Any advice for an aspiring let's player?

[Hero in a half shell]

Have a plan for what you want to do with the Let's Play beforehand. Blind Let's Plays tend to be bad UNLESS you can grab somebody who has already played the game to help you with it.

Speaking of which, Let's Plays become 40% funnier whenever there is a second person voicing over. Dialogue tends to bring out jokes, and the second person will often see things that you missed.

Try scripting some jokes beforehand or getting some practice speaking. That can get rid of your "um" and "ah".

He speaks the truth!

Preparation and polish are everything. The Let's Play market is heavily oversaturated, the chances of you getting any success in it are about the same as winning the lottery, so you must do absolutely everything as perfectly as possible: Videocapture + sound quality must be the highest you can get it, the gameplay itself must be as entertaining as you can make it, your voice must be as clear as possible, no mumbling, umming, very long silences or sound interference (dogs barking, family interruptions trains passing by the windows etc.) Preparing a script, or at least a few jokes or interesting things to say will help the flow of the video immensely.
Make sure the video starts and ends well; don't use a 20 second long MS Paint intro slide with grating guitar music, if you must use an intro, make it as short and intrusive as possible.

Finally run the final video past a few friends, if they aren't enthusiastic about it then you probably shouldn't bother.

 

[DanielBrown]

Dont force jokes and do random mumbling whenever there's some silence. At least I fucking hate that and it seems most Let's Play people do that. I prefer when they make comments informing you about the game.
You should also make sure you speak in a clear voice and talk in a calm pace. Mumbling, speed freaks with a bad mic is horrible.

Don't watch much lets plays though. Only one or two when I can't find good gameplay videos for games I'm considering doing.

 

[lRookiel]

I'd consider doing some let's play videos of Dark souls PVP, just because it's something I enjoy.

You have to enjoy the game you're playing or enjoy the story you are telling. If you're just talking in a mono tonal voice and just for the sake of talking, then you will get nowhere. Being engaged with what you're doing is probably the best thing you can do.

 

[AwkwardTurtle]

I think the best advice is to just go out there into the wide world that is known as the Internet and have fun with it. Expect people to love and hate you or nothing you.

I don't know poop diddly about the whole making money off of it thing, but I suggest that if you want to be a standard Let's Player just do whatever you find fun and think will be entertaining for others to watch.

I know some people recommend you do something different or unique or edgy and whatnot, but I say if you're genuinely having a grand ol' time of it then that feeling will naturally infect the viewers. Even if your video content isn't exactly the most unique thing in the world.
YOU are what's unique to any videos you make. Let that shine through my friend.

Unless you have some weird non-universal sense of fun that differs from everyone else on the planet. Then I suppose I gave you some pretty bad advice.

Have fun~

 

[TBman]

[/quote]
FRAPS is ok. I would recommend this for consoles:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815100049
[/quote]

I don't have a good desktop yet, just a laptop. But I'll keep this in mind, thanks.