Author: Andrew Rainnie

Andrew Rainnie is a freelance content writer, novelist and filmmaker. When not writing or editing, he can be found playing video games or making videos for YouTube and TikTok.

How To Start Streaming Games Today

It’s never too late to jump on the streaming bandwagon, but to do so you’ll need a few basic things. This can include a webcam coupled with a microphone, a reliable internet connection, streaming software, and a PC to run it on. Let’s look through the options available so that you’re clued up on how to stream games quickly and without any fuss.

Do you need a webcam to stream games?

While you can stream games to Twitch without a webcam, putting a face to your name can boost your brand as a streamer. So you may want a quality webcam to help you achieve that. Logitech is perhaps one of the biggest names in the business, and both their StreamCam and C922 HD Pro models offer excellent picture quality even in low light.

You may not even need to buy a webcam if you already have an existing digital camera. Many manufacturers including Canon and Panasonic have made it possible to use DSLRs as webcams, which will give your streams a polished look. You could of course also use your mobile phone as a webcam. XSplit Connect: Webcam is a handy tool that lets you do this. All you need to do is download the XSplit Connect Mobile App, XSplit VCam for your PC, and you’re good to go in seconds.

The other alternative is that you don’t actually need a webcam at all. There are plenty of streamers that connect with their audiences without showing their face. Lately, using a virtual avatar in place of your face is also becoming increasingly popular.

An image of a Logitech StreamCam sat on top of a PC monitor which we recommend as an option for how to stream games.
Photo by Emiliano Cicero on Unsplash

The importance of sound

Regardless of what type of camera you use, your audience will want to hear your commentary as they follow your gameplay on screen. Often players will utilize the mic built into their gaming headsets. These are mostly designed for the chat within the game itself. For streaming, it’s preferable that you use a separate mic that offers higher sound quality. A headset is more likely to muffle your voice you don’t want viewers to be put off by bad audio and background noise!

USB microphones have risen in popularity largely due to podcasting, but these can also be used for streaming. The Blue Yeti X is one of the most widely used. If you’re keen to give your stream a bit more dazzle, check out the HyperX Quadcast S that comes complete with built-in lighting.

PC specs and internet speeds

If you’re planning to stream games to places like Twitch, the first thing you should do is check out some hardware recommendations. Ideally, you’ll need a processor that can run at least 3.4Ghz with 8GB of RAM.

For streaming, a hard-wired internet connection is highly recommended. Also, finding a service provider that offers 7 to 11 Mbps upload speeds for consistent 720p streaming at 60fps. This will probably be one of the premium options and can depend on your location and supplier rather than your hardware.

A person using a gaming keyboard and mouse that have RGB lights learning how to stream games.
Photo by Axville on Unsplash

Which streaming software to use

You’ll be surprised to learn, we recommend XSplit Broadcaster! You can use it for free and it comes with stream integration for Twitch, as well as other streaming services like YouTube and Facebook. It has a Chroma key feature to remove backgrounds, scene transitions and even allows for source and extension plug-ins. This means that you can customize your steams and style them around your personality, gaming preference, or brand.

You can opt for the premium version that not only removes the watermarks that are embedded in the free version but opens up the possibilities of simultaneous broadcast, stream delay, and more audio options.

Streaming on PC VS Streaming on consoles

What if you want to learn how to stream games from a console instead of straight from a PC? There are a couple of options. The last-gen and current-gen consoles are able to stream natively from the console. However, with the PS4 or PS5, a standard webcam will not work. This means buying the official Sony camera, which can be expensive for a single-use camera.

Alternatively, you can run the stream from a console through your PC using a capture card. Elgato has upgraded its HD60 S with the HD 60S+ to support the more recent consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X and Series X.

With these essentials, you should be able to stream games to Twitch in no time. Not only that, but this setup can be used to stream other content beyond video games, such as tabletop games, music, and even podcasts. Check out Things to stream: More Than Just Gaming to expand your streaming horizons.

How to Run a Hybrid Office: Top Apps

Even before COVID-19 forced the workforce to move home, office hybridization was on the rise. It gives workers the freedom to manage their lives around their workload. Removes the need to commute, and offers a better work/life balance. However, personal choice and job necessity mean that some workers prefer to be based in an office. Managing these dual requirements can often be a challenge, especially in terms of scheduling and communication. Leaving some businesses scratching their heads over how to run a hybrid office. Thankfully, there are several software solutions to help you, including time management and video conferencing packages.

How to run a hybrid office with Chat tools – Slack and Teams

Two of the top apps for a hybrid office are Slack and Microsoft Teams. For years, Slack has been the go-to tool for managing remote teams, such as a group of freelancers. Offering a clean, easy-to-use app for both mobile and desktop computers. At one point, Microsoft was considering buying the company for $8 billion, before it decided to create its similarly-styled Teams software. At first glance, both offer many of the same features including:

  • File storage
  • Audio and video calls
  • Screen sharing
  • Chat messages

There are some notable differences worth calling out, however. Teams currently offer a higher storage capacity – 10GB vs Slack’s 5GB – and also allows guest access. Users of Slack’s free version will also only be able to see the last 10,000 messages, which you can quickly reach in large organizations. Teams users, on the other hand, can go back through any of their chats without limitations.

