Looking for D2 Topics to Make Videos About

[maareek]

So the thread is pretty much just the title. For a little while now I've been making Youtube videos regularly and I've noticed that my old D2 videos seem to still be getting a number of views, and those numbers have gone up recently. Since people both seem to be interested in D2 content and actually watching/enjoying the stuff I've already done I'm pretty keen to do some more, but the issue is I'm kind of short on ideas because I don't play this game regularly now and haven't for quite some time as well as being fairly certain that, because I've played the game for the better part of a decade and focused on learning the ins and outs there are lots of things I take as self-evident that other people don't know about and I don't claim to be smart enough to figure out what those are by myself.

If what I'm asking for sounds vague, that's because it is. If anyone is interested in pitching in I'm just looking for ideas in a sort of brainstorm session like way so anything from "how does manaburn work" to "how many whacks of a cracked hand axe does it take to get to the juicy roll center of a Lister pop?" would be welcome and helpful as either a self contained idea or a starting point, though obviously I'm not going to do every idea, cause everyone knows it takes 473 whacks to get to Lister's cream filling.

If it's still not entirely clear what I'm talking about/asking about, some examples would be like the videos I did for the Zodathon showing off some characters that would be good to run, or the gold find blizzsorc video I uploaded today. Basically questions about things that can be explained or demonstrated. Builds are certainly viable, but so are mechanics or comparative analyses or anything you wonder about or have wondered about in the past. I don't know exactly how many videos I'd be in for making or what all I would be in for covering ("What does it look like hitting level 99 with a Hammerdin" I definitely wouldn't do, for instance, though you can very easily see that in Corr's vid in his 99 thread) but I'm pretty sure there's some gold to mine from the subject.

 

[LiquidClear]

-Breakdown of how to properly aim Hammerdin Hammers for maximum effectiveness
-Auradin gear breakdown and list/demonstrate areas that they run effectively
-Paladin PvP strategies, effectively using charge, etc.
-60 minute video essay on why Paladins are such a beloved class

You can thank me later.

 

[Gripphon1]

- Nihl smiter, how to run and what to pay attention to
- Baal paladin, namely zealer and comparison with hammerdin
- how to deal with hammerdin clearing Maggot Lair without Enigma
- AT cold zealer and how he works

Also, nice idea for thread.

 

[Brak]

I'd like a video examining some of the known D2 bugs and how to escape/avoid/cope with them

for example:
Charge Bug
CoS Bug
Fend Bug
Anya Bug
Viper Poison Clouds
Gloams etc. etc.

maybe a top 10 list, people seem to like those

 

[Pb_pal1]

Oooo @Brak, nice idea. Top 10 lists are right up everybody's alley.

- Top 10 most dangerous monsters
- Top 10 most annoying bugs
- Top 10 most OP items

etc etc

 

[thefranklin]

1. How to install RWM / Version switcher with 1.14 etc.
2. Why it IS worth spending more for Monster Cable HDMI cables and speaker wire
3. Why Tal's is great and you should use it.
4. Do LC's suggestions first. The video essay should also include custom Paladin artwork as scenery for when the camera is panning around. You attire should of course be Paladinian. If you only have your D3 stuff, that is acceptable, but look happier.
5. These are going to be in 4k, right?
6. If you wanted Good Ideas for a video, you should have said so. Actually, 2 of mine are good.

 

[Maltatai]

Best ways to protect the different hirelings, how to control their movement and positioning, target priorities of bosses and so on.

 

[pharphis]

How to maximize efficiency of FoHer in one or more alvl 85 areas

 

[logoutzero]

Love the idea of how to play a hammerdork. I still hate the things just because they feel so clumsy to me, even after watching vids of someone running CS to hit 99 with it.

Video tutorial on how to play any type of Assassin. Loads of people say they are great, I can't get to level 30 with one. Traps or MA.

How to properly find (the right map) and run LK. I've done somewhere between 500-1000 LK runs and never found a single HR there. I must be doing it wrong.

