I've come to realise that goals are mostly pretty dumb. They can narrow your thinking on the way to the goal ("If I want to get a million subs, I can only make certain, specific, crowd-pleasing videos!") and then leave you listless and confused after you reach the goal ("What do I do now? 2 million?"). These days I try to focus more on the day to day, just making sure I enjoy whatever I work on and feel creatively satisfied. If that leads to rewards/milestones/etc then great, but if not at least I had fun.
It was only when you mentioned the sub count that I noticed it. I thought your channel would have at least a million followers because in my social circle everyone knows you and consider you a high quality content creator. Thank you for your great work. Now I feel even more privileged to have followed you for years. I guess you are similar to what Bronies would call "Horse famous": Very well known and admired within a specific audience, but you get to live a normal life of not getting bothered on the streets as the general public is not your audience. Thank you for 10 years. Congratulations 🎉
Yeah, I think a lot of people would agree - your work is good and even if you don't get a ton of video views compared to some of the larger channels it remains one of the better ones.
@@GMTK I still think "How do I decide when I am satisfied" was the most profound and thoughtful thing the internet has said in the last decade, and it has to do with this goal-oriented mentality.
we're all in your corner, Chris. I've always admired your wit and your insight, and I greatly appreciate you for sharing the personal anecdotes that some would be too afraid to say out loud to themselves. you're a treasure to the niche, even if that's hard to reconcile at times. cheers to 10 more.
the fact that your (super thoughtful & thought-provoking) video on Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor exists is, along with the indiecade award we won, something i'll always be immensely proud of and humbled by. errant signal is fucking amazing and a massive accomplishment! you dont owe anyone anything when it comes to your work & i hope you know that you're doing something that really gives a lot of life to a human side of games that gets overlooked too much🌼🌈
I think the first video of yours I saw was the one on The Beginners Guide. I've been enjoying your videos ever since. - Jack (For anyone who knows us, this is specifically Jack talking, I don't think Dayton knows about ES)
The perfect description of this channel. It’s so obvious that this channel completely changed, maybe even CREATED, the landscape of video essay games criticism. Multiple larger channels were either directly inspired by or are unknowingly indebted to ES.
"The fact that you put up with me is incredibly gracious on your part" No, it's not. We like your thinking, which is why we stick around. You make it more than worth our while to spend our time here, mistakes notwithstanding. Thank you for your generous, wonderful videos.
When you announced that you were doing "Let's play" content I was so worried that I'd be spammed with "easy" content from you, when in reality I only wanted your analysis. Very happy that you put that on another channel (that I never looked at). I would definitely be down for you analysing other things than games. To me Errant Signal isn't so much about analysing games, as it is about analysing things generally in detail.
As someone who does LP content but hates wasting the viewer's time I can tell you it's not easy. Especially if you do everything yourself. Lots of big LP channels are a crew. I schedule, record, edit, and promote everything myself and it's grueling. I enjoy doing it, so that's why I do it, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone else. The channels that make "easy" content only do so because they carry their whole channel on their personality or have a lot of help. I rely on my editing style a LOT. I guarantee no other LP channel spends 5 hours editing a video that will only last 5 minutes. It's a lot of work, and not what I'd call "easy" content. I'm not upset or mad at you or anything btw. I just thought you'd like to hear the perspective of someone who does LP content any why, if you want your content to stand out, it's not as easy as you might think. There's a million other kids doing similar stuff to mine. I _have_ to make it unique or it doesnt even grab a dozen views.
The screen with the videos made me want to rewatch a few of them. TH-cam started out as a place for people to upload their stuff. Now it seems like if you can't get a million views a week you're a failure and that sucks. Sure there are channels with amazing production values, but a lot of spontaneity has been lost in the way.
There's actually quite a few programming languages that use "boolean" for variables that can only hold two values, rather than using it to refer only to the logic you can perform with them. (For example, `const gameEndState: boolean;` in typescript.) I never thought it was inappropriate at all for Campster to use the term in this way.
Such a thoughtful piece. I was prompted to comment when you touched on how you had initially dreamed of doing this channel full time. It may well still happen for you friend, your quality and original thinking is a great offering to the mediums of both video games and video essays. Seriously! But it will be a little bittersweet the day you get the recognition you deserve: your work here is that of the outsider, and so it has inherent value as something that can't be seen/heard elsewhere. For now, I feel very privileged to be exposed to what comes thru this channel: rare, bespoke, and truly original. Best to you, friend. What you share is always welcome.
This, exactly. Originality and obscure topic choices not beholden to view counts are precious gems in a viral media age. Happy anniversary, Errant Signal. 💖
You're the Aronofski of youtube creators, I know I'm in for a treat whenever you make a new video, people mis understand the magical quality of your content and it's a huge shame friend
Hey, Blips is one of my (if not my) favorite TH-cam series. It's sad that it's not more people's cup of tea, but i really love it when a new episode comes out.
you're one of the very few videogame TH-camrs i continue to watch, and i appreciate it whenever a video of yours pops up. just bring that analytic brain of yours and I'm sure movie reviews or whatever will be great too.
12:45 Hey, you mentioned GGC! It was super cool talking to a "famous youtuber" over lunch about games and old movie villains (I think, I forgot the exact media and name =/ ). Regardless of where you want to take this channel, and regardless of how well it goes, you'll always have at least one fan in me that looks up to your content as something to strive for in terms of quality =D
Your channel was one of the things that inspired me the most to try to get into TH-cam what feels like a lifetime ago and it influenced the kind of content I wanted to make. It didn't work out but I'm glad you're still here making stuff after all this time. From where I'm sitting this channel is and has been kind of what success on youtube looks like, and I think that perspective bears remembering when you're thinking about the creators you might be or have been comparing yourself to
@@michimatsch5862 I like that! As it turns out, it’s a paraphrase of a nietzsche quote: “God is dead and we killed him”. Tbh, God could do with the same feminist analysis
On the one hand, you do not have a wide audience. On the other hand, the audience you do have consists of tons of people who like being really thinky about video games. And at least some of those people tend to be important for the discourse. You wouldn't necessarily get that with a wide audience only here for the jokes. So, at the very least you curated a quality audience, which is nothing to sniff at.
Yeah, I've always thought Chris is a lot more influential than his subscriber-count would imply. A huge proportion of people in the world of "thoughtful about game design", have referenced or replied to his work in one way or another.
Very few channels elicit the "stop everything you're doing and watch this" response when a new video drops. You never fail to have a unique, thoughtful perspective in your videos, Chris.
Ughh. It sickens me to see some really dumb channels out there at 1 mil subs and our poor old boy here still working his butt off 10 years later. Smh. Support ya boi ES on his Patreon.
Woah man. This was a rollercoaster. First off, congratulations! You’re one of my 3 favourite game critics and I’m happy to see you hit such a milestone and still be interested in continuing what I think is good work. That part about “paying your dues” and “I just got to keep getting better and the success will happen”, that’s affected me for years. It’s been a struggle to just enjoy the act of creating videos and games criticism for its own sake. I don’t think I’m there yet, but it’s good to know I’m not alone. :) Your ability to evaluate the positives of Errant Signal was moving to see as well. It sounds like a lot of good has come from doing this so long. The part about only being beholden to your interests is important too. Here’s to the next 10 years indeed!
