Filter
Channel Games
I’m trying to beat every awesome game ever made. My commentary is focused on Criticism. I discuss narrative structure, game design space, etc.
The community completely controls my schedule: viewers dictate which awesome games I play first.
The community completely controls my schedule: viewers dictate which awesome games I play first.
You can't really be objective about this, so I use my discretion. I try to avoid playing mediocre, uninteresting, or unimportant games.
You can add games to the schedule via the Voting System or Sub Block.
I maintain a database of every game I've already played, with YouTube playlist links to every VOD.
You can see whether I’ve beaten each game, whether it was a blind (first-time) playthrough, and how many hours I spent on it.
You can see whether I’ve beaten each game, whether it was a blind (first-time) playthrough, and how many hours I spent on it.
Occasionally a famously-bad game will be added to my schedule, because of its important cultural context.
I prefer bad games that are bad in a way that's interesting or instructive.
I prefer bad games that are bad in a way that's interesting or instructive.
The Voting System lets viewers choose the next game I’m going to play.
Viewers can vote using currency (SP) they earn by being in chat, so regular viewers get more influence on the next game.
Viewers can vote using currency (SP) they earn by being in chat, so regular viewers get more influence on the next game.
SP & Spheres
SP is a voting currency tracked by my bot. Every 5 minutes you watch the stream, you earn 1 SP.
Subscribers and patrons get a SP multiplier.
Subscribers and patrons get a SP multiplier.
SP is used exclusively to vote for the next game, and to add games to the Voting System by bidding in Auctions.
You can see it in your User Dashboard if you authenticate with Twitch.
The Dashboard updates in realtime while you watch the stream. Alternatively, you can type !sp in chat.
The Dashboard updates in realtime while you watch the stream. Alternatively, you can type !sp in chat.
I issue a go-live SP bonus at the start of stream equal to the # Viewers in chat.
You can directly redeem Twitch’s Channel Points (
Spheres) for SP.
You can complete stream bounties, like timestamping YouTube videos, to earn SP.
Subscribers who are unable to tune in for the livestream can also ask to activate Lurker Mode.
You can directly redeem Twitch’s Channel Points (
Spheres) for SP.You can complete stream bounties, like timestamping YouTube videos, to earn SP.
Subscribers who are unable to tune in for the livestream can also ask to activate Lurker Mode.
Some subscribers are unable to tune into the livestream. These subscribers are still financially supporting the stream, and may opt-in to "Lurker Mode".
Lurkers no longer accrue SP from watching the stream, and instead receive a flat amount of monthly SP based on their Sub Tier:
These amounts are roughly equal to what you'd get for watching ~50%-70% of the livestream.
Although normal SP generation is disabled, Lurkers can still accrue Spheres if they tune into a livestream.
Lurkers no longer accrue SP from watching the stream, and instead receive a flat amount of monthly SP based on their Sub Tier:
- $4.99: 700 SP/m
- $9.99: 845 SP/m
- $14.99: 1095/m
- $24.99: 1276/m
These amounts are roughly equal to what you'd get for watching ~50%-70% of the livestream.
Although normal SP generation is disabled, Lurkers can still accrue
Spheres if they tune into a livestream.
In addition to my bot’s SP feature, I also use Twitch’s live channel points system. I call Channel Points "Spheres".
Spheres are earned by actually watching the live stream, while SP accrues by being in chat. Spheres can be redeemed for the following perks (see the other questions for info):
"Spheres".Spheres are earned by actually watching the live stream, while SP accrues by being in chat. Spheres can be redeemed for the following perks (see the other questions for info):
- Convert into SP
- +100 SP Welcome Pack (1x)
- +1 Discount
- +1 Discount Cap
- +1 Sub Block Hour
- +1 Month of Sub Perks
- +1 Premiere Stream
Voting
The Voting System lets viewers vote for the game I play next. It includes about ~50 candidate games.
Voting costs SP, and the vote cost is different for each game.
Voting costs SP, and the vote cost is different for each game.
First, click the Login button to authenticate with Twitch, and then check your User Dashboard. This will tell you how much SP you have to spend.
To vote, type !vote gameXX Y in Twitch Chat.
gameXX = the code for the game you are voting for (check the Voting System table for a list of game codes)
Y = the amount of SP you want to assign to the game
For example, !vote game01 100 will assign 100 SP to the game with code game01.
Note that the displayed vote total will be rounded down based on the cost to vote for that game.
To vote, type !vote gameXX Y in Twitch Chat.
gameXX = the code for the game you are voting for (check the Voting System table for a list of game codes)
Y = the amount of SP you want to assign to the game
For example, !vote game01 100 will assign 100 SP to the game with code game01.
Note that the displayed vote total will be rounded down based on the cost to vote for that game.
It's based on how long the game is estimated to take to beat on howlongtobeat.com.
+1 Hour = +1 SP Cost
+1 Hour = +1 SP Cost
If a game is featured on-stream in some other capacity (for example, during Sub Block) then it’s discounted by the number of hours we’ve already spent on it.
Games can also be discounted via the Discounts System.
Games can also be discounted via the Discounts System.
Nope! Whenever discounting happens, the vote total for the game is automatically updated as though the game always had the new cost.
Short games do have a competitive edge because they are cheaper to vote for. That's because short games take up much less stream time when they win.
To give longer games a fighting chance, they benefit from additional Discounts from Premiere Streams.
To give longer games a fighting chance, they benefit from additional Discounts from Premiere Streams.
Premiere Streams are early 4-hour streams of a game on the Voting System, unlocked before that game wins the vote.
Premieres unlock after a certain amount of SP is spent voting for the game. When they unlock, I will play the game early, separate from the normal voting system rotation.
This helps introduce more games to the schedule over time, and makes it a little easier for longer games to compete.
Premieres unlock after a certain amount of SP is spent voting for the game. When they unlock, I will play the game early, separate from the normal voting system rotation.
This helps introduce more games to the schedule over time, and makes it a little easier for longer games to compete.
You can see the SP unlock cost on the Premiere Streams Tab.
The cost scales linearly based on game length, so Premiere unlocks are cheaper for longer games.
If a game isn't listed on the Premiere Streams Tab, that means it will win the vote before unlocking a premiere.
The cost scales linearly based on game length, so Premiere unlocks are cheaper for longer games.
If a game isn't listed on the Premiere Streams Tab, that means it will win the vote before unlocking a premiere.
The main purpose of the Premiere Stream system is to make it easier to push longer games to win the vote by adding milestones along the way.
The early scheduling isn’t always a good idea, especially with very story-heavy games. For these games, viewers can request the Premieres be “Deferred”.
This means the game will still benefit from the -4 Cost Discount, but the actual Premiere will not be scheduled until the game wins the vote.
The early scheduling isn’t always a good idea, especially with very story-heavy games. For these games, viewers can request the Premieres be “Deferred”.
This means the game will still benefit from the -4 Cost Discount, but the actual Premiere will not be scheduled until the game wins the vote.
The vote total you see on the Vote Status page updates immediately when a game receives a vote.
After we reach the halfway point of the HLTB Estimate on whichever voting system game we’re currently playing, I announce a voting system deadline.
The game with the most votes at the deadline wins. In the event of a tie I will choose a winner.
Note that although fractional votes are possible, they do not count for the purposes of breaking ties.
The game with the most votes at the deadline wins. In the event of a tie I will choose a winner.
Note that although fractional votes are possible, they do not count for the purposes of breaking ties.
If a ≤10 hour game wins, it automatically triggers the next highest game to win as well. This is called a “Vote Cascade”.
The second highest game will be also added to the queue to be played after the cascade-triggering game is completed. You can see games that will trigger Vote Cascades called out on the Vote Status table view.
The current queue of Voting System games can be seen on the Summary page.
The second highest game will be also added to the queue to be played after the cascade-triggering game is completed. You can see games that will trigger Vote Cascades called out on the Vote Status table view.
The current queue of Voting System games can be seen on the Summary page.
There are three ways a game can end up in the Voting System. They are each marked with a symbol on the Vote Status page:
I reserve a few slots on the sheet to add games I’m personally interested in playing.
$24.99+ subscribers have access to a reserved Permanent Game Slot. In other words, they always have a candidate game on the Voting System. If their game wins the vote, they can replace it for free automatically.
The majority of slots on the sheet are added by viewers. Viewers get a chance to add a game to the sheet whenever one of these slots is vacated--typically, whenever a game wins the vote. This triggers an Auction.
If a game wins the vote from one of the non-reserved slots, an auction deadline is immediately resolved at the same time.
Viewers can bid SP in the Auction to add a candidate game of their choice to the voting system.
If you win the auction, the game you choose still needs to be voted up and will compete against everything else on the spreadsheet. But winning an auction is investing in seeing the game on the channel eventually.
I have final say in approving games added to the spreadsheet and may veto if the game would be inappropriate for the channel. If you’re not sure whether your game would be appropriate, we can discuss it directly.
non-reserved slots, an auction deadline is immediately resolved at the same time.Viewers can bid SP in the Auction to add a candidate game of their choice to the voting system.
If you win the auction, the game you choose still needs to be voted up and will compete against everything else on the spreadsheet. But winning an auction is investing in seeing the game on the channel eventually.
I have final say in approving games added to the spreadsheet and may veto if the game would be inappropriate for the channel. If you’re not sure whether your game would be appropriate, we can discuss it directly.
We use a silent Auction system that is always active. Bids can be whispered secretly to PiiqPiiq via the command “/w piiqpiiq !bid X”, where X = the most SP you are willing to pay for a slot.
Note that because of changes to the Twitch API, although you can bid via whisper, PiiqPiiq may be blocked from replying to you to confirm your bid. If you want a confirmation message, make sure you follow PiiqPiiq on Twitch first so it doesn’t get caught in a spam filter. (http://twitch.tv/piiqpiiq - Click ‘Follow’).
Bids can be submitted at any time before the next deadline resolves. You don't need to wait for an Auction to begin (one is running silently right now!)
When you use !bid, the SP you are bidding temporarily goes into escrow until the Auction resolves. You can change your bid at any time by whispering !bid X to PiiqPiiq again. This will overwrite your old bid.
You can cancel your bid by whispering !bid 0.
When a deadline triggers, the top bidder automatically pays SP equal to the next highest bid + 1. For example, if the top bid is for 500 SP, and the next highest bid is for 320 SP, the auction winner will pay 321 SP and win the auction. Everyone else’s escrowed SP will be returned.
So you can bid the highest SP you’d be willing to pay for a slot, without having to worry about precisely sniping other bidders.
Note that because of changes to the Twitch API, although you can bid via whisper, PiiqPiiq may be blocked from replying to you to confirm your bid. If you want a confirmation message, make sure you follow PiiqPiiq on Twitch first so it doesn’t get caught in a spam filter. (http://twitch.tv/piiqpiiq - Click ‘Follow’).
Bids can be submitted at any time before the next deadline resolves. You don't need to wait for an Auction to begin (one is running silently right now!)
When you use !bid, the SP you are bidding temporarily goes into escrow until the Auction resolves. You can change your bid at any time by whispering !bid X to PiiqPiiq again. This will overwrite your old bid.
You can cancel your bid by whispering !bid 0.
When a deadline triggers, the top bidder automatically pays SP equal to the next highest bid + 1. For example, if the top bid is for 500 SP, and the next highest bid is for 320 SP, the auction winner will pay 321 SP and win the auction. Everyone else’s escrowed SP will be returned.
So you can bid the highest SP you’d be willing to pay for a slot, without having to worry about precisely sniping other bidders.
Nope! Vote counts are never reset. If you vote for a game that is low on the sheet right now you are investing in it rising to the top and being played sooner rather than later.
I review the games on the voting system to remove “Stagnant” titles once a year. Stagnant games are titles that have been on the spreadsheet for a certain number of days without having a lot of SP spent on them.
I give everyone about two weeks of heads-up before removing stagnant games to give them a chance to “rescue” these games with votes. If a stagnant game is removed, all SP spent voting for it is automatically refunded to viewers.
SP spent on the auction to add the game is lost. This is to discourage viewers from adding games to the spreadsheet that they don’t intend to vote for.
I give everyone about two weeks of heads-up before removing stagnant games to give them a chance to “rescue” these games with votes. If a stagnant game is removed, all SP spent voting for it is automatically refunded to viewers.
SP spent on the auction to add the game is lost. This is to discourage viewers from adding games to the spreadsheet that they don’t intend to vote for.
Sometimes it makes sense to “bundle” several games together into a single slot on the Voting System. Because the cost to vote for games scales with length, it will take longer for a bundle of games to win the vote than it would take for each individual game to win the vote.
The tradeoff is that you don’t need to win many consecutive auctions to add short, bundled games to the system.
I need to manually approve all requested “bundles” before they are added to the Voting System. I’ll be using my own discretion to approve or reject bundles, but here are the general criteria I follow:
The tradeoff is that you don’t need to win many consecutive auctions to add short, bundled games to the system.
I need to manually approve all requested “bundles” before they are added to the Voting System. I’ll be using my own discretion to approve or reject bundles, but here are the general criteria I follow:
- Formal Collections: If a set of games were released as a formal collection with a distinct HLTB entry, it is almost certain I will approve their bundling without further debate. Examples: Halo Master Chief Collection, Batman: Return to Arkham.
- Closely Linked: If a set of games haven’t been released as a formal collection but are otherwise closely linked (part of the same franchise, developed by the same team, carry on the same story, etc), it’s more likely I will approve their bundling. Examples: Pathologic 1 Routes + Pathologic 2, Trails in the Sky 1+2, the original four Silent Hill games developed by Team Silent.
- Short: If a set of games are all individually extremely short (~<10 hours), and/or the resulting bundle is less than or equal to the average length of a Voting System game (~<24 hours) it’s more likely I will approve their bundling.
Discounts
Viewers can “Discount” a game on the Voting System to reduce its Vote Cost by 0.33, 0.50, or 1.00 SP/discount.
Discounts are earned in two ways: they can be redeemed using Spheres, and subscribers have access to Permanent Discount Slots.
Discounts are earned in two ways: they can be redeemed using
Spheres, and subscribers have access to Permanent Discount Slots.
When you unlock a discount with Spheres, you are prompted to specify a game. That game will have its vote cost permanently discounted by 0.33, 0.50, or 1.00 SP.
Spheres, you are prompted to specify a game. That game will have its vote cost permanently discounted by 0.33, 0.50, or 1.00 SP.
All $4.99+ subscribers who have been subscribed for at least 3 months have access to Permanent Discount Slots.
For each slot, subscribers can choose to discount a game on the voting system, which reduces its cost by 1 SP. Subscribers must apply each of their permanent discounts to different games.
Subscribers get more Discount Slots at higher sub tiers. When a discounted game wins the vote, its permanent slot becomes available again for the subscriber to re-use on a different game.
You can find all of your Permanent Discounts on your User Dashboard after authenticating with Twitch.
For each slot, subscribers can choose to discount a game on the voting system, which reduces its cost by 1 SP. Subscribers must apply each of their permanent discounts to different games.
Subscribers get more Discount Slots at higher sub tiers. When a discounted game wins the vote, its permanent slot becomes available again for the subscriber to re-use on a different game.
You can find all of your Permanent Discounts on your User Dashboard after authenticating with Twitch.
$9.99 subscribers gain 0.33 discounts each month.
$14.99 patrons gain 0.50 discounts each month.
$24.99+ subscribers gain 1.00
These discounts can be applied to any uncapped game on the sheet.
You can specify a game you would like to automatically accrue discounts like this: click the “Designated Game” bubble in your User Dashboard. There are no restrictions on Monthly Discounts; as long as a game isn't capped, you can apply as many of them as you like to the same game.
A 20-hour game can be discounted by 0.50 hours, meaning it technically only costs 19.50 SP/vote. The displayed vote total is calculated based on the true vote cost, including decimal discounts.
You can see decimal discounts on the Discounts Tab.
You can see decimal discounts on the Discounts Tab.
Discounts cannot reduce a game’s cost by more than:
A 13-hour game can get a max discount of 7 (13/2 rounded up). A 6-hour game can get a max discount of 2 (6-4).
Game costs can be further reduced beyond this soft cap by being featured on the schedule (Sub Block, Premiere Streams, etc). The soft cap can also be increased with a Sphere unlock.
- (HLTB Hours/2) Rounded Up, OR
- (HLTB Hours-4), whichever is lower
A 13-hour game can get a max discount of 7 (13/2 rounded up). A 6-hour game can get a max discount of 2 (6-4).
Game costs can be further reduced beyond this soft cap by being featured on the schedule (Sub Block, Premiere Streams, etc). The soft cap can also be increased with a
Sphere unlock.
Schedule
I stream Monday - Friday from 12PM - 05PM PDT (GMT -7). I update the schedule every weekend.
You can see it on the Summary page updated to your local timezone.
You can see it on the Summary page updated to your local timezone.
The schedule is broken up into 3 categories, distributed Monday - Friday:
- Voting System Day (x2)
- Sub Block Day (x2)
- Marstead’s Choice Day (x1)
I reserve one day a week to be agile with the schedule. I might use Marstead's Choice Days for any of the following:
- Franchise Focus: Full playthroughs of classic game franchises.
- Sub Block Catch-Up: Extra Sub Block days to speed up the rotation
- Voting System Catch-Up: Extra Voting System days to speed up the rotation
- Premiere Streams: Premieres will always be scheduled on Marstead's Choice Days to avoid interfering with the normal schedule.
We are committed to playing most new releases in the following franchises:
- The Legend of Zelda
- Soulsborne
- Castlevania
- Metal Gear Solid
- Resident Evil
- Metroid
- Final Fantasy
- Mario
- Mega Man
- La-Mulana
Generally speaking, no. I might start early or run late, and in case of new Franchise Focus entries I might run marathon streams to clear them as quickly as possible.
But generally, I do not stream on the weekends or far outside the normal time block.
But generally, I do not stream on the weekends or far outside the normal time block.
Viewer Support
Streaming is my full-time career. Donations, subscriptions, and Patreon support help me to pay bills that support the stream directly.
Viewer support covers our electricity & internet bills, the cost of buying new games, and the cost of hardware upgrades like capture equipment.
Viewer support covers our electricity & internet bills, the cost of buying new games, and the cost of hardware upgrades like capture equipment.
You earn SP for each dollar you donate. If you donate while the stream is live there will be a pop-up on the screen with your donation message. I’ll personally thank you live.
You can subscribe either through Patreon or directly through Twitch. Subscribers earn the following rewards:
- Loyalty Badge (Twitch Only)
- Emotes (Twitch Only)
- Spheres Multiplier (Twitch Only)
- SP Multiplier & Bonus
- Access to Sub Block
- ($9.99+) +0.33 Monthly Discount
- ($14.99+) +0.50 Monthly Discount
- ($24.99+) +1.00 Monthly Discount
- ($24.99+) Permanent Game Slot
Whichever is more convenient for you. You technically get some additional rewards as a Twitch subscriber as you’re recognized on the platform as a sub, so you can access things like emotes and the Spheres multiplier.
However, I get a much higher % of the take from a Patreon sub. I get ~90% of Patreon money pledged and less than ~50% of Twitch money pledged.
I suggest you sub on Twitch if you are subbing for $4.99, as nearly all of the Twitch-exclusive perks are available at that tier.
If you want to sub for more than $4.99, I’d split it between a $4.99 Twitch sub and then put the rest on Patreon.
However, I get a much higher % of the take from a Patreon sub. I get ~90% of Patreon money pledged and less than ~50% of Twitch money pledged.
I suggest you sub on Twitch if you are subbing for $4.99, as nearly all of the Twitch-exclusive perks are available at that tier.
If you want to sub for more than $4.99, I’d split it between a $4.99 Twitch sub and then put the rest on Patreon.
Once per year, on your sub anniversary, you get extra Sub Block hours added to your bank based on your sub tier.
In addition, if you’ve subbed for 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 years, you will get one additional bonus hour.
If you’ve subbed for 10+ years, you will get two additional bonus hours.
- $4.99: +1 Hour
- $9.99: +2 Hours
- $14.99: +3 Hours
- $24.99+: +4 Hours
In addition, if you’ve subbed for 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 years, you will get one additional bonus hour.
If you’ve subbed for 10+ years, you will get two additional bonus hours.
The recipient of the gift sub can still benefit from Sub Block, so to avoid doubling up on rewards, the gifter will get a lesser benefit.
Gifters receive 60 SP and 5 minutes of Sub Block time for every gift sub purchased.
To mirror the Anniversary Bonus, once you’ve purchased 60 or more gift subs, you will get 10 minutes of Sub Block time for every gift sub purchased.
Gifters receive 60 SP and 5 minutes of Sub Block time for every gift sub purchased.
To mirror the Anniversary Bonus, once you’ve purchased 60 or more gift subs, you will get 10 minutes of Sub Block time for every gift sub purchased.
You can find a full guide for timestamping at this link.
My backlog of thousands of YouTube videos are easier to browse if they have timestamps. It takes too long for me to do this manually, so I award bonus SP to viewers who want to help me out.
You even earn Sub Block time for timestamping!
My backlog of thousands of YouTube videos are easier to browse if they have timestamps. It takes too long for me to do this manually, so I award bonus SP to viewers who want to help me out.
You even earn Sub Block time for timestamping!
In addition to timestamping videos, you can also contribute to this website! We have a private github with a bunch of Wishlist items you could help us develop.
The reward is 240 SP and 1.2 minutes of Sub Block per hour of development time.
The reward is 240 SP and 1.2 minutes of Sub Block per hour of development time.
Sub Block
Sub Block is an opportunity to dodge the Voting System and play games recommended by subscribers.
Unlike the voting system, we aren't committed to beating Sub Block games, and they don't need to be "awesome".
I try to schedule about 10 hours of Sub Block time per week.
Unlike the voting system, we aren't committed to beating Sub Block games, and they don't need to be "awesome".
I try to schedule about 10 hours of Sub Block time per week.
A brand new subscriber automatically gets 1 full hour of Sub Block time which you can spend whenever you like by requesting a game on your User Dashboard.
All active subscribers automatically accrue Sub Block time every week during Sub Block streams (whether you are watching the stream or not, you’ll accrue this time).
You can also gain bonus Sub Block time by purchasing it with Spheres, contributing Timestamps, and purchasing gift subs.
Everyone gets bonus sub block time for their anniversary.
All active subscribers automatically accrue Sub Block time every week during Sub Block streams (whether you are watching the stream or not, you’ll accrue this time).
You can also gain bonus Sub Block time by purchasing it with
Spheres, contributing Timestamps, and purchasing gift subs.Everyone gets bonus sub block time for their anniversary.
On the Sub Block page, you can see three different tabs.
The main tab shows games where the requesting subscriber has enough Bank accrued to support the game. These games will be scheduled by Marstead as soon as possible.
Roughly, he will try to schedule games with the following priority:
The main tab shows games where the requesting subscriber has enough Bank accrued to support the game. These games will be scheduled by Marstead as soon as possible.
Roughly, he will try to schedule games with the following priority:
- Try to schedule games to make sure we have at least 10 hours of sub block scheduled
- Try to schedule games for subscribers with schedule constraints
- Try to schedule games for subscribers who have been waiting a long time to be drawn
- Try to schedule games to clear out very large banks
Yes! Authenticate with Twitch and then click on your User Dashboard to request a game for me to play for about ~1 hour.
I will not play games banned by Twitch. In special circumstances I might be willing to record an off-stream VOD playthrough of your nominated game, I did this in the case of Fear & Hunger.
Most games are banned on Twitch for a good reason though, so if you are requesting an off-stream playthrough you’ll need to argue for why the game is worth playing.
If you have questions about a potential Sub Block game, you can ask me directly.
Most games are banned on Twitch for a good reason though, so if you are requesting an off-stream playthrough you’ll need to argue for why the game is worth playing.
If you have questions about a potential Sub Block game, you can ask me directly.
Exceptions
I am the one enforcing these rules myself, I’m not feeding them into a computer somewhere, so I will make judgment calls in cases like these. Don’t panic that I can’t ever play a game because no one has heard of it before.
Ask me about it directly and we can discuss it. These sorts of questions are often very specific so I’d prefer to discuss them offline rather than during the live stream.
Ask me about it directly and we can discuss it. These sorts of questions are often very specific so I’d prefer to discuss them offline rather than during the live stream.
Contact me directly and we can discuss how it will be categorized if added to the spreadsheet.
I do have a “Main + Sides” category for the HLTB estimate for certain games that have significant side content. We’ll use this for Open World/exploration-focused games where the side content is as important as the main quest itself.
The trade-off is that using the Main + Sides category will cause the game to be more expensive.
I do have a “Main + Sides” category for the HLTB estimate for certain games that have significant side content. We’ll use this for Open World/exploration-focused games where the side content is as important as the main quest itself.
The trade-off is that using the Main + Sides category will cause the game to be more expensive.
Contact me directly and we can find a way to resolve this. I am fine with folks adding games to the spreadsheet for me to play for some specified # of hours before retiring from the game.
For example, racing games often don’t have a clear “beat” condition, so it’s okay to say “Just play the game for 10 hours and you’ll get the idea”.
