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[DrAndonuts]

Hey GAF. A few buddies and I have put some work in and are trying our hand at a gaming show. Response has been pretty good so far, but I'd love to get GAF's opinion on how to make it better. We kind of took a kitchen sink approach in the pilot, trying out a lot of different segments to see what works. As of now, I see each episode having a narrative, with a handful of editorial and one-off sketches for variety.

You can view the pilot here. Since we use licensed music, YouTube has disabled viewing it on a mobile device - sorry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPuYaDLsOs8

Alternatively, you can download an MP4 copy of the show from either of these links:
720p: http://www.mediafire.com/?d9o7u73z9y37vvb
360p: http://www.mediafire.com/?c3w4naxxhley87a

I'd love to get a quick (or detailed) opinion from anyone willing. What segments you like, didn't like, etc. Ex: for the pilot, I thought the Kotaku pitch segment was the best, but didn't like the Okami/American Psycho bit.

*~you can help shape the show~*

As a thank you, I'm going to give away a brand new copy of the Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition for the 360 to one random gaffer. To be in the running, just post in this thread (or you can PM me your thoughts, if you'd rather). I'll pick a winner at random on Tuesday (September 11) at about noon-ish.

Here's a quick episode summary, and breakdown for reference:

Episode 1:
The Gamesies crew tries to get the show picked up. Also, hands-on impressions and footage of the Wii U Experience.

0:00 - 0:59 - Starfox opening title
1:00 - 1:59 - The crew makes a game plan
2:00 - 4:35 - Wii U Experience Part 1
4:37 - 5:14 - Nintendo Power Tribute
5:17 - 6:37 - Pitch Meeting 1: Kotaku
6:38 - 9:05 - Wii U Experience Part 2
9:07 - 9:45 - In-depth Reviews (Abridged)
9:46 - 10:43 - Pitch Meeting 2: GameTrailers
10:45 - 11:08 - Gamesies' Game of the Month
11:12 - 12:34 - Lots of build up to a single joke
12:36 - 14:25 - Favorite Games: PS2
14:27 - 15:51 - Final Pitch Meeting: ?
15:53 - fin - End credits

Thanks, GAF. Looooove you.

 

[udivision]

"Truth is, I've never really like Mario."
"***hole!"

Okay, I laughed at that.

 

[jschreier]

I'm a little biased. But the Kotaku pitch meeting made me laugh hard.

 

[WillyFive]

If licensed music is causing problems, maybe an alternative could be good. We have plenty of great composers in NeoGAF, maybe they can contribute music.

After all, your show seems to be formatted like a TV show, but I can't watch it on TV because of the music.

 

[Chairhome]

I'll be honest, I was ready to write this off. But I skimmed through it and its very well put together. When I have more time, I'll watch the whole ep. Good job!

 

[spyhunterzero]

Some of the funny parts seem to be a hit and a miss to me. I did love the game review parts and the Favorite games of the months. The show's actually good. Nice job man.

 

[NewFresh]

I watched this they day it was uploaded. I think it was on "Nintendo focused banned site". I really like the idea and would like to see more. I just wish the editing was a bit tighter. There are long pauses of black between some scenes. The whole thing is very reminiscent of the 1up Show and CO-OP.

 

[WillyFive]

I really liked it, and the guy on the computer screen was hilarious. It's true that it moved slowly, which is bad for the internet audience; but it was a good first episode. The sense of humor makes it unique.

 

[Larsen B]

Man, I was not expecting much but I thought this was hilarious. The payoff in the American Psycho sketch in particular was excellent.

The weakest part that I felt was the game discussion about the WiiU stuff and the favourite games part (essentially the more "serious" stuff). I think the humour could (and should) extend to even the game analysis.

On the whole, I really liked this. Great music selections too. Reminded me a lot of Consolevania.

 

[Matt_C]

At post number ten, I will try my luck at this contest. I would watch the episode tomorrow morning when I get off work.

 

[Median]

Hahaha that Kotaku pitch meeting was great. Good show, guys!

As a sidenote, please don't include me for the contest, I've already got the game.

