DP Cribs

[Flack]

If a picture is worth a thousand words, and a movie is 24 frames per second, then a video clip of your ROOM OF DOOM would be worth approximately 24,000 words. Fortunately for you all I don't think I even know 24,000 different words. What I do know is, I'd like to see a video of your videogame collection!

I'm working on a new Digital Press project called, for lack of a better title at the moment, DP Cribs. The basic idea will be styled after MTV's Cribs -- you know, the show where musicians show off their bling to the masses? The difference is, on DP Cribs, you'll be showing off your videogame collection instead!

The general idea is that DP members will create videotapes of themselves showing off their videogame collections. Those videos (in either VHS, 8M, or even MPG on a CD/DVD) will be mailed to me. I'll do a little editing, and eventually you'll see them online here at Digital Press! Who knows, maybe after so many episodes we'll offer them on a CD or DVD (just charging enough to cover expenses).

What do you all think? I'd love to hear your comments and suggestions before I start the ball rolling! Also, if you'd like to volunteer to be a member of the pilot episode, let me know. Remember, this is going to end up being a videoclip available online for potentially thousands of people to view and download, so camera shy need not apply.

[Gamereviewgod]

That....is genius. Now, who here has video camera I can borrow?

[Oobgarm]

I agree! Just gotta borrow the videocamera...and clean that filthy mess of a room! @_@ ;)

[Mayhem]

If you can handle PAL format, then I can perhaps do something. I believe currently this is the ONLY way I could do my collection justice given a lot of it is boxed up and stored, rather than on display.

[digitalpress]

Count me in, as long as I don't have to do any of the video editing :)

Here's a little history that I shared with Flack, and that some of you who are long-time subscribers might remember: "Live From Your Home". We've actually done this very same thing twice in the past (1993 and 1994). Readers would submit their video tapes, then I'd edit them into one compilation. There were about ten segments on each tape. I got a little adventurous with "Live From Your Home II" and added my own little bits (with the help of my wife) between segments. It was actually a lot of fun to do and the final product was TERRIFIC.

I don't doubt that ten years later, the result would be ten times better as well.

This all reminds me that I need to get those old VHS tapes converted to a PC format before they crumble to dust!

[MarioAllStar2600]

Heres my big question. Who can post the video on the internet for me. If so I will have one done soon.

[Flack]

Heres my big question. Who can post the video on the internet for me. If so I will have one done soon.

The idea is, the videos will be mailed to me. From there I'll edit them down to a common length (10 minutes? We'll see) and from there they will be hosted right here on DP!

[portnoyd]

Can we encode them ourselves? My webspace can accomodate my video no matter the size, and Flack, you can DL them at your leisure.

On top of that, can we add our own editting? Star wipes, zoom effects, all that hotness? I'd be going for laughs more than anything else.

* makes note to do a segment on his porcelian throne of gaming power.

dave

[Flack]

Can we encode them ourselves? My webspace can accomodate my video no matter the size, and Flack, you can DL them at your leisure.

On top of that, can we add our own editting? Star wipes, zoom effects, all that hotness? I'd be going for laughs more than anything else.

* makes note to do a segment on his porcelian throne of gaming power.

dave

Absolutely! I just figured most people would not have that technology available to them. Once I get them I will most likely add on some bookends like a title page, a short introduction, and some credits or something at the end to make them all uniform. But anything you want to do in the middle is up to you!

We did something similar at a music site I used to work at to introduce the staff to everyone, but it never got off the ground. The main problem was people didn't want to be in their own videos. They wanted to video "stuff" and not appear in the video. If you watch Cribs, the house host is in every shot. In fact, while filming mine, I found it very useful to watch a couple of Cribs episodes to get ideas on how they filmed everything.

[PapaStu]

I'm game, however i wonder...

Are we just going to show "tha Room of Doom", or would we pull out some games that we are particularly proud of and say this game rocks cause... or this rare gem was mine for a paultry... ??? Things like this? Would there be some sort of standard showing, as in Cribs we always see whats in the fridge, and see the bathroom...

