Alzrius
The EN World kitten
That's clearly what I'm missing then - once you put out the EN Podcast, I'll make sure to pick up a dog and an iPhone so I can have the best listening experience.
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Would you listen to an official EN World podcast?
- Thread starter Morrus
- Start date
That's clearly what I'm missing then - once you put out the EN Podcast, I'll make sure to pick up a dog and an iPhone so I can have the best listening experience.
Entertainment: I would listen for entertainment (presuming it entertained - everyone's opinion of entertaining is different, I recognize that, and so you can't please everyone no matter what you try to do for entertainment).
Interviews: I like little backround insights/commentaries that people were thinking when they did stuff (as an example if you have DDI, some of the more recent previews had little commentary sidebars as to why they did certain things. odd as it sounds, that sort of stuff interested me and gave me a little more appreciation for the effort that went in to it and for what it was). But interviews that just turn in to "this is an advertisment desribed as an interview" ... yeah, that doesn't do much for me- while I doubt that's ever the goal, sometimes they turn in to that.
News: I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to news related items (i read more than enough of that already here on ENWorld's main page and such), however, if it was a little segment during an otherwise entertaining podcast, then sure.
BUT that goes with the caveat -- I might download it and then not get around to hearing it for a couple days or a week. By then, I would have already ready news you would be reporting, thus (admitedly) my interest / attention would fade at that point. So relavence/longevity of news might be something to consider when choosing the news you include.
Game sessions: I'm not a fan of them. it only helps if the people themselves are entertaining or otherwise people i know. otherwise, they don't do much for me.
So, bottom line... at the very least, i would listen to the first 2-3 to see if it is something I would listen to regularly.
(at least those are my scattered and immediate thoughts on the topic right now)
Interviews: I like little backround insights/commentaries that people were thinking when they did stuff (as an example if you have DDI, some of the more recent previews had little commentary sidebars as to why they did certain things. odd as it sounds, that sort of stuff interested me and gave me a little more appreciation for the effort that went in to it and for what it was). But interviews that just turn in to "this is an advertisment desribed as an interview" ... yeah, that doesn't do much for me- while I doubt that's ever the goal, sometimes they turn in to that.
News: I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to news related items (i read more than enough of that already here on ENWorld's main page and such), however, if it was a little segment during an otherwise entertaining podcast, then sure.
BUT that goes with the caveat -- I might download it and then not get around to hearing it for a couple days or a week. By then, I would have already ready news you would be reporting, thus (admitedly) my interest / attention would fade at that point. So relavence/longevity of news might be something to consider when choosing the news you include.
Game sessions: I'm not a fan of them. it only helps if the people themselves are entertaining or otherwise people i know. otherwise, they don't do much for me.
So, bottom line... at the very least, i would listen to the first 2-3 to see if it is something I would listen to regularly.
(at least those are my scattered and immediate thoughts on the topic right now)
Just a warning, podcasts seem like a simple thing to setup but they're anything but. Another website I frequent has a regular podcast and they muddled through months and months of learning curve, producing very crappy quality podcasts until they finally felt the only way they could produce anything decent was to buy $6,000 worth of gear and hire out a soundproof studio which costs another $1,000 a month.
From my understanding of their process, they had to spend that much because recording sound is a difficult and odd experience. Having any old nasty recorder in any old room just doesn't suffice for a podcast.
*shrug* YMMV but their podcast went from barely legible conversations full of background noise and static to crisp and clear discussions.
From my understanding of their process, they had to spend that much because recording sound is a difficult and odd experience. Having any old nasty recorder in any old room just doesn't suffice for a podcast.
*shrug* YMMV but their podcast went from barely legible conversations full of background noise and static to crisp and clear discussions.
Jack7
First Post
Me personally, I've been listening to Byzantine chant and such off the OCN network by podcasts lately. Takes me forever to download them as we live so far out all we have at the moment is dial-up (looking to fix that with Hughesnet soon). But to my surprise I find I like some podcasts.
As for content it seems to me that it might do best if it mixed humor with serious content. But less humor than serious content.
Something I used to really enjoy listening to were old radio show broadcasts.
So I'm gonna suggest some possibilities.
1. A serious discussion on original content. Not book readings which everybody can do for themselves, but a sort of topical discussion on original subject matter.
2. Some comedy. Maybe some skits - as you've already alluded to.
3. A serial. Like an old style radio-play or broadcast. Something that tries to use sound to elicit the others senses (I've always liked the idea of using one sense to trigger another), and to spur on the imagination. It wouldn't have to be long, but it would be on-going. When ya finish one serial you could go onto another. I'd also use sound effects and music.
4. Some really good product, book, media reviews.
5. Some miscellaneous content.
6. A little bit of news.
I'd listen if it were interesting. But to me it'd hav'ta be original. Something I couldn't get elsewhere or in another form of media.
As for content it seems to me that it might do best if it mixed humor with serious content. But less humor than serious content.
