Yesterday I posted a “State of the Channel” video on our game design YouTube channel, sharing my thoughts about the channel and opening the forums for constructive feedback. I received some excellent feedback when I did this in 2021–a list including things to keep and things to improve/test–and I reported on the status of that feedback in this year’s video.
Like in 2021, I received some really helpful feedback this year. Before I dig into the suggestions for the future, here’s a quick list of the things I already do on the YouTube channel that people enjoy the most.
Please note that I’m not a reviewer, nor do I accept games for the channel (the only games I discuss are those I buy or that friends share with me)–the purpose of the channel is to serve all viewers, to add value to other game designers, and to learn from those who comment on the videos.
Elements to Keep
- Positive, welcoming, inclusive, and enthusiastic approach
- Celebration of other designers and publishers
- Conversational, informal vibe paired with comments participation
- Top 10 lists
- Videos that include a guest for a specific topic
- Time stamps, image overlays, lighting, and sound
- Inside-scoop videos about Stonemaier game design, development, and production
- Short-form, focused videos about specific games (My Favorite Mechanism)
- Genuine focus on serving viewers (no clickbait, no YouTube face, no ads)
- “If you love X game, you’ll also enjoy these games” videos
Here’s are the areas of improvement and experimentation that viewers mentioned:
- Instead of only posting about my favorite mechanism in new-to-me games, add videos about games I’ve played several times (i.e., 3 things about a game I’ve played at least 3 times)
- Post more about older Stonemaier games (focus on a few design highlights and the problems they solved, a few similar games [perhaps some that inspired the game], some strategy tips, and what I’ve learned since designing/developing them).
- Improve image display on short-form videos (I often show printed photos instead of editing in images). Several people recommended that I try OBS Studio for displaying digital images while I’m recording (no editing necessary).
- Have a greater variety of people join me for recorded chats/lists: artists, designers, publishers, content creators, etc.
- Make videos about the top 5 things I really focus on when designing a game with a specific mechanism.
- Record some design diary clips during the design process (instead of after). That way in real time I can talk about problems I’m working through and different approaches I’m considering. When the game is announced, we would stitch the videos together or release them as a series.
- Talk more eloquently about the concept of “fun”: Explore different personality types and various ways that games can be fun.
- In mechanism-focused videos, talk about how the mechanism has evolved over time (some sort of chronology).
- Improve the format/moderation of special guest videos that feature me talking with one or two Stonemaier ambassadors about a specific topic (usually a list). Viewers seems to like the conversational nature of these videos, and they want me to lean deeper into the insights and perspectives these videos provide.
- Every now and then, record more casual videos on my phone instead of being locked in place on my desktop webcam. I could use the phone to highlight some games on my shelves or the game that’s currently on the table. I’ve considered filming these types of 1-minute videos for TikTok (a platform I currently don’t use as a creator largely due to time limitations).
Thank you to all viewers of our YouTube channel and everyone who chimed in with their feedback (which you’re still welcome to do if you’re just seeing this now). I hope the channel can continue to serve game designers and the gaming community long into the future.
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15 Comments on “Top 10 Viewer Suggestions for Our YouTube Channel”
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[…] few weeks ago I shared the excellent feedback I received about the state of our YouTube channel. A few common threads over the duration of the YouTube channel are that people wish I could improve […]
It’s great to hear that you’re actively engaging with your audience and seeking feedback on your game design YouTube channel. This kind of interaction can help you improve your content and better serve your viewers and fellow game designers. It’s also good to know that you have a clear purpose for your channel and that you’re not accepting games for review, which sets expectations for your audience.
Thanks, Darek!
Jamey, I’ve been mulling in my head for a few weeks the best way to suggest a new-ish type of video I would really enjoy to hear your perspective on. Since it kind of applies to feedback I think I’ll just try to get something out instead of trying to make my idea perfect.
As you’ve looked at so many games and game designs, I really am interested in, for lack of a better term, your favorite parts of/reasons for various mechanisms agnostic of the game it is in.
I’m not sure that makes sense so let me give you some brief examples: I really enjoy how some auction mechanisms drive players to value the same thing in different ways, or for different reasons (and explicitly put a value on it) which often creates natural tension or scarcity for a resource but in an interesting or obscured way.
I also enjoy auction games that allow you to forego tangible progress in the actual game in order to improve your ability to bid or your capacity to bid (by bidding on higher bidding tokens for instance) which creates different “trajectories” towards victories (ie: slow and steady the whole way, or large combos of points at the end of a game to catch the leaders from behind).
From a design perspective I’d be very interested in you sharing thoughts about a particular mechanism and how it interests you and how various implementations of that same idea can dramatically impact a game.
I think it is slightly different than the My Favorite Mechanisms videos because it is not focused on the game, but on any game (new or old) which a particular mechanism is used, and is maybe more design/meta focused.
I wish I had a more concise way to describe it. But that’s my best go at it. Thanks for all the content you put out, it’s really enjoyable to feel connected.
Scott: Thanks for sharing this! I appreciate your analytical approach to game design. In the content I create, I greatly prefer to use specific examples from games, as I think they make the concepts easier to grasp. But within that framework, I can try to poke at how different versions mechanism can impact the decision space.
For higher quality recording while using low quality sites, how about recording with 2 cameras? One for the live broadcast and one for recording. They should close enough together that it will look like you are looking at both.
Thx fo all this! You are an inspiration!
I’ve heard that some software can record during a livestream at high res, so I might try that before adding the complication of a second camera.
Expanding upon the suggestion for “Have a greater variety of people join me for recorded chats/lists:”, I’m sure due to time constraints it wont happen, but it would be awesome to see an interview series with you being the interviewer instead of the interview-y for once (I know you have done things like in the past like interviewing Gabe on the BGDL podcast for his last episode at the time). I thought you did a solid job, and with your platform it would be a huge benefit to creators looking to get their names out to a larger audience, especially if it was followed up with a blog post which is seen by an even larger audience than your youtube videos.
Like I said, that is a huge time commitment, but there are not enough channels out there doing quality industry interviews, especially not with your reach.
Thanks Cody! I like to take on the role of the person asking questions (I try to do this whenever I host someone on my channel). I’ll try to do that more often.
In regards to TikTok, I believe everyone has access to make 10 minute-long videos. So maybe that could open up that platform for you?
Thanks Robert! If I added TikTok, I think I’d try to spend a minimal amount of time on it (at least, early on), so shorter videos might work best.
Tip from my end – use Streamyard instead of OBS. Way less hassle and it runs much more smoothly (It does cost a monthly fee though)
Thanks! Is that the case for non-livestream videos or just livestreams? Most of my videos are just me talking to the camera, saving the video, and scheduling it for the future.
It has a recording option that you can then schedule to release. And it has really slick integration to all of the platforms so you can manage everything from within the platform.
You’ll fight the least to make things look good with Streamyard. OBS may have more customization, but for me the pain of getting everything setup has never been worth it as soon as I tried Streamyard.
Awesome! I played around with it a bit yesterday after your recommendation, and I agree. I’m going to try recording some videos on it today.