Cool idea, now to clean the room in case it could happen...

[Captain Wrong]

Excellent idea! Saddly, since having to pay some emergency vet bills, I don't have a room of doom so much as a closet of doom these days. Hey, there's something, I could film myself opening the Closet of Doom and you could see all the shit falling out on my head. Heh.


Ok maybe not. That's all I got. I tried.

[Flack]

I'm game, however i wonder...

Are we just going to show "tha Room of Doom", or would we pull out some games that we are particularly proud of and say this game rocks cause... or this rare gem was mine for a paultry... ??? Things like this? Would there be some sort of standard showing, as in Cribs we always see whats in the fridge, and see the bathroom...

Cool idea, now to clean the room in case it could happen...

Absolutely! The more unique and individual you make your episode, the better! I think people love to hear deals and stories about games.

Since everybody seems to think this is a good idea, I think I'll have to attach Joe's patented "Game ON" to the idea. I'll come up with a "baseline" idea of the bare minimum of what people need to film (lengths, specific shots, etc). Then the rest will be up to you!

As with the last project I worked on similar to this, I'll probably film a test pilot just to work out the kinks and give me personally a better idea of what to ask for from you all.

[MarioAllStar2600]

At the end of Cribs tehy always go so go on and get out of here or something along those lines. I tihnk at the end we should have to be liek OK goodbye and Game On !

[swlovinist]

Where do I sent my VHS tape to? I will have it done in a near two weeks!

[Chunky]

i'll give anyone $5 if they show me a bottle of Cristal in their video.

[roxybaby]

Flack, if you want any help editing I have access to professional editing equipment until May 15. :)

[Flack]

i'll give anyone $5 if they show me a bottle of Cristal in their video.

On the one I did for that music site, I drank a bottle of Boones throughout the show. The end of the show has considerably more cussing and stupid comments than the beginning.

@swlovinist: I'm not quite at that point yet. Let me come up with some basic guidelines and think about it over the weekend.

[MarioAllStar2600]

i'll give anyone $5 if they show me a bottle of Cristal in their video.
DEAL. Just remind me when this becomes offical.

[Cmosfm]

hmmm, I like the idea. But sadly I'm camera shy and I don't have access to a video camera. :(

Oh well, anything else I can do?

[hu6800]

That....is genius. Now, who here has video camera I can borrow?


i can make my videogame room go 155Mph ?
Look at the green civic in my photo section.
the car had 3 TV's and 3 Systems running at once.
turned alot of heads at car shows lol.

[PapaStu]

Not to knock on this kick ass idea, but i just thought of this....

Most of us have a room, devoted to this (or in my care the better part of a room, all be it, not a super huge room). Cribs is based on showing the whole house... Unless we show off the whole house, this could get really repetitive... I mean some people have the bedroom thats got some sort of gaming theme, or whatever... but to most of us, it will just be a room...where that picture as a thousand words, is just good enough. Maybe keep this in mind Flack, as you ponder this ider this weekend.

Mind you i'm still up for the call, cause i can come up with some good stuff, and am willing to embarrace the hell out of myself, as the planning continues.

[hydr0x]

@papaStu

you might be right but i think game rooms are not boring at all ;)

but i also wouldn't mind a "real" cribs, i'd love to see the houses of some people here, finally visited the first board member last week :)

[DotCom]

great idea it's just that well my camera doesn't support firewire connections....

[Flack]

I could see people showing their house, cars, or whatever else for about 30 seconds or so, but I'm sure the bottom line is people want to see people's videogame collections.

[Queen Of The Felines]

Like Cap, I've gotten rid of so much stuff I'm left with a Bookshelf of Doom and a CD Rack of Doom. On the plus side, the Bookshelf of Doom is completely filled with boxed 2600 carts... :D

Kristine

[Slipdeath]

flack when did u become a mod?

