Adventures in Streaming: Episode 2 Day 15-30

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Twitch Journal day 15-30

My evolution as a gamer has been drastic. As the industry has changed, so have I. I have constantly been adapting to the ebb and flow of the technology and culture. The latest leap has been my introduction into streaming, and it has been an especially expensive (and time consuming) change. Streaming has shaken the foundation of my gaming life just as online gaming did in the late 90’s. I am here in the front line trying to embrace this new avenue, and I enjoy my favorite form of escapism. I hope you enjoyed my first journal entry as I became a twitch streamer, and I hope you will find value as I continue the series.

Day 20

I have seen continual growth in my stream, but I have found that my followers discovered me playing a specific game and they prefer to watch me play that game. When they come back to the stream, some are disappointed when I moved on to something different. It seemed that I inadvertently stumbled to a fork in the road. I had to ask myself, “Am I streaming to see how many people I could get to follow me, or am I streaming to enjoy my gaming in a more social setting?” This is an important question, because it will lead me down two entirely different roads. If I was being honest, I will say that it feels good when someone clicks that follow button. It means that they found value in my stream, and they want to come back and watch me again. The question is posed of will someone enjoy watching you game, if you don’t enjoy the game you are playing? I don’t think they would, so I chose to focus on the games that interest me the most. During day 20 I started playing “The Long Dark” an amazingly beautiful survival game that is in the Beta stages. It is also a bit slow, and it is not the ideal game when it comes to streaming. I focused on vocalizing my train of thought, so that my audience could hear what I was thinking and why I was making the decisions I was making. During this game I met other gamers who love the game and actually coached me and helped me through some difficult challenges. By the end of day 20 I was at 62 followers.

Another phenomenon happened during these couple of weeks. I met other streamers and gamers that appreciated what I was doing and began to support my stream in other ways. Apexfamily7 is a PS3 streamer and has amassed a fairly loyal following. Although our streams are vastly different in content and culture, he started hosting my channel for his viewers once a week and also sent some of his followers to my channel. It gave me a tremendous boost. Another twitch viewer SKYL1NK asked to speak to me off stream and helped me make my stream more professional. He helped me trouble shoot some of the technology issues I had, and he gave me ideas to make the stream look better. Others come in nightly and moderate the chat, DJ the music, and we welcome the lurkers and new visitors alike. It truly takes a village to raise a streamer.

Day 25

When I started streaming, it felt like it was a solo endeavor. I spent many nights responding to the chat room comments and questions with a method that resembled a monologue. When I switched to a game called “7 Days to Die” I created my own server, and I invited some of my followers into the stream. Eventually I had the same 5-6 people joining me every night as I publicly streamed our survival efforts. I know this is something, as I grow, that I can’t continually do, but it made the conversational weight of streaming 5 hours a night a little lighter. The side effect is I had less people chatting and talking in the stream, and I felt like I lost a little control over the conversational content while I did stream. Neither was detrimental to the entertainment value, but I realized that this group streaming is not something I can continually maintain. The other observation is I felt I had a harder time getting new followers because there was an identity crisis with in the stream. Although I still dominated the conversation, the others contributed and added to the conversation. A new viewer might find this a bit confusing and may not have the ability to connect to me as a streamer because of all the varying personalities. In contrast, I felt like I made some deeper gaming connections as we worked together to survive and fight off the zombie hordes. Grew to 78 followers.

Day 27

Do you ever have those days where everything that can go wrong, does go wrong? When you’re on a stream, a simple mistake or technical issue can magnify your stress and make something small seem gigantic. Don’t get me wrong, midstream trouble shooting is something all streamers must be capable of handling, but sometimes there is not a fix.

