Hello Internet! Welcome to..
My couch
2014 was a great year for us,
When we started off we had just crossed a million subscribers
And at the time we had no idea who Rosalina's true parents where...
We still thought that minecraft creepers were animals, not radioactive moss monsters.
And weren't as scared as we probably should have been of singing animatronic robots.
-Marionette Jumpscare-
Since that time we've everything from hook shots,
to healing,
to hackers.
But best of all, we managed to triple the number of loyal theorists that are in our little community here.
Which is just mind blowing!
That three million people all love overthinking video games,
As much as I do!
So, that being said, I want to finish 2014 off right, by taking on a topic I here from you guys a lot,
Which is, 'Game Theory: Behind The Scenes'
How do I select certain topics?
What video editing and audio recording software do we use?
Why I haven't done the dating simulation episode yet?
Stuff like that.
So, without further ado, you've requested it, here is...
Game Theory: Behind the Scenes
-Matpat typing-
Or maybe we should make this a little bit more intresting
So, to produce an episode of Game Theory, we follow 6-ish steps
Step 1, coming up with the idea
The first and most important decision that goes to every episode of Game Theory is
"What game do I want to talk about?"
Since this decision can either make or break an episode, I've come up with a complex algorithm of factors
That weighs in everything from volume of fan requests,
To google search-ability data,
To game release calenders
To a special little number I like to call theorize-ability index
-Matpat throws a dart-
Nintendo! How do I keep getting this?
Weird..
Step 2
After going through such a careful process for selecting the game,
We go through an equally meticulous process for selecting the editor
-Matpat throws a dart-
Ronnie!
Ugh!
The worst!
So, with the perfect editor precisely selected for the project at hand
It's time to give them their new assignment
One of the things that a lot people don't know about us theorists,
Is that we live all across the country, I'm in California
There's Texas, Arkansaw, Idaho, North Carolina
We're all over the place
So we have to use Skype in order to communicate
Since it's the thing all gamers use, and besides who can resist this face?
And by this face I mean Ronnie's face, mine is... Awkwardly prepubescent
Anyway, that Skype conversation is typically a short one because everyone is super excited about tackling the episode at hand
Hey, Ronnie! Got a new theory for ya!
It's going to be great! People are going to talk about it for weeks
It's Nintendo... No Pewdip-
No.
Ronnie please, I'm desperate here, I REALLY need you to do this episode
You can make fun of Gaijin Goomba!
Fine.
Great!
Glad to have you on board buddy!
Step 3,Writing
Now this is where the creative process truly begins.
As I let the inspiration flow through me, and onto the page
-Matpat writing and occasionally getting distracted-
The research process is grueling
To insure that I'm only working with the most accurate numbers possible,
I comb through hours worth of game-play footage
-Matpat throws a dart-
Wario's height!
10 feet, write it down
And we make sure that episodes of Game Theory are backed by only the most credible of sources.
Next up is audio recording
For those you who've asked, I use an Audio Techinica AT2020 USB Cardiod Microphone
And Sol Republic headphones
All sound recording takes place in our professional level sound booth, where we have precise control
Over every audio component that takes place in the show
Hey! I'm doing a recording!
(Oh geez)
And recently we've upgraded to a new space
Skeep, I'm going to do a recording! Shh!
Hey! We're going to do a recording!
Audio recording in this way can sometimes be a hassle
But it's worth it to know that every piece of sound in an episode will be pristine
Yeah, he's recording. I'll have him call you as soon as he comes out of the closet.
Shh! Excuse me, recording!
Quiet please! Thank you
Shh! You too, Skip.
Step 4, Visual Editing
So for editing I recommend using Adobe Premier Pro
But trust me, I get that that program is expensive
So If you're just starting off, use whatever's on your computer
When I started Game Theory, my first 20 episodes or so,
Were all using whatever video editor I had on my computer at the time
This thing was rough!
It only had 2 layers, had no animation qualities whatsoever
So I had to go into Photoshop and edit the images that I was using two pixels at a time, moving 'em
Bit by bit by bit
I was stop motion and editing these whole 7 minute episodes, it was crazy!
So you can make a good product with not the best equipment
That being said, this part of the process is truly where two minds come together, as one
Okay, so I want Mario to appear on screen in a cloud of smoke, Then I want to us to animate a
Lyrical jazz routine that he can perform to the tune 'Still Alive' from Portal
And um... Let's have Donkey Kong swing back and forth across the screen every uh... 2.8 seconds or so
Okay?
