Tutorial/Demonstration: How I make "Let's Plays" (Part 1 of 3)

[CosmonautStudios]

Just wondering why do you have pictures of random guys on your wall....?

[BuriedinFish]

Nice picture in the back. Reno, Walter and Henry.  Walter's awesome.

[xWinx3]

Awesome background on your pc

[OriGasmo]

thats what she said

[cshacker502]

@cyborcat you look really familier to me did i saw you at AVGN Q&A for this year?

[Cyborcat]

@cshacker502 At MAGFest? I was there, so you could have seen me.

[merkleyk]

cool background on the computer. cute yet very disturbing!

[DarkMagicCaster]

that is a really intense microphone

[duncan1591]

Where do you get one of those mics?

[zimfan9]

How do you hook up your PS2 to your computer

[sporky69]

TESTING! "yeah i think it worked.." lol

[Thunder117ify]

I use psx fin emulator so I can play on the PC and it comes with a American game shark and a Japanese game shark but i would not use the japanese gameshark but the American game shark works pretty good

[babyscottish12]

how do u record sims wiv camstudio

[LeonardoHuizar]

Hi CC, i have an "equipment" issue: My LCD monitor that i have for my computer also has a setting to switch over to TV, and an alternate Channel for my PS3 ["I has ONE TV w/many functions"]. DO i have to use a separate TV or monitor to record while playing?

[LeoHwzrChannel]

Question answered the hardway, Nevermind

[gladiator60]

you know the emulators have screen recorders in them already right?

[Cyborcat]

@gladiator60 This isn't an emulator.

[DoodledudeEXE]

OMG DENA'S IN MOTION The world is at an end D:

[Xgamers100]

U were a little nervous

[Cyborcat]

@Xgamers100 No, just not very articulate when unscripted =P

[Xgamers100]

@Cyborcat yeah...but i got a little nervous when i made my 1st LP i was afraid of some trolls start trolling me but i still didnt get hate mail so that's good

[XTdarkgainTX]

so made this with amulator on your pc? or with the original console? lol

[XTdarkgainTX]

ok so I need to use that home theater for recording the screen?

coz I recorded with camtasia and most fps are missing ...looks like a .gif image

[Namel3ssTyranto]

You know I don't really mind all the tutorials or let's play for Atari 2600 or Streets of Rage, etc. All I want to know is: Who. The f*ck. Made the let's plays of let's plays of "Tabs" (I ment games) since the big damn bang of doom? Same with tag videos.... I'm not mad, but seriously: Wtf?

[Lollari2]

Quick question what Let's Plays have you done already?

[Cyborcat]

@Lollari2 Just the original Resident Evil so far.

[Lollari2]

@Cyborcat Okay, I though so... Please make more of those Lets Plays, I enjoy them alot. :)

[Cyborcat]

@Lollari2 Thankies. I plan on doing another one fairly soon, actually.

[Lollari2]

@Cyborcat Awsome to hear! Keep it coming then.

And now I will stop bothering you...

...for now. :D

[zephyr20x6]

quick question after you record game footage could you just use movie maker?

[Cyborcat]

@zephyr20x6 I don't see why not. You don't HAVE to use Vegas, it's just my editing tool of choice because it's what I'm used to.

[snowmanMK1]

If u want it I will send it to u!!!! Lol

[snowmanMK1]

Do u think we will ever get a resi 2 'let's play'

[Cyborcat]

@snowmanMK1 Like I said in response to your other message, "MAYBE if someone donates it."

[ItsSomeDeadGuy]

I've heard about Camtasia, but I'm not sure if I'd like to buy it... how well does Camstudio work for recording game footage.

[Cyborcat]

@ItsSomeDeadGuy Well, I used it for recording the footage for the Golden Axe episode of the Game Den, and all the episodes of Pixels up until Freeway, I think.

For some reason, I'm having an issue now where it refuses to record sound--might be something to do with my sound card.

[K1ngSar0s]

fraps would make for better frams

[Cyborcat]

@K1ngSar0s We've tried Fraps, but we've had issues with it--mainly sound, as I recall.

[ganondorf49]

Without this video I would have not been able to do my Lets Plays Thank you Dena or Cyborcat whatever you want to be called

[tengotodoslosgc]

where can i find the picture you have in your computer is cool and i like a lot your videos

[Cyborcat]

It's also my background image on my YouTube channel--you can probably just right click and select "Save image" or whatever.