My issues started when I tried to stream my Xbox One through my Elgato to my streaming software. I didn’t think about it at the time, but I changed all the settings I had meticulously set up through multiple tutorials and blog postings. In one swoop I wiped everything out for the sake of streaming some Battlefield Hardline with friends. Since I am writing this series to inform new streamers of the highs and lows of streaming I wanted to take a moment to say STOP!!! Whatever you do, don’t ever make sweeping changes on your settings unless you are prepared to run the world’s worse stream. My mic was echoing, my frame rates dropped dramatically, and my stream consistently refreshed. My poor followers had to watch commercial after commercial because of my misstep. Not all of this is attributed to changing my settings, but the majority of it was due to my lack of overall knowledge on what settings can truly affect my stream. So my advice is once you get set up, it does not mean you’re done. Learn the technology; don’t leave it up to Youtube videos and blogs. On day 27 I gained 0 followers, but had grown to 87 followers’ total, playing mostly obscure survival games. This is quickly becoming my niche.

Day 29-30

I stumbled back into the game that many of my followers found me in. As I played, I found myself at the top of the stream board because I had 14 people watching the stream at the time. I ended up gaining 16 followers on day 29 and 17 on day 30. I realized the profound effect being the number one streamer in a particular game really can be on a streamer. I keep hearing of people who grew by hundreds in a couple days. I am talking about nerdy gamers, not beautiful women that stream with cleavage and a great smile. They found a niche and grew a fan base on that niche. I am still finding myself as a streamer, but I do think I am finding my audience and slowly building a solid community that comes out to support day in and day out. After month one, I ended up with 105 followers. My theory is as I gain more followers it will be much easier to grow at a faster pace. We will see if that holds true going forward… see you all in 30 days.

Adventures in Streaming: Episode One: Day 1-14

So I fell in love with gaming all over again.  It sounds strange, but as things began to get stale I found myself looking for other ways, other games, other methods to enjoy my gaming time. I spend my evenings online with a group of friends, some of which I have gamed with for over a decade. Together we run a thriving clan that games almost every night of the week. Still, gaming was getting stale, and I didn't know what to do about it. I thought maybe I have beat enough games, played enough online matches and the thrill wasn't there anymore. I was losing my decade long obsession…

Then I stumbled upon twitch. At first I found it awkward, and I thought all the hype was misplaced. What I came to realize is each streamer has their own flavor, and one streamer I may might not particularly like, may be loved by others and vice versa. I started looking at specific games, and I was clicking through streams until I found Nosterex  (http://www.twitch.tv/nosterex). He is an older gamer from Australia that really struck a chord with me. Not only did I enjoyed his stream, but I began to look forward to the time when he typically logged on. I even donated to his cause so that he could afford a more professional microphone. I felt invested in his games even though I wasn't playing them myself.

This was my introduction to a new way of gaming, “streaming”, and an unforgiving, unrelenting, and very public way of exposing your short comings. Keep in mind, our gaming culture is not kind to the new guy, it didn't matter that I have gamed for over 25 years, it only mattered that I was a Newb. The issue I faced was what kind of streamer did I want to be, and the truth is it didn't matter. No matter how much I wanted to play a certain role, I always ended up being me. I wanted to stream with no cussing...well that last 20 minutes. I wanted to be that super informed gamer...but there is always someone who knows more than me despite my research. I wanted to be that professional gamer people learned from...but I knew those days were over because my hand eye coordination couldn't maintain that facade. So I dove in, updated my PC, and researched the different streaming software their support apps and I started streaming as just me!

Before I began, I talked to three different people who had been streaming consistently, and I asked for their sage advice. All three said the same things, don’t stream really popular games right off the bat because you won’t build a community that way. I was also told that consistency is key, set up a schedule and keep to it as much as possible. Lastly, make sure you interact with your audience as much as possible. Make the stream about them, and they will make it about you. I thought this was good advice, so I picked a low budget early access game called Stranded Deep, and I began under the gaming alias MindscapeTMFL…

Day 1, I could not explain to you how awkward it is making your inner dialog your outer dialog, but I can tell you it is 10x worse when there is no one there to listen to you. I had a couple people jump in and watch, but most just stayed a minute or two and then left. Eventually a more established streamer that was higher up the play list called it a night and I picked up 3 viewers. An amazing thing happened:  for the next 3 hours these viewers made the stream magical. They chatted, joked, and gave me advice and steps to further my survival. I talked back and started naming deadly sharks after them and followed their direction. I was in control, but so were they and when the stream ended I felt successful and emotionally exhausted. I picked up 4 followers…

