MrBiffo
patreon
UPDATE FROM THE BRAIN OF BIFFO
🕑 Added 2020-02-04 10:57:47 +0000 UTCHello gang.
Thought I'd give you an update/braindump on where we're at.
Digitiser Live tickets will, hopefully, go on sale this week. We're going to make them available to you Patrons first via a secret link. I'll give you notice as soon as it's up so keep your eyes out for the email.
We've started shipping rewards for Digitiser The Show, if any of you are eligible for those. I have to say, it's an enormous relief to finally start getting them off my plate. They've been hanging over me and Sanja forever, and as I think I've stated on more than one occasion, I regret offering so many actual physical rewards. What can I say? We were working on the advice of the company we signed up with to advise on the campaign, who assured us that retro gaming fans loved physical product. It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Sanja, who's handling all the shipping singlehandedly, is still recovering from her broken collarbone - and was in quite a lot of pain last night after spending all day packing stuff - so please bear with us. It's gonna be a few weeks before they all ship. And I'll be very glad to have put the whole thing to bed.
One day, years from now, I'll write a tell-all, behind-the-scenes, exposé of all the drama that went on behind-the-scenes on Digitiser the Show...! Such as the embolism-inducing situation with the arcade machine, which rumbled on long into 2019...
AAAaaAaaanyway...
I'm well aware that we've not had any updates on Digitiser2000.com barring some silly ads and the like. Not making excuses, but part of it is I've had flu the past week, which I think I'm finally starting to come out the other side of. Not man-flu, or a cold, but proper flu. No doubt picked up from visiting my mother in hospital recently, where she was recovering from pneumonia. So, that has been fun.
Also... I've just felt kind of lacking in all inspiration when it comes to the gaming stuff.
Obviously, this was building for a long time - I wrote about it at length, and Digi on YouTube has moved away from games, obviously - but I think the tipping point I was heading towards for a while has finally been reached. I'm pretty sure I'll still be reviewing games on there, as and when the early-2020 games drought breaks, but beyond that I kind of feel - for now - like I've said everything I ever want to say about games.
Plus, retro gaming is covered by so many different outlets, and sites, and channels, and I just don't feel equipped to talk about them at the same sort of depth. Every morning for the past couple of weeks I've gone to write something on the site, and... nothing has happened. The cupboard is bare.
So, I think I'm going to give myself permission to just play it by ear, not try to force it, and see if it comes back. I've enjoyed writing the more personal posts for the $5 tier backers, and there's no shortage of inspiration there, so I'm going to continue in that vein for the foreseeable, focus on those, the YouTube channel, and Digi Live preparations. And occasional Digi fake ads/Photoshop nonsense.
Speaking of the YouTube Channel, Sunday's video has been our most popular for a while. The combination of cheese and Sanja seems like a winning combination. Also, the simpler thumbnails seem to be doing their job, and we've seen some renewed interest in older videos. Which is nice.
I'm pleased for her - I knew she'd be great on camera, I know how naturally likeable she is, but I kind of kept her away from that side of it because I didn't want to expose her to any potential unpleasantness.
Thankfully, people have been unanimously kind, though inevitably there are have been a lot of comments focusing on the fact she isn't - GASP! - a man. I'm not sure how people expect me to react to being told that they fancy my wife. I mean, isn't that a weird thing to say to someone? What do they want in response?
Aside from it being reductive in a rather misogynistic way, it does make me feel a bit uncomfortable and over-protective. Fortunately, Sanja is doing it for fun and because we like messing about together, and she isn't somebody who wants to be famous, not even remotely. She's not about to try to cultivate more of an online persona than she already has, or try to attract more attention. As a result, she'll hopefully be spared the worst of the unwarranted attention many female YouTubers get. Certainly, if any of that did happen, I think we'd both rather not have her on-screen.
Right, Anyway. Think that's it for today. Keep 'em peeled for the Live Show tickets. Should be any day now... Heck, maybe even later today...
Paul
Comments
James Moorehead
She has been doing a great job, the one thing I will say, is that the chemistry on screen between yourselves, and this also goes for the others you have on Digi is just so so good. You can really tell that you're all enjoying what you're doing and it really comes through so well. :) As far as your writing about games goes, do what feels right. You can't force inspiration. I know it's hardly what people would call 'real writing' but I've just took a half year break from writing the fan fiction because there was just nothing that inspired me, but now I'm back at it again and feeling super confident. Also hope you're over your flu! :)
Paul Rose (Mr Biffo)
Still hoping to do a podcast! We just want to make sure there's not too much content out there, really. I think that's another benefit of doing less on the website; it's asking a lot of people to keep up with that, as well as YouTube etc. It was noticeable that we started getting more views once we went down to one video a week. Much as I'd like to do more!
Paul Rose (Mr Biffo)
Thank you!
Paul Rose (Mr Biffo)
The comments have *mostly* been okay. It's been on Twitter where I've had a few where I've kind of gone... "Really?! You're going to tell ME that?!". I'm loathe to disable comments, because generally our comments are alright, and I like the interaction. But suffice to say I'll keep an eye on it!
Loving the abstract, avant gard direction Digi is going, definitely would love a podcast if you're still planning one, and sad to hear internet cretins are still plaguing you and Sanja. can't imagine what they expect to get out of their reductive comments. Sanja brings a great energy and interesting angle to the show, and it's sad that some people still need to comment "omg a woman" etc. But that's kinda the nature of the internet, some people just wanna be morons or toxic or both.
WhatHoSnorkers
Great stuff Mr Biffo sir, and Mrs Biffo is indeed a treasure. I was thinking about YouTube comments... could you have them enabled when it's a Patreon preview, and then just disable them when it goes public? Your supporters are a good bunch and it protects Sanja from the vile shit that is out there. The only vile stuff she should be exposed to is in the form of fermented shark, or ashy cheese...
The Nitroglycerin Child
Personally I'm really enjoying the content on Digi (Youtube). Like I said previously, I just enjoy watching you all chat and have fun. I would be more than happy to just listen to extended podcast type shows where you just talk about what is happening. At the end of the day, just do what you want to do and find creatively fulfilling. It will find an audience.
Paul Rose (Mr Biffo)
I think you're going to see a lot more Found Footage-y type stuff this year. Freeing myself up from having to update the website daily, it's leaving time for me to do different sorts of things on the YouTube channel. Not just the inserts in the regular eps, but I might even experiment with some one-off Found Footage episodes. That's the vague plan anyway!
The videos are great and I think you are going in the right direction, there is a sea of retro gaming content and although I like it I am getting tired of it. I mean there's only so many times you can hear about how amazing Jet Set Willy is or how crap joypads used to be etc etc. I personally like the oddball stuff, I've said it before but I loved Biffos Found Footage and would happily see new ones the more bizarre the better!
Lyall Moffitt
Best news of the week
Chai
I'm glad people haven't been shitty to Sanja. She's a delight and seeing her on the channel is a delight! I very much enjoy the more personal patreon posts too. My eyes are peeled for Live show tickets and I'm hyped for another opportunity to see friends and watch a silly show.
Stephen Cross
The videos with her in are canny!
John Veness
Glad to hear that Sanja is a hit on screen, and that so far she is happy doing it. I knew she would be great, but until now it's like she's been a secret to just a few, so it's great now that more people will know! I really hope things don't turn sour. Love to you both. PS Sanja, take care of your injury!