Microsoft’s offering has its own limitations, however. Prior to the pandemic, meetings were restricted to 60 minutes. Afterward, this was increased to 30 hours, with no word on if it would eventually revert back. It’s also designed for integration with Microsoft Office 365, so if you work in a different ecosystem, it may not be the best choice.

A person sat on a sofa using a laptop in a room with large paintings behind them on the wall as they learn how to run a hybrid office.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

The best video conferencing apps – Zoom and GoToMeeting

While Teams and Slack are handy for day-to-day comms between colleagues, sometimes you might want something a little bit more advanced to fulfill your video conferencing requirements. Tools like Zoom and GoToMeeting, for example, offer more features and cater to larger conferences for big business.

Zoom became synonymous with video calls in 2020, although the company was founded almost a decade earlier. Zoom supports up to 100 participants for free, and up to 1,000 with its premium packages. With 49 participants (plus the host) being displayed on the screen at any one time. It also has useful features such as polling, screen share, calendar integration, breakout rooms, and the option to go old-school and dial in on a phone.

Another option is GoToMeeting from LogMeIn. It offers similar features to Zoom, but with arguably better mobile app integration and quality (based on reviews). The other advantage is that its highest price tier can accommodate up to 3,000 participants – three times that of Zoom. LogMeIn also offers a cloud-based phone system with GoToConnect included as part of that package, so larger businesses looking for a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solution may find that it saves them money in the long run.

Video presenting software – XSplit Suite

When managing a hybrid office, you need to have solutions for running remote presentations and other interactive sessions such as training or pitching. The XSplit Suite has a wide range of top apps for a hybrid office, including:

  • Presenter
  • Capture
  • VCam

Presenter gives you the tools to create stunning and engaging presentations. You can import slides from PowerPoint or Google Slides, videos from YouTube or Vimeo, and then run the presentation through Zoom, Teams, or any video call service. You can even add your own camera with background removal enabled and add guest speakers! Recording the presentation to be shared later is just as easy!

Capture is like a handy snippet tool for both screenshots and videos. You can specify the area of the screen you want to capture, record, or take a still image, and then add annotations or even a voice-over.

Finally, VCam takes the features to blur or replace your background on Teams or Zoom and ramps it up. The intelligent software can add a blur or simply strengthen the depth of field, giving your presentation a more cinematic quality. It also offers a high-quality background replacement, removing the need for a green screen while keeping you in focus. You can even use videos or YouTube videos as your backgrounds, adding lower thirds or company logos with ease for external calls.

Top Apps for time management and organization – RescueTime and Toggl Track

Calendar meetings and reminders are useful for scheduling, but what about the rest of your workday? That’s where you may want to try using an app to help you maximize not just your time, but that of your entire team as well.

RescueTime vows to help you take back control of your time. It does this in a number of smart ways, including tracking websites, blocking distractions when required, and assessing your schedule. It also has a smart coaching feature to keep you on track of what they term ‘Focus Work’.

While RescueTime is more focused on an individual, Toggl Track has a wider scope. It is more focused on your internal teams and external clients. With the aim of reducing time wasted on timecards, billing, and invoicing. It also has tools to look at new projects, with the ability to forecast timelines, budgets and track the overall progress. It can generate easy-to-read reports for clients that show them the progress being made.

With these tools at your disposal, you should find your hybrid office team working in a more streamlined way as they achieve a better work-life balance. If your team members are continuing to WFH, they may find our blog on the importance of keeping a schedule at home useful.

How To Record Any Video Conference, No Matter The Platform

In the new age of hybrid office working, the ability to record video conference content and share it with your workforce can be crucial. However, the quality of your recording may vary wildly depending on the platform you’re using. There are also questions surrounding data protection and permissions to take into consideration when recording a conference. Let’s look at these points in more detail and see what software is best suited to your specific needs.

Why do you need to record a conference?

In some instances, you might not strictly need a recording, but here are a few reasons why it’s a good idea. First of all, it means that if any colleagues are absent, they can easily catch up. By offering a recording, it means that no one feels excluded in your company.

Depending on the type of conference in question, it might also be something that you can reuse at a later date, without having to go to the trouble of setting up a new live stream. It also allows you to watch the footage back with a critical eye so that you can refine your next presentation and make it even better.

Four people are sat around a table with someone on a video call on a large screen at the end of the room they have the ability to record video conference with XSplit Broadcaster
Photo by Surface on Unsplash

Video conferences as reference points

Along with the immediate benefits of recording your video conference, there are also some potential long-term bonuses for your company. Video conferences can be used as an audit log for details, allowing external collaborators to quickly get up to speed on a specific project’s timeline by watching the relevant meetings.