Day 7 I realized that after a week it takes time to gain a following, not that I had visions of grandeur, but I did expect more opportunities than I got in the first week. Essentially early on while you stream it’s a grind, you literally add one follower at a time, and they usually stumble into a game that you’re playing when no one else is playing it. Half the time you don’t know your being watched because it take a while for the stream to be updated. By that time, you’re so used to talking to yourself you forget that actual human beings will jump on and see if your worthy of their time. It can be frustrating, but it’s like most things in life, you have to pay your dues before you get successful at anything.  It took me 4 sessions to break 25 followers; my initial goal was 100 followers in the first 6 months so I considered this a success. I also had another first, I had someone donate to my stream. It was shocking they went out of their way to financially support what I was doing. It was an amazing feeling! 

Day 13 I had my most productive stream to date, I was given an assignment to review a strange game called  "I am Bread.” I decided to stream it, so I could get a feel from other gamers what their initial impressions were. The game itself (which is amazing http://www.the-gamers-lounge.com/scott-wood/2015/5/5/i-am-bread-review) was hard and frustrating, and the protagonist in the game is a dirty and mentally unstable man. I just started a monologue on why it had to be a man, and I questioned how anyone would live like this. Eventually I had a good amount of people watching and interacting in the stream. They began to support me, and I gained 11 followers in one day.

Day 14 This day was important, I was warned about trolls, and I knew they were lurking out there looking for easy prey. When I started my stream I had a group of 4 people jump in all at once and “follow me” almost immediately, which typically doesn't happen. Soon they began back seat gaming me to death, cursing, and making my small community of viewers uncomfortable. At first I tried to ignore them, but as most of you know that doesn't work, eventually I had to ban them from the chat and continue with my stream. Even though I was prepared for them I was not ready, and it was a lesson learned. I completed my two weeks of streaming with 42 followers and 453 views.

Day 15  I wrote this article and plan to stream tonight. I stream every night Tuesday-Sunday at www.twitch.tv/mindscapetmfl).

"Console to PC, My Awakening"

The choice was easy... until it wasn't! This is my journey from Console gamer to PC gamer!

As a gamer, there is a distinct line in the sand that many of us never recognize. The line is one that most of us don't realize it is as restrictive as it is. We move forward in our gaming lives, and we are oblivious to the truth. We are blissfully happy with our decision, and even willing to defend our choice of gaming console. So before I move forward, I am going to ask you (in my best Lawrence Fishbone impression) "Do you want to go down this rabbit hole? You take the blue pill the story ends and you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe, you take the red pill you stay in wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. Remember all I am offering is the truth, nothing more!” Before I am drowned in the holy tears of Mario, and am beaten in the cathedral of Sony and Microsoft, let me set this straight. I am a lifelong console fan; in fact, I own all three consoles. Personally, I find strengths and weaknesses in each one. I have my favorite, but I do not feel the need to incite a fan boy riot just to prove a point. This is about my journey, my virtual awaking if you will, to the excitement and beauty of PC gaming. 

I consider myself an Ol’ School Gamer, and I look at online gaming to be my generation’s bar. It is a safe place where everyone knows your name, and I happened to be “Norm”, the gaming’s version of an old bar fly. Unfortunately, something has happened in this generation. We have experienced “buggy” and often unplayable game releases. Our party chats have been rendered useless, our online servers have been left vulnerable, and in many cases, shut down completely. In every way possible as a console gamer, I have been left very unsatisfied with this generation. It’s like our bar has stopped serving beer, and we are left waiting around eating old pretzels and drinking warm tap water. Sadly, this wasn't what caused my wandering eye. My flirting with PC gaming began with the rise of Twitch on the console. For the first time ever I could watch what I was missing, and I could see the variety. I was able to experience the beauty of what a beastly PC could do. More importantly, I could see what my console could not do… and that was eye opening. 

