Starting Your TTRPG Stream on a Budget
You don’t need expensive equipment to put on an incredible show. All it takes is a little understanding of how your equipment works and how to set it up for success. Keep things simple to get started.
You’re the only one that can start your next adventure!
It’s easy to see a show like Critical Role and think you need gigantic budgets in order to do things the “right way“. However, watch their very first show and you immediately realize the most important thing about the “success” of your show will be the content itself. The audio was absolutely atrocious in those early days and I think it’s more than fair to say things worked out for them.
The biggest thing for content, particularly D&D / TTRPG content, is the story you are trying to tell. There are some things in life in which the basic goal is to not be noticed. Audio can be a great example of this. As a viewer, if you notice it, there’s a very good chance it’s because it’s poor. So when we discuss getting started on a budget, our goal is to make the story what your viewers focus on. We will look at how we can accomplish that with some base level equipment.
Keep the main thing, the main thing.
Hardware. Obviously stronger computers and graphics cards will allow you to produce higher quality content. However, since we’re not talking about first person shooter/high action gaming, I think the base goal should be 1080p/30fps. If you can only do 720p/30fps, honestly, that’s fine too. It certainly won’t hurt to be able to do higher quality but these starting points will get the job done.
Microphones. For virtual games, keeping things simple is a good place to start. There are quality gaming headset mics you can use as well as usb mics that will produce an excellent product if you put them in a position to succeed. You can easily spend under $100 - $120 (US) and have a fine product on your hands and will allow each player to stay focused on the game.
Simple microphones are all you need to get started.
If you’re looking to do an in-person setup, things can be a bit trickier but perhaps less expensive overall since everyone does not necessarily have to have their own microphone. There are good quality usb sound boards that allow for multiple xlr mic inputs that won’t put you way over budget. Many mics sound incredible if you reduce the Windows volume setting level to 70%. The number of mics you need will vary depending on how many people are in your game, but you can probably take care of smaller games (GM + 2-4 players) with 2-3 mics altogether. You just need to be wise with where everyone sits in relation to the microphones. Just be sure to not leave the mics on the table you play on. Elbows will bump and thump, dice will roll, and there’s a good chance you will knock into it somewhat often by mistake. If you can suspend the mic down from above, that’s ideal, but the goal should be to not have the mic on the table itself.
Webcams. Nothing wrong with your basic Logitech c920 (or c922) here. Just make sure you give it enough light, turn off auto-focus, and stop letting the exposure adjust itself and you will have a very solid product on your hands. Virtual games will need a webcam for each person, but in-person games may only need as little as 2-3 cameras. Your logistical setup will come into play here. You should have each person in view (players can and should share wherever possible) and perhaps one for the table when combat breaks out (unless you use theater of the mind)!
Webcam selection doesn’t have to be expensive to do a good job.
Lighting. The best thing you can do to make your webcam work well is to give it good lighting to make it succeed. Even just having 2 cool light sources placed around 45 degree angles relative to your subject goes a long way. When in doubt, bounce some light off of a white ceiling to help illuminate the entire room. You’ll thank me later.
Other Considerations. Of course you’ll need a nice graphic overlay to help set the mood / tone of your game. In case you haven’t checked out our shop before, we’ve got a lot of nice options, including some simple free ones as well.