 

[Chris R]

Nice and short, I'll watch it later tonight while I work out!

 

[Zero148]

We in Germany can't watch it because of the music, GEMA is great...

Spoiler

not

 

[BlackBanditSho]

How did you guys do the slo-mo in the last scene? IT looks like you used a DSLR shooting at the 24p setting. What software did you use to get such smooth slow motion? Final Cut tends to be pretty choppy...

 

[JoseOle5990]

Just finished watching it and I'm surprised by how much I liked it. Definitely looking forward to the next installment.

I will say though that the business card sketch was a tad confusing at first and it was probably the weakest segment of the show for me.

 

[VariantX04]

If you're looking for free music to use, check out my Soundcloud page and take your pick.

I'll check the video out when I'm not on my phone. Best of luck!

 

[Coconut]

For the sake of professionalism, please proof read your post. All in all it's pretty cool. BTdubs, I already own Witcher so I didn't post here to win something.

 

[The Mana Legend]

This is actually pretty good!

 

[Larsen B]

I will say though that the business card sketch was a tad confusing at first and it was probably the weakest segment of the show for me.

That's definitely one where you need to know the source material it is a take on.

 

[Corto]

Loved it. Will watch again, love the humor that went through the whole episode (the reviews bit was great!). The actual talk about Wii U felt a bit weak though. Maybe in those segments don't try any funny editing and try to prepare a bit more your points. Maybe you recorded on site, tired or something but the enthusiasm you showed on other segments didn't transpired in that one.

Extra points for having LA's "There she goes" as the ending song.

Final advice. Stick with it. You got talent and some of the kinks can be ironed out while you grow.

edit: don't put me on the giveaway list. I already have The Witcher 2. The real one.

 

[Codeblue]

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I really dug the laid back format and attitude for the actual game discussion segments. I'd rather it be natural like that than have forced enthusiasm to where I felt like you were trying to sell me something.

I didn't really like the favorite games segment. 140 characters seems like just enough to say some pretty broad generic things which isn't necessarily interesting to me. It should be noted that Twitter's popularity confuses me, so it's entirely likely that everyone else loved it.

Also, were you guys asking for PS2 submissions or Dreamcast submissions?

Otherwise, I really liked it. Looking forward to your second.

 

[DrAndonuts]

Thanks for all of the great comments so far - I'm going to do my best to respond to everyone's feedback, but I'm just going to get to the first few posts for right now.

"Truth is, I've never really like Mario."
"***hole!"

Okay, I laughed at that.

I'm a little biased. But the Kotaku pitch meeting made me laugh hard.

Some of the funny parts seem to be a hit and a miss to me. I did love the game review parts and the Favorite games of the months. The show's actually good. Nice job man.

Glad you guys enjoyed it. Thanks for watching it, sincerely.

If licensed music is causing problems, maybe an alternative could be good. We have plenty of great composers in NeoGAF, maybe they can contribute music.

After all, your show seems to be formatted like a TV show, but I can't watch it on TV because of the music.

That's a really good point. Since it was really just the three of us for the first episode, and then me editing everything, I didn't want to hit up people to use their music in a show that didn't exist yet. I also wasn't aware that YouTube would block videos from being viewable on TV/mobile devices, but it's definitely something I'll keep in mind for future episodes.

Another alternative would be to have it be a iTunes video podcast, but I haven't really looked into that route yet. Thanks for the feedback!

I watched this they day it was uploaded. I think it was on "Nintendo focused banned site". I really like the idea and would like to see more. I just wish the editing was a bit tighter. There are long pauses of black between some scenes. The whole thing is very reminiscent of the 1up Show and CO-OP.

Yeah, I remember seeing your comment on YouTube - I'm going to work on speeding up the flow a bit. I wanted to keep a laid back feel to the show, but I can see where it comes off as a bit too slow.

I'll try to get to everyone else's comments/feedback in a bit. Thanks again for posting, everyone, it really means a lot.

 

[DrAndonuts]

...aaand round 2 for responding.