[MarioAllStar2600]

Im gunna show teh golf cart for a minute or so. then go straight on to my Video Game room. 8-)

[Videogamerdaryll]

Hmm..That's a good Idea..

Just tell me where to send the tape..

I actually Camcord my collection to view how it changes and to have something with what I own/proof on it.

I'll make a tape of the whole place..
There is not one room that doesn't have something to do with videogames in it.
My bathroom has a bunch of handheld games in it/Gaming Magazines and the Touchmaster 7000 countertop machine st-up up right in front of the bowl.

[Keir]

We did something similar at a music site I used to work at to introduce the staff to everyone, but it never got off the ground. The main problem was people didn't want to be in their own videos. They wanted to video "stuff" and not appear in the video. If you watch Cribs, the house host is in every shot.
So we can't just walk aroung pointing a camera at stuff and give entertaining comentary? I might be out then. Not because I don't want to be in the video, but because I can't imagine who would film it for me!

[Flack]

We did something similar at a music site I used to work at to introduce the staff to everyone, but it never got off the ground. The main problem was people didn't want to be in their own videos. They wanted to video "stuff" and not appear in the video. If you watch Cribs, the house host is in every shot.
So we can't just walk aroung pointing a camera at stuff and give entertaining comentary? I might be out then. Not because I don't want to be in the video, but because I can't imagine who would film it for me!

That's what a lot of people want to do. It's fun to do, but boring to watch. While people want to see your stuff, they want to see you too! If you can't afford a friend, Wal-Mart has a $5 Mini-Tripod (http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2422775&cat=77512&type=19&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A3991%3A77512) that you can use. Don't worry about hitting record, walking in front of the camera, and then beginning to talk. That can all be fixed through the magic of editing.

This is really starting to take shape, folks. Once I get a pilot done, I think it'll help everyone visualize what it's going to be like!

[Steven J. Lumas]

My video will have dazzling special effects and trendy directorial techniques. Over the course of my ten minute video you will see a human head severed off in slow motion, a black and white "flashback" segment featuring claymation characters, and a battle scene featuring twelve hundred men in gladiator outfits. All of this with a small Atari logo in the corner so you know it's really about video games.

[Flack]

My video will have dazzling special effects and trendy directorial techniques. Over the course of my ten minute video you will see a human head severed off in slow motion, a black and white "flashback" segment featuring claymation characters, and a battle scene featuring twelve hundred men in gladiator outfits. All of this with a small Atari logo in the corner so you know it's really about video games.

Can't wait to see it. Be sure to get a wide angle shot that includes your street address. I'm sure a few people would love to make the trip and see your collection in person ...

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Bah, I bet Lumas will cheap out and use CGI for his. LOL

I already have a tripod as a matter o' fact, so I can definitely do this. Are you sure I have only ten minutes? :P

[Flack]

Bruddah, you got as long as you want. Let's talk.

[ianoid]

Yeah, Slapdash gave me a copy of that tape. It's hilarious, in a sick sort of way.

My wife and I watched it, and now my wife always tells me that my collection should fit in a tiny bedside cabinet, like one of the 2600 collectors had in that video.

I'll participate, if we ever have a game room. Looks like we're moving again, to god knows where.

ian

[DDCecil]

I'd love to participate, but I have don't have a camcorder (The closest thing I have is my digital camera, and it will only video tape stuff for about 30 seconds at a time, plus it really eats batteries!)

[Jasoco]

Hey.. you took my idea! ;)

I was gonna make my own parody of Cribs myself. But the only one with a camera is my friend who lives in NJ about 2 hours away.

If I could get a hold of his camera.. if he even still has it.. Probably won't be able to participate this time.

Do we have to appear in our videos? (Sounds like something Gallagher said once.)

[Shady Smurf]

Meh, I might be able to particpate, altougn my room is currently kind of in a state of construction as my collection has outgrown the space warranted. i've got stacks of Cd Based/Genesis games sitting on my computer and around me, and Mario Kart/Megaman Action Figures Sprawled out