Best products from r/tf2

If you want to have a popular youtube channel, you have to work hard at it my man. I can tell by watching a few of your videos that you are relatively young and I have to tell you by being young and posting here desperately looking for attention or views it will rub people the wrong way. Because to some, It just seems like from an outsiders perspective you're just looking for an easy way to get subscribers or views. Being young doesn't help either because there are many people who will be pretty mean to you because of your age or your voice.

As far as tips go however? There is a lot that can be said.

Point one: Increase the quality of your videos. Download a better recording program and learn how to use it.

I watched a few of your videos and I just have to be frank the video quality isn't very good but don't fret! There are programs that can help with this.


There are many to chose from but these are the main three:

http://www.fraps.com/

http://exkode.com/home-en.html

https://obsproject.com/

two of these are not free however. OBS is a free alternative that many use and it is pretty good!

If you do not like the fact that fraps or dxtory are not free, you can torrent or pirate those programs however, some people might think negatively of you claiming it is stealing. (But that doesn't matter anyways because pretty much everyone torrents or illegally downloads these two programs but don't tell people they do)

Anyways, to learn how to use these recording programs there are tons of tutorials on youtube to help you learn how to use any of those three, so good luck finding one that works for you.

Point two Now that you've downloaded an recording program, you should learn how to use an editing program to edit and compile the videos you recorded!

There are many editing programs but the main two I see being used are:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegaspro

http://www.adobe.com/products/aftereffects.html

Like before, these programs are not free and are more on the pricey side so if you don't think spending a lot of money is worth it (and I do not blame you) Just download them for free like everyone else who makes youtube videos basically does but they don't tell people that they do.

learning these programs will take some time and effort and it might be a little challenging especially in after effects for a beginner but if you really care about improving your youtube channel you should practice using these programs, how will you do that though?

Well like I said before there are a number of youtube channels that have tutorials to help you with learning about those two programs. Just find a program that suits your needs.

Sony vegas is a little more easy to understand and pretty much can suit the basic needs of creating videos.

But after effects has a lot more to offer on the effects and editing side but is a little less easy to understand.

Point Three Buy some new equipment to be able to record your videos at a good quality.

You could make an entire thread out of the best microphones or the best audio equipment or the best PC setup.

All I'm going to say about this though is, invest in a computer set up that you can record comfortably with.

Today, you can actually purchase a desktop computer for about 500 dollars that can record videos surprisingly well!

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Slash687/saved/ZhkFf7

for example, this build is 520$ and can handle recording videos amazingly well!

as for recording equipment? if you want to sound professional when recording videos, I highly recommend getting a studio quality microphone because I watched a few of your videos and your microphone and audio quality is kind of, subpar. So here are a few beginner microphones that are cheap and can make your audio quality sound better!

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK


http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-C-1-BEHRINGER/dp/B000CZ0RLK/ref=pd_pgd_B0006H92QK_B000CZ0RLK?pf_rd_p=2435182122&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0006H92QK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0RYH88NBCZGCPQBVY0MK


http://www.amazon.com/MXL-770-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0007NQH98/ref=pd_pgd_B0006H92QK_B0007NQH98?pf_rd_p=2435182122&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0006H92QK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0RYH88NBCZGCPQBVY0MK


These microphones are relatively cheap and offer amazing sound quality for their price.

Now you need a pair of headphones to compliment your microphone because why would you buy a gaming headset if you purchased a microphone already. so here are a few I suggest, a few of these are more on the pricey side but I highly recommend them.

http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M50x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR86/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1463810110&sr=1-4&keywords=audio-technica+ath-m50x


http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR7506-Professional-Diaphragm-Headphone/dp/B000AJIF4E/ref=pd_pgd_B00HVLUR86_B000AJIF4E?pf_rd_p=2435184362&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00HVLUR86&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0GDVMZJNTK63SMPGS8TT


http://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-HD-280-Pro-Headphones/dp/B000065BPB/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1463810155&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Senhessier+HD+280


It's all about fitting your price range and preference.

Find a set up that works for you.

Point four don't forget to be yourself, have fun and keep making content!

Having a personality an audience can relate too is great and all but you should just stay true to yourself and remain genuine when creating content.

There are many people trying create and make TF2 content like you. So having too many copy cats of the same content creator or personality can just seem boring. Why go to someone who creates virtually the same content of someone else? That's redundant and doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

And you should also try to always make content. Never stop making content, making content is the way you get your name out there. Just keep creating content and be dedicated, never give up making stuff.