I got this.
Ronnie...
This
Is...
BRILLIANT!
You TOTALLY got what I was going for!
Step 5
Once Ronnie has slaved away for a couple of days, putting the episode together,
He sends me the first draft and I send him back notes to polish the whole thing up
When we first started working together we did everything via email
This is how long the scripts are,
And this how long the notes were
It was would literally take me a whole day to draft these things up.
And there would still be confusion over what I meant by a certain note
Needless to say, it wasn't a good system
So, recently we switched over to using the Qik app
It's an app made by Skype but it's used for sending short video messages back and forth
That way I can send Ronnie notes anytime, anywhere inspiration may hit
Ronnie, AMAZING brony joke I want you to work on for the next episode
Ready?
Rainbow Dash and Sonic walk into a bar where an old man is like "Hey guys, what are you doing?"
The dancing numbers? Right now they're more tango, think merengue
By the way Ronnie, separate note, this toasted sugar body rub you have got to try!
My skin LITERALLY feels like butter, like butter Ronnie! BUTTER!
Hey Ronnie! Noticed that you didn't put that brony joke in there yet, thing's gonna be hilarious! Bronies for days!
By the way, totally gotta try this toilet paper, AMAZING!
*Toilet flushes*
And what's awesome is that he can watch these notes as many times as he needs to while he's editing
Over the next couple days, Ronnie and I trade notes and drafts back and forth until finally
Step 6!
It's done! And uploaded
And you guys are the final judges of how it all went
I still try to read as many notes as possible on new uploads, so I can keep learning and growing from your
Constructive feedback
"Your face is stupid, and I hate you"
At the end of the day, although we make fun of it here, making Game Theory does take a lot of work
And so to see you guys respond as enthusiastically as you do it's just- it's unbelievable
Knowing that we get to create something cool and share it with millions of people week after week,
That's-That's incredible!
And sometimes kind of scary
We have a lot of really exciting things coming up in 2015
Things that I think you're going to really like
we're going to keep trying to top ourselves as long as you guys
are willing to keep watching
so hopefully you'll like what we do
I think you're going to like it
I'm fairly co-I'm almost completely positive that you're going to like what we're going to do
But then again that's just a theory
A GAME...
Hey! To thank you for all your support in 2014, I want to kick of 2015 with a bang
By doing a theory that you suggest that stars you
So here's how it's going to work, between now and my next episode I'm going to be collecting qik videos that
You submit to me with your theory ideas, pieces of evidence, whatever you feel like sending me
Then I'll take the most suggested topic and figure out creative and fun ways to work all the videos that you
Have submitted to me into the actual episode
So, if you have a theory you want to submit this is what you're going to want to do,
First, get the Qik app, the reason I selected it is because it's free, there are no passwords, it's easy to use,
And it helps me keep track of everything that comes in from you guys
Secondly, you're going to want to submit your video to the number 323-609-8353
That's the number I'm going to be using to accumulate all the videos that you guys submit
And then, that really about it, honestly
And remember I'm going to try to use as many of your videos as possible in the episode
So, creativity counts
Do you want to sing your theory and evidence from the rooftops?
Be safe
But go for it!
As a musical theater guy, I appreciate that
Do you want to write your theory in seashells on the beach?
That's creative, that's pretty cool
Take a lot of time but hey, bonus points to you sir
Just so you know the theory will probably have to take place in February
Because of the time to collect the submissions, and do the research and everything
But I don't want you guys rioting me like you did with Watch Dogs Part 2
So I guess that's it
I'll see you in 2015
Now If you'll excuse me I've got some recording to do for a new episode
So uh...bye, bye get out!
Go!
I don't want you to hear what I'm talking about
It's top secret, top secret!
I came up with a complex algorithm that weighs in everything from volume of fan data
To google search-ability
Data as well
Data all over the place
Just SO much data
Blow your mind!
-Odd gestures-
This algorithm factors in everything from volume of fan requests, to google search-ability data
To game release schedules
To a special little number I especially
Special!
Stop saying things multiple times Matthew!
It's going to be great, people are going to talk about this fo- Skip
Stephanie: Oh god
You are so bad at this, Skip
You are such a- Stephanie: Learn to be a cat!
Yeah, right?
Cats are supposed to be like graceful and stuff