 

[NagisaFurukawa]

A video on the positive effects that an ideal selection of kpop have on your run times would be amazing.

 

[maareek]

Wow, way more of a response than I expected; eight legitimate replies and also grip posted! Thanks to all! For those interested, I did a gambling and an amulet crafting video, as pretty basic overviews.

@LiquidClear: I will thank you now, sir! A video about why Paladins are absolute poop sounds awesome.

@Grip: You need to step up your troll game, son, everybody knows you don't run Baal with Paladins. ;p

@Brak: Cool idea. The whole "top 10" thought definitely gives me ideas.

@Pb_pal: More good top 10 ideas, sweet, definitely seems like this is a pretty deep mine to dig from in terms of thoughts.

@thefranklin: I guess Linus (super popular tech Youtube content creator) read your post and it inspired his video about a $1000 HDMI cable. Spoiler alert: not worth it. And for sure all the videos will be viewable on a 4k screen.

@Maltatai: Really interesting ideas.

@pharphis: There used to be someone around here who was an FoH expert. If only they were still around they could answer your question.

@logoutzero: Cool ideas, especially the early level Assassin question is definitely something I wouldn't have thought about.

@NagisaFurukawa: Sounds like the basis for a long running series. Comparing results between any kpop and a control, any kpop and various inferior musical options, and then various kpop compared against each other (full album from a band, mixed playlist, etc.) It's the test I was born to do!

 

[T72on1]

Love the idea of how to play a hammerdork. I still hate the things just because they feel so clumsy to me, even after watching vids of someone running CS to hit 99 with it.

Agreed wholeheartedly !!!

How to properly find (the right map) and run LK. I've done somewhere between 500-1000 LK runs and never found a single HR there. I must be doing it wrong.

Again, completely agree. Not that I'm doing something wrong in LK, I just have never done LK runs, and even though I can read up on it a good chunk, a vid often says a lot more.

And while we are at it, maybe one on efficiently running Travincal as well.

 

[zticazzy]

Maybe not the kind of suggestion you're looking for, but I found this guy's format to be very entertaining, and I'd like to see something along the same lines. Just like those Minecraft gameplay videos youtube is filled with, but way more interesting.

 

[coju]

Key rebinding from the Function Keys and how it won't take THAT long getting used to.

Are you aiming for more experience players or newer players?

Some good tips and tricks we've all learned. There are a few threads I can think of I've read over the years here: something along the lines of "What do you wish you knew when you first started", "What did you do when you first started playing that is so nubish." Something for the newer, I just came back to d2, unexperienced audience, perhaps.

There are always Class breakdowns. You could even call the classes Casters or Melees and break those two classes down some.

Differences between 37 fcr, 63 fcr, and 105 fcr. (http://diablo2.diablowiki.net/Breakpoints#Faster_Cast_Rate)

A resource guide of all the resource sites you use/have used.

 

[pharphis]

Key rebinding from the Function Keys and how it won't take THAT long getting used to.

Yooooo, this is actually important. I think the vast majority of people (even in pvp if you count battlenet) use the default key binding and it's AWFUL. I can't even imagine going back even on characters that only use ~4 skills/tp. I use QWERASDFZXCV for skills and G for weapon swap (my index is on F so it's easy to weapon swap). Other bindings of course work and I'd argue that slight variations have little difference between them. Still, I got pretty far and with builds that required weapon swaps and other more frame-precise inputs (ex/ strafe then weapon swap to proc amp dmg from lacerator from remaining half of strafe volley).

 

[Kestegs]

I have tried several times to retrain myself to not use the F keys, but it's never worked. So please enlighten me in video form!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[maareek]

@coju, @pharphis, @kestegs: well, I'm not sure if it's exactly what you were each intending, but I did a video on keybinds. Also on finding an Ist rune, cause multitasking.