It also means that you can compile a video library of all of your conferences, which can prove to be a valuable compendium if set up correctly. This databank will give interested parties access to knowledge and history about the company that may be lost once those who are speaking during the video conference have left the company.

Things to do before recording

The most important thing to do is to make sure that all the people who will be appearing and speaking on the conference call are aware that they are being recorded, and have given their permission to do so. You should make this explicit in the invitation.

The other thing to do is to check the quality of the audio and video. The best way to do this is to do a test run of the conference and then play the footage back. Just because it says it’s recording, it doesn’t mean you’ll be getting exactly the output you expect.

A laptop computer is on a desk with a mug next to it, on the screen is a Zoom call which you could easily record video conference with XSplit Broadcaster.
Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

Which video conference software should you use?

Most video conferencing software will have the ability to record, so if you want to know how to record a Zoom meeting, one option is to simply hit ‘Record’ on the video call itself. However, this will only track the conference as it appears on the screen.

There are better software options that work across multiple platforms, such as XSplit Broadcaster, which will easily capture your screen from Zoom, Teams, or even Discord. Not only does it allow you to record from multiple outlets including websites and videos, but also features multiple audio tracks and noise suppression filters to make your video conference crystal clear.

Using Broadcaster gives you a lot more flexibility, allowing you to live mix the recording people will get. You could add a “starting soon” screen so it skips the chatter at the beginning of a call, leaving out the audio and video people don’t need to hear. You could put any links or media up in Broadcaster so the viewer gets it in a much clearer vision. There are a lot of options when you can run your recording like a live TV show!

As already mentioned, recording your video conferences can save duplication if you have to give the same information to several groups. If you want to save even more time at work, you could also pre-record your presentations so they’re ready to go, rather than having to battle through a live broadcast.

Improve Teaching with XSplit Presenter

When the Coronavirus pandemic struck in 2020, children around the globe were taught at home by teachers using video conference software such as Zoom or Webex. And, though students have now largely returned to schools, teachers are still discovering how software and technology can improve teaching methods and help students to focus. While XSplit Presenter can be seen primarily as an online application, it can also be deployed in schools to bring lessons to life in new and exciting ways. Let’s take a look to see how it can be used in a physical classroom.

How to use XSplit Presenter to improve teaching

Modern classrooms will have some form of screen that teachers can use to show video clips or images such as graphs and charts. By connecting this to a laptop, teachers can seamlessly move between speaking to a class and displaying their presentation.

Not only can teachers use existing presentation software such as PowerPoint or Google Slides, but they can switch between different sources with ease, allowing for a more dynamic and engaging lesson. This can be achieved with a few simple clicks and allows teachers to select specific windows or applications to share, avoiding any embarrassing faux pas on the desktop in front of their class.

Children in a classroom all looking at a teacher who is using an old projector to show the class what they're learning, using XSplit Presenter in this scenario is a good way to improve teaching.
Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Improve teaching with media

XSplit Presenter has an integrated virtual green screen, which allows teachers or pupils to appear within the presentation. The ability to appear on the screen and interact with what is on the display could prove to be a fun and powerful tool to keep children and adults engaged in the subject being taught.

Another useful tool within the presentation software is the ability to annotate the presentation in real-time, the digital equivalent of writing on the chalkboard. Teachers can use a variety of colors to call out different parts of their presentation, drawing attention to smaller details, or even add reminders to find a solution to an unsolved problem.

How does XSplit Presenter make teaching easier?

XSplit Presenter can help make lesson planning quicker and easier. Rather than having to build a presentation and linking to videos and images for later consumption, you can play videos and display media directly from the presentation during the lesson.

If you need to amend part of your presentation after you’ve loaded it, you can sync the files. You can also access presenter notes from your original presentation file, so there’s no need to be searching through multiple sources while trying to teach the lesson. This will help you to deliver more polished and professional online lessons to your students.

A child sat at their desk wearing headphones with a laptop in front of them while they write in a school book, on their desk is a water bottle, pens, a hat, another note book and some snacks looking for ways to improve teaching.
Photo by Compare Fibre on Unsplash

Other benefits of using XSplit Presenter

One of the great benefits of XSplit Presenter is that it not only allows you to present but also stream or record your presentation. This could prove useful for absent students or those self-isolating. You can also use it as a reviewing tool to help improve your own teaching methods or to offer classroom tips to your colleagues.

If, as part of your lesson, you would like a guest to speak to your class, you no longer have to arrange permission for them to enter the school. You can add remote guests through XSplit Presenter, so they can simply dial in through a video call and be added to the presentation to speak to the class. 

Now that you know how to use XSplit Presenter in the classroom, you can explore other aspects of your professional or personal life where it could also be useful. Why not check out this post on how XSplit Presenter can improve your presentation.

How To Pitch Your Idea Using A Live Pitch Deck

Live pitches can be daunting and, whether you plan on delivering it in person or via a video call, it is a good idea to have a live pitch deck to hand that you can refer to throughout. The best pitch deck will effectively communicate your idea and also capture your audience’s imagination. It should excite, inspire and educate in equal measure, striking a balance between style and substance. Read on to see how to make a pitch deck that will keep your presentation on track and wow your audience.