I really liked it, and the guy on the computer screen was hilarious. It's true that it moved slowly, which is bad for the internet audience; but it was a good first episode. The sense of humor makes it unique.

Hahaha that Kotaku pitch meeting was great. Good show, guys!

As a sidenote, please don't include me for the contest, I've already got the game.

This is actually pretty good!

Glad you guys enjoyed it. Thanks for watching it.

Man, I was not expecting much but I thought this was hilarious. The payoff in the American Psycho sketch in particular was excellent.

The weakest part that I felt was the game discussion about the WiiU stuff and the favourite games part (essentially the more "serious" stuff). I think the humour could (and should) extend to even the game analysis.

On the whole, I really liked this. Great music selections too. Reminded me a lot of Consolevania.

Loved it. Will watch again, love the humor that went through the whole episode (the reviews bit was great!). The actual talk about Wii U felt a bit weak though. Maybe in those segments don't try any funny editing and try to prepare a bit more your points. Maybe you recorded on site, tired or something but the enthusiasm you showed on other segments didn't transpired in that one.

Probably the best compliment I could get. Consolevania is my favorite gaming show, and I was definitely influenced by them when we made this.

I agree with you on the reviews bit. I didn't want to us to prepare anything beforehand - I didn't want it to seem too PR-y, which is the feeling I get from a lot of other discussion videos I see online. The problem was that we didn't get to film our impressions until about a week after we played, so it wasn't fresh on our minds. We'll work on that in future episodes.

At post number ten, I will try my luck at this contest. I would watch the episode tomorrow morning when I get off work.

Nice and short, I'll watch it later tonight while I work out!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the episode!

How did you guys do the slo-mo in the last scene? IT looks like you used a DSLR shooting at the 24p setting. What software did you use to get such smooth slow motion? Final Cut tends to be pretty choppy...

I shot it in 60fps, imported it into Final Cut, and then conformed it to 24fps in Cinema Tools. That'll get you smooth-looking slow motion. Hope that helps.

If you're looking for free music to use, check out my Soundcloud page and take your pick.

I'll check the video out when I'm not on my phone. Best of luck!

Thanks a lot! I'll send you a PM once I start editing episode 2.

I didn't really like the favorite games segment. 140 characters seems like just enough to say some pretty broad generic things which isn't necessarily interesting to me. It should be noted that Twitter's popularity confuses me, so it's entirely likely that everyone else loved it.

Also, were you guys asking for PS2 submissions or Dreamcast submissions?

Otherwise, I really liked it. Looking forward to your second.

I wanted to have a way to involve people in the episode, but wanted to keep it submission relatively short. I thought the 140-character rule would work well - it adds a strict guideline, so you have to carefully pick out what you're going to say. We're taking Dreamcast submissions for the next episode. Thanks for watching the episode!

We in Germany can't watch it because of the music, GEMA is great...

Spoiler

not

For people in Germany, and if you'd rather watch it on your mobile device, TV, or game console, I've added 720p and 360p MP4s to the OP.

For the sake of professionalism, please proof read your post. All in all it's pretty cool.

Your right

 

[BrokenEchelon]

I will watch this in HD @_@.

Then I will comment.

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I really dug the laid back format and attitude for the actual game discussion segments. I'd rather it be natural like that than have forced enthusiasm to where I felt like you were trying to sell me something.

I didn't really like the favorite games segment. 140 characters seems like just enough to say some pretty broad generic things which isn't necessarily interesting to me. It should be noted that Twitter's popularity confuses me, so it's entirely likely that everyone else loved it.

Also, were you guys asking for PS2 submissions or Dreamcast submissions?

Otherwise, I really liked it. Looking forward to your second.

Totally agree with this.

It was probably my favorite part because I got to see "amateur" off-screen footage without the 2-second cuts to random billboards and other stupid shit that "professional" sites like GTTV use to the point where I end up having learned nothing and seen nothing after a 10 minute segment. Keep that stuff up.

 

[WillyFive]

I also want to say that this really looks like a real quality-made show. It looks like real effort and love went into it.