Thanks for the kind words.

[itsBetterThanGood]

That "goofy" bit... it's basically like a clapperboard. Instead of saying "now" you could also slap the table or click your fingers. This gives you a rather accurate sync point.

Also, it's a good idea to announce your actions and the purpose of this recording. Editing might get delayed by several weeks for whatever reason. So, give your future self some hints.

E.g. "Game foo, segment 5, take 1, main screen, marker on start, pressing down in 3... 2... 1... *click* (+pressing down)".

[Cyborcat]

Ah. I couldn't think if there was a proper term for it--it just hit me one day that whenever the key strike happens, I could say something so I could line it up easily later.

Your ideas are also good advice.

[13lood13ath]

Not going to lie Dena, I totally have a thing for you.

[sinistermoon]

So you get no lag from the console to what you see on the capture screen?

[Cyborcat]

There is a teeny-tiny bit of lag, but you don't notice it with most games.

I can play RE just fine and don't notice it, but it's impossible playing something like Bust A Groove where you need a lot of precision.

[sinistermoon]

I was able to bypass any lag via s-video splitter and a/v selector. I just let the video capture on one screen and play it on another. Have you played with Audacity yet? I found it to be a very easy to use audio editor, and it's free which is the best part lol. I used to use Adobe Premiere for commentary but that was just too much. But then again I guess it doesn't matter too much for what you are doing with the lets plays since you are just lining up the files.

[runeinator]

Very nice to see something from you for Christmas Dena, always a fan.

[DestinyHeroMovieDude]

Yo Dena! I just bought Silent Hill 2!

Oh my god it's being -so- creepy.

I understand what you mean on your Den. It sure is an experience.

[QuikVidGuy]

I'm only asking this here because I can't find anywhere else more relevant.

What products and programs would I need to make a let's play on a PS2?

[Poki3]

You should probably use (non-usb) headphones so that there's no echo issues.

Personally I can't record more then 1 sound source at once. If I record the game sound and my microphone, then all the recordings will be of the same thing. Don't know if it's because of my sound card (X-Fi Platinum), Operating system (XP), some obscure setting somewhere in the systems sound config or the fact that my mic is plugged into my sound card, and isn't a USB one like yours :/

[Cyborcat]

After a few installments, I cleared up the echo issue just by lining up both files correctly (using the typewriter key strike as a guide like I explained in the video).

Another way to do it would be to just have the mic record from the speakers and mute the game's sound later on--Lee did his Doom LP that way. But I have to mute the voice track occasionally whenever I cough, because I tend to do that a lot. Also, with a game like this, I like to be able to have clear sound during cut scenes.

[AlucardsQuest]

I wish I had the know-how to do all this, (and the money) but to me the more I hear about it, the more complicated that it sounds to me.

[Cyborcat]

Nah, I just make things seem complicated because I ramble and go into more detail than I need to =P

[danytoon]

Dena is always a relief for bad times :) Thankyou chica!

[residentevil988]

i use a dvd recorder and i have my camera gthat records audio and i have my remote to push play so i press play on the dvd recorder and the camera for audio at the same time and there ya go i then drag it into sony vegas and put it at the same time and save it

[snowmanMK1]

So when is the next play? Lol

[Cyborcat]

I hope to do a new one fairly soon. The holidays have been kinda hectic.

[Leohuizar]

Silly Question-Do you actually have a cat or cats?

[Cyborcat]

Heh. We didn't until about October when one of our neighbors decided to move out and abandon their cat. We've adopted her and she's ours now. She's pretty scruffy, but really sweet and affectionate, and well-behaved. We call her Luna ^.^

[Leohuizar]

Does she have a crescent baldspot, and did your neighbor look like a dirty blonde with a stupid spagetti and meatball haircut???

[Cyborcat]

No, but we got her a little black collar with stars and moons on it  ^.^

She did sort of seek us out, tho, which is why we decided to call her Luna.

[MrUltimateTKO]

Merry Christmas Cyborkitty!

[HawaiianPrint0taku]

What of using a Dazzle? Or a Diamond VC-500?

[Cyborcat]

Funny you should ask. I recorded that video months ago. Now that I have a new computer with Windows 7, it won't work with the Game Bridge, so we're gonna have to give the Dazzle another try.