What do we mean by an effective pitch deck?

An effective, well-crafted pitch deck will serve two main purposes. It should act as a trampoline for you to launch your pitch from, while also getting your audience excited about whatever you are pitching, be it an investment opportunity, product launch, or new business venture.

The key is to make it clear and concise. Practicing your pitch will reveal which areas, and which slides, you absolutely need and which ones you can do without. Focus on the core idea that your pitch revolves around, while also making it compelling enough to draw the audience in. Ultimately, the best pitch deck will tell your story or that of your business, highlighting the problem or gap you have identified, what solution you can offer, and what you are looking for from your audience.

It should be visually attractive, but not overly busy or cluttered, offering key facts and an enticing investment opportunity that is easy to understand and act upon. Try to keep your visual style consistent throughout the entire deck. If visualization is not your forte, search online for presentation templates that you can customize to bring your pitch deck to life. See if you can find examples of pitches that are similar to your own, and see why they worked or why they didn’t.

A person stood in front of a large screen giving a presentation knowing how to make a pitch deck.
Photo by Teemu Paananen on Unsplash

Making your pitch flow

Once you have chosen the tools and style you will use to build your deck, next you want to think about how to make a pitch deck flow naturally. Alejandro Cremades, the author of The Art of Startup Fundraising & Serial Entrepreneur, suggests the following flow based on his analysis of several successful pitch decks, including the template used by billionaire venture capitalist Peter Thiel.

  • Problem – the problem you have identified
  • Solution – a description of your product or service
  • Market – who is your ideal customer?
  • Product – showing the product or service in action
  • Traction – metrics showing the growth of the business
  • Team – who are you and who is your team?
  • Competition – how do you compare to your competition
  • Financials – projected earnings and profit
  • The amount being raised – the range of investment you are looking for

Depending on what the presentation is about, you may or may not need all of these, but it provides a good spine to work from. While these could all be one slide each, you can also experiment with this format and spread one section over a couple of slides if need be.

A person stood in front of an audience giving a presentation in a large room standing next to a projected screen knowing how to make a pitch deck.
Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

How long should your pitch deck be?

The length of the pitch deck will correlate to the length of your pitch itself, so practice your presentation and see how long it lasts. You don’t want to be flipping through lots of slides, nor do you want to leave the same slide on screen for too long. The general consensus is that at a minimum you want 10 slides. For some experts, this is also the maximum, while others suggest you can push it to 20 slides.

Several years ago, file-sharing company DocSend completed an in-depth analysis of over 200 pitch decks, looking at the sections included and how long each section was. Almost all of the sections were between one and two pages, with the exception of the Product slides, Business Model, and Financials.

So how long should your pitch be? There is no one definitive answer. Some experts say no more than five minutes while others stretch this up to 20. However, the DocSend analysis found that on average, investors spent 3 minutes and 44 seconds looking at the pitch deck. Alejandro Cremades suggests a time of around four minutes, and definitely no longer than five. This would work out at roughly 30 seconds per slide on a 10 slide pitch deck.

Using presentation software to elevate your pitches

Most pitch decks will be built on presentation software such as PowerPoint or Google Slides. In a physical meeting, you can connect this to a monitor or projector and discuss the slides in person.

However, investment opportunities are global, and in the post-pandemic world, more and more pitches will be conducted via video call rather than in person. The solution here is to screen share your pitch deck while talking it through, but your audience may then lose the ability to see you or have to flick between two screens.

XSplit Presenter offers a perfect solution to this and makes your best pitch deck even better. It is fully compatible with Teams, Zoom, and Skype, and allows you to inject some character and flair into the presentation. By using a webcam, you can integrate yourself into the pitch deck, making it more interactive and informative. It also allows you to annotate your presentation in real-time, or use notes you may have made in your original document. Plus, you can deviate away from your presentation, adding separate windows to show websites or other applications without showing your desktop.

Now that you know how to make a pitch deck, you can take these skills and apply them to similar scenarios like streaming, video presentation, or online meetings. Check out creating media-rich presentations to improve your online meetings to learn some creative ways to keep everyone’s attention during your next Zoom meeting.

How to Create an Online Course And Where To Share It

Even before the coronavirus pandemic, people were gradually shifting to online courses and mobile apps to learn new skills. With fewer classes and classrooms available in the post-pandemic era, teaching and learning online has gone mainstream, making it the ideal time for you to find out how to create an online course.

We’re going to look at a basic overview of creating your own classes, including putting together an online syllabus, structuring them effectively, and the software you can use to do so. We’ll also consider which education and online portals you can share your class with so that more people to find it and learn directly from you.