I appreciate how thoughtful, entertaining, and self-deprecating your "narcissistic outbursts" are. I will always enjoy listening to you ponder aloud about what narrative and mechanics mean to you, and potentially others. Here's hoping for another 10, assuming you still want to make these videos.
I think in the past decade of watching various youtube gaming content, I've gotten sick of the content produced by Jim Stirling and MatPat but I'm still here watching Errant Signal. So you've won more from my singular tiny perspective.
This is one of my favorite youtube channels. I watch everything you out out cause it is interesting and discuss those topics with friends. Whatever this ended up being it is one my favorite things.
"My desire for this show to be the thing it's never gonna be has blinded me to what it is." Re: what it is, it was a primary factor in convincing me to throw my own hat in the ring and one of maybe three or four channels that make my day when they push a new video out. Thanks for sticking with this for so long, Chris. Can't wait for more, and am glad to have had the privilege of seeing so much of what you've done as you've done it.
Hey. Thank you, thank you, thank you. For making this video. For making these videos, this channel. I appreciate it so much. The thing I want to say is, whatever your expectations were, you made an impact on me. I watched your videos and talked about them with my two game design friends, I found my favorite horror game, and I think about your Anatomy video every year, and the beautiful, melancholy awakening of that final day in My Life As A Spaceport Janitor where you just go on with your life. It's so sad, and I love it. I haven't even played the game but I own it because of your video and wanted to support the developer and you. Your Halloween game breakdowns are always my favorite, and I thank you for the orange-tone, it adds a lot. You've made a profound impact on my life. Even if you don't feel like making more videos - which, you know, you're free too if you want it's your channel - or if you wanna expand into a cool new crazy direction! I'll always be happy for this channel you gave us. And that makes me happy. Thank you for that. Much love from Sacramento
Your videos inspired by me to give it a shot. I went through a similar arc to you in a much shorter timeframe, and while I think I may be done now, I still look back at my videos with pride. Thanks for being an inspiration, I'm looking forward to your future stuff.
"Boolean" is fine, in programming it often is used to refer to a data type that's just a single bit, or true/false, which is exactly what you mean here. Sure it has other senses, and a history as a term, but so does "binary". Maybe an actual game designer could come up with a better name, but your name definitely isn't factually incorrect, at least 😁
Personally I prefer "boolean" because the overall win state is often a logical combination of smaller win states - to win the game, you have to win every level in the game; as soon as you stop doing the thing that "wins", you "lose".
Agreed. He beats himself up over using "spartan" instead of "sparse" in the show notes as well, but both of them include "austere" as an accepted definition. At worst its a minor stylistic issue of preferred usages, certainly not a mistake. Too tough on himself.
I've been watching for about 7 years and I just love the way you write and think. I also enjoy your sense of humor and your bare honesty. I'd literally watch anything you might make because I appreciate you. Congrats on the 10 years, I'm here for it.
its honestly mostly due to your channel that i started viewing games through their themes which has helped me develop better critical thinking skills. like honestly your work is super invaluable in opening the door to discussions about what games are doing under the hood in their narratives and their mechanics where other outlets are largely saying the same things back and forth.
I've been watching you since I founded Kitsune Games 8 years ago and while I can't point directly to something in my games and go "that! that exists because I watch Errant Signal!" I'm positive that your videos have altered the way I think about game design and so have affected the way I make my games. Anyway, congratulations on 10 years, and thanks for the videos.
I've really loved ES ever since I happened upon it (I don't even remember how I got here any more) and your channel is one of four or so where I've actually "hit that bell" to make sure I don't miss anything. Congrats on the milestone, Chris.
From all my subscriptions, your video always were something that I wanted check as soon as possible. Not because of topic, or something particular about you or your style, just wanted to hear you thought on things. I hope it’s saying at least something. Happy anniversary!
I started watching your videos when I was in middle school, and, as a recent college graduate, I wouldn’t have traded any moment spent learning from you. Thanks for your creativity and perspective!
Everything you have put out has been a massive inspiration for me and I come to watch purely for your voice as a writer. I encourage you to keep making what you want to make because that is what I look forward to most. Cheers for the 10 years.
Congrats on the tenth anniversary! I always thought of this channel as one of the better ones when it comes to analyzing games, so I never considered that to the one behind it it might feel like it was somehow failing. Puts things into perspective.
Haven't commented on this channel before, but I felt like it after watching this video (which I'm now apparently watching for the first time, despite it being 1 year old). I have been subscribed to your channel for (checking google data...) 7 years? Since 2016. I have watched most of your back catalogue and frequently return to rewatch your videos - this time I was looking to rewatch your video on The Beginners Guide. You've introduced me to / recommended several interesting video games and I always enjoy your interesting take on a video game or topic, even if I've never played them nor heard of them before. This is all to say: I appreciate that your content and I'm glad you keep this channel going. In case you're ever going to read this: I'm just a random dude in Europe, writing a random dude in the US making videos on youtube, but thanks Chris. Cheers for the past 7 years - looking forward to the next 10
Damn that idea of "This isn't a before state, this is it." is really resonating with me. Thanks, I think this will help me appreciate more of who I am now.
This is my favorite channel on TH-cam. I've watched all episodes countless times. I've shown videos from the channel to friends, WhatsApp groups, family and even girlfriends. I think I've managed to make at least 5 people to subscribe. If all you need is one fan, then here you've got one. Tks for educating and entertaining me all this time!
I didn't know what to comment when this was originally uploaded, just because nothing I could write felt like it could quite nail what I wanted to say. That said, I hope this makes up for the delay: So, I'm currently helping out on Death of a Wish, the upcoming sequel to Lucah: Born of a Dream (a game I also helped on). I was at a convention this last weekend demoing the game alongside another member of the dev team. Another game dev from a booth across the way comes over, asks if he can play, and really digs it. As he's playing, he starts asking some more business side questions, our sales, what we learned from the last game, marketing, and, most relevantly, if we were working with any streamers or contacted any youtubers about covering Lucah. The other member of the dev team responds 'No, but that we were lucky enough to be featured on Errant Signal.' The player instantly perks up and says 'Oh that's so cool! He's the reason I got into game dev, those videos got to take games seriously.' The other member of the dev team, without missing a beat, says 'Oh yeah, same! His Spec Ops video is what made me really start thinking about games. Him covering Lucah was one of the best parts of that project.' Then I reflexively respond 'YUP! The Spec Ops video is what did it. That's the video that made me committed to learning game analysis, that video's why I have a TH-cam channel, and that channel is why I'm here right now. Seeing him talk about a game I contributed to was incredible.' And the fact is, that's true. When I trace back the things that have inspired me to pursue the creative passions I've followed which have brought me the most joy over the years, the show I find at the start of it is Errant Signal. Seems to be the case for quite a few people. Been very glad to have been a subscriber for 10 years. Hope you're having a good day today, Chris.