 

[VariantX04]

Wow, that was fantastic. I was wary at first about the length but I was glued to the screen the entire time. You've got yourself a new subscriber/fan. Well done!

Thanks a lot! I'll send you a PM once I start editing episode 2.

Awesome. I'd love to be a part of this.

 

[JeTmAn81]

I thought it was pretty good. I liked the use of licensed music, though not being viewable on mobile devices is a big problem. I felt the acting was good, and the writing was alright though you should continue to tighten that up and make the jokes as funny as possible. It might also be better to have fewer segments as it felt like the episode jumped around a lot. The cinematography is pleasing, it looks like you are using a pretty decent camera. Keep working on stuff and maintain the feel of camaraderie between the main cast because that is essential to making us like you!

 

[Grakl]

Well, it's a way to get impressions, but I feel that the music in the background whenever you guys are talking is too loud. Just a minor gripe, really.

 

[outunderthestars]

Really liked the first episode!

A couple of notes: the music was a bit loud, and the camera was a little too shakey when everyone was giving impressions of the games. I'd also love to see more fleshed out conversations about the games as well.

Overall it was a great show and one I'd like to watch on a regular basis.

 

[totowhoa]

Here are some thoughts (and I wouldn't have bothered providing them if I hadn't really enjoyed it!)

Was surprised to find that I actually really enjoyed this (the OP banner made it seem way cheaper than it ended up being). I originally saw the thread yesterday while on a mobile device. I was going to watch it then, but I couldn't. I just happened to see it bumped on page one today while on a computer, so I gave it a watch. That's definitely an issue, but I think the music was used effectively for the most part too. I guess it's going to be up to you guys as far as how you decide to handle that. Videogame music as a substitute would probably be a little corny, and writing/commissioning your own would take a lot more effort. Little or no music would entail mean that much better overall sound quality would be a must. Music is definitely too loud at some points. Overall, the editing was much better that I expected, and really quite well done, but there were definitely a few problematic things. I think most of it can be attributed to the fact that it's episode one, as you're obviously very talented when it comes to editing. Definitely need more care when capturing vocals (why is there all that water running while Josh talks about Jak and Daxter? Sometimes the ambient sounds and white noise buzz sounds cheap... such as the meeting with Mr. Kotaku. Also, all the cars driving by in the background while you discuss the Wii U).

The show was really well done. Camera work was really good for the most part. Pacing was great. I enjoyed seeing each section segmented and spread across the course of the episode. It really helped make it feel much shorter than 15 minutes, and you guys pulled it off well. Humor was also pretty effective for me. You guys were all very likable as well. I'll definitely keep an eye on the show, and I'm sure others will too as it gains exposure, so keep it up.

 

[DrAndonuts]

It was probably my favorite part because I got to see "amateur" off-screen footage without the 2-second cuts to random billboards and other stupid shit that "professional" sites like GTTV use to the point where I end up having learned nothing and seen nothing after a 10 minute segment. Keep that stuff up.

I also want to say that this really looks like a real quality-made show. It looks like real effort and love went into it.

Wow, that was fantastic. I was wary at first about the length but I was glued to the screen the entire time. You've got yourself a new subscriber/fan. Well done!

Shucks. Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.

I thought it was pretty good. I liked the use of licensed music, though not being viewable on mobile devices is a big problem. I felt the acting was good, and the writing was alright though you should continue to tighten that up and make the jokes as funny as possible. It might also be better to have fewer segments as it felt like the episode jumped around a lot. The cinematography is pleasing, it looks like you are using a pretty decent camera. Keep working on stuff and maintain the feel of camaraderie between the main cast because that is essential to making us like you!

Something I'm thinking about is having the "main" episodes consist of the story segments plus editorial content, and then just have the one-off sketches be uploaded individually. That'd keep the episodes focused on the story, and would also give us content to post in between episodes.

As for the music, we're still figuring that out. Glad you liked the episode, thanks for watching!

Well, it's a way to get impressions, but I feel that the music in the background whenever you guys are talking is too loud. Just a minor gripe, really.