How to create an online course using XSplit Presenter

If you’ve sat in an online class before, what people often do is share their screen while dictating over it. While this approach is simple and easy to achieve, it can often be dull. Especially if there are long moments of inaction. In order to prevent your students from disconnecting from the lesson, you can make it more interactive! You can add yourself as an on-screen presenter using XSplit Presenter.

The software features a virtual green screen, allowing you to appear in front of whatever media you are using during your lesson. Whether it is videos, images, slides, or documents. This means that you can record your lessons in real-time, with full control over all of your sources, instead of having to record yourself speaking and then edit your footage with the lesson materials. What if you have more than one teacher? XSplit Presenter has the ability to add more presenters through video call services such as Skype, Webex, or Zoom.

Another great tool that XSplit Presenter has is a virtual pointer. Just as a teacher in a classroom may have a laser pointer, this allows you to draw attention to specific items. For example, you could pause a video and draw a circle around a point of interest, or underline a section of text you want your students to focus on. When it comes to creating an online course, XSplit Presenter is the complete package!

How to structure an online course

You have the camera and software to record your online class, but how should it be structured? Shaping an online course is very similar to any other form of learning design. While there will be differences depending on the subject and teaching style, you can apply a general structure and then tweak it to fit the content.

People who take your online course will be doing so for a reason, which is to learn a specific new skill. By the end of your course, they will have gone through some form of transformation. Ideally, each section within the course will be an identifiable step towards that transformation. These modules may need to be in a specific order depending on what you are teaching. This should see your course plan naturally begin to take shape.

Within these modules, there may be smaller, bite-size lessons. An online course is not the same as a university degree. People are taking an online course in order to learn something quickly and most likely in their spare time. So, break the lessons up into small components that they can tackle easily. If you have a long video, can you break this up into five-minute sections, with each section covering a core idea. For each aspect, consider it from a student’s point of view. They want to know what they are going to learn, how it fits the overall aim, and why they need to learn it.

A person sat at a desk with headphones on in a cafe watching a video on a laptop the person who made the video knew how to make an online course.
Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash

How to organize and sell your classes

Once you’ve planned your content into a loose structure, you can then tighten that up and move lessons around. One way to do that is to see if you have any similar lessons that could be grouped into a teaching module. One thing to keep in mind is that modules do not need to be the same length. This will depend on the step you are teaching. One module may only have one or two core concepts that are required, while another may have five or six. Allow the subject to breathe and guide you as to how many lessons each module has.

When you feel your online course structure is ready, you can formalize your plan to make sure that it meets your original aims and takes the student on a transformative journey. This will make it easier to film and also spot any potential duplication that has happened while you’ve been writing and organizing.

Also, consider what your modules and lessons are called. You may have been referring to them simply as the skill or sub-skill that is being taught, but this might not sell it to a potential student browsing your lesson plan. Instead, come up with creative and enticing lesson titles that will make students want to take your course. Think of it less as a descriptive title and more like a marketing one.

A person in front of large bits of paper pinned to a wall with graphs and post-it notes on them planning out how to make an online course.
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash

Where can you share your online course?

With the boom in online courses being produced, there are now several platforms where you can sell or share your courses for free including:

  • Udemy
  • Skillshare
  • Thinkific

Udemy was one of the earliest platforms and it’s certainly the biggest. With over 155,000 online video courses, many focusing on programming skills and software. Offering thousands of courses suitable for both individuals and businesses, Udemy uses real-life instructors. They will share their knowledge and skills with more than 40 million students around the world!

Skillshare is similar to Udemy, but the lessons here lean more towards creative skills. The site is very user-friendly, and also features the Skillshare Help Center which guides you through how to make a Skillshare course.

If you struggled with building your online course, then Thinkific may be the platform for you. It has a series of easy-to-use templates that you can use to make a simple lesson plan.

Now that you know how to create an online course, you can take those skills and apply them to other areas. Check out how better online presentations can help you stand out to see how you can utilize other tools within XSplit Presenter to make your online presentations engaging.

How to Stream Dungeons & Dragons live on Twitch

When you think of streaming games, your mind turns immediately to video games, but streaming services like Twitch have a healthy Tabletop RPG community that will let you stream Dungeons & Dragons as well as other classic tabletop titles. This quick guide covers how you can organize a tabletop stream, which software you might want to use, and some great examples from the genre for you to watch on Twitch.

Organizing a tabletop stream

Unlike traditional game streaming where you’re streaming your own gameplay in a single or multiplayer game, tabletop streaming involves a certain amount of pre-planning to organize multiple guests and participants. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to stream a video game version of D&D to Twitch, check out D&D Online, an MMO based on the original tabletop game.

However, for that traditional tabletop experience, you’ll need other people either gathered physically together or, perhaps more practically, in a video chat. If you want to organize a game and need more people, why not advertise your event on social media, or check out conversations on Reddit and Discord?

Which software should you use to stream Dungeons & Dragons?

Assuming your game is organized as an online video call, you need a way to arrange those different calls and stream them too. One of the easiest solutions is to use XSplit Broadcaster and Skype along with NewTek’s Network Device Interface (NDI). This allows you to bring each person in the Skype call into XSplit Broadcaster as an individual source which you can then easily place and resize. This saves having to capture parts of a call window as you would with something like Zoom.