I love your content, thank you so much for all the hard work you have done, and thank you for this introspection on creative endeavors (and how shitty capitalism can be in ruining those endeavors by placing it into win states inadvertently). Here to another x amount of years of you enjoying this!
Its funny but the games I have the most time in are those without a clear and concise win state or sandboxes where the winstate often gets ignored because I'm enjoying simply playing the game.
For what it's worth, my fiance and I watch your videos pretty regularly, because we love seeing analysis of janky little indie games. The "Children of Doom" series has been both a way for us to discover new games, and to bask in nostalgia when you cover something we grew up with. (I played "Catacombs Abyss" constantly as a little kid, and it was *such* a joy to hear it brought up!) This show has genuinely brought us a lot of joy, and I hope you keep it going as a hobby, as long as it brings you joy.
As someone who has been a fan of this channel for at least 8 years and who started working in game development within the last half decade, I know of no one working in the same space who doesn't know of this channel. If that isn't a win then I don't know what is.
"this is it" I am ok with that. I've been subbed for years at this point and every time a new video pops up I get so excited to learn about the passion behind another obscure indie game dev. I learn so much and experience so many new and beautiful things because of this channel. I'm only halfway into this video now but with a giant "THIS IS IT" on my screen right now I felt compelled to say this. I appreciate what you do, even if this is really it.
I started watching your channel recently (well relatively recently - within the last year or so) and your work has been inspiring. I've personally wanted to do something like what you do for a very long time, but I've been stuck in a state of indecisiveness and self doubt. Hearing about your own struggles and coming out the other side makes me want to just start, because I'd much rather look back and be happy that I tried than regret never giving it a go. Thank you for the videos
When I found this channel I was still in school, so long ago that I can’t recall when and how exactly. Errant Signal was definitely one of the reasons I started to think critically about media, which eventually lead me to studying comparative literature. And I think that’s rather nice. Happy Anniversary!
I just wanted to say, your channel, while small, is one of the few channels I subscribe to and actively revisit to hear from. Your long-form examinations of how and why games work are very detailed and thoughtful. As an indie game developer myself, I really appreciate the obvious care you put into your videos. I think your channel is fantastic, and hope you keep it up!
As someone who wants to start doing creative stuff (yt and writing), this video was really nice because it reminded me that "making it" and success are really abstract ideas that are not necessarily set in stone. There's upsides and downsides to everything, and less reliance on yt to pay your bills brings more creative freedom, which for me is extremely important. Love your content, love your channel, congrats!
Ayy, we're both celebrating our 10th year this year. I've also been generally wondering how to process it. I've been lucky enough to be fulltime for about five years now, but only because I've kept my costs low by renting a single room in a larger house. No, I've never been able to explain what I do to my parents. I do let's plays, and channels like yours have always been a huge influence. Especially you. I swear I must have started watching you within the first two years, but who knows how anyone could ever check. Videos like your politics in games, Far Cry 5, and 0451 coverage have been important to me. You're probably the reason I stop dead in my tracks in the middle of a Bioshock playthrough to talk for five minutes about what it says about the setting that you can simply pay to make the police drones forget about you. I've always seen channels like this as aspirational. I was working on this big scripted Resident Evil 6 video back in 2012, but never followed all the way through with it, and I've regretted it ever since. So for my 10th, I'm swinging in a different direction. I'm finally starting my video essay channel. I finished my 7500 word first draft of my first real video last night, and today I'm revising that and hopefully recording the voiceover. And without you subtly redirecting how I engage with media over the course of a decade, I can't say for certain that it would even be happening.
But that's not what kinesthetic means. Kinesthetic is about bodily movement and how it feels. If I were to invent a word for what you might mean, it would rather be something like "ludoesthetic".
Happy for you for getting this far! I've been watching your vids since the very start and your essays have definately fueled inspirations when I design my games today, like the rest of the game critic youtubers I watched as a teen up to now. Thanks for sticking to it, the video game landscape is better for it in more ways you know 😉
thank you so much for keeping up this “weird little hobby”. You might not be the biggest in the world but you are unequivocally my favorite video game essayist on the platform and I’m so grateful to have stumbled across your work in mid 2019. Your video on Getting Over It still makes me oddly emotional to this day, and I would of never thought of that game as any more then a little viral game if it wasn’t for your analysis. No mater what you choose to do in the future, thank you for all of your work!
I don't have much to say beyond "thank you" for this channel. Your reviews have been a comfort and an inspiration, an opportunity to look at what I consume from a fresh perspective... and often containing life lessons too. Thanks for sharing your mind space and a bit of vulnerability with us. Cheers!
Happy Anniversary. I've been watching this channel since I was 16 years old, and I'm 24 now, which is crazy to think about. Errant Signal introduced me to what Game Studies even WAS, led me to pursue it as my major, and now that I work in interactive media, it keeps me thinking about games in ways I never would otherwise. Even now, I get excited and write essays of my own about games I see on this channel. Maybe one day I'll actually work those scripts into something, and Errant Signal will have been a core influence. Even if this channel isn't the million subscriber ultra-hit you were excited about at my age, you have people that have been really inspired by you. Stay awesome Chris.
Thank you for the content. Your videos helped me learn to look at my hobbies and the things I love with a more analytical eye. I hope this comment shows both you and the algorithm that I appreciate this channel :)
I’ve been watching a long time, almost since you started, and ES was formative to my game studies passion, and when that faded I kept watching because I enjoy what Mike Rugnetta called “thinking with others”. It’s always a treat when I see a new video on the feed, make whatever you want to make and we’ll watch!
Your channel will always be a favorite of mine for being one of the first few I had ever seen that tried to dissect games further than a commercial sense or for shallow reviews. I don’t think I’d ever think about game systems or mechanics as having any form of metaphorical meaning, intended or otherwise, if you hadn’t been there to say it. I’m glad you’re enjoying creative freedom in your work! It means your videos are undeniably your work, and I like watching your work! Thanks for ten years of discussion, critique, and insight!
Just wanted to add my voice to the many who have been inspired by the show. The Errant Signal episode on Spec Ops was the first piece of actual game criticism I had ever seen, and I was hooked on the channel and the style from that point on. It got me thinking more critically about games, using Errant Signal as a framework when I didn't really know where to start with more academic sources. And, hell, the books I started reading were ones mentioned in Errant Signal videos. That got me thinking about making games, and I've been doing it professionally for 3 years now. I genuinely don't know if I would have done that if it weren't for that one Errant Signal video that kicked everything off. I really like this video, both because of how it ties into my personal history, and the overall idea of not looking at the world through the lens of a winstate. Glad to know that, after nearly 9 years of watching these videos, I can still get so much out of them!
This has absolutely been one of my favorite channels for a bit now! I'd love to see you branch out into talking about all kinds of things because I just enjoy your creative and analytical voice.
YES! This helped me a ton. I've been struggling with my own shit and seeing someone openly talk about their own experience reminded me that it's not over till it's over.
