I started the Ordinary Decent Gamer YouTube channel shortly after Christmas. I wanted to get into making game-related videos for some time, but I managed to pick one of the worst times possible. Sure I had some spare time, and the material to work with, but it was in the lead up to my finals and they should’ve been receiving my full attention. As a result of this, I’ve only released two full videos and a couple of clips so far. The channel has been on an unofficial hiatus for a few months, but I’m kicking it back into gear with a new video: Fallout and the Lost Game:

I recorded the gameplay back in February and had started scripting things out but hadn’t filmed the live action segments or recorded the voiceover so there was still a lot of work to do. I’m beginning to put together a workflow for making videos, but it’s a time and labour-intensive process.

First, I play the game and get a feel for it and any potential points of interest. It’s easier if it’s a title I’m familiar with – something I have played recently or played a lot in my childhood – as I may already be aware of the quirks or interesting aspects that would make good talking points. Gameplay footage could be recorded at this point, or on a second playthrough if you need specific clips or scenarios. Then comes one of the most time consuming parts – scripting! At this point I’m familiar with the game and can start crafting a structure or story, and writing out what I’m going to say. I generally have one big script and differentiate between live action and voiceover, typed on WriteMonkey in my own unique style. I have script software, but half the time it’s less hassle to use a regular wordpad type application.

The live action segments come next, primarily involving the intro and the conclusion, and all of the little bits and pieces that go into the final video. Next, I record the voiceover according to the script and any additional bits I need to fill gaps that I hadn’t previously accounted for. Finally, it’s all put together, with the addition of still images and other relevant clips. Visual and audio effects are added along with titles, and music is picked from a range of game and royalty-free sources. Everything is tidied up and video can be graded (if I have time, or can be bothered) to make it more consistent. I will often shoot additional or missed clips on different days to the original recording. The whole package is exported in glorious 1080p HD video, and uploaded to YouTube and Vimeo for your viewing pleasure.