POLL: How are we doing? What do you want more of?

I love the long for documentaries, but absolutely understand the amount of effort for such a large project. You do you.

Alaskanwonder

Honestly think that everything's on track Danny :) Can't wait for the "major" doc which is coming soon. Additionally I'd like to praise the selection of the people you interviewed in Sessions. Exciting look at the views of people behind the smaller games. Cheers mate! :)

Piotr Kostecki

Very happy with the output. Would love to see a full-length documentary on the game-jam phenomena and crazy festivals like Amaze.

I've been a patron from the start but I've really only watched a couple of videos. I feel like there really isn't much here that interests me. I was hoping for behind the scenes videos of current development studios. For example, Treyarch, Sledgehammer, and Infinity Ward of the Call of Duty franchise. I'm a $3 a month patron and a lot of the content here says "For $5 patrons" or "For $10 patrons". All I can afford is $3 - a fraction of a drop in your $20,000 month bucket. I think I'll take my $3/month and give it to someone that appreciates it. Bye.

I think overall I’m really happy with the volume and diversity of content. I’d be pumped to see you keeping that pace for several years to come. Bonus level and BTS are awesome addition but I think I’d rather see you focus on finding more studios/games/topics to support longevity of the project and step up production quality within them, rather than stretching too thin

Tohir Tillyaev

welp, Patreon just ate my really long post I submitted without actually receiving it.

Kristopher

My first comment, given your last patron show post remarks. In response to your poll, I would prefer more content, not because what you are making is insufficient, but because I am greedy & always look forward to your next release. I've enjoyed & found everything interesting so far, even the Frog Fraction doc, which I knew nothing about prior. Apologies for my silence. Please accept my overwhelming positive vibes for all your past work, including prior to Noclip where I first started eagerly awaiting your content.

Dean Yamak

I love the Sessions stuff (that last one with Samantha Cook was great) so I'd be happy to see more of those and the Profiles like the one with Romero last year. As things are right now though I'm pretty content!

Matt K

I’m more than happy with the output so far Danny. I do have a ridiculous thing to say though, I would alter the font used on the sessions videos. I find it barely readable. Pretty good going though when that’s literally the only thing I can critique :)

Lee Brownhill

If focusing solely on medium to long form docs resulted in more docs, that’d be fine by me. A doc on Darkest Dungeon, developed by Red Hook Studios, would be cool. From Kickstarter, through first major expansion, to upcoming second major expansion. Eventually releasing on all major platforms. I think it’d make a nice medium length doc with great art and music. Maybe even a few custom voice overs from Wayne June. Could be cool. Also, I second that a doc on the Legacy of Kain series could be cool, but since the series is pretty much defunct, it could be difficult rounding up the major contributors.

Clay A Binkley

Overwhelmingly satisfied with both the quality and quantity of content. I'd find it interesting to have a few more deep dives into specific roles or subsets of the industry. The recent look at accessibility was a good example, as was the more in-depth exploration of the process to soundtrack a game with Mick Gordon.

Conor Buller

I'd like an insight into the crafting of cult classics. A personal favourite would be to see something on the making of Guardian Heroes (Sega Saturn exclusive) by Treasure.

You are doing yeoman's work. More than happy with the output thus far. With that being said, I definitely wouldn't say no to a lil' more editorial. Excited to see how it shakes out, whatever the case. (P.S - Welcome to Canada, eh?)

lifeinhifi

Voted for the last option and generally feel that I rather have you do the content you want and enjoy making than what I might or might not want to see. Because I've already gotten the best documentaries I could ever hope for (Witcher and FFXIV) and everything that's coming is just added bonus ;)

Hey Danny - I love what you are doing right now. I absolutely love editorial content so that's what I voted for. But don't feel pushed to do anything you are doing great as is. I'm a happy patreon.

Stef

Hi Danny - I have a comment on the podcast side. Personally I tend to listen to podcasts a lot, and I'd love if you guys posted more audio versions of the videos there more regularly. Some series seem to fit well - Extended Interviews work, and Sessions too. Would be great to know that for certain types of videos, podcast versions would go up around the same time for every video posted. I think you may have mentioned this means a chunk more editing work for you guys - maybe worth putting this out wider to see if there's broad interest for this.

