2021 in Review

Hello Patrons!  It's been a whole year since I started this Patreon and it has felt like 5.  Whether you are here from Morrowind, Battlefront 2, Harry Potter, Oblivion, or one of the stream series, I appreciate everyone who supported me in 2021.  As a review, in 2021 I did the following work:  

Dishonored 2
Battlefield 4
Oblivion Dungeon Overhaul (the mod and video)
Oblivion Stream Series
Battlefront 2
Harry Potter 1, 2, and 3
Metal Gear Survive (the one with Tetramorre)
Oblivion (the 12 hour one)
Red Dead Redemption 2
Skyrim Stream Series
Jedi Outcast and Academy  

Initially the goal was to have a side project out every month while I worked on the Oblivion video.  However, this fell apart in June.  That said, looking back, I'm still pretty proud of my work in 2021.  We averaged 80 minutes of video content per month.  That figure does not include streams or my recent podcasts, only the edited video work that I consider this Patreon as paying for.

As for engagement with my patrons, I personally think this could have been done better.  I'll endeavor this year to try and respond to more of your messages/comments in 2022, as well as trying to sweeten the pot.  I started a second invitation-only Discord server for patrons, separate from the unwashed masses of the first server.  I'll also try to finally do a patron-exclusive stream.  It'll probably be just me interacting with chat and answering questions, Ross Scott style.

I would also like to do more status updates and behind-the-scenes stuff, but I'm honestly kind of lost on what form that is supposed to take.  It's easy with the Skyrim video, less so for other content.  Basically, if there is anything you want to see, just ask and I'll consider it.  My only limitation is that I won't, at this time, release notes/scripts for videos.

2022
My goals for 2022 are simple.  We obviously have the Skyrim video, which is currently being written.  You'll have to read the Skyrim status updates to keep up with where that project is at, however I personally consider November 1st the deadline.  This is not an official projection, just a personal goal.  Using the Oblivion video as a reference, I am currently on track to beat that date.  I want the video to be publicly released before Starfield is playable.

When Starfield comes out, and I plan on reviewing it.  Ahead of that, I want to cover a handful of related titles:  No Mans Sky (already in production), Elite Dangerous, The Outer Worlds, and Fallout 76.  So if you are new here from the Oblivion video, don't be surprised when you see other videos and ask "where skyrim vid?".

As for other videos, I plan on covering Elden Ring when it comes out.  I also plan on doing a video about the series Attack on Titan when it's anime concludes.  This is going to be a mixture of capitalizing on the trend of it's disastrous ending, and my own interest in the topic.  I may also talk about One Punch Man, but that is heavily dependent on where the manga goes this year.

Finally, you may see some videos in the style of Battlefront 2/Harry Potter.  Hopefully I don't have to spell out what that particular criteria is (it's nostalgia).  When I have a successful video on my channel, that also applies retroactively to old content, so it's in my interest to dip into that well occasionally just to help keep the lights on.

I want to stress that my "side" projects of shorter videos are, in reality, my normal content.  I'm aware that I'm known for the long videos, but I can not churn out multi-hour videos on the monthly without sacrificing something: my spare time, my sanity, or my quality.  I also can't release the Skyrim video tomorrow or even next month, even if I spent every waking hour working exclusively on that video.

I'm sure most of you have realistic expectations, but it needs to be repeated often: I have to do other projects, both financially and creatively.  The Skyrim video would take the same amount of time if I worked exclusively on it, because I would be constantly burned out and less productive.  Except there would be less content on my channel overall.

In Closing

Thank you for your continued support, I hope everyone who reads this message in January will stick with me for the Skyrim video, and beyond.  Feel free to contact me with any issues or concerns, whether through comments on this post or by messaging me.