nowadays, but I just worry about being so late to the game that I've lost the zeitgeist.
It could also be a fun way to challenge myself on games that I didn't do in the past. The original Silent Hill? Aborted my attempt at the second screen because the squeaky tricycle freaked me out. Shooters? Never beat them without cheating (except Starfox 64). Sports games? Aside from a 10-minute try of a scratched disc of Madden 2004, the last time I touched one was Quarterback Club '96 for the Game Boy (where I abused the hell out of the overpowered Dolphins in general, and the Sub Marino play in particular).
Quote from: MadBurgerMaker on December 30, 2014, 07:05:49 PM
I watch LPs, or at least parts of them, about games I'm considering buying. One thing I've noticed is I start getting really annoyed by certain things in the commentary. For example, one I was watching (I want to say it was for Banished), the dude kept saying "sort of." "This is sort of a food unit, click on it to sort of create a new one" or whatever. Bothered the hell out of me. It IS a food unit and that's how you create it, douchebag.
So. Uh. Don't do that. :P
That drives me nuts as well. I usually keep my voice pretty tightly controlled- my speaking style is similar to Markiplier's; I've been the target of a few jokes back in school for having a very "radio" voice. I tend to put more effort into enunciation and avoiding awkward bridge words than even many communications and journalism majors. Chalk it up to a lisp and a stutter resulting in several years of speech therapy, but I can be a little vain about my broadcast voice nowadays. :P
I may or may not start an LP of Shadowrun Returns and may or may not continue with others of my literally (literally literally, not figuratively) hundreds of games I bought and never or only barely played (Last Federation and Shadowrun: Dragonfall are also high on that list).
Well, the first 4 episodes of me playing Shadowrun Returns are up:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG-_riSmIPlrBBU_Kab9nFvZZrZOaTaWC
Feel free to mock my voice/accent/mumbling/tripping over words/sound quality/boringness. :)
Quote from: Martinus on November 20, 2014, 11:40:20 AM
I hate that so much stuff these days is communicated with videos. I would much rather enjoy reading a guide to tanking, for example, than seeing a youtube film.
OK grandpa. :rolleyes:
Quote from: Syt on April 19, 2015, 03:23:16 PM
Feel free to mock my voice/accent/mumbling/tripping over words/sound quality/boringness. :)
How long have you been speaking English, Syt? You basically hit my usual stereotype of "Germans speak better English than most Americans."
Started in school in '86, I think, but I kept seeking it out (movies, books, games ...). And working for US/Canada based companies for the past 10 years surely helped, too.
But recording these has been fun, and I would have done more, but I'm still recovering from a cold a little bit, so by the forth video I had to mute the mic a few times because I had to cough so bad.
Funny thing is once I'd overcome the shyness of talking to myself while playing it seemed pretty natural. When playing, my mind is doing commentary, anyways, so it's just a matter of saying it out loud. Actually, it might help keep me focused and make me finish some games, because when just playing in silence my mind tends to wander off, and I end up doing something different.
Looking at the videos it doesn't feel as weird as I expected - my voice sounds different enough to what it sounds like in my head, so it feels like it's not really me talking there.
Observations: I need a better microphone (I see the Blue Snowball gets good reviews and seems like a good cheap newbie mic that's able to get rid of some of the ambient noise). I need to talk slower, especially when reading text. I need to talk more to the viewer instead of to myself. And I need to sound a bit livelier (then again Gopher does just fine with his calm British voice).
You have a sexy voice Syt. ;) Also, now I kind of want to buy Shadowrun Returns.
Why, thank you. :)
New mic has arrived and I tested it a bit this morning (the delivery guy came at 7:15am WTF?). It sounds better than my headset mic, and it's directional, so will pick up a bit less background noise.
It has an option to reduce background noise, but it means I have to get really close to the mic to still be heard, which I can't do at my desk unless I get an arm to attach it to (there's one for under 50 bucks that looks good, but I'm not sure how crowded it will make my desk), or get a slightly higher stand (4 inches or so).
I'm also looking at starting a "5 Buck Indie" series for indie games that cost 5 EUR or less. I'm aiming at releasing two videos per day, one "Syt happens to play" for bigger titles and one "5 Buck Indie" one, with most of them to be recorded on the weekends.
Quote from: Syt on April 23, 2015, 03:16:42 AM
New mic has arrived and I tested it a bit this morning (the delivery guy came at 7:15am WTF?). It sounds better than my headset mic, and it's directional, so will pick up a bit less background noise.
It has an option to reduce background noise, but it means I have to get really close to the mic to still be heard, which I can't do at my desk unless I get an arm to attach it to (there's one for under 50 bucks that looks good, but I'm not sure how crowded it will make my desk), or get a slightly higher stand (4 inches or so).
