Is live streaming eu4 interesting?

[ParadogsGamer]

Hi guys

So I have reached the point where I'm ready to start live streaming eu4. But I am not sure if that is really that interesting to watch, unless you have some specific goal for the stream. Like DDRJake's Ryukyu WC.
Or if the stream is actually a multiplayer session as well, like shen usually like to do.
What are peoples thoughts about this?
Are people mainly watching live streams because they fancy the streamer or because they have a genuine interest in the gameplay?

As a side note, which time slot is the best? I think the North Americans are by far the biggest group of viewers on youtube. I seem to remember it's more than 90%, so the obvious time to put it would be late evening EST. But that's in the middle of the night here... Is there a time that caters to all?

Cheers all

 

[yerm]

Live single player doesn't seem to garner a lot of views, from what I saw. My personal view is that the people streaming, who weren't getting many viewers, were either bad or slow, if not both. I suspect if someone incredibly skilled played at a really fast pace, knowing full well they may get wrecked for it, it would be more enjoyable for the viewer.

The only streams that I saw which seemed to get much attention were Shen's massive multiplayer game streams, which, incidentally, got really awful recently because big MP games are just constant desync and reload and crash etc that make civ 5 look stable. In this case the really low speed was ok because there was always something going on; a single player game at speed 1-2 is usually a snorefest.

The best time for viewing did seem to be NA prime time. That doesn't mean you couldn't have a fun stream and score non-American viewers of course. If you want a time that caters to all, well, try the weekend?

Good luck whatever you do.

 

[ParadogsGamer]

Live single player doesn't seem to garner a lot of views, from what I saw. My personal view is that the people streaming, who weren't getting many viewers, were either bad or slow, if not both. I suspect if someone incredibly skilled played at a really fast pace, knowing full well they may get wrecked for it, it would be more enjoyable for the viewer.

The only streams that I saw which seemed to get much attention were Shen's massive multiplayer game streams, which, incidentally, got really awful recently because big MP games are just constant desync and reload and crash etc that make civ 5 look stable. In this case the really low speed was ok because there was always something going on; a single player game at speed 1-2 is usually a snorefest.

The best time for viewing did seem to be NA prime time. That doesn't mean you couldn't have a fun stream and score non-American viewers of course. If you want a time that caters to all, well, try the weekend?

Good luck whatever you do.

Great points yerm.
I like the idea of speed over caution in a live stream. It's the "live action" (emphasis on action) that takes it apart from a regular youtube video.
I usually play on speed 4, so that would be ok, but I think the game needs a purpose as well. Like achieving something within the time frame of the stream perhaps.

 

[Viperswhip]

Well, Jake gets a few hundred people on Twitch, and then a few hundred views from folks like me on youtube, but I fall behind and then don't end up watching the rest for whatever reason. So, I tend to watch the first 12 or so episodes of Jake's and then the last 12. I watch Arumba in multiplayer with Quill and Northernlion and Mathus, but can't really watch any of them solo, just not enough time frankly. I only watch at work, because at home I'd rather be playing something, and there's only so many hours in the day.

Twitch doesn't work as well to watch at work because youtube can kind of be set off to the side, and Twitch is just awkward.

I watch a bit of the Arumba, Quill, Mathus and Northern Lion multiplayer, but Jake is the only one I follow solo, funny, and knowledgeable and I watch tons of British TV so the accent makes me feel relaxed. I guess the best mix is live stream and decent length uploads to youtube, I personally like an hour, but many people limit it to 20 minute chunks.