Patrick Hanlan

Loving everything Danny, just keep it up and keep yourself sane doing it <3

Really can't ask for anything more as what I get is exemplary.

The Mighty Pipe

Will there by space for, if possible, a documentary regarding the Legacy of Kain series?

I know this isn't strictly Noclip, but it's related due to some overlap: I *love* Danny's Disk Club stuff. Otherwise, as far as strict Noclip content, I would like to see more exploration of sound and music design in games. Your long, unedited interview with Mike Ault of Psyonix is fantastic.

Matthew LaMar

Happy enough with what we've gotten so far. Just do what you feel like or what's working best for you really.

Shapey Fiend

The current level of content I think is great. You keep it up to a very high quality and that's something to be proud of. I don't personally find myself ever thinking there isn't enough stuff to watch on the channel. That and i know that when something does go up, it's done at a very high standard so i'm always looking forward to it. Keep it up ! Stoked to hear about Warframe.

kyle disanjh

I've never at any point felt like there's a dearth of content, so don't go wrecking that work-life balance just to make more. Besides, you just announced Bonus Level! I'd rather see you focus on getting Bonus Level comfortably integrated into the production pipeline than see you stretched thin to get out a few more new series. This feels like a question to come back to and consider after Bonus Level has become a second nature part of your process and is on "farm status," so to speak.

Oh, and if there's any way you can do PAX South 2019 in some kind of fashion, that would be great. That convention is seriously lacking any kind of draw. Every year, it seems more big personalities and developers are shying away from making the trip. Everything is local to Texas, and the panels are lacking. I know this probably isn't the place to voice my disappointment or concern, but I wish more devs, publishers, and media would make the trip. I think that the way things are going, PAX South won't last much longer. I don't mind there not being big publishers, but I'd like to see better panels and personalities. Maybe, organizers should entice even more indie publishers outside of Texas to make the trip, and the can rename it PAX Indie. Sorry I continue to be off-topic, but this subject would also be interesting- convention organization (successes and failures) and whatnot.

ColonelWEKurtz

How I voted: Generally content. Why: Of the other three options, I feel you already fill the need (but I'm just one person, so I know others feel differently.) For Behind the Scenes, I feel maybe it's the one area you could put more out of, but outside of filming NoClip setting up the interview location and banter with interviewees, I don't think there's much more you can do from what you are doing/have done already. I feel like the Sessions videos are regular and numerous enough not to warrant even more of that style, but again, that's just my current perception of where you stand with that form of content. Finally, since you are just starting Bonus Level, I feel it might be a better idea to get a couple of those out of the way (Formatting, length, etc.) and see how they do. It seems like muddying the message with ANOTHER set of editorial videos on top of Bonus Level. Again, I feel like Bonus Level, Sessions, Profiles, BTS, and the Patron show, all in conjunction with the main focus being the primary docs themselves, offer a nice array of video types of equal high quality NoClip produces. If you do take on more videos, I hope you can find the time to wedge them in (Just not the weekends per what you said during the last Patron show ;-) ) Have a great time in Canada and I can't wait for the story on Warframe!

Brandon K Gann

I am a sucker for video game documentaries, which is why I am supporting Noclip. I have bounced off some of the episodes like Horizon Zero Dawn because the game doesn't appeal to me; Also, there weren't any personalities that stood out. A lot of what I watched seemed to be standard game development stuff. Though it was well-produced, I didn't find it wholly compelling. That's why I am looking forward to your new series, Bonus Level, which will cover broader topics. I hope one day you can produce a feature-length documentary about a compelling video game topic. Could you somehow get access to the business dealings of the video game industry? Exclusivity rights, advertising, promotions, conventions, game pitches, investors, production decisions (physical/digital?), what happens when a game bombs? The lives of game devs, studios being shuttered, crunch time, switching jobs/projects. A real dirty behind the scenes on the business of the video game industry. What I was thinking was a candid (perhaps, confidential) look at who calls the shots, how they call the shots and why, and their impact. I know it would be hard to do since a lot of stuff is hush-hush, NDAs and all that...But, maybe you can make it happen, as long as you don't release anything until NDAs are expired. In any case, I'm glad I'm supporting Noclip.

ColonelWEKurtz

What I signed up for was the documentaries so if thats all I get, I'm a ok with that. But I also value your editorial talent and opinion. Just don't push yourself too far trying to do more than you can handle! Trust ya man keep up the good work! Its so valuable.

