video game culture

Aspects of Live Streaming on Twitch That I Love

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I’ve engaged with streaming as a medium for quite a long time. Even before the existence of Twitch, I remember being glued to my computer when I stumbled on the Devastation 2009 Street Fighter IV tournament that was broadcast on Ustream.

Though I would become an avid viewer of fighting game tournaments from that point onward, I didn’t really immerse myself in the medium as a streamer or as an engaged viewer until 2018. During that time, my streaming efforts finally started to generate some momentum and I discovered how amazing it can be to watch and engage with streams as a viewer.

These days, I’m deep in the trenches. Singing or rapping my heart out at the start of every stream. Spamming emotes in a fellow streamer’s chat. Inviting streamer friends over for ice cream. Spending countless hours in front of the computer programming in new elements into my own show. It takes up more of my time than any other hobby.

Here are some reasons why I’ve become so enthralled with the medium!

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Tips for Improving Your LioranBoard and Touch Portal Viewer Commands

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It’s been a few months now since I began implementing Channel Point effects onto my stream through LioranBoard. Giving you the ability to control the stream has gone a long way towards taking the show to new heights. Going forward, I’ll continue to find ways for you to make your mark!

With the functionality picking up momentum and Touch Portal now offering a similar service, now is a great time to run through some specific nuggets of information I’ve picked up along the way. Hope these help you with your LioranBoard and Touch Portal integrations!

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Factors to Keep in Mind When Setting Up a Phone Camera for Your Twitch or YouTube Stream in OBS

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A while back, I invested in the Elgato Screen Link. For the purposes of capturing my mobile screen within OBS, it worked as intended.

However, that’s not the only thing the application can do. You can also use it to make your smartphone work as a wireless camera. Though I found this feature to be way more interesting, early tests melted my computer.

Now that I have a modern PC, I revisited the idea of incorporating my smartphone camera into my stream as a vlog cam.

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Some Factors to Consider When Shopping for a Streaming Microphone

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So you’re in the market for a streaming microphone.

With so many options available, it’s incredibly easy to get overwhelmed. Furthermore, microphones aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Even if you had the money to buy a top-of-the-line dynamic mic like the Shure SM7B, that one isn’t going to work for you if you don’t want a big microphone super close to your face and in view of your camera.

I’m not in a position to make specific microphone recommendations. However, I did want to provide you with some factors to consider before making a purchase.

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The Dangers of Buying a Cheap USB Capture Card for Game Streaming on Twitch and YouTube

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Over at The Support Role Discord group – which you should totally join by the way – someone came in and asked for help setting up their capture card for gaming. Without seeing what they were working with, I was able to talk them through the process of getting everything going. At the end, they took a picture of the results. On the shelf was a laptop with OBS on, capturing Fortnite. On the TV was the same OBS feed.

“Wait, why does your TV and laptop have the same video feed?” I asked.

From there, we ultimately deduced that for the purposes of gaming, the capture card they had purchased wasn’t going to work at all for their needs. Bummer.

This is a cautionary tale.

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Why I Didn’t Quit Streaming After a Year With 0 Viewers

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Streaming to zero viewers is an experience that is surprisingly common. 95% of streamers on Twitch average 0-5 concurrent viewers per stream. Even so, it doesn’t make the sensation sting any less. I don’t blame anyone for quitting because they don’t like streaming to an empty room. The whole point of streaming is to share that experience with others. When there isn’t a demand for it, what’s the point of carrying on?

I know this darkness all too well. During my first year of streaming, I bounced around between YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch. My viewer count was basically zero the entire time. Didn’t even get a single message in the chat. And it wasn’t like I was streaming once in a blue moon. I streamed more back then. Extra time didn’t help one bit.

With hundreds of hours logged in the void, what kept me going? And what can you learn from my trials and tribulations?

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Being Unprepared for the 4K Era of Gaming

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I chose to opt out of the first wave of 4K gaming with the Xbox One X and PlayStation 4 Pro. Between their steep price of entry, not having a 4K screen, and only really offering a resolution bump, it didn’t make sense for me. Besides, I’ve spent most of that time gaming on a Nintendo Switch, which oftentimes struggles to run 1080p.

As the next generation of consoles loom, I’m starting to feel the 4K pressure.

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Streamline Your Workflow in OBS By Nesting Your Scenes

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Over time, managing one’s streaming setup can grow increasingly cumbersome. Eventually, you get to a point where one minor change can take minutes at a time as you make that fix across multiple sources.

It doesn’t have to be that messy if you take advantage of the ability to nest scenes within scenes in OBS!

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Production Values on Twitch Are Overrated*

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“What if viewers could blow up my stream?”

Yes, this is a question I have legitimately batted around for some time. In fact, I know exactly how I would do it.

Starting with a free green screen explosion from YouTube, I would chroma key out the green so that the explosion appeared as transparent. Once the smoke cleared, viewers would only see a black screen. Finally, the stream would shut itself off. All of this would be controlled by an expensive Channel Points redemption and automated through LioranBoard.

Blowing up the stream sounds cool and all. But exactly how does that effect actually improve my stream and help me achieve my goals on Twitch?

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My Tolerance for Failure in Video Games

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If at first you don’t succeed, try again, and again, and again…or quit?

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