Something I used to really enjoy listening to were old radio show broadcasts.
So I'm gonna suggest some possibilities.
1. A serious discussion on original content. Not book readings which everybody can do for themselves, but a sort of topical discussion on original subject matter.
2. Some comedy. Maybe some skits - as you've already alluded to.
3. A serial. Like an old style radio-play or broadcast. Something that tries to use sound to elicit the others senses (I've always liked the idea of using one sense to trigger another), and to spur on the imagination. It wouldn't have to be long, but it would be on-going. When ya finish one serial you could go onto another. I'd also use sound effects and music.
4. Some really good product, book, media reviews.
5. Some miscellaneous content.
6. A little bit of news.
I'd listen if it were interesting. But to me it'd hav'ta be original. Something I couldn't get elsewhere or in another form of media.
darjr
I crit!
Funny you should mention that, because guess who I'm talking to about producing this very show?
err what?
Now you've gone and done it. AFAIAC you HAVE to produce this.
Who do I have to DM for?
Dragonhelm
Knight of Solamnia
Morrus, I work as Chief Operator at a local community radio station here in Kansas City, and I've worked on a couple of podcasts in my time. If you need any help, let me know.
Let me say up front that I believe that a good quality production is key. For an example of what I'm talking about, listen to Slice of SciFi sometime. That's one of the best-produced podcasts out there.
I listen to a lot of RPG podcasts, and there are some that could be better. WotC's D&D podcast should be the best one out there, but it's a far cry from it. Their audio levels are not even, and it sounds like they have everyone use the same mic. It doesn't work that way. Then there are shows like the Tome Show, where you have excessive pauses. Pacing is key to keeping your audience coming back. If you have long pauses, people won't listen. (Not trying to pick any any one podcast, just pointing out various mistakes I see out there from time to time.)
Half an hour is a good time. Don't go any longer than an hour. I like the Dragon's Landing Inn podcast, but they go long and I can't do two hours.
As for networks, the War Pig Radio guys are a good bet, especially being tied to Fear the Boot, but I'd also recommend talking to Farpoint Media, the guys behind Slice of SciFi and Dragon Page. The Dragonlance Canticle is part of their network. It would give you a lot of exposure.
You can get by with a $75 mic, Audacity (free), Levelator (free), Skype (free), and $25 for the Pamela add-on for Skype. It may not be quite up to broadcast quality, but it can produce a fairly decent sound.
As for all the soundproofing, that's good and what not, but on a budget, you can do something like what podcast author Scott Sigler did and record in a clothes closet. By doing so, the clothes on the hangers function as soundproofing.
And no, you don't need to buy a $10,000 - $15,000 audio board. Those are nice, true, but some good editing in Audacity will eliminate that cost.
So yes, you can podcast from your home on a budget. Just be aware of your audio levels, keep it tight, and you're good to go.
Best of luck!
Let me say up front that I believe that a good quality production is key. For an example of what I'm talking about, listen to Slice of SciFi sometime. That's one of the best-produced podcasts out there.
I listen to a lot of RPG podcasts, and there are some that could be better. WotC's D&D podcast should be the best one out there, but it's a far cry from it. Their audio levels are not even, and it sounds like they have everyone use the same mic. It doesn't work that way. Then there are shows like the Tome Show, where you have excessive pauses. Pacing is key to keeping your audience coming back. If you have long pauses, people won't listen. (Not trying to pick any any one podcast, just pointing out various mistakes I see out there from time to time.)
Half an hour is a good time. Don't go any longer than an hour. I like the Dragon's Landing Inn podcast, but they go long and I can't do two hours.
As for networks, the War Pig Radio guys are a good bet, especially being tied to Fear the Boot, but I'd also recommend talking to Farpoint Media, the guys behind Slice of SciFi and Dragon Page. The Dragonlance Canticle is part of their network. It would give you a lot of exposure.
You can get by with a $75 mic, Audacity (free), Levelator (free), Skype (free), and $25 for the Pamela add-on for Skype. It may not be quite up to broadcast quality, but it can produce a fairly decent sound.
As for all the soundproofing, that's good and what not, but on a budget, you can do something like what podcast author Scott Sigler did and record in a clothes closet. By doing so, the clothes on the hangers function as soundproofing.
And no, you don't need to buy a $10,000 - $15,000 audio board. Those are nice, true, but some good editing in Audacity will eliminate that cost.
So yes, you can podcast from your home on a budget. Just be aware of your audio levels, keep it tight, and you're good to go.
Best of luck!
Leatherhead
Possibly a Idiot.
I dislike podcasts for much of the same reasons I dislike Talk Radio.
Mustrum_Ridcully
Hero
You're such a sellout.err what?
Now you've gone and done it. AFAIAC you HAVE to produce this.
Consider me carefully interested. I'd probably check it out. Podcasts work well in the car or on the bike. Please be so entertaining that I want to ride my bike to work every day to get enough time listening to it.