 

[Mikalos]

its better to just do youtube, livestream is great but you have to find the people who wanna and make it interesting, and its simply easier to pump out youtube videos for that
\
Shen is just boring, "oh, dont do anything until i can let the viewers watch" is not fun to play or watch

 

[yerm]

its better to just do youtube, livestream is great but you have to find the people who wanna and make it interesting, and its simply easier to pump out youtube videos for that
\
Shen is just boring, "oh, dont do anything until i can let the viewers watch" is not fun to play or watch

Unless things changed, he's the only one who seemed to get viewers (and only for MP games)

 

[Oryxslayer]

Similar to videos, livestreaming requires a certain level of effort. You cannot just record yourself playing eu4 and expect the views to roll in. Rather, you must create a interesting scenario. Shenryyr does this really well with both his streams and videos, he personifies the nations. This creates a certain level of interest from me, that arumba can't just compare to usually. DDrjake streams his exploits and plays at a incredibly high level, I watch him to get tips and be shocked by his tricks. The other option of course is multiplayer. Here, both tasks are done for you, and the arguments that one usually has with the AI become fun to watch player v player wars.

What I would suggest is one of two options. One, do multiplayer and have one group channel. This results to fun wars. Two, do a game with the chat. You are livestreaming, and the chat is right there. Listen to them for most big and medium level decisions, and the campaign should go somewhere you couldn't have even imagined.

 

[ParadogsGamer]

Well, Jake gets a few hundred people on Twitch, and then a few hundred views from folks like me on youtube, but I fall behind and then don't end up watching the rest for whatever reason. So, I tend to watch the first 12 or so episodes of Jake's and then the last 12. I watch Arumba in multiplayer with Quill and Northernlion and Mathus, but can't really watch any of them solo, just not enough time frankly. I only watch at work, because at home I'd rather be playing something, and there's only so many hours in the day.

Twitch doesn't work as well to watch at work because youtube can kind of be set off to the side, and Twitch is just awkward.

I watch a bit of the Arumba, Quill, Mathus and Northern Lion multiplayer, but Jake is the only one I follow solo, funny, and knowledgeable and I watch tons of British TV so the accent makes me feel relaxed. I guess the best mix is live stream and decent length uploads to youtube, I personally like an hour, but many people limit it to 20 minute chunks.

Am I right in assuming your thoughts are mainly directed at youtube and not live streaming? As far as I know, Arumba and co doesn't live stream their co-op. So your main point is that you don't watch streams at all, no?
But let me ask you anyway what makes you watch the multiplayer from the big four. What's interesting about it?

 

[ParadogsGamer]

Similar to videos, livestreaming requires a certain level of effort. You cannot just record yourself playing eu4 and expect the views to roll in. Rather, you must create a interesting scenario. Shenryyr does this really well with both his streams and videos, he personifies the nations. This creates a certain level of interest from me, that arumba can't just compare to usually. DDrjake streams his exploits and plays at a incredibly high level, I watch him to get tips and be shocked by his tricks. The other option of course is multiplayer. Here, both tasks are done for you, and the arguments that one usually has with the AI become fun to watch player v player wars.

What I would suggest is one of two options. One, do multiplayer and have one group channel. This results to fun wars. Two, do a game with the chat. You are livestreaming, and the chat is right there. Listen to them for most big and medium level decisions, and the campaign should go somewhere you couldn't have even imagined.

1. Believe me, I am trying to get a multiplayer up and running, but most youtubers are busy ;-)
2. The chat idea is a good idea, but it only works with a few people. Arumba's streams are a good example of complete chaos in the chat section because there are simply too many people there.

 

[ParadogsGamer]

The best time for viewing did seem to be NA prime time.

What time is that exactly?

 

[Mikalos]

Unless things changed, he's the only one who seemed to get viewers (and only for MP games)

still shit.

@OP, just dont do a stream, youll be better off for it

 

[BarrosRodrigues]

still shit.

@OP, just dont do a stream, youll be better off for it

Why not if it is something he enjoys? I never did it but it seems a very reasonable thing to do especially because those videos will end up on YouTube anyway so it seems to be a win/win situation; people that like livestreams get to watch it while people that enjoy YouTube lose pretty much nothing (...) if the original stream is good.

 

[Rusky]

Sure it's fun. I've been doing it recently and am enjoying it. While EU 4 is not the most popular game out there on Twitch and usually only gets relatively noticeable when ether Shen or DDRJake play it, The main point of streaming would be to just hang out with friends and random people.

