My original plan was to record while I stream so I can make a funny little video out of a 2-6 hour live stream. I have found this to be tedious and personally maybe too self-involved.
My new mentality is to convert a stream into a Randomrings Let's Play video if other people's voices are present. Like. Not in text form. I have had friends drop in the chat for hours and they do make the stream entertaining. I just think it creates a weird dynamic for RLP. Part of what I like about editing let's plays is this organic feeling stripped into bite-sized segments so there aren't too many lulls. Something about having to zoom in on text all the time kind of gets rid of that sentiment completely. I could just read the chat text in post and do silly voices but that's going to get old for me and for the audience after a while. I also don't want to start doing that with people I don't know that wind up in my stream chat. I'm going to end up doing something stupid or making someone feel self-conscious. It's not worth it.
Plus, as much as I don't watch stream archives very often myself, I still have stream archives. The moments that work aren't completely gone.
There is still the Resident Evil Zero stream that I have edited down from 3.5-4 hours of gameplay to like 30 minutes. The only reason I haven't released it is because I want to make it even shorter. That and, admittedly, I have not even started on the thumbnail art. This video has two of my friends in chat but not with voice. It just feels awkward regardless of the fact that I zoomed in on their text when they talk.
Also, I stream every week and when it comes to let's plays, I know what destructive roads my brain will go down. It will get to a point where I try to edit everything into a let's play. This will make my streams feel more like means to an end and less special for the audience. This also will drive me fucking nuts considering how much other stuff I am juggling in my fleeting spare time.
On a slightly related note, I have stopped playing Final Fantasy XIV as often. I fell into a real slump there for a bit recently.
So from now on, I'm only editing Randomrings streams into RLP videos when there are multiple voices to be had. There may be an exception or two down the road but this is my mentality going forward.
See you on the ol' YouTube or live on Twitch.
