Delayed Input 501 Post-Show Assessment

This was a weird episode, one of these times where I know exactly what the episode is going to be about but not what my angle is. I wrote a bunch of stuff that felt like "man this is kind of dark" and then came back and toned it down, and found a few fun ideas to run with.  

I tried a few new things this week:
- There's a list in the beginning and end, and neither of them are the title of the episode. They seemed to come at natural points in the script but I wonder if that made a weird video.

- I drew some graphics for a martini glass and a wiggling line chart. These weren't scripted but just weird things I was doing with my hands when performing, and honestly it's hard to tell what's going on without the illustrations overlapped. I kinda had to do them. That said it was pretty fun, I wouldn't mind doing more of those.

- I used a slowly-scrolling graphic for the predictions list. That was to mix things up visually but I think it looks pretty bad in the end.

- Performance-wise I was going for something a little more loose and less strictly scripted. I don't know if any of that comes across in the video, but it did actually take me about half the time to record as it normally does so that part is nice.

There's a comment on YouTube that struck me:
"I prefer videos like this one to videos that are either a bit or only sarcastic takes. The points Kyle makes here are really insightful."
I think it's funny in that I obviously love doing the bits/sarcastic takes and naturally just do them without realizing they come as a detriment to real takes, and also that I was feeling this episode fell just a bit short of being insightful. So it's nice to live this life when people can call your stuff insightful sometimes. Really the YouTube comments on Delayed Input can be pretty fun. Each week there are new people awakening to the "this is" bit.

QUESTIONS FROM YOU!

On a scale of grin to laugh, where did this episode land for you?
Grin, but probably would have been "disapproving scowl" if the scale went lower.

Since you brought up GT7, what do you think about it forcing you to be online to even play single-player mode? Also, what car do you drive?
I've come to accept always-online games if they're upfront about it, so I guess I just hope GT7 makes it clear in marketing and packaging? Also I hope a disconnect doesn't kick you out of a race. I honestly haven't been paying much attention. I drive a very regular-looking Hyundai.

"Charizard has a another new look." Was this a typo or a really deep-cut Pokemon lore bit?
It's flattering that you would first assume I'm making a fun reference before the simplest explanation that I made a dumb mistake.

You mentioned in the bonus bit that you “still think about that kind of stuff.” What have been some of your musings about people watching your videos?
So I actually don't picture faces, something I've gotten used to from communicating with a live "Chat" for hundreds of streaming hours. But I do think a lot about how a point or a joke is going to be received. Does saying this out loud have value to a person? Most of the time the answer is No but I have a deadline to meet.

Obligatory, which version will you get and who will be your starter?
Too soon to say on the version, need to see which Pokemon I'd be missing out on. Fuecoco today but if I accidentally see the final evolutions I'm happy to change.

It seems you're now coming to (begrudgingly) accept the role that hype and FOMO, and therefore when you experience the game, can play in some people's enjoyment of it. Would you say the change comes from you, the show format or just how games are made/ marketed now?
I guess my general life outlook might have me seeing things as more disposable/passing than 10 years ago. It's kind of where this Pokemon episode started actually--These are our Pokemon for now, in 2.5 years there will be more, and then there will be more and more until we die.
Obviously I still love to play old games far outside of the zeitgeist, but yeah I wanted to acknowledge there's a different feeling playing a game in its biggest moment.

Is Ball Guy one of the subtly horny NPCs?
NO

Now that you're starting your 5th season, what differences have you noticed from how you put together the 1st season episodes? Or even how you're approaching the season altogether?
I think there was a little bit of proving I've still got it with season 1, to the audience and to myself. Now I'm kind of searching for ways to make episodes not feel regular. I know you can't have a Special Episode every week but I just want to be noticeably checked-in.

Are you planning on making a full video about Elden Ring, now that it's out?  Do you fear that people wouldn't watch it since so many people are currently playing it and trying to avoid spoilers?
I had figured it would be the topic of this week's video before a new Pokemon was announced. I could probably still do an Elden Ring video next week if nothing spicier pops up, my main worry more than spoilers is just that it's becoming too played-out. I'd need a really fun angle. I wonder if it's a thing I'll continue making references to without it basically having to headline the episode.

When choosing to say "tobacco, sex and taxes", what other words did you write down and then scratch?
I really just picked those words because they sound good together, more like writing a song lyric than making an actual good point or joke.

And that's it for today. Long post! Looking forward to next week, I'm hoping to pick up one of Delayed Input's silly lore threads. It's something I feel I've actually been neglectful of so far. I have a short list of characters or consequences I want to pay off, but if it's not natural I never want to force it. But I mean the last time we heard from Caitlin she was being hunted by Batman, and we got this new Batman movie out, there's gotta be something there right? Just trying to play this smart because I think it might be my shot at getting one good joke into Delayed Input.