I fancy doing a "Let's Play...", what would I need?

[GoAwayVifs]

Also, as someone who has utterly failed at a Let's Play before, don't try to keep up a ridiculous schedule on updates. (Like one a day >>) Do things at your own pace.

A million times this. Don't try to rush out your videos. Take as long as you need to make the video good.

A general direction.

Are you the Funny Commentator, the Helpful Commentator, or the Charming Commentator?

In terms of direction I would recommend that your commentary tends towards the informative side (this is where having played the game before would help) as humorous commentary can be very hit or miss, and when it does miss it is disastrously bad. This really is more of a personal thing, find a style that works and stick with it. Avoid gimmicks like the plague.

 

[Lt_Bromhead]

Also, as someone who has utterly failed at a Let's Play before, don't try to keep up a ridiculous schedule on updates. (Like one a day >>) Do things at your own pace.

Edit: Also, a mix of insightful and funny commentary helps alot. That's why in my opinion, blind runs usually aren't that good, especially for a first time through, because you can't give a whole lot of insight to the game. But that's just me.

Understood.
I'll keep that in mind.
Thanks.

A general direction.

Are you the Funny Commentator, the Helpful Commentator, or the Charming Commentator?

Care to briefly define each?

 

[DarkRyter]

A general direction.

Are you the Funny Commentator, the Helpful Commentator, or the Charming Commentator?

Care to briefly define each?

Funny Commentator's pretty simple. Crack jokes, while playing the game. Like what the Unskippable guys do but for more than just cutscenes.

Helpful Commentators are primarily focused on helping people with the game. Giving advice, showing technique, teaching through play, etc.

Charming Commentators are a bit more vague. They may not be that funny, or that informative, or maybe they're both, but their personality is what creates the enjoyment of watching the lets play. I thought of this term to describe the most famous let's player of the modern day, Chuggaaconroy.

There are probably others, but that's how I classify Let's Plays.

 

[Lt_Bromhead]

A general direction.

Are you the Funny Commentator, the Helpful Commentator, or the Charming Commentator?

Care to briefly define each?

Funny Commentator's pretty simple. Crack jokes, while playing the game. Like what the Unskippable guys do but for more than just cutscenes.

Helpful Commentators are primarily focused on helping people with the game. Giving advice, showing technique, teaching through play, etc.

Charming Commentators are a bit more vague. They may not be that funny, or that informative, or maybe they're both, but their personality is what creates the enjoyment of watching the lets play. I thought of this term to describe the most famous let's player of the modern day, Chuggaaconroy.

There are probably others, but that's how I classify Let's Plays.

Sounds good to me.

I'm probably going to go straight to being Informative/Helpful, as I'm not exactly great at comedy.
I can take the piss, but it often comes out as being a bit rude or over the top rather than funny, so I generally hold that back until I need to insult something. (Think the Yahtzee style of comedy. )

Still, I like helping people, so Helpful sounds good to me.

 

[GoAwayVifs]

Care to briefly define each?

There are basically two main types of commentary. Informative where you talk about the game itself, about its mechanics, plot, series history, even about the development of the game. Something to avoid here is stating what just happened. The veiwers aren't blind. On that same note don't read out text. Informative LPs generally have no commentary over cutscenes or dialouge. For a good example of this style go watch Research Indicates' LP of Trespasser. [http://lparchive.org/Jurassic-Park-Trespasser/]

Funny commentary is focus on making fun of the game. Obviously this normally works best with bad games. Generally this is done with one or more co-communtators so that you can play off each other and don't have to strain to be constantly joking. Most of these type leave the commentary in over cutscenes.

 

[Lt_Bromhead]

Care to briefly define each?

There are basically two main types of commentary. Informative where you talk about the game itself, about its mechanics, plot, series history, even about the development of the game. Something to avoid here is stating what just happened. The veiwers aren't blind. On that same note don't read out text. Informative LPs generally have no commentary over cutscenes or dialouge. For a good example of this style go watch Research Indicates' LP of Trespasser.

Funny commentary is focus on making fun of the game. Obviously this normally works best with bad games. Generally this is done with one or more co-communtators so that you can play off each other and don't have to strain to be constantly joking. Most of these type leave the commentary in over cutscenes.

So if I'm going down the "Informative" route, let the game do some of the work for me, I take it?

I suppose you're right - I could always find myself a hilarious action double to play off...

 

[GoAwayVifs]

Care to briefly define each?

There are basically two main types of commentary. Informative where you talk about the game itself, about its mechanics, plot, series history, even about the development of the game. Something to avoid here is stating what just happened. The veiwers aren't blind. On that same note don't read out text. Informative LPs generally have no commentary over cutscenes or dialouge. For a good example of this style go watch Research Indicates' LP of Trespasser.

