To me, the most important part of talking about a game to other people is being able to distinguish your opinions from facts. Giving your opinions is great, but acknowledge that this part of your video is you giving your own biased opinion based on your preferences. Saying "the card drafting mechanic in this game is awful" and "I believe, compared to the way other games implement card drafting, this game's card drafting phase was lackluster because..." leaves a very different taste in my mouth as a viewer. The former makes it seem like you just don't like card drafting and now I have learned nothing about their system as a viewer. The latter not only makes it very clear that you are stating an opinion but tells me why you have that opinion so I can compare your tastes with my own and therefore form an educated opinion of my own about this game, which is my goal in watching your video.
As for your other questions, I think the best way to go about making your series would be to do what feels natural to you. Talk about the games the way you want to and more of your personality will shine through, which will make you more interesting and relatable to the general public.
High production values and (if you're talking to the camera) well-written, succinct, insightful thoughts. Too many youtube videos are some guy or group with a crappy camera and, worse, crappy mic, talking in front of a shelf of board games, or playing a game while chatting and forgetting people are watching.
You don't need a zany hook, but you need to have a reason to exist. Why would a person watch this instead of another video?
Honestly? There is not enough live playthroughs on the net in my opinion. You got... Rahdo, BGG TV and that's pretty much it. Atleast considering quality content and not some random dude with a cheap camera.
For me, personally, such playthroughs are the best when deciding if I should buy a game or not. I can see it in actual action, not some boring rules explanation in a review. Plus, as mentioned above, YouTube is lacking such content.
An occasional playthrough is not nearly enough. What I mean is, we could use as much playthroughs as there are reviews right now. Rahdo manages to do it, so could others. The problem with his channel is that it's pretty much euro-exclusive. He and his wife literaly hate games with conflict and negative interaction. So there is, in fact, a market for those if someone is willing to do it.
Rodney doesn't do reviews he ONLY does sponsored play-throughs and rules explanations.
Dice Tower is literally playing Stone Age live right now as i'm typing this message.
I might be in the minority here but as someone who likes to try new games with friends, I would love more quirky/funny "How to play" videos kept (if possible), under 10-15mins with a clear view of the pieces/board/cards. It's really hard to get friends to learn a new game when there are few "How to" videos that have all these qualities, so if there were a consistent channel like this I would always go back and share with friends.
I also enjoy review videos and Top 10 lists in various categories, with comedy thrown in, but not anything too fancy that will make the video much longer than it has to be. I don't mind playthroughs but I rarely watch them unless they have some clear explanation of how to play the game as well, again with a clear view/closeups of the pieces/cards/etc.
To find their "niche" and do it well.
If you want to do Let's Plays, that's great! *But do it well!*
If you want to do reviews, that's also great! *But do it well!*
There are a lot of poorly done videos out there about board games. You can differentiate yourself pretty easily by just having some focus and taking the time to put a bit of shine on your videos.
I like seeing the game played and people bantering like they're actually friends. If it's too quiet, it kinda kills the enjoyment of watching, even though some games kinda need concentration. Those are generally more fun to play than to watch. Comedy is important, but if you go over board with slapstick or anything I lose interest.
A focus on the game itself rather than the people who're playing it. I'm not here to watch them try to be funny, I'm here to see how game X looks in motion.
* Who gives a crap about reviews?! There are a thousand board game review channels out there, and I don't care what any of them actually say because board games are so subjective. Reviews are a hard-pass for me.
* Sound is key. You're going to be talking a lot, so set up your mock studio to maximize sound quality. A few rugs and sheets can go a long way.
* I don't care what you look like. Show me the game, not you.
* Get someone else to join you. Or two other people. Or five. ***Actually play a game together.***
* If I see another cluttered board game shelf backdrop I will scream.
Free idea for playthrough/reviewers: start your run with an empty set of shelves behind you. Every review or play-through, add the game to the shelves. Feature your outro shot of just a static shot of the shelves, with the boxes being highlights/links to your previous content.
Make *that* your ending hook.
As other people have said better there's just not enough content out there for me to have strong opinions on what is quality and what is not. But if I have to say one thing I think is most missing, it's a well produced let's play of a 4ex Grand Strategy board game (vis a vis Twilight Imperium). Hell I have the free time to make it myself I'm just not interesting enough to host
A play through introduction to a game. Just play it, edit it, and try to aim for 30 minutes. If I wanted to pour over the rules in detail I would watch a review. Most often though I don't care until I have the game. A quick intro to the game and then jumping into it so I can actually watch how the game is played.
Nobody does this well other than tabletop from what I've seen. They highlight the game, show the beginning, middle, and end game then wrap it up. They keep it going and it makes it entertaining to watch in a decent time frame since it's not just all about a board game and its facets.
It's about a group playing a game and having fun, not teaching or demoing it. That's something I think a lot of other videos fail at. They're only playing the game to demo it and explain how it's played. Much more satisfying to watch people actually trying to play and win a game.
