Author Topic: I made an LP  (Read 1907 times)

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Offline Zygarde

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I made an LP
« on: August 09, 2013, 11:13:41 pm »
I don't know if I can post it here but I made a Let's Play and I wanted to share it with you guys. Tell me what you guys think and do give criticism.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0FUHUeVP-U" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0FUHUeVP-U</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-4lK0sZdMY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-4lK0sZdMY</a>

Offline Sour Grapes

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Re: I made an LP
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2013, 12:29:18 am »
Right off the bat, just from the very first second of the playback, it's kind of obvious that you're new.  You're just offering commentary for a game you're playing.  You haven't really developed a persona yet.  All good Let's Players tend to introduce themselves, tell the name of the game they're doing, then show what settings they're using, and sometimes mentions the publisher.  Also you sound like you're not really comfortable with giving commentary.  This is just observations from your first video, however.

Also you kind of sound like you're sitting at the bottom of a bucket.  It could be your sound card, the settings, your mic, or possibly the fact that you may not be using a headset.

Offline chitoryu12

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Re: I made an LP
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2013, 01:54:50 am »
I think doing it without commentary is the best option. Commentaries are hard, especially unscripted. It takes a lot of charisma, thinking on your feet, and having good voice control so you can speak clearly and without sounding weird. AND a good microphone, preferably the best one you can find.

A lot of people who watch online walkthroughs or LPs actually prefer it without the commentary; unless the person doing it has REALLY good commentary, like ChipCheezum or Nerd Cubed, it ends up dragging down the video rather than enhancing it.

Also, make sure that you always edit out boring stuff. If you die, unless it's really funny (and I mean legit funny, meaning people other than yourself laugh when they see it), cut that out and just pick it up from the good attempt. If you get stuck on a puzzle or can't find where to go, don't spend more than 30 or 45 seconds looking for an answer before just cutting that crap to when you solve it. One of the worst sins you can do is leaving the audience watching nothing for a minute (or in egregious cases, MANY minutes). Especially if you were missing a simple thing.
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Offline Yaezakura

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Re: I made an LP
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2013, 05:36:05 am »
I think doing it without commentary is the best option. Commentaries are hard, especially unscripted. It takes a lot of charisma, thinking on your feet, and having good voice control so you can speak clearly and without sounding weird. AND a good microphone, preferably the best one you can find.

A lot of people who watch online walkthroughs or LPs actually prefer it without the commentary; unless the person doing it has REALLY good commentary, like ChipCheezum or Nerd Cubed, it ends up dragging down the video rather than enhancing it.

Also, make sure that you always edit out boring stuff. If you die, unless it's really funny (and I mean legit funny, meaning people other than yourself laugh when they see it), cut that out and just pick it up from the good attempt. If you get stuck on a puzzle or can't find where to go, don't spend more than 30 or 45 seconds looking for an answer before just cutting that crap to when you solve it. One of the worst sins you can do is leaving the audience watching nothing for a minute (or in egregious cases, MANY minutes). Especially if you were missing a simple thing.

I'd say a lot of that really depends on what Lilith wants to do with it. If commentary is something they want to do, the only real way to improve is to practice. Even the best commentators suck at the start of their careers, because it's a skill nearly impossible to hone outside of the field. Not many people sit there talking to an empty room, which is essentially what you have to do to commentate. The art of one-sided conversation is something most people have no need to develop, and the skills to do it well don't just come out of nowhere.

Offline Askold

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Re: I made an LP
« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2013, 06:51:38 am »

I'd say a lot of that really depends on what Lilith wants to do with it. If commentary is something they want to do, the only real way to improve is to practice. Even the best commentators suck at the start of their careers, because it's a skill nearly impossible to hone outside of the field. Not many people sit there talking to an empty room, which is essentially what you have to do to commentate. The art of one-sided conversation is something most people have no need to develop, and the skills to do it well don't just come out of nowhere.

+1

Not everyone is so talented that they do a perfect job without training. Besides, there are many types of commentaries and they all have fans. Sometimes I watch commentary LP's that are just filled with jokes (in the style of MST3K.) Sometimes I prefer a more serious commentary. To each their own.
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Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: I made an LP
« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2013, 04:58:41 pm »
I've watched Let's Plays where 95% of the commentary is about what they're doing in the game, and it works just as well as Let's Plays where 95% of the commentary is more or less a blog, as well as every percentage in between the two.

Just gotta say, Lilith, keep practicing, and most importantly, keep uploading.  Don't let yourself be discouraged.  If you keep the uploading somewhat regularly, you're sure to get viewers.
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Re: I made an LP
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2013, 06:38:16 am »
I watched the first video, and it was decent enough for a first attempt. Since you asked for criticism, I shall try to do so, at least in areas that aren't simply a matter of practice. Firstly, you talked over the cutscenes. That's a massive no-no right there. Never talk over the cutscenes, that's one of the worst things you can do as a Let's Player. This also goes for any story related in-game dialogue. Remember, a Let's Play is about showing the game first and the player second.

Next, the audio. I found that, especially during the firefights, I could barely hear, much less understand, the commentary. You may need to play with the volumes of the game and commentary during editing to ensure the volume ratio between the two is always good. For example, during a firefight, you may need to turn down the game so the commentary is clearer, but then during a cutscene or dialogue, it may be wise to turn the volume up again.

As for the commentary itself, as others have said, it's largely a matter of practice. That said, it may help, at least at first, for the commentary to be semi-scripted. Or to put it less pretentiously, think about and decide what you're going to talk about before recording, maybe even jot down some notes. It should be a lot easier if you don't have to improv the whole thing.

Finally, try to show of everything you possibly can and play at least at an above average level. That means any secrets and easter eggs present. Don't be afraid to research any beforehand and do some practice runs, and as Chit said, edit out any failures and derp moments. Oh, and if something like a cutscene fails to play, don't ignore it. Find another way to record it and edit it into the episode. Hell, dig it out of the games files and splice it into the episode if that's what it takes.

Hope that helps, friend.