Aw man, at times it felt like you were reading my journals aloud in this video. TOO CLOSE TO HOME ABORT MISSION GAAHH YEARS ago I was frustrated by games criticism, and I just wanted confirmation that I wasn't the only person on TH-cam who was interested in talking about Civ 5's themes. I didn't want a product review, I wanted an honest engagement with the ideas the game was putting forth. When I found your video saying that the game seems to glorify colonialism and we gotta talk about that, I was like, "thank fucking GOD I'm not alone here!" I think this was in the Gamer Gate era and, jesus, you know how things were back then. I was happy that I found a critic who saw what games could be, not just how they served their function as products for a specific crowd with a certain political disposition. These days I do feel embarrassed at times about my own obscurity. Like - if I haven't even broken a thousand subs, are people going to wonder why I'm even doing this? Are they going to judge me for sticking with this thing even though it's unlikely I'll ever win the algorithmic lottery? I feel like I need to prove I can live up to the potential people see in me and I can't just let the work I do exist on its own. When I think of things that way, as steps towards some indeterminate goal or another brick laid down in a perpetually expanding house or something, I lose sight of the real reasons I make things. Making videos pushes me to research and learn new ideas and skills, and it's an outlet. I don't need to rock the world, I just need to keep the channel open and let these things come to be. It's comforting to know other people grapple with the same feelings, you know? As a creator, my first "win state" came from you shouting me out on Twitter! I FREAKED out when I saw my notifications, I had never been acknowledged by an internet person before. And you're an internet person who I RESPECT. I'll never forget that. This is all just to say that I'm saving this video to my secret creative angst playlist to come back to on the days when I feel like I'm losing my way. Thanks for making it, and thanks for being that dissenting voice I hoped for all those years ago. Here's to another decade! c:
For what it's worth I want to say that you really are one of my favourite youtubers. There's not a lot of people that make analysis videos of the style you do, and I really enjoy this particular style, and you've both exposed me to games that ended up being some of my favourites (Prey, ANATOMY and We Know the Devil just to name a few) and also heavily inspired my own writing. From one twenty-six-year-old to a former twenty-six-year-old, you're doing great, keep it up!
Ever since I first discovered your videos some 5 plus years ago, I have found few of your analytical caliber. In a world of clickbait and shallow thinking, your ability to reflect critically on your work and yourself is pure gold. Words can barely describe how much I learn from each video. Happy Anniversary Chris! Here is to 10 more years of success.
Late to the party, but I recently discovered this channel and have been ecstatically watching any videos that pop up, and browsing the channel when none are recommended. I really think it's some of the best game analysis and criticism on TH-cam. A truly unique and insightful voice- thank you for sharing all of your thoughts
In French, "Spartiate" translates to both "Spartan" and "Sparse". So it's not a totally ridiculous vocab screwup for some of your audience at least. It's also a type of sandals x) Just so you know, I like your videos as they are. I don't mean they shouldn't change if you feel like making them evolve in some drastic way (like you say, you're not at our whims) but I never thought "this isn't done cooking yet. It needs more production value". Whatever the production value you've had, your videos are well made and interesting to think about. I understand you've realized that now but I thought some social media approval might make you happy anyway :P For the riffing on universal's old commercial thing, I think it could be really fun to watch in very short spurts. You know... Like an add x) 'Cause 30 minutes is a lot to watch at once for this specific kind of content. I watch hour longs videos but not hour long jokes if that makes sense ? Good luck man. I've been there for a few years and I intend on sticking around for a few more =)
I appreciate you being here, Chris. Thanks for everything you do. Even if it sometimes doesn't feel like it - you matter a lot and your content also does. Just... Thanks a lot. And have a nice year!
"This is it"? Harsh phrasing."this" is damned good stuff and always thought provoking. "This" is raw and awesome and exactly what i signed up for ....many years ago (I don't know when I subscribed perhaps your backstage data can tell you how long I have been here). "This" might not be big or flashy but I do love "this". That said I'm sorry you havent been able to make this a full time gig.
This video just made me realize that I have been subscribed for around 8 of the 10 years you've been around, and since 2013 I haven't missed a single video you've uploaded. This is one of the few channels I cannot stop watching, your insight about games is always welcome. Happy anniversary!!
I just recently found your channel, and I couldn't be happier that I did. Your VO, your writing, your thoughts and ideas, everything is presented in such a fascinating way that I honestly couldn't compare to any other creator. I am personally very glad that you're here, and I hope to be here for the next ten years of your channel as well!
Congratulations on ten years of excellent contributions to games criticism, and even history! I've had the privilege of following your work ever since you joined Spoiler Warning and have enjoyed it ever since. My own experience is of growing as a player along with you, so your development as a commentator dovetailed nicely with my own increasing knowledge. What I'm trying to say is that, even though I'm ten years younger than you, we sort of grew up together? And I'm very thankful for that. Keep up the good work. You're a valuable part of many people's lives.
Happy Anniversary Chris!
I've come to realise that goals are mostly pretty dumb. They can narrow your thinking on the way to the goal ("If I want to get a million subs, I can only make certain, specific, crowd-pleasing videos!") and then leave you listless and confused after you reach the goal ("What do I do now? 2 million?").
These days I try to focus more on the day to day, just making sure I enjoy whatever I work on and feel creatively satisfied. If that leads to rewards/milestones/etc then great, but if not at least I had fun.
It was only when you mentioned the sub count that I noticed it.
I thought your channel would have at least a million followers because in my social circle everyone knows you and consider you a high quality content creator.
Thank you for your great work.
Now I feel even more privileged to have followed you for years.
I guess you are similar to what Bronies would call "Horse famous":
Very well known and admired within a specific audience, but you get to live a normal life of not getting bothered on the streets as the general public is not your audience.
Thank you for 10 years.
Congratulations 🎉
Yeah, I think a lot of people would agree - your work is good and even if you don't get a ton of video views compared to some of the larger channels it remains one of the better ones.
@@GMTK I still think "How do I decide when I am satisfied" was the most profound and thoughtful thing the internet has said in the last decade, and it has to do with this goal-oriented mentality.
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Still waiting on that next furiosa archetype character with fevered anticipation
This video did make me think of your content as well. I think the two of you are my two favorite creators with a background in games.
Ah.. Get to work!
we're all in your corner, Chris. I've always admired your wit and your insight, and I greatly appreciate you for sharing the personal anecdotes that some would be too afraid to say out loud to themselves. you're a treasure to the niche, even if that's hard to reconcile at times.
cheers to 10 more.
Cheers!
the fact that your (super thoughtful & thought-provoking) video on Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor exists is, along with the indiecade award we won, something i'll always be immensely proud of and humbled by. errant signal is fucking amazing and a massive accomplishment! you dont owe anyone anything when it comes to your work & i hope you know that you're doing something that really gives a lot of life to a human side of games that gets overlooked too much🌼🌈
this is simultaneously one of the most thought-provoking and big-hearted channels I've ever come across
Maybe the real win-state was the friends we made along the way
Bump
I think the first video of yours I saw was the one on The Beginners Guide. I've been enjoying your videos ever since.