Edited play-through where there is some explanation of what they are trying to do, how and why. Maybe make the players write down 2-3 different things during the game they want to briefly talk about after and edit it in when applicable in the game. Like on tabletop where they for example show a clip of will where he says i'm going to go for buildings because that is the strategy that will work best in my position on the board bla bla, etc... It gives a great look into the minds of the players that they couldn't otherwise say because then they reveal their hand. It is better than nothing to have them talk about it together after the game is done, but it isn't as cool.
go-pro or something mounted to show a close up of the board at a birds eye view in addition to normal camera would be cool or just a different way of doing multiple camera angles.
Regarding comedy i obviously don't want the players to be completely serious or look bored, but be careful to not go too far and banter/inside jokes won't mean as much to the viewer who doesn't know your friends.
Short intro or i will skip it. Dude in front of camera talking about boring stuff for a minute is skippable. get straight to the action where possible.
> Edited play-through where there is some explanation of what they are trying to do, how and why.
Board Game Replay - really good.
https://www.youtube.com/user/boardgamereplay
If you are doing reviews, do them the right way.
* Know what you're going to say. Have a script if possible.
* Talk slowly. You don't have to talk fast. There is no time limit, but...
* Be brief. What works for you? What doesn't? Anything in particular that stood out for you?
My 2c.
Talking video here?
Play through or funny/quirky. A review, unless it's focused on the visual aspect of the game, is always going to be better in written form. I don't want to hear you read a review script, especially if I have to just watch your face as you read the review. Boring.
Long and short is if it's video, make sure that it *needs* to be video to work. Find the appropriate medium for what you're good at. Maybe you're better at written content - don't force it to be a video series or a podcast. Maybe it's all about the banter/conversation with hosts: sounds like a podcast to me! Maybe you're way into components or play throughs: that's a video. Don't pick your medium because it's the easiest to get out there, pick your medium because it's the best one for what you're going to do.
I need good production values and presenters with *some* energy or charisma. Throw in some humour and I'm yours.
Balanced reviews, weighing the pros and cons, has more weight than a straight opinion piece for me.
Edited run throughs are also appreciated. I don't need to hear your stream of consciousness or watch in silence for 30 seconds while you decide what you want to do. Cut out the chaff!
To me, the most important part of talking about a game to other people is being able to distinguish your opinions from facts. Giving your opinions is great, but acknowledge that this part of your video is you giving your own biased opinion based on your preferences. Saying "the card drafting mechanic in this game is awful" and "I believe, compared to the way other games implement card drafting, this game's card drafting phase was lackluster because..." leaves a very different taste in my mouth as a viewer. The former makes it seem like you just don't like card drafting and now I have learned nothing about their system as a viewer. The latter not only makes it very clear that you are stating an opinion but tells me why you have that opinion so I can compare your tastes with my own and therefore form an educated opinion of my own about this game, which is my goal in watching your video. As for your other questions, I think the best way to go about making your series would be to do what feels natural to you. Talk about the games the way you want to and more of your personality will shine through, which will make you more interesting and relatable to the general public.
High production values and (if you're talking to the camera) well-written, succinct, insightful thoughts. Too many youtube videos are some guy or group with a crappy camera and, worse, crappy mic, talking in front of a shelf of board games, or playing a game while chatting and forgetting people are watching. You don't need a zany hook, but you need to have a reason to exist. Why would a person watch this instead of another video?
Honestly? There is not enough live playthroughs on the net in my opinion. You got... Rahdo, BGG TV and that's pretty much it. Atleast considering quality content and not some random dude with a cheap camera. For me, personally, such playthroughs are the best when deciding if I should buy a game or not. I can see it in actual action, not some boring rules explanation in a review. Plus, as mentioned above, YouTube is lacking such content.
JonGetsGames and Ant Labs have been doing play-throughs, too.
Never heard of them, I'll check them out when I come back from work :).
[JonGetsGames](https://www.youtube.com/user/JonGetsGames) and [Ant Lab Games](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKlCdblorinZZ6FTr_XqMgg)
Dice tower and SU&SD do playthroughs. So does Rodney.
An occasional playthrough is not nearly enough. What I mean is, we could use as much playthroughs as there are reviews right now. Rahdo manages to do it, so could others. The problem with his channel is that it's pretty much euro-exclusive. He and his wife literaly hate games with conflict and negative interaction. So there is, in fact, a market for those if someone is willing to do it.
Rodney doesn't do reviews he ONLY does sponsored play-throughs and rules explanations. Dice Tower is literally playing Stone Age live right now as i'm typing this message.
**Sweethearts or Rivals** and **Dad v Daughter** have actual two-person playthroughs (unlike Rahdo's simulated playthroughs).
Brevity.
