Update about my channels and plans (01/2024)

As January comes to an end, it's time for me to renew my financial commitment to my channels. Currently, my main expense is the Streamlabs Ultra subscription, which allows me to simultaneously stream on Twitch and YouTube. Additionally, I have Twitch Prime, which extends the Twitch archive to two months instead of one.

I've decided to stick with Streamlabs for another year, hoping that this year will be significant. Of course, it depends on how well I can manage my time to produce content that is not only entertaining but also has some deeper value.

Streaming my gameplay is the easiest part to maintain because it doesn't require extensive work or screen refinement. However, I've noticed a few issues when watching recordings of my streams, particularly with the webcam and microphone. During my last stream, I believe I resolved the problem with the freezing or glitchy webcam. Somehow, Streamlabs was causing this issue, although it hadn't been a problem before. As an alternative, I tried using Logitech Capture window as an overlay, and that seems to work well.

I still need to test the microphone further. It's not comfortable for me to stay in one position, especially during long streams. As I move around in my chair while streaming, the distance between my mouth and the microphone varies a bit. I've also noticed that my volume and clarity of speech fluctuate during my stream sessions. Since my microphone is sensitive and can pick up any sound, I've set up a noise gate that sometimes cuts off my voice or doesn't capture it properly. The solution is to practice speaking loudly and clearly all the time, but it may take me a while to master.

Over the years, I've gone through different gaming periods, playing several games, including some older ones that I don't play as much anymore. "ARK: Survival Evolved" is one of those games. Although "ARK: Survival Ascended" was released, I haven't started playing it extensively yet. Currently, I'm still keeping my bases in the old ARK on one server cluster, but their future is uncertain as those servers may be shut down eventually. It's unlikely that I will create any new content from this game.

A year ago, I decided to stop playing "World of Warships" due to how the developer employs psychological strategies to compel players to spend more time and money on the game, despite it being free to play. There's too much fear of missing out (FOMO) in that game for me. I already deal with enough FOMO from my day trading activities. Therefore, I've abandoned all my progress in that game and will invest my time in other things.

Currently, there are three games I plan to continue playing and streaming: "Workers & Resources: Soviet Republic," "Timberborn," and "Way of the Hunter." I've recently streamed "Timberborn" as a testing ground, as I don't have to worry about hardware limitations when playing through Nvidia GeForce Now. Unfortunately, I can't use the same method for "Workers & Resources" due to the extensive time required to download all the mods, and they need to be re-downloaded after each crash. I've had one stream of me playing "Way of the Hunter," and I hope to have more in the future. Compared to "theHunter: Call of the Wild," this hunting game involves long-term planning.

Streaming games is just part of my plans. I also want to create other kinds of content. I have an ideological storyline for "Hurmania," which I would like to expand on through a series of blog posts. I could do something similar with "Timberborn," using it as a testing ground. It's much easier to review footage from that series and prepare texts and pictures, unlike the deep dive required for my "Hurmania" series. However, that will come later, and it can gradually be extended over time, potentially becoming a book.

But my channels won't only focus on streaming games. I want to expand on YouTube under my DJ 4Z brand. I aim to explore AI-generated content and the practical use of AI for content creation and daily activities. I believe we are still in the early stages of this technology, and there's a lot to discover and learn. I'm currently in the process of figuring out how to do it. Since we can't avoid this technology, it's better to adapt to the challenges it brings and learn to use it to our advantage. This means that besides streaming gameplay, my content may also include videos about AI and not just games.

The choice of what to watch or read from my content is up to you. Feel free to provide constructive feedback, as it helps me build up my channels and improve the content's quality. There has been minimal progress on my channels over the past few years because I pursue this as a hobby for my own entertainment in my free time. I would prefer to maintain that framework, but I also want to address AI-related issues while maintaining my personal perspective.

I believe there is some value in that, which fits perfectly into my DJ 4Z brand. Some may assume that DJ stands for Disc Jockey, and to some extent, that's correct since I used to be a DJ many years ago. However, in my brand, DJ stands for Digital Journey, as I've been on my own digital journey for decades now. Creating a comprehensive strategy to engage with a broader audience isn't easy, but I believe I will find a way. There are no excuses, but time limitations do exist, so all the progress depends on how well I overcome challenges. Drawing a parallel to the process of building a Republic in "Workers & Resources," there's great potential for growth, but in the beginning, you have to start small and limited. Over time, things accumulate, and the Republic (or in this case, YouTube channel) expands. It's a slow and small start, but there will be long-term growth.

I want to thank everyone for supporting my channels. Every follower or subscriber is valuable. I also appreciate your comments and engagement in chats. A special thanks to those who have financially supported my channels over the years, even if it hasn't been much. Every cent counts.

Forzion (DJ 4Z)