- Jack
(For anyone who knows us, this is specifically Jack talking, I don't think Dayton knows about ES)
Hey I don't know you or Dayton but he should definitely check this channel out!
Same, I watched the forst few minutes and immediately bought the game. No regrets.
@@okawesome2746 Exact same story for me. Still One of my top five-to-ten games for me.
That was an interesting bit of self reflection. As a fan of he show I am happy for what it is.
I love this Velvet Underground of TH-cam channels.
The perfect description of this channel. It’s so obvious that this channel completely changed, maybe even CREATED, the landscape of video essay games criticism. Multiple larger channels were either directly inspired by or are unknowingly indebted to ES.
Do you have some recommendations?
Hey sad horse
Damn dude, I was thinking Joy Division as I read this.
@@readebramer5233 true.
"The fact that you put up with me is incredibly gracious on your part" No, it's not. We like your thinking, which is why we stick around. You make it more than worth our while to spend our time here, mistakes notwithstanding. Thank you for your generous, wonderful videos.
I really cherish this show. Congrats and best of luck for the next 10 years!
When you announced that you were doing "Let's play" content I was so worried that I'd be spammed with "easy" content from you, when in reality I only wanted your analysis.
Very happy that you put that on another channel (that I never looked at).
I would definitely be down for you analysing other things than games. To me Errant Signal isn't so much about analysing games, as it is about analysing things generally in detail.
As someone who does LP content but hates wasting the viewer's time I can tell you it's not easy. Especially if you do everything yourself. Lots of big LP channels are a crew. I schedule, record, edit, and promote everything myself and it's grueling. I enjoy doing it, so that's why I do it, but I wouldn't wish it on anyone else.
The channels that make "easy" content only do so because they carry their whole channel on their personality or have a lot of help.
I rely on my editing style a LOT. I guarantee no other LP channel spends 5 hours editing a video that will only last 5 minutes. It's a lot of work, and not what I'd call "easy" content.
I'm not upset or mad at you or anything btw. I just thought you'd like to hear the perspective of someone who does LP content any why, if you want your content to stand out, it's not as easy as you might think. There's a million other kids doing similar stuff to mine. I _have_ to make it unique or it doesnt even grab a dozen views.
@@LtSprinkulz
I don't disagree. Hence the "easy" formulation. It is easier than doing analysis though. Which is the main point.
The screen with the videos made me want to rewatch a few of them.
TH-cam started out as a place for people to upload their stuff. Now it seems like if you can't get a million views a week you're a failure and that sucks. Sure there are channels with amazing production values, but a lot of spontaneity has been lost in the way.
ES has been central to how I view games. Thank you for everything Campster and happy 10 years!
Your channel is a hidden gem. You deserve wayyyyyyy more subs.
I remember thinking WTF is Boolean win states. This guy is something else.
There's actually quite a few programming languages that use "boolean" for variables that can only hold two values, rather than using it to refer only to the logic you can perform with them. (For example, `const gameEndState: boolean;` in typescript.) I never thought it was inappropriate at all for Campster to use the term in this way.
Such a thoughtful piece.
I was prompted to comment when you touched on how you had initially dreamed of doing this channel full time. It may well still happen for you friend, your quality and original thinking is a great offering to the mediums of both video games and video essays. Seriously!
But it will be a little bittersweet the day you get the recognition you deserve: your work here is that of the outsider, and so it has inherent value as something that can't be seen/heard elsewhere.
For now, I feel very privileged to be exposed to what comes thru this channel: rare, bespoke, and truly original.
Best to you, friend. What you share is always welcome.
This, exactly. Originality and obscure topic choices not beholden to view counts are precious gems in a viral media age. Happy anniversary, Errant Signal. 💖
You're the Aronofski of youtube creators, I know I'm in for a treat whenever you make a new video, people mis understand the magical quality of your content and it's a huge shame friend
Hey, Blips is one of my (if not my) favorite TH-cam series. It's sad that it's not more people's cup of tea, but i really love it when a new episode comes out.
you're one of the very few videogame TH-camrs i continue to watch, and i appreciate it whenever a video of yours pops up. just bring that analytic brain of yours and I'm sure movie reviews or whatever will be great too.
12:45 Hey, you mentioned GGC! It was super cool talking to a "famous youtuber" over lunch about games and old movie villains (I think, I forgot the exact media and name =/ ). Regardless of where you want to take this channel, and regardless of how well it goes, you'll always have at least one fan in me that looks up to your content as something to strive for in terms of quality =D
the thing is that I always get excited when I see Squiggle brackets on my feed. Its good stuff, no matter if its marketable.
Your channel was one of the things that inspired me the most to try to get into TH-cam what feels like a lifetime ago and it influenced the kind of content I wanted to make. It didn't work out but I'm glad you're still here making stuff after all this time.
From where I'm sitting this channel is and has been kind of what success on youtube looks like, and I think that perspective bears remembering when you're thinking about the creators you might be or have been comparing yourself to
The Goal is Dead. Long Live the Now. Love what you do E.S. 💖
Well said!
Goal is dead and we killed him
@@groffmarr Did you just assume goals are masculine?
I have no idea why the feminist in me took issue with that...uh, have a nice day.
@@michimatsch5862 I like that! As it turns out, it’s a paraphrase of a nietzsche quote: “God is dead and we killed him”. Tbh, God could do with the same feminist analysis
@@groffmarr i did recognize the quote. I was an edgy teenager once ;).
On the one hand, you do not have a wide audience. On the other hand, the audience you do have consists of tons of people who like being really thinky about video games. And at least some of those people tend to be important for the discourse. You wouldn't necessarily get that with a wide audience only here for the jokes. So, at the very least you curated a quality audience, which is nothing to sniff at.
Yeah, I've always thought Chris is a lot more influential than his subscriber-count would imply. A huge proportion of people in the world of "thoughtful about game design", have referenced or replied to his work in one way or another.
Very few channels elicit the "stop everything you're doing and watch this" response when a new video drops. You never fail to have a unique, thoughtful perspective in your videos, Chris.
As a priest in the Church of the Algorithm, I bless this video with a comment.
"This is it"
Yeah, but I like it.
Ughh. It sickens me to see some really dumb channels out there at 1 mil subs and our poor old boy here still working his butt off 10 years later. Smh. Support ya boi ES on his Patreon.
Woah man. This was a rollercoaster. First off, congratulations! You’re one of my 3 favourite game critics and I’m happy to see you hit such a milestone and still be interested in continuing what I think is good work.
That part about “paying your dues” and “I just got to keep getting better and the success will happen”, that’s affected me for years. It’s been a struggle to just enjoy the act of creating videos and games criticism for its own sake. I don’t think I’m there yet, but it’s good to know I’m not alone. :)
Your ability to evaluate the positives of Errant Signal was moving to see as well. It sounds like a lot of good has come from doing this so long. The part about only being beholden to your interests is important too.
Here’s to the next 10 years indeed!