Kevin O'Neil

You're doing an absolutely awesome job mate. I voted for more behind the scenes stuff (but am totally content with the current output) as I'd love to see more of the stuff that happens during production, prototypes, art tests, failed experiments, iterations, this stuff is fascinating and is part of the huge gap between developers and gamers that Noclip could help bridge. Warframe is such a good pick because mainstream games media basically isn't covering it at all.

Steve Dennis

Really looking forward to Bonus Level! I have been a patron since the beginning and honestly thought NoClip was just going to be The Point-like videos lol happy to have been wrong about this as the documentaries have been phenomenal. That said, the one thing the docs lack is your personality stamp on them. This makes sense as you rightfully make the doc be all about the studio and the people who work there. That's why Bonus Level will be a nice complement to the docs as it will have everything that made The Point great - your personality, insight and slick editing. Ultimately though, you should focus on what makes you happy rather than fit in too much content that becomes overwhelming. Looking forward to the Warframe doc, and do a Patron meet up in Toronto!

I've said it before- anything on Team Ico would be brilliant!

Ben Williams

Been supporting you from the start and will continue to do so becuase the content you get out is very good. I love the different types of content as well and think you should stay with a mix.

Magnus Tegnvallius

I'm really happy with the content and the way we can enjoy these shorter slices between the bigger projects. It's a great balance Danny and works really well! I'm not at all surprised the majority agree with the 'just keep doing what your doing' stance. The fact you are now introducing something akin to your GS baby: The Point means it's every box ticked from where I'm sitting! Thanks for asking for our opinion all the same.

Ben Williams

I feel it's a good mix right now.

Hassun

You’re Doom doc brought me to the channel and I have loved the content you’ve produced since then. It would be great if you could do something with Machinegames next. Your Gurilla Games doc about Horizon Zero Dawn was fantastic. I was worried about spoilers but nothing was ruined. Keep up the great work!

ernest leitch

I am wholly satisfied with the actual production but if I could be a little selfish here, I'd love to see more stuff on Japanese games. The FFXIV is maybe still my favorite series of videos that have been made, I love how there was a voice to many participants, and how just mind boggling the history of that game is, and I've never even played it ! I think that with the remake of Shadow of the Colossus, many would love to see something about Team ICO. I have worked in the industry in Japan and know how tough of a shell it can be to breach and get time and footage and content. But since the team is know independent from Sony, there may be a chance. It would be great to see you guys dig up older titles, as most of what's been done has been fairly recent. But I totally trust your instinct, and also look forward to being surprised and discover things outside of my comfort zone.

I really like the quality and the consistency of the content. There was just no doc where I thought it been done in a rush or without the same enthusiasm as before. I hope you can keep it up like this. Content wise there were a few docs that weren't my ballpark but that's just personal taste and preference. I really enjoy the parts or docs about video game music and sound design because that's just content you can't find that often or in this quality . I'd love to see a doc about Destinys development and current problems. Even though Jason Schreier did a pretty good job in his book portraying the development, seeing it as a doc would be really exciting, but I guess it's much to fresh to get corporate people to talk about it. And for the far future I'd like to see a doc about the entire current console generation, Microsofts beginning struggle, mid-gen refreshes, DLC and lootbox and other fiascos. I think there were a lot of things this console generation that were odd, beginning with the fact that everyone said that consoles were to die out.

Nikolas L.

I’m pretty content with how things are going right now (and it seems most people are too) so don’t feel too much pressure. But I voted for more BTS mostly so I could clarify it in the comments. I really mean more BTS focused on the production side of things than more BTS in general since I know that’s the whole reason Esteban was brought on. I love watching in depth stuff on production workflows and nerding out, being a video producer myself and all haha. But overall I’m very happy with what Noclip is doing and I trust you to take it to whatever new heights you see fit. Your track record speaks for itself :P

I love the mixture of short and long form stuff. Short is great for dipping into, but I really like a longer video too, which I can watch like a TV show. This channel is the closest I've seen to something that could be shown on TV, which for me is the best thing about it. Such good quality content with professional production values.

Andy Latham

Trust your vision Danny! You’re doing a great job.

