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advice for doing Youtube let's plays and video game commentary

Silversun17

Silversun17

as both a means of giving me a hobby and (if i'm VERY lucky) making a little money i'm planning on posting let's plays to youtube. I'm looking for advice from both people who make them and people who enjoy them.

games i'm planning doing videos for

Skyforge
Space Engineers
Minecraft.
 
Well, I'd have to say that a good mic is the key.

Whenever I watch a game vid, if the sounds is bad or distorted, I don't usually stick around to see more.

Oh, and this is probably obvious, but make sure to have fun.
 
editing is really important.
try and cutout long periods of pretty much nothing happening (unless you are trying to go for a complete 200 episode letsplay sort of thing) and only keep the parts of those sequences wherein you are being witty.
A good example of this is Tearofgrace, he cuts out immense parts of the games he plays simply because he either wasnt talking or he wasnt funny for that amount of time.
Another example is Birgirpal.

also make sure your mic is set in the perfect zone of, being able to hear your voice but not good enough to hear everything that is happening in your house and neighborhood. You dont need viewers hearing every single click, clack, meow, bark, siren, or old man yelling at kids. also remember if you are going to be speaking in the videos, then you must be able to carry the video. be funny, be witty, tell a story, do whatever is necessary to engage your audience and keep them listening and watching. also make sure to enunciate you words (dont over enunciate).

And finally, have fun. if it isnt fun for you, its not fun for your audience.

Edit: also, dont blatantly copy schticks from other youtubers. i didnt say not to copy things, just dont be obivous.
 
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one thing i'm considering is for the Space engineers videos is playing with a few other guys as i find Space engineers survival videos with groups to be more fun to watch then solo survival.
 
As a general note, pick what rating you're going for with your channel and stick with it. Family friendly? Mature? Whichever you pick, stick with it, and make sure whoever you're playing with knows it as well. It just helps people who are looking into watching your stuff, as some folks do watch LPs with their family or have them on in the background.

1. Consistent, good FPS. This is more important than having high resolution videos - its what people will be watching and it needs to be smooth.

2. A good microphone, sound editing, and a smooth voice. Almost more important than the above, as people will put your video on in the background and do other things. Microphone static or interference from outside sources is annoying. Further, as your voice is a key aspect of the experience, do some practice runs and play it back. Obviously it won't be professional tier, but it should be something that you wouldn't mind listening to. A quiet keyboard and mouse is recommended but not required as long as you keep the clicking to moderate levels most of the time.

. 2a. Volume control. Your voice should be louder than the game, but still quiet enough to listen to for a while. Sudden yells or screaming is not conducive to this. If you do lose control of yourself, please follow the example of the Runaway Guys and include a text warning on the video beforehand (or edit the volume down). Us ear-bud/headphone users thank you in advance.

3. Editing. Dead air and repetitive grinding isn't fun to watch. Unless you're doing something like a channel update video and just need some generic background, cut that shit. In Minecraft, cut out branch mining. Hell, cut out ordinary caving after you've got iron-tier gear and a bow - save it for ravines and other less ordinary aspects.

4. Keep shilling for likes, favorites, subscribers, etc. to either the very start or very end of your video. Its artificial and annoying.

5. Games are always more fun with interaction between people who are obviously enjoying themselves - multiplayer LPs are a good easy-mode start. Downside: it means ensuring that your friends at least follow the microphone standards.

6. Unless you're an awesome entertainer or your friends are, try to accomplish something in each video (or fail spectacularly, either works). Give a reason for people to be invested and entertained.
 
Edit properly, with separate game and voice streams. Don't count on what you say matching what's happening in relevance, humour or quality by luck unless you have chosen a gonzo style. Put your video and your commentary together the way an actual producer would instead of recording two hours of 'oh my gawd' and 'hur hur this'll wreck em' and praying you can make it good/funny/professional later.

Realise that news presenters and radio DJs talk that way because a flat toneless voice droning over video clips is both jarring and boring.
 
Depending on your setup you can record both at once (internal audio and mic capture), but separately so you can move a comment 5s back without de syncing your game audio or clip out an interruption etc. It can be style related - sometimes you want immediate reactions to surprise etc - but anything done once can be done again, so it gives you the luxury of changing something. Your commentary stream doesn't have to be you talking for half an hour, it can be (as it would be professionally) a whole bunch of separate samples arranged for best effect.

I'm not sure what your effort level is, though. Editing can seem daunting, but I think it pays off. Even simple stuff like changing game/voice balance can help, and save your good content from being lost in game audio or distorted by having to raise your voice.
 
Silversun17 said:
as both a means of giving me a hobby and (if i'm VERY lucky) making a little money i'm planning on posting let's plays to youtube. I'm looking for advice from both people who make them and people who enjoy them.

games i'm planning doing videos for

Skyforge
Space Engineers
Minecraft.
Click to expand...
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If your gonna talk about other shit thats fine but actually play the game while you do it. I may or may not care what happened to you today or what else is going on but if its not related to what you are doing right then and there then keep playing as you talk.

If you talk and play you will be distracted and may not always make the best decisions.

Have some familiarity with good ways to play the game. Nothing upsets me more then players being stupid. See 2.

Especially in space engineers, if you are going to show us your master plan, keep it brief and to the point. There is some flexibility but we want to see game play in a lets play.

Those are my personal issues.
 
Honestly, you want my advice? Do what other popular Youtube LPers like Markiplier and Pewdiepie do.

Scream a lot, loudly, for no reason. Be very bad at the games you play. Be an attractive white or half white dude or girl. and you've got it.
 
Some actual advice would be to not play games that everyone else has already done. That means no Minecraft, No Skyforge, and No Space Engineers.
 
heres a q and a video of birgirpal
i have it set at the question about their recording setup
 
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