Podcast Ideas for Listeners

[terrestrialboy]

I have tossed this around on the boards a bit, but I'm in the process of putting together a podcast. I can't get into specifics, yet, but once my two friends and I iron out what our main ideas are for the thing, I will be starting a thread on here to get input from you kind listeners (and you fellow podcasters as well).

Thus far, it will be a gaming podcast, and it will focus on the perspectives of three veteran game masters (myself, and two of my friends who predominantly GM rather than play).

More later.

Ethan

[Jim in Buffalo]

I forget who brought this up at the podcasting megacast, and I want to say it was WorkingMan...

There's a niche market for tightly-focused discussion of specific game systems and campaign settings.

The number of broadly-based RPG podcasts, ones that discuss general gaming topics has grown a lot.

Those podcasts can only skim the surface of the kinds of depths that the system-focused and setting-focused podcasts out there can plumb with abandon.

What I wonder is if it will be feasible for the narrow podcasts and the broad podcasts to effectively cross-promote with one-another.

Will a big, popular podcast like Dragon's Landing or HGWT be willing to trade promos with an upstart podcast that's all about WoD?

Another thing that I expect might be coming down the pike is podcasts put out by the game companies themselves. I wonder where that will fit in.

[FraserRonald]

Sword's Edge has a podcast idea in the wings... hopefully something will become of it soon.

This is so going to happen. As to soon, that's the question. Damn work and babies and stuff.

Well, at least damn work.

[terrestrialboy]

The Niche Thing ...

I think it's ultimately a subjective thing. Different gamers have different tastes. Some gamers will like one podcast about gaming, while others will not.

I've tried listening to a few genric podcasts about gaming, and some have been not for me. Vice cersa also applies. For example, my brother doesn't like Gamer: The Podcasting, but I do. It's all about different tastes.

This is why I think broad gaming podcasts will have a better audience, and I don't think the market is oversaturated at this point on the whole thing. I like to listen to several different podcasts, even if they're talking about the same thing.

Why?

Different opinions. Everyone not only has different tastes, but also different opinions -- different inputs they can give on a subject. I'd be interested in hearing the other podcasts do things about world building like DLI did waaaaay back when. I'm along the philosophy that the more input the better.

If a podcast doesn't speak to a particular gamer, it will speak to another. It's the law of numbers. The word is spreading, and this medium is still growing and finding its place. I think, much like the d20 industry now, we will see the truly bad podcasts drop off and die, and the good ones will thrive ... find their audiences, and continue on.

This is, of course, my disjointed opinion. I need to eat something. Dang I'm tired.

Ethan

[Capt.D]

I am in no way shape or form knocking the generalized podcast, I love listening to them, but I would really like at least a genre specific podcast. Superhero gaming(my first choice), a specific setting(Eberron, Forgotten Realms) or even a system specific podcast(Rifts, Mutants & Masterminds), other than d20. I like d20 but with that being the predominate system there are a lot of cast that pretty much focus on just that system. Yet there are tons of great games out there other than d20 thatfor the most part get ignored . I'm not saying that the other systems aren't mentioned on generalized gaming cast but still the default topic is usually d20.

While the fan base for a podcast would likely be smaller than for the generalized podcast I do believe that the target audience would come running, so to speak, when they found out about it. Also since it would focus on a specific topic that is of interest to them you would have a better lock on that audience. While gamers have a ton of generalized podcast to listen to those seeking a specific topic would only have a few choices and if done well they would likely be very loyal.

As for the possible legal ramifications, from what I have experienced most companies are happy to have someone promote their product for free. Of course it has to be done in the context of reviews or like DL as helpful suggentions/ideas with the intent of improving the gaming experience for the players. If you tried to introduce things from your own campaigns as canon for the game then you might have a problem.

I don't have a "radio voice", plus between doing the Gazette almost entirely by myself, my family, work, and college I just don't have time to do my own podcast(I know it's a lame excuse but I'm sticking to it). Not that there isn't a part of me that really wants to.

"Those that can, do... those that can't listen to those that can" or something like that.

[Capt.D]

I just thought of a podcast that tends to be specific to a particular game/system... Yog Soggoth.com. It's a great show that I listen to and while I just bought the game @ Gen Con I have never played it. Still I enjoy the podcast.

[Elf_NFB]

I've been doing some thinking on the whole specific podcast idea. Hear is an idea:
what if several podcasts get together and rotate their shows? For example. one week is Eberron the next is Forgotten Realms and the next Dragonlance and round and round it goes. This would releave the pressure of a weekly podcast and keep interest up. The group could share costs on a web presence and for the bandwith.

What does everyone think?

[Capt.D]

From a listener perspecitve think that is good idea. That way all of the burden isn't on one particular podcast. But it might be a bit of a headache for the people doing it. They would have to coordinate with the other group(s) to make sure they didn't cover the same material and things of that nature.

[HighmoonMedia]

Warning: this is long.

This is a very exciting time to be tuned in to the whole podcast phenomenon, in general. Specifically in gaming podcast, this goes 100 times more so, because, thanks to the early adopters who have broken ground and gained an amazing level of legitimacy, the soil is fertile now for a new crop to come up.

In many ways I see Gen Con as the turning point, and specifically the Megacast as being the Big Bang of the new era in gaming podcasts. A lot of things were said at the cast, a lot of ideas and theories and plans, that during the next year we will see put into action and be able to, very clearly, see how they had their genesis at the Megacast.

Of particular interest, for me especially, is the concept of the new batch of podcasts and the form they should take in order to thrive in the already-existing field. The general advice show has been done, and quite well, so there's no need to rehash it. It's time to become a true specialist, and take advante of the Long Tail effect.*

If you really stop to think about it, and look at the current generation (let's call them Generation Alpha, to borrow Chuck and Lonnie's new scheme), you'll find the concept of specialization has already taken place: you have DLI with general RPG advice; Gamer the Podcasting with general LARP advice; Fistfull going for the very obvious (and quite ignored until, and except for, them) brige of comics and games; All Games Considered doing a review show that manages not to be repetitive in a field with Paul Tevis' Have Games, Will Travel; Ogre Cave Audio Report is the only one doing industry news and commentary, something I would love to have more of; Fear the Boot seems like it's going for the general RPG advice, but they are so systematic that they manage not to be repetitive with DLI, etc.

The reason this is interesting for me in particular is because this is preciselyt the kind of thinking that led me to create The Gamer Traveler. Currently TGT plays as part of the DLI, but that was a practical decision based on my circumstances at the moment; in all other aspects, TGT is its own podcast, and I envision taking it solo in the near future as well. In terms of focus, the podcast was born out of me thinking, "How can I do a gaming podcast that is unique and niche enough to justify me making it at all?" It took a while, but I finally landed the concept. I still need to tighten up the execution, for sure, but I am very secure that I have created a product that, by its very nature, is not likely to be copied, thus assuring me an original output and space in the podcast field.

This is the same thinking that needs to go into the creation of new podcasts in our field; we need to look for specialties, things for which we feel passionate about and we can talk someone's ear off and (quite importantly) complement the existing 'casts so that we do not offer direct competition, but rather synergy.

As far as the established podcasts helping out to promote the new generation, I don't think that would be a problem. Remember at the end of the day we are not really in competition; though a listener's time is at a premium, better informing the listener about the options out there, the options that would truly maximize their listening time, creates a better listener, one that is both loyal to the community and thankful for having been exposed to cool things he/she may not have found about before. Many of the smaller PDF game publishers already do this, and the result has been better loyalty from the customers and an ever expanding pool of new people being exposed to our products.

Another thing we, as listeners, need to start getting used to is that the content we are being provided by these podcasters is valuable and worth money; I, for one, welcome their new attempts at laying the groundwork for ways to eventually generate a profit from their hard, hard work.

Like I said, this is a very exciting time to be a listener and a podcaster, and I can't wait to see what the future brings.

* - The short and simplified version: the Long Tail effect states that there is a potentially-endless market for uber-niche products that, while it may dwindle to a very small amount, actually never reaches zero. Read the Wikipedia article if you want a more theoretical explanation.