After messing with it a bit, so far the only issue we have is that it created huge files that we need to re-render to save space on the hard drive.

[HawaiianPrint0taku]

@Cyborcat Huh, is that so? Do you know if using the DivX compressor will help with that problem? I'd love to know

Oh and also I can't belive that Dena replied to my comment! You're the person who got me into Silent Hill with your Game Den vids! :3 woot!

[Cyborcat]

It's no biggy--I don't reply to every single comment, but I try to at least answer questions and reply to any that warrant a response for whatever reason =P

To be honest, Lee handles all the technical stuff like that, so I'm not sure about the DivX compressor.

[chefprotoss]

That is how game bridges software works? Why did I buy a friggin dazzle? Not only can you not go full screen, but the size of the playback box is smaller than a game gear screen. Nice vid and now I feel stupid... Happy Festivus!

[Cyborcat]

Probably because the Dazzle is still being made and supported, while the Game Bridge has been discontinued and is not supported by some newer versions of Windows. You can still find it on Ebay, but it can be pricey.

But, as I said above, since making this video, I've gotten a newer version of Windows, so I may be forced to switch to the Dazzle. So I may have to make another one of these =P

Happy Holidays ^.^

[Redrally]

It's Christmas Day and I'm watching...a tutorial on how to do a Let's Play. Not sure what to make of that.

Thank you for uploading this Dena, I hope you have an enjoyable Christmas with your loved ones. (Your part in Phelous' review of FearDotCom was hilarious, you two work so well together.)

[CaptCow]

Thank you SO much Dena! I've been wanting to make my own Let's Play, and while I know some of the software, I've been hoping for a demonstation like this for awhile now. Thanks again

[MICROmor]

hey, that was actually pretty instructive, I'm looking forward for the next parts.

AND happy holydays!

[getleashed]

Woot! That's so cool!!!

I would love to do a Let's Play, but damn that's a lot of work!!! Shit son! LOL Normally I don't cus like this but that is a lot to go through just to do a Let's Play and this is only part 1 of 3!

I would totally like someone else to do all this and me just play the game and give my input lol.

Props to Dina for making another great video!!! Looking forward to parts 2 & 3!

[Cyborcat]

A lot of work? Not to me. I mean, I guess gathering the right hardware would take awhile, but in the end, all you're really doing is starting up a couple of programs before you start up the game.

Editing the footage later takes a bit of time, but it's not at all difficult and not that time consuming.

[getleashed]

I've looked into recording what I do on my computer and everything I've gotten back says that you need to 1st record w/ 1 software and then compress the files with another software cuz they record at a really high resolution. im sure i could figure it out but i would just really need to find the patience to sit there and do it lol. if i would do it at all i wud want it to be on a mac cuz no way in hell im trying to have my PC pull all that off and I give you props for doing what you do on a PC.

[Cyborcat]

Actually, the Game Bridge doesn't create really huge files, which is why I like it. You really don't need to go back and compress the file.

Dazzle is another story, tho.

[getleashed]

Wow really? That made me so much happier to hear that lol. I just might check out this Game Bridge you speak of lol.

What's Dazzle?

[Cyborcat]

Dazzle is the one most people use because it's compatible with later versions of Windows.

I haven't really used it myself yet.

[getleashed]

Oh ok. Well I am more likely to check out Game Bridge now that u told me u dont have to compress files :)

[kainkusanagi]

Great tips. I use Camtasia as well, no other program works as well and it's codec works in Vegas without any issues. Unlike Hypercam and to a less extent Fraps.

[Cyborcat]

I haven't used Fraps myself, but I hear it's a bitch.

[Blackboarder77]

Be happy you haven't, it DOES record, but it has so many problems with lag on some computers, the fact that it's files are MASSIVE and other problems make it as you stated a "bitch".

[kainkusanagi]

Yeah, once I found Camtasia I haven't looked back.

Merry Christmas by the way. I need to get to bed. Santa knows when you're awake after all :)

[Cyborcat]

Merry Christmas to you too, Mr, Kusanagi.  Nice to hear from you again ^.^

[danytoon]

Yeah, it works perfectly in some computers (like my old one) and doesnt work in others (my new one) without reason...

[xionlord00]

Awesome work, It answered a few questions XD