max0r
patreon
I failed a little bit | I think that's okay | Armored Core 6: Incomplete Video Edition™
🕑 Added 2023-09-09 03:12:13 +0000 UTCI’d like to apologize for the delay. I’ve done so before, but this one is significant. I began work on Armored Core 6 thinking it would be a full incorrect summary, but the story format of the game was wholly unsuitable for it. So, I decided that I was going to take a more light hearted approach and not delve into the story, but delve into a series of gameplay things quickly, creating a video that was short and fun. However, many of the mission formats, as I progressed through them, ended up creating an unsatisfying product that was not possible to write in clever ways around. I had completed about 4 minutes and 30 seconds of the video before I realized that I was making a glorified list, and that my video was not going to be good. Still, I attempted to press on for a few days before ultimately deciding that, although the beginning I had made was good, this video could never progress in a funny or satisfying way, and the arbitrary nature I had introduced to avoid the story worked against me to make a series of events that were arbitrary and confusing to anyone who didn’t play the game.
YouTube is good in some ways and bad in others. On one hand, YouTube does not actually punish creators for taking breaks and not uploading very much. On the other hand, YouTube punishes you severely for uploading a bad video, or a video your entire audience doesn’t watch. In other times, I might feel comfortable showing off an incomplete product, but that WILL now hurt my channel in the long run, so I cannot upload it publicly.
For these reasons, I decided that I was going to scrap my Armored Core 6 video where it stands. I will be dissecting as much as I can into YouTube shorts, and then eventually making the unlisted link to the video available publicly, and probably announce that using a community post after all the shorts that I upload have been around for about a week. But again, it cannot be listed publicly. The incomplete video, in its entirety, is now available to Patrons. I want you guys to be understanding that I may reuse jokes from my failed video in my next, public, and better video. My next video will be delayed by over 20 days as a result. But I will not cease working on it for even a single day, I will keep moving forward.
It is possible that I could bite the bullet and release a short, bad, and abrupt video. But I am very, very tired. This video hurt me a little bit. I spent many, many long days trying to re-work, rebuild, or otherwise get very disparate and screwy parts to work, and I just cannot. I do feel a little bit stressed: I’ve told myself for the past few years that “No one will watch me if I just make ‘good enough’. Good enough is not good enough.” I still stand by this, my channel is built on my technical skill as an editor and on a lot of the creative summarization and writing. So, it hurts to fail, it represents a lot of time for me.
I’m going to go dark for a while and no longer get excited and jump the gun on video announcements publicly. But, I am going to keep you guys in the loop for whatever I am doing. I’ve learned my lesson when it comes to hyping my audience, and I should only stick to it when my videos are near release.
Before this video, I had been working approximately 10 hour days with about a day off every single week. This video jumped it up to 11 hours of work a day. And last night, I found myself scrambling for 12 hours to try and remake the intro and get enough done to make it presentable. I didn’t get enough sleep, and I haven’t for a week. I haven’t really played video games I didn’t record, or spent time with my friends for a few months. On a personal level, I would appreciate it if you could all understand that I also need to give it up because the effort of trying to polish a bad premise is hurting me physically, and for very poor results.
I just hope this next video can do well and come out sooner rather than later. That is all.
Comments
Uriel
I don't think anyone here has a problem with that. Art takes time and occasional failure, and if you stop failing then you've stopped improving. Good on you for taking a break, there is no amount of time that a new video will not be worth waiting for.
EpicallyFail
If there is something I've learned from being an engineer for several decades -- no matter who tells you otherwise, if you aren't both happy and healthy while doing your work, the end result will be a reflection of how unhappy and unhealthy you were. Take your time, focus on your well-being, and pick shit that both works for you and makes you happy to do. Go ahead, we'll wait as long as it takes. Continue doing well!
Grant Willard
I’d be happy with whatever you make man, even if the video is scrapped, everyone here has said it best when we say that we want you to be happy with the work you produce.
Scezumin
Take care of yourself! We love when you make games we love, but if you're turning it purely into a grind, you'll eventually burn out. Play some games you love, too, no video required! Take a (paid) vacation, I ain't unsubscribin'!
Nick Haines
Hey man, I support you no matter what. Your content is such a good time to ride through I'm willing to wait a couple months until you get into your groove. You'll still get my view & watchtime no matter the video, and I'll enjoy it too. Your personal touches to the videos is why I stick around :)
Lagomorph Abyss
I know everyone else has already said it better but we can wait. We'd all rather have you be happy and make passionate work than burn yourself out and have to quit. Seriously, as someone who suffered from burnout in the past, take a break. You can't do great work if you're exhausted.
AkieraAverageGamer
I can at least personally say I've never taken issue with the idea of you slowing down to give yourself a more appropriate work life balance, and I'd certainly not want you to agonize over a project you don't think you can deliver a high enough quality on. Go where your inspiration leads you, man. Wife and I subscribed to this Patreon because the videos you do eventually make are amazing and we watch them a lot. We don't need, nor want you to work yourself into a burnt out husk for this stuff. Go about your art in healthy ways where you can still interact with friends/family, have regular downtime to recharge, and have a normal sleep schedule. I am certain that the quality of your work will not diminish if you make sure to take care of your mental health. It might be a bit slower, but I'm sure a fair number of your supporters would accept fewer videos that are of high quality and that you're proud of as opposed to you repeatedly grinding yourself into exhaustion until you drop YouTube altogether due to the stress.
Ben Morrow
I do appreciate the lengthy explanation, it’s always helpful, but seriously dude just take my money and fuck around till you make something you’re happy with. You do incredible work and I don’t give a shit if it takes a while.
Dillin Temple
It's a real kick in the teeth when something doesn't pan out, especially after bending over backwards, and breaking yourself trying to change it. I think I speak for everyone when I say we care about You, and we're happy when you turn out anything. Take it easy, we'll still be here.
Scott Woods
It sucks that this project knocked you around a lot this time. You've been making great content for a while and if you need a break I think no one here would disagree with the idea of you taking a bit of time off. However, that being said, I have noticed a couple of things in patron that the youtube channel doesn't see. Please take this as open criticism and not a personal attack. I am a patron because I genuinely love what you do. I think you worry to much about YouTube itself. Ya the beast of YouTube can be fickle and your numbers will fluctuate and it is rough to see because it is your livelihood. Yet, I feel from looking behind the scenes at your reports it takes a toll on you. When was the last time you didn't pay attention to the youtube numbers and made a video because it was fun? One of my favorite videos of yours is the Devil May Cry 5 video. I can't tell you how many times I go back and watch it. What was your mindset back then? Where you chasing an algorithm? I personally didn't find you via the YouTube suggestion. I found you through my friends suggesting you too me. I have watched every video on your channel and have rewatched thing many times. I don't just throw what little money I do have around willy nilly. TL;DR is that you should worry less about the algorithm and more about having fun on projects. People genuinely like your content because it's fun and funny. They will share it around and those people will become new fans. So please enjoy some well deserved time off, refresh, and we will be here when you get back. I hope this come across as helpful. Have a good day Max0r.
Would genuinely kill for more of this video but I understand I've become addicted to your editing and the released product might not be up to your personal standard. You deserve a break after the back to back bangers you've been releasing.
Domex 39
My editor in Christ, if you were to take the next 6 months off entirely work free, I hope no-one would give you shit cuz you have earned it and more, so go and rest that big brain and we shall enjoy the goldmine of content we already have.