I know it is unfair to compare a gaming console built to last 10 years to a PC that can be built and upgraded at will to play the best and most demanding games. Still, you chose to take the red pill to learn the truth, so here it is. Games on my console get bland with time, just as any game does, with the limited and obvious exception of expensive DLC. You don't have an option to upgrade your experience or change the game for the better. On a PC, there is a rich culture of mods, or modifications, that can take a game and make it into a completely different experience. A good example of this is Arma II, a military strategy game that was transformed with a proper mod to make DayZ which is an extremely popular zombie survival horror simulation. Another popular example is Minecraft. The mod community on this game is mind boggling. My console version is years behind while there are literally hundreds of mods that completely change the way the game looks and is played. After experiencing Minecraft on the PC, I would tell you it is a difference of a 1970’s black and white TV compared to a 4k gaming monitor. If you had the means which one would you choose?

Part of the issue with PC gaming is the upfront expense and complicated hardware. It can be intimidating and expensive. To be completely honest, I have spent a couple hours reading and watching reviews on processors and of gaming keyboards available. It can be daunting! In contrast, the consoles are virtually plug and play, fairly inexpensive in comparison, and can be purchased virtually anywhere. So why would you go to PC gaming based on the initial facts? Let me explain. Remember Red Pill!

An Xbox One, PS4 and a Wii U cost roughly one-third of a “state of the art high end PC”. In the last generation, the average hardcore gamer bought 2.1 consoles, many of which were updated versions of the old console or an additional console. The average hardcore or serious gamer also buys 6.6 games per year. The cost of the current console generation is roughly $400 per unit and a “new” game is $60. The online service also runs about $60 per year. Meanwhile, a PC gamer spends more upfront at roughly $1400 and the average “new” game cost $28. That means by year 4 the PC gamer is spending less money, has vastly better graphics, more options, and virtually free mods that extend the life of their current games. I am making the argument that for a serious gamer, PC gaming is the superior and more affordable option.  (You can see the chart above for breakdown of average gamer cost with one console.)  

As an avid console gamer, I am comfortable with what comes in the box. The processing power and the graphics capabilities are optimize over the life of a generation. This is by the developers learning to make lemonade out of lemons. This is the plight of a console gamer. The user friendliness is also its biggest limitation. In technology, think about what could happen in 10 years. For example, YouTube was founded just 10 years ago. At this point can you imagine an internet without YouTube!? Not only are older PC’s stronger than the newest consoles, but once you have a base unit set, a gamer can upgrade to their heart’s desire. These can include optimizing for 4k tv, or much higher frame rates. The PC I just built is expected to have a capability to run at almost 300 frames per second, while the best console games run at 60. That is 5 times the power, at 1080p, with more affordable games and a wider selection. I am not sure I can look at console gaming the same way again. I feel like I am breaking up with a girlfriend I have loved for years for the girl I am supposed to marry. I am happy and sad at the same time, but unlike Cypher who took the red pill and regretted it, ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is just that… ignorance. The raw power and customization gives the PC a gigantic edge on consoles.

So as I sit down to write this, I can’t help but wonder how long I would have sat in this dingy bar with my pretzels and warm tap water. How long would I have been content within the limitations of my console? If hackers hadn’t shut down the networks, and if Halo’s matchmaking actually worked, would I have let my allegiance waiver? Would I have stayed that young doe-eyed console gamer that was willing to argue against PC gaming, if I hadn’t watch Twitch? The sad truth is, I probably would have because no one else offered me the red pill. I had no one offer me the unaltered and unbiased truth. I would of been left in the Matrix, a prisoner to my limitations and blissfully unaware of what I was missing.

The Evolution of “The Nerd”

          Growing up, if I was called a nerd, it was an insult that had to be refuted.  I always needed a quick retort to save face, which still helped me to appear cool with the ladies. The truth was different. I spent my evenings at a friend’s house drawing maps of Zelda dungeons, searching the couch for quarters that I could spend at the arcade, and trying to beat Mike Tyson into submission. I never knew at the time that as a nerd I would get the last laugh, and that I would get revenge in a way I could never imagine.