I appreciate how thoughtful, entertaining, and self-deprecating your "narcissistic outbursts" are. I will always enjoy listening to you ponder aloud about what narrative and mechanics mean to you, and potentially others. Here's hoping for another 10, assuming you still want to make these videos.
I think in the past decade of watching various youtube gaming content, I've gotten sick of the content produced by Jim Stirling and MatPat but I'm still here watching Errant Signal. So you've won more from my singular tiny perspective.
This is one of my favorite youtube channels. I watch everything you out out cause it is interesting and discuss those topics with friends. Whatever this ended up being it is one my favorite things.
"My desire for this show to be the thing it's never gonna be has blinded me to what it is."
Re: what it is, it was a primary factor in convincing me to throw my own hat in the ring and one of maybe three or four channels that make my day when they push a new video out. Thanks for sticking with this for so long, Chris. Can't wait for more, and am glad to have had the privilege of seeing so much of what you've done as you've done it.
Hey.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. For making this video. For making these videos, this channel. I appreciate it so much. The thing I want to say is, whatever your expectations were, you made an impact on me. I watched your videos and talked about them with my two game design friends, I found my favorite horror game, and I think about your Anatomy video every year, and the beautiful, melancholy awakening of that final day in My Life As A Spaceport Janitor where you just go on with your life. It's so sad, and I love it. I haven't even played the game but I own it because of your video and wanted to support the developer and you. Your Halloween game breakdowns are always my favorite, and I thank you for the orange-tone, it adds a lot. You've made a profound impact on my life.
Even if you don't feel like making more videos - which, you know, you're free too if you want it's your channel - or if you wanna expand into a cool new crazy direction! I'll always be happy for this channel you gave us. And that makes me happy. Thank you for that.
Much love from Sacramento
Your videos inspired by me to give it a shot. I went through a similar arc to you in a much shorter timeframe, and while I think I may be done now, I still look back at my videos with pride. Thanks for being an inspiration, I'm looking forward to your future stuff.
Greetings from Italy!
Errant Signal inspired our youtube channel about games and cultural criticism in italian. Mostly thanks to your work! 🥰
"Boolean" is fine, in programming it often is used to refer to a data type that's just a single bit, or true/false, which is exactly what you mean here. Sure it has other senses, and a history as a term, but so does "binary". Maybe an actual game designer could come up with a better name, but your name definitely isn't factually incorrect, at least 😁
Personally I prefer "boolean" because the overall win state is often a logical combination of smaller win states - to win the game, you have to win every level in the game; as soon as you stop doing the thing that "wins", you "lose".
I'm a programmer and I was thinking the exact same thing.
boolean makes perfect sense to me. If I declare a bool it's something that is either true or false =)
Agreed. He beats himself up over using "spartan" instead of "sparse" in the show notes as well, but both of them include "austere" as an accepted definition. At worst its a minor stylistic issue of preferred usages, certainly not a mistake. Too tough on himself.
I've been watching for about 7 years and I just love the way you write and think. I also enjoy your sense of humor and your bare honesty. I'd literally watch anything you might make because I appreciate you. Congrats on the 10 years, I'm here for it.
its honestly mostly due to your channel that i started viewing games through their themes which has helped me develop better critical thinking skills. like honestly your work is super invaluable in opening the door to discussions about what games are doing under the hood in their narratives and their mechanics where other outlets are largely saying the same things back and forth.
Thanks for this channel Chris. Glad to see it's not going anywhere.
Been here 6 years. Glad to have spent that time with you, your videos always make me smile.
I've been watching you since I founded Kitsune Games 8 years ago and while I can't point directly to something in my games and go "that! that exists because I watch Errant Signal!" I'm positive that your videos have altered the way I think about game design and so have affected the way I make my games. Anyway, congratulations on 10 years, and thanks for the videos.
I've really loved ES ever since I happened upon it (I don't even remember how I got here any more) and your channel is one of four or so where I've actually "hit that bell" to make sure I don't miss anything. Congrats on the milestone, Chris.
From all my subscriptions, your video always were something that I wanted check as soon as possible. Not because of topic, or something particular about you or your style, just wanted to hear you thought on things. I hope it’s saying at least something.
Happy anniversary!
Took one look at the title and said "Hey I like Introspective Narcissism"
I started watching your videos when I was in middle school, and, as a recent college graduate, I wouldn’t have traded any moment spent learning from you. Thanks for your creativity and perspective!
Everything you have put out has been a massive inspiration for me and I come to watch purely for your voice as a writer. I encourage you to keep making what you want to make because that is what I look forward to most. Cheers for the 10 years.
Congrats on the tenth anniversary!
I always thought of this channel as one of the better ones when it comes to analyzing games, so I never considered that to the one behind it it might feel like it was somehow failing. Puts things into perspective.
Haven't commented on this channel before, but I felt like it after watching this video (which I'm now apparently watching for the first time, despite it being 1 year old). I have been subscribed to your channel for (checking google data...) 7 years? Since 2016. I have watched most of your back catalogue and frequently return to rewatch your videos - this time I was looking to rewatch your video on The Beginners Guide. You've introduced me to / recommended several interesting video games and I always enjoy your interesting take on a video game or topic, even if I've never played them nor heard of them before. This is all to say: I appreciate that your content and I'm glad you keep this channel going.
In case you're ever going to read this: I'm just a random dude in Europe, writing a random dude in the US making videos on youtube, but thanks Chris. Cheers for the past 7 years - looking forward to the next 10
Thanks for being you. It’s okay to just exist and not constantly “improve.” You’ve been a huge inspiration to me and my content, so press on friend.
Damn that idea of "This isn't a before state, this is it." is really resonating with me. Thanks, I think this will help me appreciate more of who I am now.
This is my favorite channel on TH-cam. I've watched all episodes countless times. I've shown videos from the channel to friends, WhatsApp groups, family and even girlfriends. I think I've managed to make at least 5 people to subscribe. If all you need is one fan, then here you've got one. Tks for educating and entertaining me all this time!
I didn't know what to comment when this was originally uploaded, just because nothing I could write felt like it could quite nail what I wanted to say. That said, I hope this makes up for the delay:
So, I'm currently helping out on Death of a Wish, the upcoming sequel to Lucah: Born of a Dream (a game I also helped on). I was at a convention this last weekend demoing the game alongside another member of the dev team. Another game dev from a booth across the way comes over, asks if he can play, and really digs it. As he's playing, he starts asking some more business side questions, our sales, what we learned from the last game, marketing, and, most relevantly, if we were working with any streamers or contacted any youtubers about covering Lucah. The other member of the dev team responds 'No, but that we were lucky enough to be featured on Errant Signal.'
The player instantly perks up and says 'Oh that's so cool! He's the reason I got into game dev, those videos got to take games seriously.' The other member of the dev team, without missing a beat, says 'Oh yeah, same! His Spec Ops video is what made me really start thinking about games. Him covering Lucah was one of the best parts of that project.' Then I reflexively respond 'YUP! The Spec Ops video is what did it. That's the video that made me committed to learning game analysis, that video's why I have a TH-cam channel, and that channel is why I'm here right now. Seeing him talk about a game I contributed to was incredible.' And the fact is, that's true. When I trace back the things that have inspired me to pursue the creative passions I've followed which have brought me the most joy over the years, the show I find at the start of it is Errant Signal. Seems to be the case for quite a few people.
