The ReaperCast started out as a side project that was strictly aimed at GRG only. The goal was to allow GRG to get to know it’s members, hence the Member Spotlight Section. This was the main section and the true focus of the show. Over time we improved the show. Technically it’s a thousand times better than the start. We changed the format around to be more “professional”. We spent time revising discussions and researching quality topics. Hopefully we managed to entertain some of you in the process.
Regardless what you may think, a lot of time and effort is put into the ReaperCast. Probably too much time and effort. And that takes it’s toll. We’ll all volunteers with very active “Real Lives”. Making the time for a hobby is tough. Hell, we’re a few days away from our E3 show (which is supposed to be our “big show”) and we can’t even lock in a panel.
Something has to be done.
At this point I’m about 99% sure I’m going to cancel the ReaperCast. We managed to get 33 episodes out and it lasted for well over a year. It had a good run and served it’s purpose. We’ve also talked about retooling it for awhile now. Things like: new format, audio only (ease of production), shorter show (30 minutes), weekly or monthly show and various other ideas. Honestly, I’m very bummed that we couldn’t get this to work. It’s a project that I’m very interested in (2nd to this site). I’d hate to see it end.
So, in a last ditch effort I figured I’d ask GRG. I really would like to hear your opinion on the ReaperCast (good or bad). Please, let us know.
BTW, I’ve marked this thread as a SERIOUS DISCUSSION thread. Typical GRG humor will just be deleted, I’d like this to stay on topic.
As a side note, I’ve been thinking of holding an Open ReaperCast Discussion on our Discord server (Voice comms). I was looking at next week, most likely Monday the 13th.
IMO- I would like to suggest making it a monthly show. Gives everyone more time to polish a lot of aspect of the show that may have been suffering.
I would also like to suggest not having it as a “Live” show. Gives (Whoever) a chance to edit it. May look like a more complete show…
Ideas that need to be discussed:
Constant Growth
Professionalism
Sharing of duties- Getting more involved in the production and brainstorming- The select few that do work on the show might like to have some time off.
Monthly may attract others who have busy schedules to join in and help out. The possible downside may be that we would need to once again think of it as a show purely geared toward the community. I know we’ve bounced back and forth between who our audience is.
Looking at the podcast (Big picture) what is it really meant to do ?
IMO, the podcast is a recruiting tool for GRG.
If people want game reviews or personal opinions of a few gamers, my guess is they will find another source. From gaming developers or groups that actually do this for a living and have years of practice behind them.
While the above statement is not meant to be a shot at anyone that has helping with this show, I still think some believe that its something different then what it really is.
The podcast has actually progressed over the last few episodes (after derp left) that it really might gain some more viewers, it just needs something that it can be called its own, makes it special !
The logic behind doing it “live” is that we just record straight to Youtube. It’s actually easier for us to do, we’re not set up to pre-record the video then upload. The results are the same as no one is editing it. I edited one of the low volume podcast (MP3 audio) and that took me a few hours. It’s a true time sink.
I find that I watch more videos on youtube that have gameplay on the screen. Not saying you guys are not photogenic, but whether it’s live streaming gameplay, or live audio chat on top of recorded video…I find that it holds my attention longer. I can grab a beer and feel like I’m watching video games with my buds.
That’s something we’ve always wanted to do. Even if we just showed the gameplay while talking (not discussing the actual game play). Or if we went to audio only, post that up with game play footage to view. The issue with that is getting game play footage. Or editing game play footage. But it’s something we’d like to have.
I make my silly YouTube videos and they alone can feel like a time sink yet they are really easy to do. So I can’t imagine all the work that goes into preparing, doing, than publishing the ReaperCast.
I very much enjoy the Reapercast cause I am invested in it. I talk to you guys on the forums, I play games with you guys. So I do a enjoy a live discussion with you guys spreading your opinions on game topics, giving each other grief and its a fun time.
So if the show keeps going I think when doing the show the intended audience shouldn’t be focused on GRG members. To connect with you I can do all the things I talked about above plus go in the mess of the Discord chat. If people want to met new members they need to do what has always been asked of the community… Break yourselves in there. I seen people come and go and we’ll just the way it is. But in my short time I been hear I wouldn’t trade any of the gaming friends I gained here, it wasn’t the efforts of the podcast it was the effort of the community.
Saying that if you guys are trying to recruit people or even going far to try to get sponsorship the key is trying to find an audience.
What’s in your glass… Introducing yourselves by saying what your drinking and what games you been playing is a great way to start the show. If it is a new person listening they get to know group talking and might connect to somebody cause of a drink or game. It’s also a nice personnel break in.
