"Live" recordings and keeping retention(Let's Plays Advice)

[ControllerBreak]

Hey!

So I spend a lot of time thinking about how to increase quality in my content and I know in Let's Plays, which is what I record, personality is key. Personally my approach is more cynical with bursts of happy and I always record with a partner, but every now and then we hit dead spots. You know, the quiet umms/ahhs... typically we just start making fun of each other.

I was wondering what you guys do to avoid these inevitable situations. Do you have practices beforehand or methods you use in the moment? We try to avoid just flat out cutting them out to keep things "honest"...

Currently, before a big recording, I grab my team(4) and we sit in a room and chuck a red ball back and forth and whoever is holding it has to talk. This gets our spirits up before we start. Do you guys do anything similar?

 

[Rails2Revolution]

My opinion on this subject is that if nothings happening on screen, making you audience watch parts where nothing happening is just wasting your audiences time.

That being said I've started a daily series where I literally dont have time to edit anyway. In dead spots, either I get really into the game to create something to watch while not much else is happening, but more frequently than most I'll just bring up some recurring subject. As long as you and your friends have something you can fall back on. It works if you treat it as the least priority in conversation so that if literally anything else happens to go back to that and save "more" of the fall back topic.

The ball method you mentioned sounds hilarious though xD I should try that

 

[ControllerBreak]

Yea I can agree with that. Personally I don't mind falters and pauses as long as they aren't long. During those moments I tend to focus on the game more. A lot of our recordings tend to be tangents inspired from the game that we get on that sometimes don't relate to the game we are actually playing. I'm not sure if that frustrates the listener or if they are on that tangent with us. An example, a game visits a pretty tropical setting. Someone mentions it reminds them of Lilo and Stitch, we start talking about that and then to Disney movies. We are still keeping things interesting and funny, but its no longer the game itself.

I don't know if I should cut those conversations and drive it back to the game or just let it go till it dies.

 

[Rails2Revolution]

Yea I can agree with that. Personally I don't mind falters and pauses as long as they aren't long. During those moments I tend to focus on the game more. A lot of our recordings tend to be tangents inspired from the game that we get on that sometimes don't relate to the game we are actually playing. I'm not sure if that frustrates the listener or if they are on that tangent with us. An example, a game visits a pretty tropical setting. Someone mentions it reminds them of Lilo and Stitch, we start talking about that and then to Disney movies. We are still keeping things interesting and funny, but its no longer the game itself.

I don't know if I should cut those conversations and drive it back to the game or just let it go till it dies.

Oh I think the bulk of those tangent style conversations are gold man. It really gives your audience insights about your guys and your personality/humor/etc.

an entire gameplay with nothing but tangents, perhaps not but the frequent tangent is always welcome, at least in my opinion ^_^