With XSplit Broadcaster, you can easily organize and customize your layout and theme to give it an epic D&D makeover. You can even add your own overlays for further customization, helping to bring your game to life and capture your audience’s attention. If you browse through some channels on Twitch, for instance, you’ll see it’s common for the Dungeon Master to appear in a larger window than the players as an easy visual reference for someone joining the stream.

A close up of some miniature figures and a monster on a tabletop, things you might need to stream Dungeons and Dragons
Photo by Robert Coelho on Unsplash

Put yourself in the action as you stream Dungeons and Dragons

Another tool that can improve the look of your tabletop stream is XSplit VCam. It allows you to remove and replace your background, or simply blur it so the focus is on the person – and it’s all possible without a green screen. This can provide an extra layer of fun to D&D gameplay, by changing backgrounds to suit the action of the game as you go along streaming Dungeons and Dragons.

For example, if players were to find themselves wandering through the Forgotten Realms or trapped in Castle Darkhold, their background could change to represent that location. Check out royalty-free image sites such as Pixabay for inspiration.

The team at Rivals of Waterdeep playing with their on screen set up which shows a way you could stream dungeons and dragons

How to visually represent the game

People watching the stream will be focused on the players and their choices. However, they’ll also want to keep up with where the players are, so you want to visualize it somehow as you stream dungeons and dragons.

Perhaps the simplest way to represent a tabletop game is to film it. You can set up an additional camera as a source over the board and move the pieces yourselves. However, this approach can be slow and not very clear on a stream. One alternative is to create custom maps to help your audience visualize your gameplay. If you’re not an artist, there are many map tools listed on D&D Compendium to explore.

Some tabletop streams to watch

Before creating your own stream, you may find it helpful to watch some others to get a good idea of how game masters have perfected their multi-cam tabletop streams to stream dungeons and dragons. Helpfully, Twitch has its own dedicated Dungeons & Dragons area, and, with over 450,000 followers, there are usually lots of games to view. One of the more popular D&D streams is High Rollers DND, showcasing a smart and engaging layout for D&D games. There’s also Rivals of Waterdeep, a D&D actual play stream brought to you by the official D&D Twitch channel.

Beyond D&D, there are a few other areas of Twitch you might like to explore to get more ideas and inspiration. These include Tabletop RPGs and Board Games.

For a more in-depth look at how XSplit Broadcaster can help your stream, check out this interview with tabletop gaming aficionado and member of Rivals of Waterdeep, Tanya De Pass.

What To Look For In An Affordable Gaming Mouse in 2021

Having a dedicated gaming mouse can make all the difference when playing and streaming games but finding a cheap one can be tough. They often feature more buttons than a standard mouse, allowing for full control customization. They also tend to be more accurate and reactive when you need to make those precision shots. If you’re engaging in long gaming sessions through the night, then you might also want to consider how ergonomic your mouse is. Let’s have a look at what features you can expect in an affordable gaming mouse in 2021.

How many buttons do you need?

Extra mouse buttons allow for quicker input, which can make the difference between life and death in a gaming situation. In addition to the two standard buttons, an affordable gaming mouse will hopefully offer some side buttons or even trigger buttons. The Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed, for example, features six buttons, which can be customized further by creating macros to offer secondary use functionality.

For MMO players, check out the Redragon M908 Impact. You’re unlikely to find another cheap gaming mouse with 18 programmable buttons plus LED backlighting – it’s perfect for casting different spells or activating a vast range of abilities in a MOBA.

An affordable Razer mouse on a desk next to a keyboard with their green RGB lights on.
Photo by Zany Jadraque on Unsplash

The comfort of ergonomics

If you plan on spending long sessions streaming or gaming, you need an affordable gaming mouse that’s comfortable in your hand. The Razer Basilisk V2 has a longer, angular shape, textured rubber grip, and thumb rest that allow for comfortable use over extended periods.

The other option you could look at is a vertical mouse like the DELUX M618 Plus. It looks like a hybrid between a joystick and a regular mouse. The vertical form of the mouse might take some getting used to, but it’s designed to fit your natural grip better. Its unusual shape should help prevent hand fatigue and reduce muscular strain.

Wired or wireless?

When you’re streaming games, it’s highly recommended that you use a wired Ethernet cable rather than rely on Wi-Fi, which can drop and affect the quality of your stream. However, the same rule does not necessarily apply to wireless mice.

The wireless Corsair Harpoon, for instance, is a relatively affordable gaming mouse, especially from this high-end brand, and removes the need for wires cluttering your desk. It comes packed with Corsair’s Slipstream wireless technology, which means you could reach latency speeds of under 1ms. The battery will last for 30 hours in Slipstream mode or 60 hours if you switch to the power-saving Bluetooth mode. For a wireless mouse with longer battery life, check out the aforementioned Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed, which offers ultra-fast wireless performance for up to 285 hours on a single charge.