Really liked the first episode!

A couple of notes: the music was a bit loud, and the camera was a little too shakey when everyone was giving impressions of the games. I'd also love to see more fleshed out conversations about the games as well.

Overall it was a great show and one I'd like to watch on a regular basis.

I'll keep an eye on sound levels in future episodes. Thanks for watching the episode!

Here are some thoughts (and I wouldn't have bothered providing them if I hadn't really enjoyed it!)

Was surprised to find that I actually really enjoyed this (the OP banner made it seem way cheaper than it ended up being). I originally saw the thread yesterday while on a mobile device. I was going to watch it then, but I couldn't. I just happened to see it bumped on page one today while on a computer, so I gave it a watch. That's definitely an issue, but I think the music was used effectively for the most part too. I guess it's going to be up to you guys as far as how you decide to handle that. Videogame music as a substitute would probably be a little corny, and writing/commissioning your own would take a lot more effort. Little or no music would entail mean that much better overall sound quality would be a must. Music is definitely too loud at some points. Overall, the editing was much better that I expected, and really quite well done, but there were definitely a few problematic things. I think most of it can be attributed to the fact that it's episode one, as you're obviously very talented when it comes to editing. Definitely need more care when capturing vocals (why is there all that water running while Josh talks about Jak and Daxter? Sometimes the ambient sounds and white noise buzz sounds cheap... such as the meeting with Mr. Kotaku. Also, all the cars driving by in the background while you discuss the Wii U).

The show was really well done. Camera work was really good for the most part. Pacing was great. I enjoyed seeing each section segmented and spread across the course of the episode. It really helped make it feel much shorter than 15 minutes, and you guys pulled it off well. Humor was also pretty effective for me. You guys were all very likable as well. I'll definitely keep an eye on the show, and I'm sure others will too as it gains exposure, so keep it up.

Sounds is something we'll focus more on in the future. When we shot our Wii U impressions, it was literally just Han and I sitting outside recording one another - we didn't have an extra person to handle our boom mic, so the audio wasn't as crisp as the other segments. Josh is out in Texas, and didn't have access to our recording equipment, so his favorite game segment was just shot on an iPhone.

Thanks to everyone's feedback, Sound quality is something we're going to focus on in episode 2. That seems to be the one thing that people find lacking.

We all really appreciate everyone for watching/posting - your feedback has been a huge help. If you've got any buddies that aren't on GAF that might like the show, have them drop us some feedback on the YouTube page - we're looking at what everyone's saying to help improve the show.

 

[jmizzal]

Cool would like to hear about how the WiiU felt

 

[totowhoa]

Oh yeah, do you guys have a schedule for how often you all plan on doing new episodes, or is that something that you're still trying to feel out at this point?

 

[Nilaul]

Well a good start is when you do give giveaways, dont do them for one console only

 

[totowhoa]

Well a good start is when you do give giveaways, dont do them for one console only

Gotta imagine that has more to do with them already having an extra copy or that they got it for a steal. If you win it you can always take it to the thread for game trades unless you just want to pass on it so somebody else in this thread can have it (probably the more honest thing to do, but it's still kind of silly to complain about a freebie promotional item )

 

[Technosteve]

pretty good look forward to the dreamcast

 

[DrAndonuts]

Cool would like to hear about how the WiiU felt

It felt pretty good. The gamepad was light, and the Pro controller was solid-feeling.

Oh yeah, do you guys have a schedule for how often you all plan on doing new episodes, or is that something that you're still trying to feel out at this point?

I'm hoping to have a new full episode up by the first week of each month, with random bits and sketches thrown up in between, just to make sure there's something new for people to see.

Well a good start is when you do give giveaways, dont do them for one console only

Gotta imagine that has more to do with them already having an extra copy or that they got it for a steal. If you win it you can always take it to the thread for game trades unless you just want to pass on it so somebody else in this thread can have it (probably the more honest thing to do, but it's still kind of silly to complain about a freebie promotional item )

Yeeeah, it was paid for out of our own pocket. You could always trade it in somewhere if you win.

pretty good look forward to the dreamcast

Thanks, man. If you want to, send us a Dreamcast submission on Facebook or Twitter.

