I love when fall comes and rescues me from the delerious stupor of Florida Summer.

It makes everything so much easier. It makes you question how you were surviving before. It feels like coming home, and it feels like you are YOU again.

Anyway, in the interest of transparency and for my own self-documentation I want to lay our what I’ve been working on and what my plans are for all to see. I only ever share these posts with members of the channel, but they are technically public, so here’s what I’ve been up to!

After Urban Champion came out it really showed me a vision of the future for me on YouTube and how I could make things work. Immediately after release the plan was to just grind the next one, but I was tired. So I took a break from the podcast and took some time to just play some games on Twitch, and for myself, and in the background my brain was coming up with a way to potentially try and make my channel less dormant.

For a while I’ve had thoughts of maybe tackling multiple videos at once instead of my usual thing of honing in on one project.

So, quickly, just to say it: Yeah I’m giving that a go.

I’m working on five videos right now, all with footage recorded (though not all), all with scripts in progress (two mostly complete), and the plan is to not post until at least three of the five are 90% done.Then to release them on a monthly timeline for as long as I can once I have a buffer built up. 

I’m doing this because I think it’s what’s best for me.

Here’s the current setlist:

1. Aquanaut’s Holiday
2. Mach Rider (Minus World)
3. ASCII Stick
4. Breath of the Wild Durability
5. Doshin the Giant 64DD & GCN

And here’s what’s coming after:

1. Gradius (Minus World)
2. Salamander (RO)
3. Faxanadu (RO)
4. Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! (RO Finale)

Additionally, I’m working on a larger longer project in the backround that I now have all the gear I need for. I’ll disclose what that is in the member’s only section in the comments of the post I make sharing this blog post.

So, I’ll be the first to tell you this looks stupid.

“That’s too much! How are you gonna do five videos at the same time when you can’t even do one in three months?”

If that’s what you’re thinking, you’re right. And it’s also what I think sometimes, so I’m right too.

But it’s what I want to try. While I love turtles, that’s not what I want my channel to be. I don’t want to just peep my head out every now and then and then go back into my shell. I want to be more active in my posting.

That want will take a lot of work, and for this kind of thing there really is no accountability. Like anyone can just say “hey, these are my plans” and never follow through. That’s practically a requirement of being on YouTube. 

I think this strategy will give me the best chance at reaching more people though. Something every month. And I think that if I can do this, if I can get five lined up in a row all mostly ready to go, it will give me enough of a buffer zone, and enough positive momentum, to keep things moving.

The last three episodes of the neverending “Season 3” I’m going to work on as one unit. I’m doing this as a test. To actually play, beat, and script all three videos before even hitting record. Then to record them in tandem like you would, you know, a season.

If that works out well, that might be my approach for Season 4. To make them as a group. To have them function as an actual season. And to release them at fixed intervals. Treat it like a real TV show.

Speaking of: the addition of “minus world” really helps the core group of games for Season 4.

I’ve gone over “the list” before in a now unlisted members-only video that is available for free in my public playlist of unlisted videos.

Well, the list is changing.

With “Minus World” allowing me some space to make lower-stakes videos on less popular or unheard of games, it frees up space for me to make more focused “seasons” that might end up like this.

Now, this is subject to change, but here’s what Season 4 is looking like:

1. Mega Man
2. Final Fantasy
3. Guardian Legend
4. Contra
5. Dragon Quest III
6. Battle of Olympus
7. Double Dragon
8. Blaster Master
9. Bionic Commando
10. Super Mario Bros. 3

With a potential Season 5 looking something like this:

1. Ninja Gaiden
2. Tetris
3. Mega Man II
4. River City Ransom
5. Mother
6. Castlevania III
7. Dragon Quest IV
8. Crystalis
9. Fire Emblem
10. Metal Slader Glory

And that brings me to some more thoughts about Retro Odyssey and the Famicom in general.

With Minus World leaving the doors more wide open, I might move on from the Famicom after Season 5 and maybe move on to the SNES or the PS1 or the Genesis. Maybe. Maybe just one season for each. I don’t have to figure that out right now. But while there are plenty more games I want to play not listed above such as, for example: Adventure Island 2-4, Final Fantasty 2-3, Ninja Gaiden 2-3, Kirby, the rest of the Mega Man games, Gimmick!, Hebereke, the Contra sequels, Kid Dracula, Splatterhouse, Sweet Home, Wizards & Warriors 1-3, etc. etc., The above list of 20 games I think houses the absolute MUST-COVER games for me. There’s room to shift things around, especially with Season 5, but I think that might be an exit point from the Famicom for me. Only time will tell.

And you know, it’s weird.

On one hand I think monthly uploads might “fix” my channel by offering it more exposure. On the other, I kind of think it may not move the needle at all. Then, on the third hand, I’m just super lucky to be where I’m at. To have the audience that I have. Especially considering that I have so few uploads on my channel, and that the topics are quite niche.

But you know, one step at a time.

Writing this all out is admittedly super silly. Borderline stupid. Because the totality of it can seem so daunting. Like the title is “Feeling Inspired” and looking at all of it I’m like “Feeling Overwhelmed”.

More than anything listed here, I think the best thing for me to do is try and relax and calmly take it one step at a time. One hour at a time, one chunk at a time. To be open to easier videos. To get less attached to my “perfectionist” tendencies. To try and have fun with it. To not rush things out that I’m not proud of.

Wishing you all an inspired fall!

Thanks for reading!