Two affordable gaming mice sat next to eachother on a desk, one wired and one wireless.
Photo by Antonio Manaligod on Unsplash

Pinpoint accuracy for FPS sniper shots

For some games, the DPI of your mouse may not matter considerably, but for FPS games like the Counter-Strike or Call of Duty series, you need pinpoint accuracy to pull off game-winning shots. The Corsair Sabre RBG Pro has been designed and tested by esport professionals for this very purpose, with an 18,000 DPI optical sensor and 450 IPS tracking at up to 50G acceleration.

An alternative is the aforementioned ergonomic Razer Basilisk V2, with a 20,000 DPI optical sensor designed to detect the slightest movement. Similarly, the wireless Basilisk X HyperSpeed features a 5G advanced optical sensor with 16,000 DPI to track your every move with ultra-fine precision.

Finding the right affordable gaming mouse can reduce your input lag and make for better streams thanks to some better gaming skills on display. You also want to make sure you have a gaming keyboard that is just as durable and as fast as your mouse, something we will cover in a future post so be sure to head back to the blog for more on that! What mouse do you use? Be sure to let us know your favorite gaming mouse in the comments below!

The Future of Work: Embracing the All-Digital Office

Remote work used to mean meetings away or having the odd day when you couldn’t reach the office. However, the coronavirus pandemic has forced many companies to embrace the idea of a digital office and reassess the need for physical office buildings. It has quickly become cliché to talk about the new normal, but that’s exactly what businesses are trying to come to terms with.

Those who grasp this new opportunity enthusiastically could stand to reap the rewards. Let’s look at how our new all-digital offices might operate, as well as the advantages that may come from this cultural shift.

Ways companies can fully embrace an all-digital office

Reuters has reported that several UK banks, including HSBC, Lloyds, and Metro Bank, plan to reduce office space by up to half as they seek to cut costs and embrace a bright digital future. But what else can they do to achieve this?

One way is to switch to cloud-based technology and infrastructure. How companies utilize cloud technology will largely depend on their industry and business activities, but, in general terms, it grants more freedom to access data remotely, while also removing the need for data stored on computers and hard drives.

Another way companies can embrace an all-digital office is to focus on their employees. Working from home means there’s no more commute, removing a point of stress for many employees while also giving them that extra time back.

However, proactive companies can go one step further and introduce added flexibility rather than sticking with the rigid norm of the 9 to 5 working day. Allowing employees this flexibility in their working day can help break up the day, making for higher satisfaction levels as they achieve a better work-life balance, and, in return, offer improved productivity. There’s evidence to support this even before the pandemic, with one survey suggesting that up to 77% of employees were more productive out of the office.

A person sat on their sofa, being a part of a meeting in their living room as a part of the digital office
Photo by Surface on Unsplash

The advantages of a digital office space

One of the greatest advantages of working in a digital office space is the ease of collaboration between teams and colleagues. The lack of a physical office means that people have found new and exciting ways of communicating, which are often quicker and more inclusive. For example, arranging a large meeting no longer involves booking travel or accommodation, but instead freeing up some time to simply go on Zoom or Teams. It also removes any perceived advantage that some colleagues may feel exists if they work in a certain office area or location.

Improved collaboration also applies to working on the same documents. People who embrace cloud computing can access documents and see who else is editing it in real-time, rather than accessing a file saved on a shared drive. This creates a greater sense of transparency between colleagues, helping keep everyone on the same page.

And of course, for companies, these improvements should also lead to a reduction in costs, and higher profits as a result. There will likely be increased costs at the outset when transitioning to an all-digital model, including cloud services and additional training, but these will be offset by reducing office costs, not only the physical space itself but supplies, furniture, and other utilities.

A person in front of their laptop wioth tabs for the digital office open as they also check their phone while working from home.
Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash

Taking command of the new normal

So how can businesses not just adapt to the new normal, but evolve from it? Digital platforms allow for easier integration of automation, removing the need to complete repetitive tasks so employees can focus on more important issues.

Companies can then take digital solutions they have adopted or created for their employees, and look to see if they can also use them for their customers. Can they automate forms, orders, and customer interactions to enhance the customer experience?

An all-digital office also allows companies to expand their horizons in terms of talent. Their pool of employees is no longer restricted to those within commuting distance of a physical office. The world is truly their oyster – or anywhere with a reliable internet connection, at least. This allows companies to attract top talent from around the globe and the improved work-life balance achieved by adopting a digital office should also see staff retention rates increase.

The digital evolution of workplace culture

One aspect that’s difficult to digitize is the culture of a workplace. With a digital office, there is no water cooler to gather around. Instead of trying to recreate that experience, embrace a new one and create a new employee experience.

Video call tools such as Zoom or Teams allow for private breakout rooms or the creation of smaller teams. Encourage employees to utilize these and organize non-work sessions where employees can drop in and out if they are free to have a leisurely conversation.