@T72on1, @logoutzero, et al.: Here's a good example of what I was talking about in the first post cause when I first read these posts, in my mind what came up as being asked is "how to run LK better" which in my head is basically this post by Gripphon, but what I think is actually being asked is just how to run LK at all which is a position I haven't been in for ... 9 years? and takes quite an effort to put myself in.

For suggestions like these - which I really like - it would really help me if anyone posting them can elaborate as much as possible as what they want to see/what they don't know/what they think people want to know because, again, I learned most of this stuff 7+ years ago, and that makes it kind of tough to remember how to put myself in a place of not knowing, if that makes sense.

To try and make sure we're on the same page here, let me list some things I think you're looking for and you can throw in anything else you want to see or correct me on anything, to further the discussion: how to choose a good map, what character to run with, how to gear up said character, what targets to hit, whether to kill enemies, why LK is good to run at all, maybe a very zoomed out comparison of LK vs trav?, what players setting to run at, probably other things I'm forgetting?

Same question sort of goes for Travincal as well: what makes a good map, what character to run with, how to gear said character, why run Trav at all, players setting to run at, surely other things as well?

@zticazzy: Interesting concept. Highlights of a certain set of runs seems like it has potential.

@coju: I'm looking more to base who the videos are targeted at based on the point of the video. Like I'm not looking to tailor a video about end-game crafting to someone who hasn't played before, or a video about what LK is to Gripphon but beyond that I'm just looking to put in what I think is useful information that belongs, either directly related or tangentially but meaningfully related to the topic which hopefully means anyone can glean something from them.

I definitely dig the other ideas. Already made a plan for the FCR one, but it'll take a little bit to do.

Thanks for the input, all, feel free to keep suggestions coming.

 

[Brak]

I think the two main pools of people that would be interested in watching this are:

1) Nostalgiacs. People that played (or the few of us currently playing) D2 that are looking to kill some time on Youtube and remember the good old days. As with a lot of pop culture right now the 90s are en vogue and a lot of Youtubers are pretty popular working in this area (I personally watch Nostalgia Critic and Angry Video Game Nerd along with their associated content). For this style, you don't really need to teach people anything and are more activating those long dormant neurons to remind them what it was like back in the day. Maybe with a twist of insight they might have missed at the time. If you're just looking to reach a lot of people, these videos would be more likely to tap into some unmet need in the entertainment world.

2) People looking for information. This pool will be smaller cause there are far fewer current players than old timers. And as you mentioned above, even this pool is split between people that know a lot or know where to find information vs. those that are new to the game. I think choosing between these two types (if you feel you have to) would be up to you as the number of people getting use out of such content will be limited either way.

 

[Timinator1]

How about showing how good gear makes a big difference. This would be great for newbies.
This could be actually witnessing different FCR,IAS breakpoints. Once someone sees it with their own eyes they may be sold.

Eg imagine a werebear, no ias, no or bad fast hit recovery, no cannot be frozen. Exercise in frustration. (I've been there in 2004) Compared to hitting fast, recovering fast, not getting frozen.

A similar thing, show how + skills really makes a build. Imagine a blizz sorc, hammerdin or whatever. Demonstrate no + skills, show something like meph, how fast he might be. Compare to say +5 +10 +15 +20 skills etc. Get people to realise why having a lot of skillers + great gear turns a good build into a god. I've seen it myself, for newer people, it might explain why people are after better gear, more skillers, better skillers. Also just seeing the numbers might help as well as seeing it in practise.

This might be a type of "theorycrafting in practise". Not everyone has the best gear, perhaps you could do a run of something, say meph/pindle with IK set vs grief vs whatever you have. This would be useful for those who don't yet have all the good items. Let them see what they are missing out! Give them reason to do those last 10 runs of the night. Make them HUNGRY!

 

[Atratees]

With the popularity of running Meph, how about a vid on the proper way to do the much talked about but not illustrated "moat trick". And getting there. And maybe the best approach for melee classes as well.