Video Themes and Frustrations
So earlier this year, I came up with the idea to do themed Twitch streams and YouTube videos in an effort to start clearing my backlog. I came up with four ideas:
Project Soulsborne - meant to be a mockery of ‘Project 2025’ as getting through these games will be a major project for me. At the time of this writing I’ve managed to finish one game in this series (Dark Souls) and reach the final boss of another (Bloodborne). I’m currently mucking my way through Dark Souls 2 and don’t like it as much as the first.
Mt. RPG - because I have a literal mountain of these games to finish all while buying more and more of them as they are released or go on sale.
The Metroidvania Anthology - I do enjoy a good Metroidvania as long as its done well. Some of these games though, I’ve played and did not enjoy in the least. It’s still a working title though, I just settled on Metroidvania Anthology because I thought it sounded cool, and because an anthology is a series of stories loosely connected somehow (since these types of games share some similar DNA, I know that’s a bit reaching, but still…)
The Roguelike Abyss - because these games are hit or miss with me. They either suck me in and I’ll play them nonstop (Hades, Risk of Rain) or I’ll play them and bounce because I wasn’t a fan (Risk of Rain 2, Windbound). Again, the title is a work in progress and may change if I can come up with something better.
Then a few weeks after I came up with those, I had more ideas:
Untitled Platforming Game Series - I do love to play platformers still, mostly 2D over 3D, so I thought I’d give these games some love too, I just don’t have a single idea on what to call this series.
Untitled Fighting Game Series - I have a small number of fighting games I like to play (SoulBlade/SoulCalibur, Star Gladiator) but I’m willing to branch out and try others (Tekken) so I might like to make streams and videos of this too.
So now that I have the basic ideas of what I wanted to do, then came the hard part of coming up with video intros for each of these. For whatever reason, Project Soulsborne just came to me pretty fast and loose. I wanted an old film reel with the projector sound effect in the background while the word ‘Project’ is typed out, then I wanted the Souls half of the Dark Souls logo to collide in the middle of the frame with the borne half of the Bloodborne logo with a “boom” sound effect when they touched. I made a few sketches of what I wanted it to look like and gave it to my video editor and he made my idea come to life:
As soon as I saw what he created I thought “That’s perfect!” and so I set off to come up with an idea for Mt RPG next. I came up with a couple sketches of what I wanted it to look like and this was what I came up with:
The idea is that, since I’m calling it Mt. RPG that I wanted the letters ‘RPG’ to be made of rock and in the shape of a mountain. The other idea was that the letters ‘RPG’ are coming out from a vanishing point with the undersides of the letters having a blue/purple aurora style of glow.
Jason, my best friend from high school, saw the first idea and wanted to do something with it and said he’d get back to me. That was over a month ago now (I think? What even is time?) and I don’t want to be a pushy bitch about it but I really would like to collaborate on these things since I don’t really have any artistic talents of my own besides maybe writing. I know that sometimes creativity comes in spurts or not at all and the creative process sometimes just can’t be rushed, but I wish I could find an animator to make this happen for me.
So then one day I had the bright stupid idea to use an A.I. image generator to try to get what I wanted, thanks to a little pop up in Bing on my phone.
I used the prompt “the letters 'RPG' together in the shape of a mountain” and these were the results:
While I don’t really hate these results, other than the obvious spelling error, I don’t particularly like them either? I don’t know, the first two just feel sterile and soulless. The third and fourth were actually the first two attempts at creating something with this “tool” and while I like those two the most, I’d much rather have something made by a person.
I really don’t want to use a lot of (or any, really) A.I. generated “art” anywhere on my blog, my Twitch or in my YouTube videos, but if I can’t get people to work with me and collaborate then I guess I might. Plus my indecisive ass is never going to settle on where to put the ‘Mt.’ part of the title or even what font to use. My second attempt with the prompt “an animation where the letters 'RPG' come swooping in from the background with a one point perspective aurora in blue and purple under the letters” ended in complete and total failure.
Yeah no. Absolutely not. The ‘Mt. RPG’ fiasco was just the icing on the cake because, since I couldn’t come up with ideas for ‘Metroidvania Anthology’ or ‘Roguelike Abyss’ I decided to throw things at the A.I. image creators first and came back with mixed results:
Metroidvania Anthology
Some of these I liked the looks of, but ultimately I decided against all of them. I still want my art made my a person and not a machine. Also, they better hope that Nintendo doesn’t see any of this shit.