Been very glad to have been a subscriber for 10 years. Hope you're having a good day today, Chris.
I love your content, thank you so much for all the hard work you have done, and thank you for this introspection on creative endeavors (and how shitty capitalism can be in ruining those endeavors by placing it into win states inadvertently).
Here to another x amount of years of you enjoying this!
You are my favorite game essayist, and possibly writer in general. When you pointed out you have
Its funny but the games I have the most time in are those without a clear and concise win state or sandboxes where the winstate often gets ignored because I'm enjoying simply playing the game.
For what it's worth, my fiance and I watch your videos pretty regularly, because we love seeing analysis of janky little indie games. The "Children of Doom" series has been both a way for us to discover new games, and to bask in nostalgia when you cover something we grew up with. (I played "Catacombs Abyss" constantly as a little kid, and it was *such* a joy to hear it brought up!) This show has genuinely brought us a lot of joy, and I hope you keep it going as a hobby, as long as it brings you joy.
As someone who has been a fan of this channel for at least 8 years and who started working in game development within the last half decade, I know of no one working in the same space who doesn't know of this channel. If that isn't a win then I don't know what is.
"this is it"
I am ok with that.
I've been subbed for years at this point and every time a new video pops up I get so excited to learn about the passion behind another obscure indie game dev. I learn so much and experience so many new and beautiful things because of this channel. I'm only halfway into this video now but with a giant "THIS IS IT" on my screen right now I felt compelled to say this.
I appreciate what you do, even if this is really it.
I'm glad you've come to terms with this in such a positive way. Can be tough to grapple with a change in perspective like that
I started watching your channel recently (well relatively recently - within the last year or so) and your work has been inspiring. I've personally wanted to do something like what you do for a very long time, but I've been stuck in a state of indecisiveness and self doubt. Hearing about your own struggles and coming out the other side makes me want to just start, because I'd much rather look back and be happy that I tried than regret never giving it a go.
Thank you for the videos
When I found this channel I was still in school, so long ago that I can’t recall when and how exactly. Errant Signal was definitely one of the reasons I started to think critically about media, which eventually lead me to studying comparative literature. And I think that’s rather nice. Happy Anniversary!
I just wanted to say, your channel, while small, is one of the few channels I subscribe to and actively revisit to hear from. Your long-form examinations of how and why games work are very detailed and thoughtful. As an indie game developer myself, I really appreciate the obvious care you put into your videos. I think your channel is fantastic, and hope you keep it up!
I'm still waiting for the crossover of my dreams
GameMaker'sToolKit?
Mine has always been Errant Signal and Super Bunnyhop for some reason
@@waltero.8957 They were on a let's play together. th-cam.com/video/3WZQsI3Pd34/w-d-xo.html
As someone who wants to start doing creative stuff (yt and writing), this video was really nice because it reminded me that "making it" and success are really abstract ideas that are not necessarily set in stone. There's upsides and downsides to everything, and less reliance on yt to pay your bills brings more creative freedom, which for me is extremely important.
Love your content, love your channel, congrats!
Oh god yes! A hype house for 3X year olds and their families... That's the sort of thing people would call "TV Gold".
Ayy, we're both celebrating our 10th year this year. I've also been generally wondering how to process it. I've been lucky enough to be fulltime for about five years now, but only because I've kept my costs low by renting a single room in a larger house. No, I've never been able to explain what I do to my parents. I do let's plays, and channels like yours have always been a huge influence. Especially you. I swear I must have started watching you within the first two years, but who knows how anyone could ever check.
Videos like your politics in games, Far Cry 5, and 0451 coverage have been important to me. You're probably the reason I stop dead in my tracks in the middle of a Bioshock playthrough to talk for five minutes about what it says about the setting that you can simply pay to make the police drones forget about you. I've always seen channels like this as aspirational. I was working on this big scripted Resident Evil 6 video back in 2012, but never followed all the way through with it, and I've regretted it ever since.
So for my 10th, I'm swinging in a different direction. I'm finally starting my video essay channel. I finished my 7500 word first draft of my first real video last night, and today I'm revising that and hopefully recording the voiceover. And without you subtly redirecting how I engage with media over the course of a decade, I can't say for certain that it would even be happening.
I still like "Kinaesthetics" more than "game feel" tbh
But that's not what kinesthetic means. Kinesthetic is about bodily movement and how it feels. If I were to invent a word for what you might mean, it would rather be something like "ludoesthetic".
@@Madoc_EU kinaesthetics sounds cooler though.
Sorry, do you mean "visceral"?
@@SimonBuchanNz I think they mean something like "what playing the game feels like".
If this is it, "it" is 10 years of wonderful videos that I've always enjoyed. Glad to have been along for the ride!!
You've meant a lot to me these past 10 years, Chris. :) Happy anniversary!
Happy for you for getting this far! I've been watching your vids since the very start and your essays have definately fueled inspirations when I design my games today, like the rest of the game critic youtubers I watched as a teen up to now.
Thanks for sticking to it, the video game landscape is better for it in more ways you know 😉
thank you so much for keeping up this “weird little hobby”. You might not be the biggest in the world but you are unequivocally my favorite video game essayist on the platform and I’m so grateful to have stumbled across your work in mid 2019. Your video on Getting Over It still makes me oddly emotional to this day, and I would of never thought of that game as any more then a little viral game if it wasn’t for your analysis. No mater what you choose to do in the future, thank you for all of your work!
Congrats on making it to ten years!! Your outlook on growth and win states in real life is really refreshing. Thanks for sharing and being open!
I don't have much to say beyond "thank you" for this channel. Your reviews have been a comfort and an inspiration, an opportunity to look at what I consume from a fresh perspective... and often containing life lessons too. Thanks for sharing your mind space and a bit of vulnerability with us. Cheers!
Happy Anniversary. I've been watching this channel since I was 16 years old, and I'm 24 now, which is crazy to think about. Errant Signal introduced me to what Game Studies even WAS, led me to pursue it as my major, and now that I work in interactive media, it keeps me thinking about games in ways I never would otherwise. Even now, I get excited and write essays of my own about games I see on this channel. Maybe one day I'll actually work those scripts into something, and Errant Signal will have been a core influence.
Even if this channel isn't the million subscriber ultra-hit you were excited about at my age, you have people that have been really inspired by you. Stay awesome Chris.
Thank you for the content. Your videos helped me learn to look at my hobbies and the things I love with a more analytical eye. I hope this comment shows both you and the algorithm that I appreciate this channel :)
I’ve been watching a long time, almost since you started, and ES was formative to my game studies passion, and when that faded I kept watching because I enjoy what Mike Rugnetta called “thinking with others”. It’s always a treat when I see a new video on the feed, make whatever you want to make and we’ll watch!