 

[Stage On]

I like this show's sense of humor.

Like the in depth reviews abridged with an actual picture of a bridge in the background

Or the game of the month being Sleeping dogs and having an actual Sleeping dog as the picture.

During the Wii u segment there was a very good contrast between showing the actual games in action and seeing the person talking about the games. The balance between the two felt just right.

Keep it up! I'm looking forward to the next episode.

 

[alazz]

I liked it. It was pretty funny, it had charm, and you guys really seem to like what you're doing. Seems like most other game show hosts are really self-absorbed because they're hosts of something. You guys seem down to earth, and your enjoyment of the genre really comes through. Felt very natural, not at all anxious or bored. I don't usually like these types of shows, but I think I'll keep watching when new ones come out.

Good luck on your next one guys!

 

[boiled goose]

Good start.

I would like to see some more actual content for the analysis and review parts.
Put a little more thought into it so that more substance and personality comes through instead of superficial discussion.

 

[oatmeal]

Is the YouTube not working for anyone else? I wanna see it!

 

[totowhoa]

Is the YouTube not working for anyone else? I wanna see it!

You can't watch it on mobile because of all the licensed music during it. It's a good episode though, but you'll have to check it out when you're at home

 

[seat]

I thought the American Psycho sketch was really clever. I know it might've seemed risky since some of the audience might not get it, but the "watermark" punchline payoff was too awesome.

 

[totowhoa]

I thought the American Psycho sketch was really clever. I know it might've seemed risky since some of the audience might not get it, but the "watermark" punchline payoff was too awesome.

The Asian delivered his lines perfectly... That killed me, definitely my favorite scene

 

[DrAndonuts]

I like this show's sense of humor.

Like the in depth reviews abridged with an actual picture of a bridge in the background

Or the game of the month being Sleeping dogs and having an actual Sleeping dog as the picture.

During the Wii u segment there was a very good contrast between showing the actual games in action and seeing the person talking about the games. The balance between the two felt just right.

Keep it up! I'm looking forward to the next episode.

I liked it. It was pretty funny, it had charm, and you guys really seem to like what you're doing. Seems like most other game show hosts are really self-absorbed because they're hosts of something. You guys seem down to earth, and your enjoyment of the genre really comes through. Felt very natural, not at all anxious or bored. I don't usually like these types of shows, but I think I'll keep watching when new ones come out.

Good luck on your next one guys!

Thanks a lot, glad you both liked it!

Good start.

I would like to see some more actual content for the analysis and review parts.
Put a little more thought into it so that more substance and personality comes through instead of superficial discussion.

We're going to prepare better for the discussion next month - we'll also only be talking about one game, so that should give the discussion a little more substance.

I thought the American Psycho sketch was really clever. I know it might've seemed risky since some of the audience might not get it, but the "watermark" punchline payoff was too awesome.

The Asian delivered his lines perfectly... That killed me, definitely my favorite scene

It's my least favorite of the bits in this episode, but I do think the payoff worked well. In the future, we may have these sketches as individual videos that go up in between the "main" episodes, so there's not a gap in content.

I also showed this post to Han, and we both laughed at "The Asian"

 

[totowhoa]

I also showed this post to Han, and we both laughed at "The Asian"

Hahaha, I meant to type "The Asian guy"! As soon as I reread that in your quote I thought "man.. that made me sound like a damn fool." Glad you all were amused by it.

 

[DrAndonuts]

Just a quick heads up for everyone - less than a day left to enter the Witcher 2 giveaway. To be in the running, just give the pilot a watch and give us your feedback.

Thanks to everyone for their comments so far, it's gone a long way in helping us plan out episode 2.

 

[amardilo]

Great show, reminds me of the 1UP Show.

 

[DrAndonuts]

Great show, reminds me of the 1UP Show.

I've had a few people say that...I feel like I should watch a few episodes. Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it!

 

[Inukage]

Awesome Loved every bit!