ArloStuff
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Hey you!
🕑 Added 2017-07-20 02:29:26 +0000 UTCIt's been too long since I've done a blog, so here I am! Really though it doesn't feel like it's been that long. I've been working so much and life is going by so fast that it feels like I did the previous one last week. Oy.
I'm very happy that I was able to get everything on the agenda done except for my "E3 keeps getting better" video. Now I'm just going to skip it, as the opportunity to do it has passed, but it's no biggie. It was never a particularly important topic anyway, just something else that would be fun to cover. But apart from that one, not only did I complete everything I said I wanted to do in the last update, but I also got all of my E3-related stuff done! It was a heck of a thing being able to put so much into the event, and it really made it the most special E3 of my life thus far. It's always hard to wait for June to roll around, but after this one, it's going to be harder than EVER to wait for next year!
Anyway, what am I working on now? I'm glad you asked, my wonderful friends.
First I'm working on a video about Nintendo's release schedule when it comes to Zelda. Five years is a REALLY long time to wait for a game, so in this video I talk about how they should focus on making more asset-recycling sequels with shorter turnarounds, a la Majora's Mask. I talk about how that game was so great despite being in development for only a year, and basically just lay out a plan for a quicker--but just as high quality--Zelda. Specifically I talk about how a Breath of the Wild sequel could come as early as 2019 if Nintendo manages their time right. The script for this one is complete, and I was planning on releasing it before my Splatoon 2 review, but I wasn't able to get the time to shoot it and now there just isn't enough time to make it happen. It actually turned into a much bigger video than I originally intended, and I'm really proud of how the script has turned out. Every once in a while I'm writing and I sit back and go, "You know what? This is a good video." Sometimes I'm just particularly happy about the points I'm making and how I'm articulating them. The last time I felt this good about a video was "Switch: The Soft(ish) Launch." So I imagine that this one will come sometime after all the Splatoon stuff, but I can't tell you exactly when yet.
Speaking of Splatoon, that's what's next. There's a problem though: the game comes out on the 21st and it's probably going to take me at least a solid week to play it and make the review, and that's if things so smoothly (which they don't always do, obviously). I wanted to release a video well before the night of the 21st so that 1) I could push some last minute traffic to the shirt design finalists video and get some more votes, and 2) so I could keep up with my streak of releasing at least one video per week in order to please the Youtube gods. Since the "Zelda schedule" video became bigger than I thought it would and I won't be able to complete it in time, I decided that I'm going to do a first impressions video for Splatoon 2. I'll grab the game digitally on the night of release, which will only be 9pm here on the west coast, and I'll have a few hours to play the game and see what's up. Then the next day I'll shoot my first impressions and put them out as early as possible, and hopefully that will keep my average going and give the shirt contest just a little bit of love before the poll closes at midnight. Now, I'm not even sure if that many people are going to be into a first impressions video for Splatoon 2, seeing as they've been reading about it for ages already, and the actual reviews are out even as of this writing. BUT, this is something I've been wanting to experiment with for a while now, so I figured this was as good a time as any. Until I can start getting early review copies from Nintendo (I just applied for the Brand Ambassador program for the third or fourth time, so keep your fingers crossed) I need to find a way to get my thoughts out there faster so I'm not completely left in the dust by the rest of the world. So wish me luck here, as it's going to be a pretty intense day of playing and shooting and editing, and I'm just hoping I can make it happen successfully while the calendar is still firmly on July 21st.
So that's what the next few weeks look like. Unfortunately, oh look at that, it looks like I might be getting sick again. My throat burns and I'm getting a little stuffy, which usually means a cold is a pretty good bet, but the last few times I got this it just sort of lingered like this on the verge of a cold for a few days, then went away without going full-blown SICK. So I'm going to ask for your good thoughts/crossed fingers/wood knocking/etc. one more time, because getting sick would mess things up A LOT. It would mean a week or more without shooting anything, or shooting a bunch of videos with a stuffy nose and a weird-sounding voice. Neither of those sound very good to me, so here's hoping I can kick it. *eats more vitamin C tablets*
Now, you'll be happy (or possibly relieved in a half-annoyed way) to know that I've begun planning my Breath of the Wild review! For those of you who are just joining us, I'm planning on breaking the review up and turning it into a series so that I can give each aspect of the game all the time it deserves. I want to really indulge and go nuts on it. So I've written most of the introduction and I've started to plan out the individual parts. This is still VERY subject to change, but at the moment here are the parts that I'm thinking:
Introduction
Music, sound design and visuals
Story, Characters, and...that ending
Exploration and secrets
Combat and difficulty
Shrines and Dungeons
Physics interactions and “crafting”
Conclusion
This is just my first pass though, so I'm sure things will move around. Could end up being more individual parts, could end up being fewer. I'm just going to start writing in each category and see how long each one becomes, then combine and separate chunks as necessary. It feels great to finally start, though. I don't know when I'll finally be able to start full production, but when I do I'm hoping I can dedicate myself fully to the review until it's done.