I'm also looking at starting a "5 Buck Indie" series for indie games that cost 5 EUR or less. I'm aiming at releasing two videos per day, one "Syt happens to play" for bigger titles and one "5 Buck Indie" one, with most of them to be recorded on the weekends.
10-14 videos a week seems like a pretty hectic release schedule. I understand you're probably recording the "Syt Happens to Play..." as single long sessions and cutting them down for time, but you're going to either run out of steam (please excuse the pun) or run out of source material for the "5 Buck Indie" if you go at it that aggressively.
Incidentally, sorry for not having checked back in this thread until today. Just started watching from the beginning and seems like you've got a pretty good commentary flow going. :cheers:
Thanks, DSB, I hear you on the release schedule. I do reserve the right to change it. ;)
The 5 Buck Indie thing will also be full Let's Plays, so I do one session Game A, another session Game B. Depending on the length of the Indie titles it might be 5 to 6 per month; and with the rate they're releasing at on Steam I'm not worried). So far it's not cutting into my free time (it's not like a lead a rich and hectic social life :lol: ). E.g. this week I've spent about an hour per evening recording and then another half hour or so uploading while doing other things on the side.
I have to say that Shadowrun is a bit of a slog. The linearity of the game or the loads of written dialogue don't put me off. There's an extreme lack of player agency, though; it almost feels like a visual novel where you click yourself through long dialogues and then move on to more dialogue, with the occasional option to do either a or b, which only has cosmetic effects.
Combat is rare (this coming from someone who found there was too much of it in Dragon Age Oranges Origins), and interactions with the environment are very rare.
It makes for a pretty lame let's play. However, one of the reasons I've started doing these videos is to get through a backlog of games I have in my libraries (over 400 in Steam and GoG) that I barely touched or never finished, so I want to stick this out.
I have, however, no intention to go to lengths like ManVsGame who occasionally does 44h live streams of one game, and bashes his head against the same boss for ten hours. :lol:
Quote from: Syt on April 24, 2015, 01:16:03 AM
Thanks, DSB, I hear you on the release schedule. I do reserve the right to change it. ;)
The 5 Buck Indie thing will also be full Let's Plays, so I do one session Game A, another session Game B. Depending on the length of the Indie titles it might be 5 to 6 per month; and with the rate they're releasing at on Steam I'm not worried). So far it's not cutting into my free time (it's not like a lead a rich and hectic social life :lol: ). E.g. this week I've spent about an hour per evening recording and then another half hour or so uploading while doing other things on the side.
I have to say that Shadowrun is a bit of a slog. The linearity of the game or the loads of written dialogue don't put me off. There's an extreme lack of player agency, though; it almost feels like a visual novel where you click yourself through long dialogues and then move on to more dialogue, with the occasional option to do either a or b, which only has cosmetic effects.
Combat is rare (this coming from someone who found there was too much of it in Dragon Age Oranges Origins), and interactions with the environment are very rare.
It makes for a pretty lame let's play. However, one of the reasons I've started doing these videos is to get through a backlog of games I have in my libraries (over 400 in Steam and GoG) that I barely touched or never finished, so I want to stick this out.
I have, however, no intention to go to lengths like ManVsGame who occasionally does 44h live streams of one game, and bashes his head against the same boss for ten hours. :lol:
Sounds like you've got a pretty big design decision to make: are you focusing more on
- compiling a complete playthrough (possibly in multiple sessions to avoid the aforemention 44-hour slogfest)
- highlighted gameplay
- whichever cut is more beneficial to your commentary, which is really what's leading?
Now that the semester's winding down and I'm healing up from my medical issues, I'm starting to look again into restarting work on my own project, which is going to be a hybrid of points 2 and 3.
Yes, I'm going for complete playthroughs, because they're easier to record, and I have to think about editing too much or writing up a post game commentary (which I know I would very likely be too lazy to do).
If I were to pick an existing YouTube channel to model myself after it would probably be GedDaved who is pretty laid back and mellow (i.e. opposite end of the excitability spectrum compared to PewDiePie or Jesse Cox), which is more in line with my character (or maybe Ross from Accursed Farms, though he heavily edits his gameplay videos).
At the moment my main issue is not talking over the game I'm playing while playing, but that I'm stumbling over my words more often than not and mumble too much; something that I don't notice in normal conversation. I'm figuring that it'll get easier the more videos I do. I don't think I'm as bad as GOG's Twitch host GeordyJones, though. :P
Good luck with your project; I look forward to seeing it. :)
Also, I've started playing Out There Somewhere (a puzzle platformer) as first entry into the 5 Buck Indie series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhWhg6XwFi0
I've only noticed after recording 2 episodes that the game seems to run in borderless window when maxed, and that I hadn't switched off the recording HUD display for that case. :blush: