No, 2011 was a year where I technically would have very little video content to produce, a first time for me. In theory that is. But I've already mentioned that I used to primarily upload videos of Rock Band / Guitar Hero / FoF-like content. The thing with that content was that at the time new charts and content to upload came continously. When I decided to focus on Mass Effect 2 I also realised that I would run out of content eventually. How do you face a content draught?
Changing the focus point of the channel isn't really an option, the subscribers came because they found certain videos in a specific area interesting (and they still do). That would be like selling out in my eyes, except without financial (or in this metaphor, viewer) success. ME2 only had two DLC's in 2011, Appearance Pack 2 and Arrival. Timing is always essential when it comes to uploading this, the AP video was uploaded in a nice and timely fashion shortly after release and gained attention viewerwise. Arrival did not, and those videos can be put in the category I refer to as "good coverage released too late". I also don't like messing up things like sleeping schedules in my private life just to get a video out in time. If a DLC is having a bad launch (most of them did actually) then I'll just have to live with it not getting up right away.
Why the fuss about this? Since I don't want to market myself I'll simply rely on others viraling it for me. And in that sense getting early views is important. Once you have a large subscriber base that stops being an issue because people will watch what you put out no matter what. Self promotion is also something I don't enjoy doing at all, at most I could start a discussion thread and throw in a link to my videos related to it.
So, viewer success wasn't the same as in 2010. To be expected really, ME2 has been out for so long that videos of it aren't a big deal anymore. Most successful in terms of views? Afforementioned Appearance Pack video, ME3 news videos. About it? Yep.
Then there was this big thing during the fall. A complete Let's Play of both Mass Effects (at least the second one). Not the biggest success in terms of views, we're talking about 200 for a video, tops. A flop? Arguably. I am still satisfied with the content and the effort put into it. Sitting there for an hour, talking with my monitor, trying to constantly have something relevant to say or crack a bad joke. While there were defenitely nerves going through all of ME1 I started to feel a lot more comfortable with ME2, mainly because it's a funnier game too. In the end I found it pretty enjoyable, though I don't miss doing it. Plans to do it for ME3 isn't really decided as of yet, depends on if there is a save editor to ease up dialogue recording. But it was enjoyable.
In the end I guess I enjoy doing most of this, even writing this. Why else would I do it? Looking forward to 2012 and ME3 right now, expect more decent content coming out then, just don't expect more than what I put up below.