Take this idea to the next level and organize digital events for your employees to get involved in. This could be as simple as a quiz or bingo session, or something more involved like an exercise class or cooking class where you take your laptop or tablet into your kitchen to show off your culinary skills. You can also break away from work altogether and organize an online video game session or watch party where you watch the same film or TV show.

Running your own team-building tournament is something we’ve discussed on our YouTube channel!

Tools and tips for delivering an all-digital workspace

The coronavirus pandemic forced companies to find digital solutions and embrace new tools to keep their business connected. Zoom became a household brand overnight, while Microsoft was quick to build on its success with Teams and Office 365 integration. However, delivering a presentation on these tools can often mean simply sharing your screen.

For a more polished and professional presentation, you might want to take advantage of XSplit Presenter. It’s easily integrated with Zoom, Teams, and other video conference platforms, and allows you to mix PowerPoint or Google Slides presentations with videos from the internet or your own device. You can also add a virtual pointer and add annotations in real-time during your presentation!

The advanced personalization settings even mean you can combine your webcam with your presentation, removing the background so your captive audience can see everything you need them to. It also means you can share specific applications rather than your entire screen, keeping your desktop private so that no confidential emails suddenly pop up during your presentation.

The coronavirus pandemic has served as a wake-up call to companies and accelerated the adoption of all-digital offices. If you want to ensure that you or your employees are having the best experience working remotely, check out what work from home setup upgrades you need.

Best Monitors For Work, Play, and Content Creation in 2021

With more people working from home than ever before, having a versatile monitor that can be used for a variety of purposes is a growing priority. You might wonder if two monitors will offer you a better workflow, or whether an ultrawide screen might be more beneficial? Let’s take a look at some of the top monitors for 2021 to help you work out which ones will best suit your needs.

Do you need two monitors?

If you have desk space, having dual screens can be a lifesaver for multitasking, whether you are editing videos, writing code, or joining a conference call. The separated screens even come in handy when playing games – keep your map or other info on one screen and the main game action on the other. And if you’re streaming, you can keep an eye on the chat while you play. One of the best monitors for dual screens is the Dell UltraSharp U2721DE with its daisy chain feature, which makes it effortless to link two monitors together.

An ultrawide curved monitor on a desk with an iPad and an iPhone, could this be the Best Monitor For Work?

Ultrawide, curved, or both?

Ultrawide monitors extend out to offer a screen ratio of 21:9 or even 32:9, significantly more than a standard 16:9 monitor. Because of this, many ultrawide monitors are curved, allowing the full screen to better fit into your field of vision. It also makes for a more immersive viewing experience, whether you are playing games or watching movies or live streams.

Ultrawide monitors can stretch up to 49 inches, like the Samsung C49RG9, giving you much more space to work with. The main advantage over a dual-screen set up is that you can split up your on-screen space according to your various tasks with no gap between them.

Monitors for different types of work

Naturally, choosing the best monitor for work will depend on what your work is. If you do a lot of video editing, you’ll likely prioritize resolution and an HDR color gamut, while those working in the gaming industry will be looking for a monitor with low input lag and a high refresh rate to offer a fast and focused experience.

Gaming-centric monitors may also support G-Sync (NVIDIA) or FreeSync/FreeSync 2 (AMD) display technologies to take your gaming and streaming to the next level, especially if you are using XSplit Broadcaster to deliver your content. If your job involves reviewing documents or working with spreadsheets, choosing a screen with a high resolution is sensible for readability.

A widescreen Alienware monitor on a desk next to a PC and headphone setup. Could this be the Best Monitor For Work?
Photo by Alienware on Unsplash

What about ergonomic monitors?

The monitor you use will play an important part in maintaining a healthy posture. Check that your monitor can be adjusted to different heights, tilted and rotated, allowing you to position it in whichever way works best for you and your body.

Many monitors will also come with additional features that can help prevent strain on your eyes, such as the VX2457-MHD from ViewSonic with FreeSync Eye Care. It has a flicker-free feature as well as a blue light filter, both of which can help reduce headaches and fatigue.

Work hard, play harder

In this age of working from home, monitors are no longer solely for work, or even just for gaming. Many people will use their monitor and computer as their main entertainment center, both for browsing the internet and watching TV and movies. To truly enjoy the benefits of Ultra HD movies or the latest Netflix show streaming in crystal clear 4K, you’ll want a monitor with a resolution to match. If you fancy recreating the darkroom experience of the cinema, look for monitors with high contrast ratios to make the blacks deeper and the colors explode off the screen, such as the Samsung Odyssey G7.

Two monitors side by side on a desk, could two monitors be the best monitor for work?
Photo by Fotis Fotopoulos on Unsplash

Ultimately, coming up with a shortlist of potential new monitors may mean prioritizing some features over others. There are some great all-round monitors out there at budget prices. However, if you need a monitor designed for a specific purpose, such as content creation, gaming, or streaming, you may have to pay a little bit more, but it will be a worthwhile investment, especially when your content starts making money.