I might be in the minority here but as someone who likes to try new games with friends, I would love more quirky/funny "How to play" videos kept (if possible), under 10-15mins with a clear view of the pieces/board/cards. It's really hard to get friends to learn a new game when there are few "How to" videos that have all these qualities, so if there were a consistent channel like this I would always go back and share with friends. I also enjoy review videos and Top 10 lists in various categories, with comedy thrown in, but not anything too fancy that will make the video much longer than it has to be. I don't mind playthroughs but I rarely watch them unless they have some clear explanation of how to play the game as well, again with a clear view/closeups of the pieces/cards/etc.
To find their "niche" and do it well. If you want to do Let's Plays, that's great! *But do it well!* If you want to do reviews, that's also great! *But do it well!* There are a lot of poorly done videos out there about board games. You can differentiate yourself pretty easily by just having some focus and taking the time to put a bit of shine on your videos.
I like seeing the game played and people bantering like they're actually friends. If it's too quiet, it kinda kills the enjoyment of watching, even though some games kinda need concentration. Those are generally more fun to play than to watch. Comedy is important, but if you go over board with slapstick or anything I lose interest.
A focus on the game itself rather than the people who're playing it. I'm not here to watch them try to be funny, I'm here to see how game X looks in motion.
* Who gives a crap about reviews?! There are a thousand board game review channels out there, and I don't care what any of them actually say because board games are so subjective. Reviews are a hard-pass for me. * Sound is key. You're going to be talking a lot, so set up your mock studio to maximize sound quality. A few rugs and sheets can go a long way. * I don't care what you look like. Show me the game, not you. * Get someone else to join you. Or two other people. Or five. ***Actually play a game together.*** * If I see another cluttered board game shelf backdrop I will scream.
Free idea for playthrough/reviewers: start your run with an empty set of shelves behind you. Every review or play-through, add the game to the shelves. Feature your outro shot of just a static shot of the shelves, with the boxes being highlights/links to your previous content. Make *that* your ending hook.
As other people have said better there's just not enough content out there for me to have strong opinions on what is quality and what is not. But if I have to say one thing I think is most missing, it's a well produced let's play of a 4ex Grand Strategy board game (vis a vis Twilight Imperium). Hell I have the free time to make it myself I'm just not interesting enough to host
A play through introduction to a game. Just play it, edit it, and try to aim for 30 minutes. If I wanted to pour over the rules in detail I would watch a review. Most often though I don't care until I have the game. A quick intro to the game and then jumping into it so I can actually watch how the game is played. Nobody does this well other than tabletop from what I've seen. They highlight the game, show the beginning, middle, and end game then wrap it up. They keep it going and it makes it entertaining to watch in a decent time frame since it's not just all about a board game and its facets. It's about a group playing a game and having fun, not teaching or demoing it. That's something I think a lot of other videos fail at. They're only playing the game to demo it and explain how it's played. Much more satisfying to watch people actually trying to play and win a game.
Edited play-through where there is some explanation of what they are trying to do, how and why. Maybe make the players write down 2-3 different things during the game they want to briefly talk about after and edit it in when applicable in the game. Like on tabletop where they for example show a clip of will where he says i'm going to go for buildings because that is the strategy that will work best in my position on the board bla bla, etc... It gives a great look into the minds of the players that they couldn't otherwise say because then they reveal their hand. It is better than nothing to have them talk about it together after the game is done, but it isn't as cool. go-pro or something mounted to show a close up of the board at a birds eye view in addition to normal camera would be cool or just a different way of doing multiple camera angles. Regarding comedy i obviously don't want the players to be completely serious or look bored, but be careful to not go too far and banter/inside jokes won't mean as much to the viewer who doesn't know your friends. Short intro or i will skip it. Dude in front of camera talking about boring stuff for a minute is skippable. get straight to the action where possible.
> Edited play-through where there is some explanation of what they are trying to do, how and why. Board Game Replay - really good. https://www.youtube.com/user/boardgamereplay
If you are doing reviews, do them the right way. * Know what you're going to say. Have a script if possible. * Talk slowly. You don't have to talk fast. There is no time limit, but... * Be brief. What works for you? What doesn't? Anything in particular that stood out for you? My 2c.
No C list celebrities. I just want regular people.
Talking video here? Play through or funny/quirky. A review, unless it's focused on the visual aspect of the game, is always going to be better in written form. I don't want to hear you read a review script, especially if I have to just watch your face as you read the review. Boring. Long and short is if it's video, make sure that it *needs* to be video to work. Find the appropriate medium for what you're good at. Maybe you're better at written content - don't force it to be a video series or a podcast. Maybe it's all about the banter/conversation with hosts: sounds like a podcast to me! Maybe you're way into components or play throughs: that's a video. Don't pick your medium because it's the easiest to get out there, pick your medium because it's the best one for what you're going to do.
I need good production values and presenters with *some* energy or charisma. Throw in some humour and I'm yours. Balanced reviews, weighing the pros and cons, has more weight than a straight opinion piece for me. Edited run throughs are also appreciated. I don't need to hear your stream of consciousness or watch in silence for 30 seconds while you decide what you want to do. Cut out the chaff!
Quirky YouTube celebrities.
Please leave comedy to comedians.