The prompts I used here were:
a video game background with the words ‘METROIDVANIA ANTHOLOGY’ in the foreground
a video game background with different power-ups and the words ‘METROIDVANIA ANTHOLOGY’ in the foreground
a cyberpunk and gothic style cityscape with the words ‘Metroidvania Anthology’ in the foreground in a stylish font
And since I couldn’t think of what I wanted the video intro to be, I decided to take a chance and as the A.I. what it should be and this was what I got:
For your Metroidvania Anthology video, you’ll want an introduction that captures the essence of the genre: exploration, progression, and interconnected worlds. Here’s an idea to get you started:
Opening Sequence:
1. Cinematic Reveal: Start with a dark screen and subtle ambient music. Slowly reveal a silhouette of a character (think of a figure resembling an explorer or a warrior in a cloak, but not a direct copy of any specific Metroidvania protagonist). This character steps into a mysterious world full of intricate platforms, secret doors, and forgotten ruins, capturing the essence of discovery and mystery.
2. Layered Gameplay Clips: Transition to clips from various iconic Metroidvania games, showcasing both exploration (finding hidden paths, defeating enemies) and unlocking new abilities (like double jumps, wall climbing, or new weapons). Layer these clips over a dynamic background that shifts between themes (caverns, forests, castles, etc.) to represent the variety of environments in the genre.
3. Text Animation: While the clips play, overlay text with phrases like:
○ "Explore"
○ "Unlock"
○ "Conquer"
○ "Discover new abilities"
○ "Unravel mysteries" The text can fade in and out, slowly guiding the viewer through the exciting journey of a Metroidvania game.
4. Iconic Music Build-Up: Introduce some subtle, iconic music (or a remix of a Metroidvania tune, if you're allowed), gradually building intensity as the intro progresses. The music could shift between calm and suspenseful as you move through the different stages of the intro.
5. Title Reveal: As the music peaks, show the video’s title "Metroidvania Anthology" in bold, sharp lettering that feels like a treasure to be uncovered. Maybe even animate the letters to look like they're forming from hidden energy or ancient ruins.
6. Fade to Black with Hook: End with a final dramatic moment where the character approaches a massive, looming structure or boss, symbolizing the adventure that awaits. Fade to black with a tagline like:
○ “A Journey Through Worlds Beyond…”
This intro will highlight the key elements of Metroidvania games, like exploration, progression, and mystery, while getting viewers excited for what's to come in the anthology!
While that all sounds fabulous, good luck finding someone willing to put something like that together for me. I might as well try to make that myself in Paint!
Roguelike Abyss
Since one of the core concepts (to me) for a Rougelike/Roguelite is the game is set in a maze, I wanted that to be featured somewhere, but ultimately I didn’t like any of these either.
The prompts I used here were:
a maze background with the words ‘ROGUELIKE ABYSS’ in the foreground
a video game inspired maze with the words ‘Roguelike Abyss’ in the foreground in a cyberpunk themed font
I asked the A.I. again for a video intro and this was what it gave me:
Creating an engaging video introduction is key to capturing your audience's attention. Here’s a concept for your "Roguelike Abyss" video introduction:
Video Introduction Concept: "Into the Abyss"
Opening Scene: Dark and Mysterious
• Visuals: Fade in from black to a dimly lit cave entrance, surrounded by twisted trees and glowing mushrooms. The camera slowly zooms in while eerie ambient sounds create an atmospheric tension.
• Text Overlay: "Welcome to the Abyss..."
Sound Design:
• Use deep, echoing sound effects and an ominous musical score that builds suspense.
Narration (low, mysterious voice):
• "In a world where every step could be your last, and every choice leads you deeper into the unknown..."
Transition: Quick cuts of chaotic gameplay scenes showcasing various aspects of the roguelike genre:
• Scenes: Characters battling monsters, navigating labyrinthine dungeons, dodging traps, and picking up unique items.
• Text Overlay: “Adventure,” “Danger,” “Unpredictability.”
Highlight Features:
• Brief clips of procedurally generated environments, diverse character classes, and variable loot systems.
• Text Overlay: "Endless Exploration" / "Dying is Just the Beginning"
Tone Shift:
• Start with dark tones and then shift into high energy as the gameplay highlights pick up speed.
Closing Scene:
• The camera pulls back from the last chaotic battle scene, revealing a vast, sprawling landscape of the game world.
• Text Overlay: "Are you brave enough to descend?" followed by the game logo "Roguelike Abyss".
Call to Action:
• A final prompt: “Join the adventure. Subscribe and dive into the Abyss.”
Sound Design:
• End with a powerful musical hit or crescendo as the screen goes black, leaving the audience with the feeling of excitement and curiosity.
This introduction sets a captivating tone for "Roguelike Abyss," highlighting the game’s key elements while inviting viewers into its thrilling world.
Fucking yikes. That all sounds even more elaborate and complicated than the first one!
At this stage, I’m just kind of at my wits end because what started as an exciting art project has turned into a problem for me and has since stalled because I don’t even know what I want for any but the first two ideas I came up with.
