I had a Twitch account for several years, and watched a few streamed from time to time, especially Critical Role and comedian Hal Sparks. Had no concept of doing any streaming of my own, I certainly didn’t know what I would stream if I did.
Then this happened:
I don’t remember exactly what it was tha I first saw, possibly a Youtube short of what I first thought was a clip from an anime. However, this anime girl was addressing the viewer. I found the longer version that the clip came from. Apparently, the anime girl was an avatar for a streamer playing a game.
I was soon finding other streamers that used anime style avatars when streaming, and that this was a thing called Virtual Youtubers or Vtubers (strange that there seems to be more on Twitch and on Youtube).
I really like watching them, sometimes when they were playing game on their own or with others who also have Vtuber characters instead of showing their real faces.
There are a bunch of Vtubers that I follow regularly.
Here is a list to check out, I won’t go into deep detail about them. Let you discover them.
IRONMOUSE is perhaps the best known of all of them at this point. Her own personal story is wonderful.
RIN PENROSE is a British VTuber (moving to Ireland) who story is that they became very popular very fast on their own before one of the VTuber Agencies came calling.
(The VTuber Agencies are stories all on their own, handling the monies and introducing new VTubers. There is enough out there, far more than I really know.)
Then there is the SCUFF CREW
PORCELAIN MAID – Joel is very funny, as great colabs, and so loves his chat even if it doesn’t sound like it.
AMALEE/MONARCH – A villain from across the multiverse – the Scuff Queen herself that even her tech problems make her cute and fun.
CYYU – An Android that wears many-a-body and their chat lives in the form of a bee. You’ll have to hear them tell that joke someday.
I have already told you something of Cyyu in a previous blog. As both he and Amalee are Voice Actors, both far better than me of course, but I love to hear them talk about their experiences in the VO industry of games and anime.
And so with following a whole lot of these VTubers on Twitch and Youtube, as well in social media, I knew at once I wanted to give it a try. Something that would allow me to play around as my voice acting career began.
I experimented with a couple of the Vtuber programs to create characters of my own, designing a couple in 3D and then in basic 2D animation form.
Here is where I hit a roadblock. I have a MacBook Pro laptop from 2019. Top of the line for that year. Unfortunetly, not powerful enough to an art program or a game while streaming on Twitch or Youtube through a program called OBS. The latency, the delate between my voice and the animation was too great.
I was really disappointed, but I wasn’t going to give up. So, I found other ways. If I couldn’t be a VTuber, I could be a PNGTuber.
A PNGTuber is a far more-simple version of the avatar. I use four illustrations created in photoshop and saved as PNG files so the background is transparent. One with the character mouth opened and eyes opened, one with them both closed, and one with eyes closed and mouth open, and eyes opened mouth closed. I had seen others use this type of model, but my computer system still wouldn’t work.
Then I discovered ways to stream off my mobile phone. It’s recommended to have an iPhone, but I have an Android and what I have works fine for what I can do.
Using a programed called PRISM LIVE STUDIO, and uploading my PNGTuber images onto the phone and into the program. I was able to make my little fellow, in either basic form or Chibi form, talk and blink to the audience as I played games or recorded other images along with it.
Early I had trouble as I played the games and streamed, my phone would get really hot, but apparently all the program I’ve been using have been improved. The phone only gets mildly warm, but the batter does go down quickly. That seems to be the game.
The Game I play is called HONKAI: STAR RAIL – a fun battle game but what I like about it is the very deep story lines. Plus, all the different voice actors in it, including the two I mentioned above, and Cyyu’s spouse.
It’s great fun, even if I don’t have much of a chat yet. You’re free to follow me and join the chat.
I still hope to do a full on VTuber character one day; I have a whole backstory worked out for him.
It’s going to take a while as I raise funds to but a dedicated streaming PC. Which is why I have set up the Ko-Fi link up there on the right. Perhaps you’ll help me buy it.
Thank you all.
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