So, a couple of months ago I made a video recommending the fantastic game Mixtape. The video was 3 minutes long and consisted of me going "I can't play this game due to music licencing, go play it anyway." Standard stuff. What wasn't standard was the response. A whole bunch of people started going, "Hey, make more short videos like this."
So, now, I'm going to.
I have dabbled with short videos before. Way back in a previous logo we created the Fab Games Friday series, which was basically my way onto TikTok and YouTube shorts. They did fine on YouTube, died on YouTube Shorts and Instagram whatevers, and did UNBELIEVABLY WELL on TikTok. The Shadows of Doubt video by itself hitting just under a million views. I loved scripting these, but the company started to enter a financial death spiral so I switched focus from YouTube to finishing off my book to bring some much needed money in. Excellent plan. 10/10. What could go wrong?
Anyway, now all that is behind us I do want to get back into the shorter video realm. The main reason I do this job to recommend cool games to people, and if the people are watching shorter videos, that's where I should be. Don't worry, this isn't going to touch the current channel staples. Planet Coaster 2 will continue to be several hours a week of neon light placing, the Plays series will be 15 - 20 minutes of whatever I fancy making that week, and livestreams will still be an hour of chat followed by however many hours of video games I can get out before the internet dies. This is an additional video, likely one a week.
Here is where you come in. I have two ideas for these shorter videos and I'm outsourcing the decision making to you, my lovely Patreons.
Recommends.
As the Fab Friday and Nerd³ Quick before it (remember those!?), these will just be a video going "play this cool game". I'm thinking these will be between 2 and 3 minutes long, so I can go a little more in depth than the last TikTok lot.
Upsides: It's a fun joyful series that I've already seen success from. People dig it too.
Downsides: I might not have anything to recommend so it may struggle to maintain a weekly release.
Reviews.
Essentially as above, but I'll widen the scope to games I either don't entirely recommend, or are actually shit. Anything can be covered and then, at the end, I'll do something I've never done before. I'll give the game a score. Specifically I'll do a star ranking of 0 - 5 stars. No half stars or crap like that, and I may go over the 5 star limit if something is really, really special.
Upsides: Easier to maintain the weekly releases, plus I can really shit on something if the mood takes me.
Downsides: Review scores can... agitate folks. It might take a bit more ban hammer wielding to maintain our lovely community.
Anyway, that's the pitches, now it's over to you! What's the next Nerd³ series?
YOU DECIDE!
(In the poll below. Also these won't likely start until after I've moved. T&C probably apply, IDK.)Daniel xx