            As the gaming culture developed, so did I. Changes were made, dial-up internet was invented, and Doom multiplayer matches were played. I made frequent trips to the grocery store to get another free 1000 minutes of AOL to game with online. I talked WarCraft and StarCraft strategy, while spending hours memorizing the patterns on Section Z. I was a nerd, and I walked, talked, and slept gaming. I could not imagine then, that my casual obsession would turn into a lifelong outlet. It gave me an escape from being a “professional adult.”

            Now as a “businessman” I try to let my inner nerd escape when the opportunity presents itself.  In the presence of another possible gaming nerd, we tend to conduct a slow dance of coded questions, and comments that are meant to authenticate one another. For the younger crowd out there who may not understand the need for such a process, you have not lived with the ridicule and prejudice that came with Halo LAN parties, or text based gaming. I am sure most of you do not know how to call “next” in an arcade. Or have ever felt dejected because you were called a nerd, and you knew it to be true. This is when "nerd" had a stereotype. We were seen as virgins who lived in our parents basements, read comic books, and enjoyed National Geographic wwwwwaaaay too much!

            A funny thing happened though. These “nerds” grew up, became successful, some of them founded Microsoft or Valve, or some have written the comic books that have woven themselves into pop culture. They became fathers and business men. They have snuck in every corner of society. They have focused on building sophisticated computers with maxed out graphic capabilities, game consoles that changed how a living room is used, and they spend money, A LOT of money. Last year gamers spent 46.5 billion dollars on gaming. This is more than the film industry (31.8 billion) which incidentally is dominated by nerds. Think Star Wars to Star Trek or Aliens to X-men, nerds have not only become a socially acceptable term; moreover, it is now used in a positive light. It has become a compliment, and it has become almost cool to be a nerd.

            Ironically, we now have genres of nerds, which would be unimaginable 25 years ago. The question really is… what kind of nerd are you? Are you a gaming nerd, a computer nerd, comic, anime, or cosplay nerd? It is an important distinction that will be a litmus test for your knowledge in that area. It is a label that will let other nerds of your genre know where your expertise lies. There are exceptions, of course. These are in the form of a rare super nerd. Otherwise known as the unicorn of the species, the feared and respected “plain ol' nerd”. He is the renaissance nerd if you will. He answers Star Trek Trivia in detail, and states the episode number to source it. He watches the movie with the director’s commentary, and does a review on the commentary itself. This nerd does not care for social conventions, and would relish in a spirited debate on virtually any subject. He happily challenges the validity of the physics used in Star Trek, and writes a 3 page blog detailing the 30 second trailer of the latest Marvel movie. This nerd is your next door neighbor, your boss, and maybe your husband or wife.

            All nerds are experts in camouflage, and one will only show their true nerdiness after authentication. This may also be done during the mating season known as Comic Con. This nerd however, wears his nerd on his sleeve. His success will be in whatever venture he put his mind to, whether it be an app, or movie script, a website or newly developed game. This nerd has found the secret to happiness. He lives life on his terms, surrounded by his people, and his special edition 1980 Soundwave action figure in its original packaging. He was successful doing it.

            I tip my hat to all nerds and whatever genre you represent. I ask you to remember one thing, we outnumber the “cool” kids now. The ones who would rather spend a night out drinking than finishing a raid. The ones who would rather pick on a kid for his Robotech shirt, than to see the deep and immersive worlds that us nerds get to enjoy. Do not let their mistakes be our downfall. We must encourage the open-minded and welcome the hungover and uninformed. The sad truth is the best revenge for a nerd is success, so keep plucking away at the keyboard, keep gaming into the night, and keep building a foundation for the young nerdy generations to enjoy. Your contributions are making a difference. Your success will cement a world where our 6 sided dice is not bought in dark corners of a game store, or the anonymity of the internet. Our legacy is watching our children, born from actual women, growing up in a world free from nerd prejudice. A place where cosplay is accepted, and having an imagination is not a check mark against you; rather, it becomes a badge of pride on your virtual resume. In other words, our best revenge is being authentic and letting our inner nerd shine with pride. Nerd on.