For Consideration: Bells is thinking of a Let's Play.

[Bells]

So, this is an idea that i've been tossing around my head for a while now, and even though it's not a final "i'll do it!" thing yet, it's something i would like to consider. It's just, if i actually make one of these i would want to finish it no matter what. But i would also want to have people following it...

So, now i have all the Hardware and software i need for something like this. It's just a matter of trading some ideas to see if something "sticks"...

I want to work on a Gamecube Let's play. Something i've never done before. With games i've never played and/or never saw it being played before.

Help me out here, give me your opinion on some of these points:

1- What you guys prefer best? A Simple "watch me play" or a "Audience opinion shapes the game"?

2- What's would be best? Just gameplay footage, gameplay footage with Live narration or gameplay footage with audio commentary (or text commentary)?

3- In case of commentary/narration, what's less annoying? Just opinion of what's happening, thoughts and such... or other stuff like "giving link or Gordon a voice" and such?

4- should i edit the filler out Or give you the whole deal (like, Grinding sections, CG movies, Inventory Management...)

5- And finally, what's better? Go for the ending or Go for 100%?

Now, as for Size X Time... i prefer to count it for the long run, so, if i pick a game that goes around 30 hours to complete, and a youtube video is limited to 10min... that's 6 videos per hour. So, 180 Videos total. That's a LOT of stuff.

It can be done, i'm just not exactly sure on what my upload schedule would be... But i was thinking of staying at least 10 videos ahead of schedule at all times, so there will always be something to upload...

So, finally, let's talk games. I have a few already... and i'm waiting for a couple of other games, so i wouldn't mind going with the most voted... i just prefer to do it with less known titles.

1- Lord of the Rings : The Third Age
2- Gotcha Force
3- Geist
4- Summoner
5- Custom Robo

I'm also open to suggestions!

[Meister]

Originally Posted by Bells

1- What you guys prefer best? A Simple "watch me play" or a "Audience opinion shapes the game"?

Depends on the game, but overall I'd tend towards "watch me play" as that seems more informative, plus that way you can play the way you feel comfortable playing, not drag yourself through boring sequences on our whim.

2- What's would be best? Just gameplay footage, gameplay footage with Live narration or gameplay footage with audio commentary (or text commentary)?

Footage with commentary recorded afterwards. Unless you're exceptionally good at live commentary it's bound to contain mistakes and you'll go "uhm" and "eh" more often than you realize.

3- In case of commentary/narration, what's less annoying? Just opinion of what's happening, thoughts and such... or other stuff like "giving link or Gordon a voice" and such?

Setting on giving the protagonists a voice seems a bad idea because you'll inevitably run out of material and then you'll be stuck with a gimmick. Go with background information, commentary on particularly good/awful parts, that sort of thing.

4- should i edit the filler out Or give you the whole deal (like, Grinding sections, CG movies, Inventory Management...)

Show it once (briefly for grinding sections), edit it out from then on. It's interesting to see how, for example, the inventory is set up, but no one wants to see it another 100 times whenever you have to exchange weapons for one fight.

5- And finally, what's better? Go for the ending or Go for 100%?

Entirely game dependant! If I did a GTA LP, for example, I probably wouldn't show how I collect every single hidden package (except particularly annoying ones), or I'd make an extra video just for that. Rule of thumb: repetitiveness isn't good, and an LP isn't necessarily a walkthrough.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

1. That depends on the game. Really. If there's room for audience interaction, sure, why not. Even if it's just the name of a character or something. If you think it's possible to include the audience in shaping the course of whatever game you're playing you should probably do it.

2. I prefer live narration. But you gotta see what works best for you. If you're having a hard time coming up with stuff to say while playing you should maybe consider doing the commentary afterwards, or maybe get a second guy to help you out.

3. All of those.

4. I'd probably cut some stuff out, so my videos won't get too long. But I generally think it's best to show as much as possible. Unless it's reeeally boring.

5. That depends on the game again. If 100% is achievable then go for it otherwise just play through the game. Maybe try to show some easter eggs or other stuff that's easily missed. Or play with some sort of self-imposed challenge, like using one particular weapon or whatever.

(6) There are sites that let you upload videos longer than ten minutes.

(7) Yeah, it's best to record in advance, not only to have updates handy (which I wouldn't hold back) but to see whether you actually can provide at least a mildly entertaining Let's Play.

EDIT: It seems I was too slow.

[Meister]

Originally Posted by InsaneGenius

(6) There are sites that let you upload videos longer than ten minutes.

Most LPs I've seen seemed to be on Viddler or Google video. Very few were even on youtube at all.

[Bells]

Uh yeah, i had forgot about those... thanks!

But, isn't about 10 min just around the "sweet spot" between too long and too short for these videos?

I mean, for a good game, i think 15 or eve 20 min would be fine... but anything longer than that seems a little too long.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

That really depends on the game. Not how good it is. But what type of game and how good your narration/commentary/spoof dub is as well.
For an RPG with lots of cutscenetastic exposhiznit you'd have to do longer episodes because I'm pretty sure you'd want to have at least some gameplay in each video.

Take this MGS 2 LP some random person linked in some random chatroom. The average episode is 30 minutes long and the whole thing is great. It wouldn't really work if the videos were much shorter than that due to a high cutscene density.

[Kim]

If you do opt for live commentary, try to get one or two people to join you. Preferably two. This has the downside of having to sync your schedules to do a recording, but I find that it really makes for more interesting conversations.

Also, ten minutes is not nearly as long as you'd think. Freelance Astronauts record long videos, but break them up into fifteen or so minute chunks or by stages depending on the game. That could work well, too.

[Bells]

My English is good enough for this, but i think i'll opt for Post-Commentary... just so i'll won't trip on my own feet, specially since i've never done this before.

I was considering doing this with Geist, but that's not going to work unfortunately. I hope Third Age works out all right, or maybe i'll stick to Gotcha Force (but that would be a weird as hell LP)

EDIT: Well, Geist Managed to Work, so that option is back on the table.

[Bells]

Sorry about the double post, just a quick update on the status over this so the thread gets updated!

Does this game interest you guys to watch a Let's Play?