If a game is too long and you’re worried it won’t be able to compete on the sheet, it’s okay to add segmented games to the spreadsheet. For example, you could add just the first 25 hours of a very long game, and if it goes well, add the next 25 hours afterward.
For example, racing games often don’t have a clear “beat” condition, so it’s okay to say “Just play the game for 10 hours and you’ll get the idea”.
If a game is too long and you’re worried it won’t be able to compete on the sheet, it’s okay to add segmented games to the spreadsheet. For example, you could add just the first 25 hours of a very long game, and if it goes well, add the next 25 hours afterward.
I'm open to discuss it with you. You just need to make a compelling case to the community that your game is worth playing.
Community
You can join our public Discord Channel here! We have many different channels for conversation topics.
Discord is the best place to discuss stuff that might not be appropriate in the live Twitch chat. I post channel news regularly in #announcements and the #general channel is particularly active during the mornings/evenings/weekends when the channel is offline.
Discord is the best place to discuss stuff that might not be appropriate in the live Twitch chat. I post channel news regularly in #announcements and the #general channel is particularly active during the mornings/evenings/weekends when the channel is offline.
#1 Be civil The chat should have a relaxed, positive, and comfortable atmosphere.
#2 No racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia Zero tolerance. This is a diverse LGBTQIA+-friendly community.
#3 Change the subject (if asked) Productive discussion about controversial or polarizing topics is encouraged, so long as it remains productive. Please move on from a subject if asked.
#4 Take it offline (if asked) Some important topics like moderation, issues with other viewers, and meta-discussion about the stream itself are best addressed via whisper or private message with me or a mod, after the stream is offline. Please don't revisit a topic in live chat if asked to take it offline.
#5 Links are OK, but please ask first To block spammers my bot will purge links from viewers with <1 hour watched unless if a mod !permits you.
#6 No backseat gaming Ask other viewers in !hide if you can share a hint. Please don't persist if I say "I don't want help."
#7 No spoilers If you're in doubt or want to discuss a spoiler, please type !hide before your message to discuss it with chat but hide it from me. You can find my extended spoiler policy here.
#8 Respect moderator action If you disagree with moderator action, please follow up with Marstead via Discord DM. Please do NOT publicly argue or complain about moderator action in the live Twitch chat. This especially applies to chat clears for spoilers. Repeated live-chat disrespect for moderator action will result in a permaban.
#9 Act in good faith Everyone should behave with the spirit of cooperation, good-will, and respect for one another. It is possible to obey the letter of all of these other rules while still showing contempt for the community. Moderators have the discretion to time-out or ban viewers who violate the spirit of the community, even if they don't explicitly violate any of the above rules.
#10 We are pro-social justice, pro-science and pro-human rights Although we try to keep things light, this community is pro-social justice. Nazi punks, fuck off.
#2 No racism, sexism, homophobia, or transphobia Zero tolerance. This is a diverse LGBTQIA+-friendly community.
#3 Change the subject (if asked) Productive discussion about controversial or polarizing topics is encouraged, so long as it remains productive. Please move on from a subject if asked.
#4 Take it offline (if asked) Some important topics like moderation, issues with other viewers, and meta-discussion about the stream itself are best addressed via whisper or private message with me or a mod, after the stream is offline. Please don't revisit a topic in live chat if asked to take it offline.
#5 Links are OK, but please ask first To block spammers my bot will purge links from viewers with <1 hour watched unless if a mod !permits you.
#6 No backseat gaming Ask other viewers in !hide if you can share a hint. Please don't persist if I say "I don't want help."
#7 No spoilers If you're in doubt or want to discuss a spoiler, please type !hide before your message to discuss it with chat but hide it from me. You can find my extended spoiler policy here.
#8 Respect moderator action If you disagree with moderator action, please follow up with Marstead via Discord DM. Please do NOT publicly argue or complain about moderator action in the live Twitch chat. This especially applies to chat clears for spoilers. Repeated live-chat disrespect for moderator action will result in a permaban.
#9 Act in good faith Everyone should behave with the spirit of cooperation, good-will, and respect for one another. It is possible to obey the letter of all of these other rules while still showing contempt for the community. Moderators have the discretion to time-out or ban viewers who violate the spirit of the community, even if they don't explicitly violate any of the above rules.