Your channel will always be a favorite of mine for being one of the first few I had ever seen that tried to dissect games further than a commercial sense or for shallow reviews. I don’t think I’d ever think about game systems or mechanics as having any form of metaphorical meaning, intended or otherwise, if you hadn’t been there to say it. I’m glad you’re enjoying creative freedom in your work! It means your videos are undeniably your work, and I like watching your work! Thanks for ten years of discussion, critique, and insight!
Just wanted to add my voice to the many who have been inspired by the show.
The Errant Signal episode on Spec Ops was the first piece of actual game criticism I had ever seen, and I was hooked on the channel and the style from that point on. It got me thinking more critically about games, using Errant Signal as a framework when I didn't really know where to start with more academic sources. And, hell, the books I started reading were ones mentioned in Errant Signal videos. That got me thinking about making games, and I've been doing it professionally for 3 years now. I genuinely don't know if I would have done that if it weren't for that one Errant Signal video that kicked everything off.
I really like this video, both because of how it ties into my personal history, and the overall idea of not looking at the world through the lens of a winstate. Glad to know that, after nearly 9 years of watching these videos, I can still get so much out of them!
This has absolutely been one of my favorite channels for a bit now! I'd love to see you branch out into talking about all kinds of things because I just enjoy your creative and analytical voice.
YES! This helped me a ton. I've been struggling with my own shit and seeing someone openly talk about their own experience reminded me that it's not over till it's over.
Congratulations on 10 years. Glad you're still doing it.
Aw man, at times it felt like you were reading my journals aloud in this video. TOO CLOSE TO HOME ABORT MISSION GAAHH
YEARS ago I was frustrated by games criticism, and I just wanted confirmation that I wasn't the only person on TH-cam who was interested in talking about Civ 5's themes. I didn't want a product review, I wanted an honest engagement with the ideas the game was putting forth. When I found your video saying that the game seems to glorify colonialism and we gotta talk about that, I was like, "thank fucking GOD I'm not alone here!" I think this was in the Gamer Gate era and, jesus, you know how things were back then. I was happy that I found a critic who saw what games could be, not just how they served their function as products for a specific crowd with a certain political disposition.
These days I do feel embarrassed at times about my own obscurity. Like - if I haven't even broken a thousand subs, are people going to wonder why I'm even doing this? Are they going to judge me for sticking with this thing even though it's unlikely I'll ever win the algorithmic lottery? I feel like I need to prove I can live up to the potential people see in me and I can't just let the work I do exist on its own. When I think of things that way, as steps towards some indeterminate goal or another brick laid down in a perpetually expanding house or something, I lose sight of the real reasons I make things. Making videos pushes me to research and learn new ideas and skills, and it's an outlet. I don't need to rock the world, I just need to keep the channel open and let these things come to be. It's comforting to know other people grapple with the same feelings, you know?
As a creator, my first "win state" came from you shouting me out on Twitter! I FREAKED out when I saw my notifications, I had never been acknowledged by an internet person before. And you're an internet person who I RESPECT. I'll never forget that. This is all just to say that I'm saving this video to my secret creative angst playlist to come back to on the days when I feel like I'm losing my way. Thanks for making it, and thanks for being that dissenting voice I hoped for all those years ago. Here's to another decade! c:
Love your Chanel since 2013, greetings from brazil!
Do you know any Brazilian video game analystis? I would like to hear my mother tongue every now and again :)
@@CarlolucaS baaah Cara eu nao conheco :(
For what it's worth I want to say that you really are one of my favourite youtubers. There's not a lot of people that make analysis videos of the style you do, and I really enjoy this particular style, and you've both exposed me to games that ended up being some of my favourites (Prey, ANATOMY and We Know the Devil just to name a few) and also heavily inspired my own writing. From one twenty-six-year-old to a former twenty-six-year-old, you're doing great, keep it up!
This has hit me right in the feels. Do you still think you can do this show full-time at some point?
Ever since I first discovered your videos some 5 plus years ago, I have found few of your analytical caliber. In a world of clickbait and shallow thinking, your ability to reflect critically on your work and yourself is pure gold. Words can barely describe how much I learn from each video.
Happy Anniversary Chris! Here is to 10 more years of success.
„TH-camrs should not invent Game Design terms“ Ufff don’t tell Mark Brown 😏
Late to the party, but I recently discovered this channel and have been ecstatically watching any videos that pop up, and browsing the channel when none are recommended. I really think it's some of the best game analysis and criticism on TH-cam. A truly unique and insightful voice- thank you for sharing all of your thoughts
First!!!
I did it I'm so happy about this
Congratulations man
In French, "Spartiate" translates to both "Spartan" and "Sparse". So it's not a totally ridiculous vocab screwup for some of your audience at least.
It's also a type of sandals x)
Just so you know, I like your videos as they are. I don't mean they shouldn't change if you feel like making them evolve in some drastic way (like you say, you're not at our whims) but I never thought "this isn't done cooking yet. It needs more production value". Whatever the production value you've had, your videos are well made and interesting to think about.
I understand you've realized that now but I thought some social media approval might make you happy anyway :P
For the riffing on universal's old commercial thing, I think it could be really fun to watch in very short spurts. You know... Like an add x)
'Cause 30 minutes is a lot to watch at once for this specific kind of content.
I watch hour longs videos but not hour long jokes if that makes sense ?
Good luck man. I've been there for a few years and I intend on sticking around for a few more =)
I appreciate you being here, Chris.
Thanks for everything you do.
Even if it sometimes doesn't feel like it - you matter a lot and your content also does.
Just... Thanks a lot. And have a nice year!
It took 27 seconds for Chris to clip one of his Fortnite victories haha. Happy 10th birthday man. To the only Video game academic TH-cam channel.
"This is it"? Harsh phrasing."this" is damned good stuff and always thought provoking. "This" is raw and awesome and exactly what i signed up for ....many years ago (I don't know when I subscribed perhaps your backstage data can tell you how long I have been here). "This" might not be big or flashy but I do love "this". That said I'm sorry you havent been able to make this a full time gig.
This video just made me realize that I have been subscribed for around 8 of the 10 years you've been around, and since 2013 I haven't missed a single video you've uploaded. This is one of the few channels I cannot stop watching, your insight about games is always welcome. Happy anniversary!!
Been watching for a long time! Happy ten year anniversary and keep doing what makes you happy 💞💕✨
I just recently found your channel, and I couldn't be happier that I did. Your VO, your writing, your thoughts and ideas, everything is presented in such a fascinating way that I honestly couldn't compare to any other creator. I am personally very glad that you're here, and I hope to be here for the next ten years of your channel as well!
Congratulations on ten years of excellent contributions to games criticism, and even history! I've had the privilege of following your work ever since you joined Spoiler Warning and have enjoyed it ever since. My own experience is of growing as a player along with you, so your development as a commentator dovetailed nicely with my own increasing knowledge. What I'm trying to say is that, even though I'm ten years younger than you, we sort of grew up together? And I'm very thankful for that.
Keep up the good work. You're a valuable part of many people's lives.