Lastly, if you watched the shirt finalists video you'll know that I showed off five copies of the latest Nintendo Force magazine featuring an interview with yours truly that I'm planning on giving away to five of you amazing folks here on Patreon. In fact, a number of you are here BECAUSE of that, and while I'm on the subject, a warm hello and innumerable thanks to all my new patrons! If you are reading this, it means that you are awesome beyond measure. It doesn't matter if you pledged a dollar or twenty; you're helping me realize my dream and without you I really don't think I'd be able to put half the time into this channel as I do now. So take a bow and introduce yourself down in the comments! We always love to see new figurative faces around here! Anyway, I want to let the shirt contest finish up before picking magazine winners in case new people see the video and pledge before then, but right when it's done I'll post a blog and if you want to enter for a magazine, all you'll have to do is leave a comment.
Okay, I know I already said "lastly," but I just thought of something else I'd like to talk about. I'm working on a SUPER TOP SECRET project. Right now it's so early in the planning stages that I can't even tell you what it is. Especially since I need to finish my OTHER big project--you know, that whole Zelda review thing--before I even consider really getting into it. But I'll leave you with these tiny tidbits at the very least: it's something that I'm extremely, EXTREMELY excited about...and it's not even a video! Ooohhh what could it BE??? You'll have to wait and find out. Naturally though, once things start moving on it and I'm ready to start talking, you guys will be the first to know. In fact you'll be the ONLY ones to know for the majority of the project. I hope you can keep a secret! ;)
Anyway, thanks again to my new patrons, and you all have a wonderful day/week/year/forever!
Comments
Hi Arlo! New pateron here, I just wanted to comment and let you know how awesome I think your videos are. My favorites are the Gamer's Brief, I always find myself at least chuckling if not fully laughing out loud. I am super excited that you are working on the full blown BotW review! It has been my favorite video game of the last ten years by far. I'm very happy to support your channel and all the great things you're doing!
Arlo
Thanks for your support! Yeah, I really hope I can continue Arlo Plays someday. I really enjoyed it.
Hi Arlo. I don't know if you have any Asian fans or fans with Asian names, but I thought I would let you know that I'm the guy on Youtube with the Chinese name that comments frequently. Usually about Breath of the Wild or Paper Mario. I just watched your Splatoon video although I don't care about that game, just because I wanted to support you some more. I'm super excited for your BotW review series. I've been dying for that since you announced it a few months ago. Also, I hope you will go back to doing Let's Plays. I loved your Luigi's Mansion and Pikmin playthroughs and I watched Wind Waker too. Anything Zelda you ever wanna do, I'll be there liking and commenting. ^_^ Hope you feel better soon, always watching my feed for my favourite fuzzy Youtuber!
Keep up the good work arlo!
More than happy to add you to my growing list of creators I support on Patreon, my younger brother and I have loved your videos since we first stumbled upon your channel through a video on my recommendations list last year. Keep up the great work and we hope you keep finding success with your channel!
We love you Arlo!
Cetega
Having just finished Breath of the Wild recently, I'm quite interested in hearing your thoughts on pretty much all the categories you listed. Can't wait for the videos!
foot
This all sounds really cool! Sorry I don't have more input, never been great at commenting on long posts without writing a paragraph for every sentence. I'm glad to support you, even if it's only a dollar! Keep up the great work!
Arlo
I've actually kind of ignored the 2D games because I just don't know where they fit into things now, haha. Though I will say I'm really surprised the 3DS didn't get a followup to Link Between Worlds. I mean, it would have been perfect! Now with the Switch...who even knows. Maybe they'll surprise us and the 3DS still will.