#10 We are pro-social justice, pro-science and pro-human rights Although we try to keep things light, this community is pro-social justice. Nazi punks, fuck off.
Sending a direct message (DM) on Discord is the best way to get in touch with me. I treat my new messages bucket like a task list and work through them daily.
I am always looking to improve the channel, and viewer feedback is invaluable! I try to keep high-level feedback (suggestions for big systems like the voting spreadsheet, sub block, etc) offline.
Please contact me directly via Discord direct message.
Please contact me directly via Discord direct message.
Typing !hide before text keeps me from seeing your message, but still lets everyone else in chat see it. Use this to discuss hints or spoilers with other viewers without giving it away for me.
You can check out a list of all stream commands and their functions.
About Marstead
My wife Andrea supports my career! She is an astrophysicist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. She earns enough income to cover our basic needs without me needing to work a “real job”.
I also work as a homemaker for our household. I do the dishes, clean the kitty litter, take care of laundry, etc.
Because of Andrea’s support I am privileged enough to be able to do this thing that I love without needing it to put food on our table. Subscribers & patrons help to pay for games, stream equipment, and other costs of maintaining the channel.
I also work as a homemaker for our household. I do the dishes, clean the kitty litter, take care of laundry, etc.
Because of Andrea’s support I am privileged enough to be able to do this thing that I love without needing it to put food on our table. Subscribers & patrons help to pay for games, stream equipment, and other costs of maintaining the channel.
I was a User Acceptance Test Lead/Project Manager for JPMorgan Chase, testing internal software and the public website. I was laid off at that job in 2014, and used my severance to start the channel in February of 2015.
Before that I worked third shift, sorting and loading packages onto planes for overnight delivery.
Before that I worked third shift, sorting and loading packages onto planes for overnight delivery.
I plan to keep streaming indefinitely. Provided that viewer support continues to cover my operating expenses, my wife and I are comfortable focusing on sustaining the existing community.
Earlier in my career I was more concerned with partnership and short-term growth, but at this point, the stream pays for itself, so I am happy to sustain a deliberately-small community.
Earlier in my career I was more concerned with partnership and short-term growth, but at this point, the stream pays for itself, so I am happy to sustain a deliberately-small community.
I stream using two PCs so that my gaming rig is not interfering with my streaming software. Streaming is very CPU-intensive, and modern games can eat up a lot of resources.
Streaming Tower
Gaming Tower
Streaming Tower
- Motherboard: Gigabyte Z790 UD AC
- Processor: Intel i7-3700K, 3400 Mhz
- Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
- RAM: 64GB DDR5
- OS: Windows 10 64-Bit Professional
Gaming Tower
- Motherboard: Gigabyte Z690 UD AX DDR4
- Processor: Intel i5-12600K, 3700 Mhz
- Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
- RAM: 64GB DDR4
- OS: Windows 10 64-Bit Professional
I play games from every console and system, and own additional consoles not listed below. I make every effort to purchase physical or digital copies of games when they are still available for sale and play the copy on the most recent possible hardware (using Virtual Console, PSN, etc).
I will occasionally emulate a title I own if capture on the original hardware is prohibitive or would have poor stream quality. I encourage all gamers to support developers and pay for the games they love.
I also own a Framemeister xrgb-mini which I use to capture video from older consoles like the PlayStation 2 and Super Famicom.
Hardware
Software
I will occasionally emulate a title I own if capture on the original hardware is prohibitive or would have poor stream quality. I encourage all gamers to support developers and pay for the games they love.
- Wii U
- Switch
- Switch 2
- PlayStation 3
- PlayStation 4
- PlayStation 5
- PlayStation TV (Vita Capture)
- Xbox 360
- Xbox One
- Xbox Series
- New Nintendo 3DS (Modded with Capture Card)
I also own a Framemeister xrgb-mini which I use to capture video from older consoles like the PlayStation 2 and Super Famicom.
Hardware
- Webcam #1: Elgato Facecam
- Webcam #2: Logitech C920
- Microphone: Shure SM7B
- Capture Card: Elgato 4k60 (PCI-E)
- Stream Deck: Elgato Stream Deck
- Heart Rate Monitor: Pulse Oximeter
- USB: PCI-E USB Expansion Card
Software
- Bot: Firebot
- Audio: Virtual Audio Cable
- Twitch Chat: Chatty
- Streaming: OBS Studio