[Capt.D]

While I whole heartedly agree that the time and effort put forth by the podcasters if just as valuable as anyone else's, I have heard rumbling on other boards about potential fees for downloading from sources such as itunes(I am almost positive this is an unfounded rumor, but it has come up). While I could see itunes doing something like this I don't see the great bunch of people that do many of my favorite podcast acting in this way, not to mention the number of listeners that would be lost. However if this were the case they would do better to act in the same manner as broadcast radio and work with companies for air time with commercials and product placements.

I also agree that Gen Con seems to have been the turning point for many of the more popular podcast. They seem to have returned with a vigor, determination and love of the medium that most hadn't shown since they first started. I look forward to the next year and hopefully by Gen Con next year we will have seen the podcast move into the realm of mainstream media.

One thing that amazes me about podcast is the popularity of gaming podcast. While there are a huge variety podcast out there to be heard, I don't know many people that listen to anything except shows concerning gaming(this includes Serenity/Firefly), comics or some combination of both. While I am sure there is an audience for the other cast and the ones I have heard are quite good, it seems that this medium is dominated moreso by gaming oriented podcast than any other. Perhaps because gamers tend to network more, simply because you can't game if you don't know anyone. Plus when something new is discovered in a group, such as gamers, information concerning that something will spread quickly. Which helps to bring new listeners and since we can get all this great entertainment for free, especially since gaming is such and expensive hobby.
As gamers, tend to become very loyal if it's done well, which is why there is a core group of gaming podcast that have not only survived the past year, but thrived while other fizzled out.

[keithcurtis]

Actually, looking at the top 100 on Podcast Pickle, I'd say that Anime-based podcasts have the lion's share.

I see mostly gaming-based podcasts, because that's what my friends and I are interested in and looking for.

[HighmoonMedia]

While I whole heartedly agree that the time and effort put forth by the podcasters if just as valuable as anyone else's, I have heard rumbling on other boards about potential fees for downloading from sources such as itunes (I am almost positive this is an unfounded rumor, but it has come up).

It may have come up as people throw ideas around, to see what the feedback is. Personally, I don't think like the pay-for-download model for podcasts; like you, I believe it would drive a large number of listeners away and that would be counterproductive. The fact that these are free to sample and get hooked on is what assures the growth of the shows and the medium.

By the same token, I firmly believe that good work need not be done just for the love of it. Non-intrusive, or permission-marketing, ways of generating a revenue stream must be found in order to make this worthwhile for those creating the podcasts. Show/series/segment sponsorship is a good example of this type of non-intrusive advertising, though not the only one. Special pay-per-download episodes, banner ads on the sites/forums, branded merchandise, these are also ways that can help generate revenue that ultimately helps keep the free podcast going.

Another option, one that I personally champion, is the sale of previous episodes, either as single downloads or in bundles. Older episodes have value and are already-produced content that takes up a lot of space. I advocate for current shows to come out free as usual, keeping a free backlog of about 5 episodes (and I've seen variable numbers here, from 10 to 5 to 3 to 1 previous show, to one cast that only the current show was free) and the rest be offered for paid download. It doesn't have to be for a lot; for The Gamer Traveler, I intend to bundle every 5 to 6 episodes, include some special content exclusive to the bundle (and extra show, a PDF product that ties in, etc), and then sell it for $3 to $5, depending (price yet to be determined). I think that this model presents a good alternative for podcasts to generate some revenue while keeping thier current shows free for all.

[HighmoonMedia]

Hmm... Interesting that there have been no follow-up comments to this thread. And after I spent so many words.

[Targetboy]

Here's an idea: get a bunch of people working on Project CHUPA together on skype or teamspeak and record the group discussing it. First, lots of progress would be made, because talking is much faster than forums. Second, it may make an interesting podcast. (It may also suck.)

I even have a name: Chupahabla, roughly translated "Suck-speak". (Chupa -> "it sucks", Habla -> "it speaks")

[Regilla]

This is a fascinating discussion. I'm particularly loving the idea that a group could possibly form to alternate discussions on Forgotten Realms/Dragonlance/ Eberron. That's a brilliant idea.

I've been wondering about the niche market myself for a podcast based entirely on world creation: fantasy, sci-fi, AU and all.

deborah
aka Regilla