The pandemic saw a big rise in gaming across different platforms. This may be due to the fact that many people are staying at home and trying to find better ways to entertain themselves. Along with the interest in gaming, also comes streaming – a way for gamers to broadcast content to viewers via the internet. All of a sudden, everyone wants to be a streamer. If you’re one of those individuals who want to get into game streaming, you might want to get these five things before you get started.
Internet Access
The most obvious thing on this list, you need strong and stable internet access especially if you’re planning to do live streams. A wired connection is much more reliable than Wi-Fi and makes sure to test your internet speeds before you start a Livestream!
Streaming Software
If you think streaming is just sharing your screen to the rest of the world, then think again. Streaming relies on software that enables you to create a polished output for broadcast. From multi-camera inputs, logo overlays, green screen processing, and transitions, you need reliable software that will help you manage what viewers will see. There are tons of streaming software out there, both paid or free.
Camera
Now getting more on the technicals, the first thing you need is a reliable camera – USB webcams to be specific. If you’re starting out, this is the easiest and most cost-effective way to go. There are tons of good-quality webcams you can get from Logitech or Razer. If you want to step it up a notch, you can even get a ring light for suitable lighting. Alternatively, take it a step further by getting a GoPro or a digital camera if the budget allows. Make sure that the camera has a long USB cable so that you can adjust your setup properly.
Microphone
The piece that takes your gaming station from “meh” to marvelous, this ties in your whole streamer setup. Although the microphone on your camera works, there are a couple of ways to capture audio depending on how you want your stream to be and how many people are involved.
If you’re the only person on the stream, you can easily go for a condenser microphone. Condenser microphones are much more sensitive to karaoke microphones depending on pickup pattern and can be good in groups (as long as they move closer to the mic when they speak).
Lapel microphones are also great for the job. These microphones are those that you clip on to your clothing near your mouth. These are great if you need to move around a lot or stand while streaming. For this mic, however, you need one lapel per person.
Audio Mixer
If you’re planning to install an audio mixer, you may want to get microphones with XLR or ¼ connector. This is great if you’re planning to have multiple audio inputs to your rig either a trigger pad or another microphone. Furthermore, it also allows you to monitor the volumes of each audio input to your liking.
A USB microphone is great but if you want to take your setup to the next level, get one that is compatible with an audio mixer. There are tons of options available depending on how many audio inputs you need, how many people and how complex you want your setup to be. The audio mixer is the real hero of your audio setup.
Bonus: Gaming Chair
To tie it all like a neat bow, you can’t not have a gaming chair on your set up. It’s that signature racing chair that would bring all your equipment together and make you look like a well-setup streamer. It is considered non-essential since it doesn’t really make you a better gamer or streamer and it can be a bit expensive.
Being a good streamer doesn’t mean you need to be good at every game you play, it’s about putting together content that is unique from others. You also need to be dedicated in consistently putting out content if you want your streaming career to gain traction!
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.