Game news… I listen to a lot of game podcasts and what happens is I hear the same news over and over again and that loses my interest. My thoughts on this is if it’s game news that effects our community, describe the news for people haven’t heard than Bantar your opinions about it and how it’ll effect community. Something you guys already do pretty much.
Bantar alone… Most podcasts I listen to I don’t listen to find out news or reviews. So many other places to get that. What gets me to listen to a podcast is the cast. I want to be entertained. They talk about topics I am interested in and make me think about do I agree or disagree with what they got to say, either way I get invested. They make me laugh.
The current casts does that. You have the good attitude host with a game show personalty. You have the jerk that gives everybody shit. Than you have Lala staring as Eeyore.
So that is my take and I hope I made it clear that I think you guys have a pretty good format. You don’t need to have all the bells and whistles, the silly transition sound bits, I usually find those annoying.
If you guys think of doing it only once a month I would say might as well cancel doing it unless you use it as a way to reach out to the community alone. But then again as I said you already have a lot of tools for that.
If it’s easier to do audio only do audio only, I think you’ll reach more podcast listeners through audio. I don’t go to YouTube usually to watch people talk. I watch game clips and game tips.
I would love to see more Community made videos though from us playing different games to share on social media.
The issue is we make a post saying “Hey we need clips for such and such” and we never get anything or it’s the same person submitting every single time. This has all been in the past for other projects including the Reapercast. We do have a few more people starting to record game play so it may not be as much of a problem.
Then comes the issues of what type of footage are we getting. Is someone submitting and hours worth of content or are we going to have to edit a bunch of clips to fill the slot? The biggest thing out of all of it is people need to submit edited footage. When I say edited I don’t mean with titles, transitions, and effects. I mean trim the fat. Submit the meat and potatoes. In the past we have just been given a file and told that somewhere in the file is 20 secs worth of decent game play.
So if I put a bunch of one clips on my YouTube you might use them??
I do already have some play of the game clips for various people/members on a few of my montages for OverWatch.
Since I don’t want to put a bunch random 10 sec clips on my YouTube channel if you want to do something let me know and I’ll make unlisted clips and send you the links.
I myself was talking about it being something seperate. I think the podcast should go audio only and then we have game clips posted on our YouTube channel.
It would be very hard and lot of work to do lots of clips in the middle of the Reapercast IMO
First off if I am the jerk that gives everyone shit that Amuse describes, thank you as that is the goal.
I have been an advocate for audio only as most podcasts I listen to are in the car or while I am out doing stuff. Going live does have the benefit of getting chat with listeners and at times brings things to the show. But live with Skype issues can be frustrating.
I will say I do enjoy doing the show and while I know I will never be entertaining to everybody I hope from time to time I entertain. No matter what the focus there will always be times that it feels like work.
Perhaps having the community giving us topics they want to hear us banter about ahead of time would help alleviate some of that “work” feeling.
A while ago we went to a rotation for people on the show. The main reason was to give people a break or allow them to skip if real life gets in the way. Currently only Digital is fucked as he handles the XSplit Skype youtube thing (produces). Grex has been learning OBS (similar app to XSplit) and can probably fill in. We haven’t pulled that trigger yet. We may not need a producer if we just go audio only. I’m not sure how many care about the Youtube (live or watch later) version.
The other reason for the rotation is to get more GRG involved. Which is what we’re having some issues with. We have a few people lined up but I’d like to mix in more. We need more volunteers. Or if you’ve been on and would like to again, let us know.
I’m still fairly new and have checked out two recent episodes in my spare time. Watching gameplay while listening to the audio is a great way to do this. The content may come from one or two regular people, but with the amazing Spectating Mode in Overwatch, it’s going to come from many different angles and perspectives. Not just Overwatch though, that’s just one example. People here seem to be playing a very wide selection of games. This would also give GRG members a great chance to see player’s gameplay that they haven’t had a chance to team up with, and even games that they haven’t had a chance to play yet. I think a lot of people are either recording community night’s in their entirety, or recording several clips of gameplay. I’m sure you would get a flood of media you could easily pick and choose from.
A bi-weekly, or a monthly ReaperCast would give you time and content to discuss, and able to line-up Reaper guests who can submit audio directly to you, or join in a live discussion.
Is there an interest in moving some of this into a Twitch feed on Community night’s if you wanted to do more than once a month? If you made sure people were professional-ish and had a private lobby and party?
Only reason I haven’t volunteered is I don’t have a set up for it especially for video. And Thursday’s I go to bed way early cause I work early Friday mornings. But I would be willing to stay up late once in awhile for audio only. I could most likely just use my phone for it.