Some changes are coming to the video version of Chapter Select. While the video version has only been around for one and a half seasons so far, changes already need to be made. 😬 Given the priority of Chapter Select has always been audio first, this allows me to be flexible with the video production; at least this is what I tell myself.
The video version will be the episode length of (mostly) uninterrupted game footage over the final audio podcast. This change goes into effect tomorrow with Banjo-Tooie.
My two biggest problems were my own file storage limitations and time.
When I capture footage for these games, I generally record every second. I have these great ambitions of keeping an archive of my gameplay like Mark Brown at Game Maker’s Toolkit or Razbuten. These games seem to average between 600-800 gigabytes. God of War is over one terabyte. I don’t have the storage means or money to buy enough external drives. If this was my job, then I would keep it all and chase my ambitions of producing more videos with all this footage. In the mean time, I have to delete the gameplay no matter how much it pains my digital hoarding tendencies.
Okay, it didn’t hurt to delete Nuts & Bolts. That actually felt good.
Another consequence of recording every single second is that I am tethered to playing on the TV at all times. I thankfully have a standalone capture card (an Elgato 4K60S+) so I can play away from my computer, but my flexibility in how I play is restricted. For Grunty’s Revenge, I used my Analogue Pocket in the Dock to play and capture. Despite being a portable game, which factors into discussions around design, I played 99% of that game on the TV.
Pivoting to just needing a few hours of footage opens up hard drive space and my own freedom to play how and where I want without feeling guilty of not always recording. Will I miss some cool moments? Assuredly. But within the confines of where both the show and I am at right now, this is the better call for my hard drives and my sanity.
Time is the other factor that weighed into my decision. I make rather detailed cuts and edits that tie to the discussion in the show. While editing the audio, I note down clips, trailers, etc. that could enhance the visual presentation. One example I love was incorporating the Kratos Mortal Kombat trailer into one of the God of War episodes. These little jokes and references bring me joy. I think they make the show better too.
It pains me to stop editing the show like this. I throughly enjoy the process. I am proud of what I produce. This is the right call for where I am currently at in life though. It allows the show to keep a presence on YouTube and gives me a little something to whip up in Final Cut.
This change will begin with the Banjo-Tooie episode of Chapter Select. It was not my plan to implement this mid-season, but being sick for a week and then out of town for a week stunted video production on the Banjo-Tooie episode. To get the video version out on time, I had to start this new process now. My apologies.
Despite the change in presentation, I am excited for the future of Chapter Select. We have big plans coming down the pipeline. It’s a show that provides me with a creative challenge and engaging discussion. I cannot wait to show you what is next.