Advice for recording an actual play podcast?

[Henry]

En-un-ci-ate.

Make a test run before recording an actual session. Replay it in front of everyone. Then you can adjust the microphone(s) and berate the people who slur and mumble.

Best advice on the whole page, in my opinion. I've tried listening to many Live Play podcasts, and lack of being able to hear the players clearly is my number 2 pet peeve, and why I only listen to a very few.

My Greatest Pet Peeve? EDIT. Truncate. Skip to the good parts. I've seen some that record every blow-by-blow, including people rifling through papers, going to the bathroom, waiting for rules questions, YUCK!

If you want a good example, the Penny Arcade Podcasts and D&D Robot chicken writer podcasts are good examples of Live Play 'casts, which keep it fun and entertaining to listen to.

 

[Crothian]

Yes, edit. Actually this is the best advice I can giving anyone doing a podcast not just a actual play. As an ENnie Judge for many years we had to listen to lots of different podcasts episodes and I was amazed on how many did not edit.

 

[PaulofCthulhu]

If you want a good example, the Penny Arcade Podcasts and D&D Robot chicken writer podcasts are good examples of Live Play 'casts, which keep it fun and entertaining to listen to.

I think time, money and frequency play their parts in editing (or lack thereof).

The cited examples are of course produced professionally as company promotional materials.

Of course, it all comes down to the reasons you wish to record your games and put them on the net. There are many possible ones.

 

[Penthau]

Don't put the mic on the table where it picks up every little bump or tap on the table. Ask the players to stop playing with their dice for the entire game. I have started listening to some podcasts where you can barely hear anything other than someone drumming their fingers next to the mic and someone else shaking dice nonstop, but quickly stopped because of these unprofessional irritations.

 

[PaulofCthulhu]

If you want more advice, it may be worth a look over at RPGMP3 - Dungeon ON! - as that's what they specialise in.

 

[Kafen]

If you want more advice, it may be worth a look over at RPGMP3 - Dungeon ON! - as that's what they specialise in.

It's a large body of good information. I would place a disclaimer on all advice ( including our own ).

Disclaimer: All new pod casters should abide by their own hardware limits whatever 'good' advice they get on the web. You never know, the USB mic might be low quality on his system. He could have a 'noisy' hard drive or fan in the power circuit. The players might have voices that require him to enhance his audio in unique ways.

I think many people here could help him if hits any snags, though.