Straight to the good stuff.
First: the video for Wanted 3D was shorter than expected. I might bundle a few indies into the next indie coverage video rather than focus on one. I might also include full-release indies as well as demos and early access for broader scope.
Second: I finished a lot of the channel-related non-video work over October, but there's still some stuff left to do. It will all be done before the end of this month. A lot of it has to be done sequentially, with a bunch of hurry-up-and-wait for good measure. Once it's all done, I can put it behind me and focus on making videos.
Third: Research on the next video begins shortly. This is uncharted territory, now. I have no idea where it'll go or what I'll wring from it, only time will tell. That said, I've been rolling this idea around in my mind for months, wanted to make a video on it for at least half a year. What little I've dug up has been encouraging and interesting. I don't want to hype it too much, it's not like I'm blazing a trail here. Perhaps it's the shift in approach as much as the content of the video which excites me. A new chapter, a different approach, and - in some ways - liberation to talk about broader topics.
What's Blondie playin'?
Abiotic Factor. All the Abiotic Factor XD
Ambitions
All previous ambitions were fulfilled in October. I'm still working through the backlog of fellow creator videos, but they're in a playlist now which makes binging them easier. Finally!
Personal Ambitions
Running: Running has been a steady improvement over time. I checked my VO2 max level recently, and I'm in the top 15% for my age and gender according to my Garmin watch. Seems like only last week I was in the top 20% (more like 1-2 months ago). The trend line has been a steady upward tick over the last 6 months which is encouraging. I'm shooting for at least the top 10%. Dare I say the top 5%. Getting runs done in the morning now as the days get longer and hotter. I bet a summer Christmas would feel weird for many of you on distant shores. Pretty soon the heat will be too brutal for midday runs. I used to hate running early, but it's been surprisingly easy to adjust.
Food: The last piece of the fitness puzzle, and I don't know how I should tackle this. It's so easy to deviate, especially when I'm not cooking the majority of my meals. This is where bulk meal prepping and consistency rule, but it's taking that first step and making it habitual which is the toughest. Realistically, I need to tackle the habits one meal at a time and find healthy substitutes for meals which are likely to push my calories over the daily limit. I've been eating a lot of rice before the runs, and now feel like I have more energy, even on less sleep. There are days I don't eat dinner because I've snacked over the afternoon. Healthy snacks, but they're still calories. And donuts. What the fuck is up with the donut cravings??! Need to break that habit before they sabotage everything.
That's it for the month. I'm looking forward to getting this next video out, can't wait to share it with you. I'll need to play a few games to make it which will take some extra time on the recording end, but the focused topic should make compiling and sourcing what I need much easier. In theory. Until next month, posse.
Compared to the rollercoaster of last month, September was productive and far more chill. I went on a holiday and damn did I need it. I didn't realise how far down the hole I was until being away from home forced me to step back, slow down, and relax. I still did some research and writing for the next video, but when I got home I decided that - while the topic was good - I wasn't feeling it right now. I shelved that project and started a new one.
This next video - unlike previous videos - zooms out for an industry-level look. The target: AAA games, and how the AAA moniker means something different to me now. Unlike other videos which body-slam AAA using player data and sales as weapons, this video will be a personal review of what AAA means to ME. It's a deliberately deeper look into my mindset when I consider AAA games, development studios, and publishers, through the lens of a gamer and paying customer who has become disillusioned with the AAA industry and who explains, in detail, why.
The script for this ...
Hey Folks, the video is finally done. Apologies for the late release, a few things came up near the end of the month which delayed release. I hope you enjoy it!
G'day, chaps and chapettes. July down, progress made.
The Doom/Quake horror video is now at 1hr 36mins. I had hoped to be closer to the 2hr mark by now but stumbled across more supporting material, and viewing/cutting it has taken longer than expected. I'm also making an effort to use footage which supports talking points, and because the script is loaded with talking points (and because the Doom 3 playthrough spans 18 long video files), finding footage to support even a single paragraph of the script has sometimes taken 30mins or longer. There was also another body of work I needed to complete for the Blondefire channel which was delayed by last month's IRL work, so July was very much a catch-up month all around.
The good news is that July was free of IRL distractions so I've made big progress on the video. I normally add the backing track after the footage and voice over is laid, but this time I've added it as I go. This means that the next (and final) pass only requires QA checks and audio ...