Funny commentary is focus on making fun of the game. Obviously this normally works best with bad games. Generally this is done with one or more co-communtators so that you can play off each other and don't have to strain to be constantly joking. Most of these type leave the commentary in over cutscenes.

So if I'm going down the "Informative" route, let the game do some of the work for me, I take it?

I suppose you're right - I could always find myself a hilarious action double to play off...

The thing to remember is that LPs are first and foremost about the game.

 

[Lt_Bromhead]

Care to briefly define each?

There are basically two main types of commentary. Informative where you talk about the game itself, about its mechanics, plot, series history, even about the development of the game. Something to avoid here is stating what just happened. The veiwers aren't blind. On that same note don't read out text. Informative LPs generally have no commentary over cutscenes or dialouge. For a good example of this style go watch Research Indicates' LP of Trespasser.

Funny commentary is focus on making fun of the game. Obviously this normally works best with bad games. Generally this is done with one or more co-communtators so that you can play off each other and don't have to strain to be constantly joking. Most of these type leave the commentary in over cutscenes.

So if I'm going down the "Informative" route, let the game do some of the work for me, I take it?

I suppose you're right - I could always find myself a hilarious action double to play off...

The thing to remember is that LPs are first and foremost about the game.

This is true.
I'm not trying to create Unskippable 2 here...

 

[Monsieur E]

Be sure to leave a shameless plug in your next thread!

 

[Stall]

In addition to what everyone else is suggesting, get a pop filter and make sure your mic is good. Nothing is worse than listening to someone's mouth-noises when they are talking over a mic, and people are going to notice shitty audio much faster than they'll notice low quality videos and such.

You can get a pop filter for like 20 bucks or you can try to make one yourself (google it).

 

[GoAwayVifs]

Or if you don't want to buy a pop filter, even something as easy as not speaking directly into your mic can go a long way towards making your audio better. Ideally you'd want your mic on a 45 degree angle to the direction you are speaking.

 

[Lt_Bromhead]

Well, the title says it all.
I'd like to give it a go.

I'm sure I'll pick up the technique after experimenting for a bit.

But in terms of software/hardware, I could do with a pointer to get me started.

Obviously I'll need a game, but that can be sorted later.
I've got a microphone.
I've got a computer. (I don't own ANY consoles, by the way - not sure if that affects anything)

So yeah - I've not really got an idea of how to record the video/sounds of the game or my voice so....any pointers?

Cheers guys!


Captcha: You're onform

hopefully it's a really fast machine cause the only thing i can think of you needing is FRAPS.it's a screen capture program.

As in my computer?
Yeah, it's fast.
It'll run anything you care to chuck at it on full.

In addition to what everyone else is suggesting, get a pop filter and make sure your mic is good. Nothing is worse than listening to someone's mouth-noises when they are talking over a mic, and people are going to notice shitty audio much faster than they'll notice low quality videos and such.

You can get a pop filter for like 20 bucks or you can try to make one yourself (google it).

Or if you don't want to buy a pop filter, even something as easy as not speaking directly into your mic can go a long way towards making your audio better. Ideally you'd want your mic on a 45 degree angle to the direction you are speaking.

Okay, I'll take this into account as well.
Cheers again guys!

You know, after reading this, I'll likely become paranoid about the audio quality.
Not necessarily a bad thing though...

 

[Dchao]

Maybe you should do a original idea instead of a LP?

 

[Corven]

If you do get fraps, I suggest keeping your video recoding around the youtube limits of around 15 minutes per recording since fraps does not compress the raw footage, the file sizes will be 3-5 GB per file if memory serves.

This may cost extra but I say get an external hard drive where you can save the raw footage to so it doesn't eat up your computers main HD, I don't know if this is a real problem but it's an extra precautionary measure.

Also I'd look into getting a better video editing program then windows movie maker, sure WMM will get the job done but like the saying goes "you get what you pay for" and since WMM is free the flexibility and options provided are bare bones. personally I picked up Sony's Vegas 9 for 45 USD, it's no adobe premiere but its cheap and a hell of a lot better then WMM.

Now when it comes to blind runs of your games, it all really depends on what type of game your playing. For example if your playing a scary game like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, I as the viewer would much rather watch a blind run of the game and seeing the Lp'ers legitimate first reactions to events in game.

A game much more suited to a walkthrough style LP where your commentary would be more informative instead of a blind run may be something like an adventure game like Kings Quest 5 where one missed item or doing a puzzle in the wrong order will leave the game unwinable.

On being a commentator, try to keep most of your commentary whatever it may be (funny,informative etc..) focused on the game. I as a viewer really don't care about your day to day life unless it is somehow anecdotal to the game itself or events in your life may interfere with your release schedule of videos.