Arlo
Thanks for the kind words!
Evan
I'm actually most interested in your Zelda release video, but I'm curious about how the second 2d Zelda team plays into it? So obviously Nintendo is finally merging their resources for the Switch, and for a long time there were two Zelda teams (one for handhelds Nintendo EAD, and one for consoles Nintendo EPD) with the critical and commercial success of Link Between Worlds I can't imagine that team takes a back seat now, and are likely hard at work at their next 2d Zelda project, also likely for the Switch. Do you think these things alternate every two years? I can't imagine a world where they give us A Link Between Worlds 2(or whatever) in 2018, with BotW still so fresh. But maybe 2019? Does that affect a second BotW like game?
Arlo I just want to say that your content, has much quality, and yet quantity. Hard for a channel, but you pull it off. Almost every video I see that pops up in my email, I watch instantly, because I know that you have incredible content. So even if sickness gets in the way, I have a bunch of Arlo videos I can rewatch. Although if you CAN manage to pull it off, then that would be great!! The idea for Splatoon 2 review is great for me since I am not going to be able to download it the day it comes out, just a couple days following it. But if there's an Arlo review about it, then the spirt of first Splatoon 2 player isn't as missing. Anyways I just hope you keep up the great work, and have an amazing day! P.S Congratz on Nintendo Force!
Looking forward to the upcoming vids! Can't wait to hear your thoughts on BoTW!
I hope the new project is an actual arlo podcast an hour of arlo once a week would be the shizznit
Zakanuva
Sounds like you've got a good game plan for reviewing BotW; best of luck to you, Arlo!
Lily Marie
I like the idea of resource recycling for a sequel to breath of the wild. I'm now REALLY looking forward to your video on that. Honestly, with game specs changing only slightly with each generation of consoles, it only makes sense to reuse than to start from scratch just for a different look. We could have SO MANY more new games if players didn't always demand something "different" while calling game designers lazy for reusing things. :P It is all about how you do things. If a game designer reuses something, makes it better, and focuses the attention they would have used on something else, then the game only improves.
Arlo
Actually I just decided the other day that something like that would be called Arlopalooza.
Arlo
If they asked me to do that I would literally die before I could report to work.
Wow, I can honestly say that I'm a bit shocked to hear that you're reviewing BOTW. It's just been so long since the release, I just thought you thought that you missed your window to make it, but I can definitely say that I am VERY excited that you finally are. Can't wait!!!
GwAll
Working on Something super secret... it's MP4 isn't it. They're finally going to get it completely right! Consulting Arlo on how to make this newest installment a triumph/masterpiece for fans of the series. Wow! Oh Nintendo your obtuse nature had me fooled. Now I know we are saved!
Austin
Let's hope I can manage to finish Breath of the Wild before another whole dang series comes out praising how great it is. As for the super secret project, I have already seen through your ruse and can't wait for ArloCon next year!
Robert Slaid
Keep up the awesome work. You always have great insights and even though I might always agree, you never fail to present them in such a way that I can nod my head and say, "I can totally see that side of it. Not how I see it, but that's cool." That Zelda video sounds really interesting, though I haven't finished the game yet, but I'm sure that you'll give us a heads up as far as spoilers go so I'm not worried. It would be really cool if Nintendo took so long with Breath of the Wild so they could have that engine built and use it for future installments. They could just update the engine as needed. It would save time, resources, and money. Even better, it would mean more Zelda for us. That can't be a bad thing. I am looking forward to your first impressions video for Splatoon 2. I remember, from your twitter, that you're bummed about the lack of bots. It took me a while to figure out what you meant, since you could play with friends and have random people fill in the blanks. Then, like the baseball that mysteriously kept getting bigger, it hit me. If you have a fewer than eight friends that are free to play, it would be nice to have the option to have either bots take the empty slots, or have the teams divided up evenly. Look forward to what you have in store. I know it's gonna be great. Stay awesome!
Raine Rudnick
I agree that Zelda's release schedule is a bit wonky, so that video really seems promising. I'm looking forward to everything else as well, especially the Splatoon 2 impressions; I'm always a sucker for more Sploon content
Keep up the great work! You make such great content that I believe is unmatched on YouTube.
