It’s been a bit, but I just wanted to update you on where I’m at with the YouTube channel and my current thoughts generally.
I’ll exclude any PC-FX talk from this post, but that channel is chugging along as intended, and I think it is generally going well.
Hitting a Problem with the Main Channel
Unfortunately, the reality is that I am feeling uncertain about many things right now. Initially, I had a clear vision of where I was going with this channel in 2023.
The planned-out topics were videos about encouraging positive approaches to games and the discussions around them to reduce negativity hopefully. (My gaming on a budget video reflects this vision the most.) But after much thought into what the videos I would make would look like, I realized I wasn’t enthusiastic about them. People don’t like being told how to think if they disagree. The reality is, I don’t think I’d reach the audience I’d want to with this approach, only finding people who likely already came to the same conclusions I have.
I haven’t thrown this general idea away entirely; I think the core is sound. But the way I was going to do it, I think, was flawed. So I’m re-evaluating what this content will be and how I approach it. It may not even be on the main OCP Channel anymore (yes, yet another YouTube channel) and possibly be season-based rather than an ongoing project.
While I work that project out still, my brain has been focused on videos in a more traditional style for the main channel. Is that a good thing? I’m proud of the videos I’ve made over the last few years, so I would generally say yes for most people and myself in the short term. However, simply returning to that does mean I’m probably dooming One Controller Port to stay where it’s at.
Why Try to Grow OCP or Any Channel?
Many people ask why it matters if OCP grows. It’s a tricky question to answer without appearing as someone obsessed with exposure or just wanting an easy job. Honestly, it’s often a painful question since it often comes off as someone questioning your intentions or telling you that if you loved it enough, you’d keep doing it no matter what. Therefore, if you stop just because you didn’t grow, you didn’t love it enough.
I know no one means it that way, so if that was you, don’t stress about it.
The Babylon’s Fall video, in total, probably took close to 100 hours of writing, editing, etc., to produce. That doesn’t include playing the game.
In my 20s, I viewed that time as easily sacrificial. But looking back, I’ve realized all that came at the cost of time spent with family, friends, responsibilities, and my health. And to some extent, I’m starting to feel that impact in my 30s now.
Now, I often can’t help but feel irresponsible working on OCP and the related channels. If I had to decide today, I would stop nearly everything. But that wouldn’t make me happy either, so I’m trying to find some way to make it fit into my life and still be satisfying.
Love doesn’t change that reality. But I’m still here today, so I haven’t learned my lesson yet. Whether that’s a good or a bad thing, I don’t know. But I can say there’s a very real chance that, for my own sake, I would essentially ban myself from working on anything further.
2023 Revised
However, I don’t view that as a reality for this year. My progress will likely be slowed by re-balancing my life, but not halted. So I think you can look forward to at least a couple more scripted videos this year and, hopefully, more.
Upcoming Changes
If you have any thoughts, I’d be happy to hear your feedback on these items.
- Removal of early access from Ko-Fi. Thanks again to everyone who supports me here, though I think trying to provide exclusive value for Ko-Fi, at this point, is probably a wasted effort until I have a better vision of what I want my channel to be and have sold that vision to people.
- I’m removing my weekly schedule output from OCP+; I don’t think it’s doing the channel any good and burdens me further. I’ll post future content as I have it available.
- I may remove the YouTube version of the podcast from OCP+. Only about five people listen there. The podcast feed is still available and, if I’m to believe Anchor’s numbers, close to 99% of people listen there. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/one-controller-port-podcast
- I’m going to try to rebrand OCP+. Think the name is too close to the main channel, making it confusing.