It's kinda like how you may have gone to friends houses or friends came over to your house to play video games when you were younger.
It's the same thing accept the living room just became a little bigger and anyone can walk in and sit down on the couch.

 

[Viperswhip]

Am I right in assuming your thoughts are mainly directed at youtube and not live streaming? As far as I know, Arumba and co doesn't live stream their co-op. So your main point is that you don't watch streams at all, no?
But let me ask you anyway what makes you watch the multiplayer from the big four. What's interesting about it?

Together they have enough fun that the vids are fun to watch, yes, I don't think they live stream it. I have watched some eps Jake's on Twitch, but only when they were slow to get up on youtube.

The four person MP, they also have a theme, like all playing Merchant Repubs, or something similar. I guess what's fun is seeing what 4 people are doing instead of one, the big thing about Jake is when the big exploits are going to show up, so there is suspense. I think the biggest part is to have a plan, that's good even just for players.

 

[yerm]

What time is that exactly?

6pm-1am est or so. Not sure what your location is so I don't know your local time. To be fair though, it could be that the streams people wanted to watch were largely during that time, so American viewers, and a non-USA stream that people liked COULD grab viewers outside of north American prime time!

 

[josh127]

@OP, just dont do a stream, youll be better off for it

Never trying is the surest path to failure.

What's the worst that happens, you spend time playing a game you enjoy? Oh darn, you'll apparently be worse off for that one.

Back on topic: I'm not a fan of streams. I don't have the time to sit and watch them. If I'm going to watch, I use Youtube where I can watch what I want and if I feel it's a slow spot I can skip forward as far as I want. That's my opinion. I like enjoyable commentary, but I've seen a lot of it so it's hard to find something that's fresh and new.

Based on your question toward someone else, the series that stick out most to me are the Sunni Strike Back, Shen's Grenada series, and Arumba's Byzantium series (at least early on). What I found interesting about them were that they did things against the odds.

SSB had wave after wave of European coalitions falling on their lesser quality troops. I lost track of it sometime after 1.6 came out which is also about the time they took strong control.

Shen's Grenada game took almost literally to the last minute to finish out and the re-invasion of Iberia was intense from the moment it got under way. It told a great story. Contrast that with Can Poland into Space which he got a PU over Denmark at the start and never looked back. I shut it off quite early.

Arumba's Byzantium was replay after replay trying different things to break the Ottomans. It was really cool to see someone making attempts at figuring out a path to victory rather than just showing off the "perfect plan" and it's fun to see other people's thought process. Once he finally got control I let it go though because I know where the story goes from that point on.

Hope there's some sort of useful info in there.

 

[TheMeInTeam]

SSB had wave after wave of European coalitions falling on their lesser quality troops. I lost track of it sometime after 1.6 came out which is also about the time they took strong control.

I think they could have managed that a bit more soundly but it was amusing ^_^.

 

[Viperswhip]

I've watched videos on this for some reason, and the surest path to failure is if you expect to make money off of it. In the end, you either have to stream for your viewers if you have any, or just capture what you are doing anyway and don't make it a job. I could stream my gameplay, and I wouldn't care if anyone watched it, but for you, maybe that's different.

I've often thought about doing a Byz start for every patch (it's different almost every patch), or just showing people how to get the HRE, Inheritance and even the Wedding for Castile so I don't have to keep typing out post after post but I wouldn't care if people watched it, I'd be doing purely to link in a forum post.

 

[Mikalos]

Why not if it is something he enjoys? I never did it but it seems a very reasonable thing to do especially because those videos will end up on YouTube anyway so it seems to be a win/win situation; people that like livestreams get to watch it while people that enjoy YouTube lose pretty much nothing (...) if the original stream is good.

i enjoy playing papers please with no sound and random other people talking, but that doesnt mean i should stream it

 

[yerm]

i enjoy playing papers please with no sound and random other people talking, but that doesnt mean i should stream it

Why not? If people don't want to watch it, so what? If you have the charm, anything can be an interesting stream. For someone with the ambitious trait, you sure don't sound like a go-getter!