I would really, reaaaaally like the option to download the videos in higher quality than YouTube offers. The compression is horrible, especially on clips with lots of rapid movement.

Shorter more compact is better. I like the long form videos, but if it's longer then 10 or 20 min I have to actively set aside time to watch said videos. Two jobs + a touch of ADD = limited time.

Nick Grugin

I'm happy with your current output (and in fact haven't even had a chance to watch most of the stuff from January). Keep up the great work, Danny.

William Heathcote

I am becoming afraid that too much time is being spent worried about what we think. We are idiots. We can't create like this. We don't have the contacts or contexts to know if there is a good story to be had. Make the content you are compelled to create and share. You can't make us all happy, but you can make us unhappy. We will vote with our views and our cash. Not everything will be a win but it doesn't have to be. In many cases these stories would be lost if you didn't share them. Losing them would be a shame. We are idiots. Don't trust what we say. Trust your vision.

Danny! To this day, my favourite content you've ever made was the Escape from Mount Stupid video you made on Sensible Software - a game studio I had never heard of before but which you obviously were passionate and knowledgeable about. To be honest, I haven't been as interested in your content on Final Fantasy and Witcher because, believe it or not, I've never really played those games - but then again, I'd never played Sensible Soccer either. So, if you forced me to explain what drew me to the latter but not the former, my honest answer would be I found the story of how an underdog game studio made a hidden gem of a game more interesting than a behind-the-scenes series on a bigger, Triple-A or just generally more mainstream franchise. (Not that those aren't also good, though!) Also, if I could offer a humble tip which I'm sure you've already heard and know, but which I learned from the professor teaching my documentary class when I was in broadcasting school, it's that documentaries shouldn't just be about a topic that's interesting (as I and most of the students assumed and wanted to go do), but they should be about an interesting story, i.e. one with characters, conflict, and a beginning, middle and end. I would highly encourage you to branch out and find the stories about the rise and fall of hidden gems from the past like Sensible Software, rather than just exploring the behind-the-scenes worlds of game studios today. But, that's just my humble two cents. Keep up the great work! I continue to be happy to support it!

William Molls

Also, can you go ask Blizzard about their titan project that became Overwatch? There's a story there for sure!

Generally happy with the content provided, all being excellent quality. One thing that does come to mind is that it'd be good to have more of a heads up for questions for the Patron Show. Doing it on the day doesn't always give me, and I imagine others, the chance to think of a question and/or post it. Might just be me. Other than that I find the Sessions to be really interesting and hope they continue too

I think I find all the "Behind the Scenes" stuff extremely insightful. The little video clips you show of just the devs working in the studio while they're rigging some models or animating a cutscene are all so fantastic. This was really well done in the Witcher and Horizon documentaries. It really gives a different life to the game and tells you what goes on inside the minds of the brilliant, creative people who made these stellar games.

Great stuff, I enjoy the long documentaries the most.

First, thanks for reading my question for q&a. Similar comment to evan. I'm happy with the docs, but I'm so geeked for the bonus level I checked that. Behind the scenes would be fun, but only if it was you guys horsing around. If it's just walking down the street or setting up cameras, don't waste your time filming it. Keep rocking the content, Danny.

Generally happy with the amount of content. I'm finding though that the content I'm enjoying most are the doc's that tell a story. I felt the Witcher doc's weren't as compelling as other content as they seemed a bit more just behind the scenes of different aspects of the games design/development. Whereas, the FFXIV doc, the Horizon doc, and the Player Unknown feature all told more of a cohesive story which worked better for me. EDIT: Everyone does behind the scenes, I can go to devs directly for that. Nobody is telling stories well, other than you.

I've really been very happy with the content you've put out so far, but I'd love to see more broadly themed pieces on games/the industry in general because there have been one or two episodes recently that I've skipped due to simply not being a fan of the games you've covered (the Witcher, Final Fantasy etc…). Obviously that's just my personal preference and you can't possibly hope to please everybody, but I'm really looking forward to this upcoming "Bonus Level" thing! :-)

i put "I'm Generally Content With The Current Production Output". of course id always love more of Noclip and Mr. O'Dwyer, but i've been quite content with the amount of content. always feels like a big event when a new doc drops.

Evan Pilnick

Feel free to leave feedback in the comments too. The more info we have the better, thanks so much!

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