So, try to have fun with it and think of creative ways to attract an audience to your content. What new fresh idea and creative content can you offer that nobody else does?

If you can do that while remaining true and genuine to yourself your audience and you don't give up. I feel like you would be able to grow as a creator.



That is all the tips I can give you, I'm not much of a content creator myself but from an outsiders perspective I hope this helped you in anyway.

Good luck and have fun with it man.

this stuff is great for papercraft, and despite what amazon says, i've seen it in multiple arts/craft stores for under 3 bucks, and if you let a small application of it dry for 30 seconds or so before putting the pieces together, it'll stick like tape, but dry more solid.

papercraft like this is oddly addicting and fun, plus cheap. make sure you get good, stiff paper, though, but not too stiff. i use what's called "cover stock" which i find has a great balance between stiffness and pliability, plus you can get it at staples for like, 10 bucks for 500 or so sheets.

if you do decide to try it out, make sure you get an x-acto knife to use instead of scissors. a number 11 blade is perfect, but make sure you get replacement blades, all of which are quite cheap, because they can dull out quick, but dull blades are great for lightly scoring lines, which makes life much easier.

just be warned, it's much more time consuming than it looks.

I'm learning to be a professional artist atm, but I'm also eighteen so take what I say with a grain of salt!

1. Overall, I like it! However, depending on what you want your viewers to see, you might want to do more research on the proportions of the head. That is to say, if you want it to look more like a real thing, like an object or a statue, go for the more realistic approach. But if you want it to be more cartoony and more emotional, you should stray away from that a little.
   
   
2. You should try to see about getting some shadows in there, like the inside of the collar and around his goggles and under the helmet. See this picture of a snake I did once: http://imgur.com/1DuoUN3 I made the outline hella dark so that the shadows didn't just look like features; you can actually tell they're shadows. (I wouldn't recommend using outlines that thick for everything, though. Just do what you want! The blank page is a playground, so play!) Shading is pretty hard to master, but I try to use the shape of my pencil. One side is almost completely flat, so I use it for light shading over a large portion of the picture. The tip is very sharp, so I use that for hard details and outlines.
   
   
3. Back to what i said earlier about cartoons versus realism. Here's a picture I did of my band director in high school: http://imgur.com/eNBNsXW Pretty realistic; I wanted people to see Uncle Sam when they saw that picture. Now here's a picture I drew of myself dancing: http://imgur.com/X9F8eRg That one's a bit sillier because there's not much I want to communicate to my viewer other than the fact that I'm being funny and my limbs are all wobbly.
   
   Something that I do from time to time when I'm learning how to draw in a specific style or medium is that I look at what other people have drawn and I replicate their drawings as an exercise. Or sometimes when I'm on a flight or on the bus, I'll draw the people around me. I guess what I'm saying is you should just keep practicing and do what comes naturally!
   
   Note: a really, REALLY good book on drawing people can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Drawing-People-Portray-Clothed-Figure/dp/1581803591

Thanks, if I seem "in the know" it's because I was asking these same questions a year ago when I was in the same position as you. Since then I've been studying animation fulltime. I suppose another bit of advice that a lot of the professional animators I talk to suggest is that if you want to get a job at the big studios, it's best to specialize. Pick what you love doing, be that modeling, lighting, rigging or animating, and become an expert in that field. While being a jack of all trades is great for making your own shorts, most companies want you to do one thing and do it very well.

Also, if you're looking at schools and courses, you should know that when it comes to getting a job in the industry degrees and certificates don't count for much. Find a place that will help you produce a great demo reel. Learning on your own is also an option, but it's definitely the harder road.

If it's specifically animation that you are interested in, many animators swear by the techniques found in the Animator's Survival Kit. It has more of a focus ontraditional animation, but it's still a must read to learn the basic techniques.

Anyways, best of luck in the future.

Yeah, getting a nicer mouse helps a lot.
I recommend a wired optical mouse (not laser), as all the best mice are wired. The Zowie FK, Razer Deathadder 2013 and Logitech g400s are all great mice, and I'd get one of them.
The Zowie FK is pretty small but has high build quality, and I couldn't find it available anywhere
The Logitech g400s is a great overall mouse, and can be found http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-G400s-Optical-Gaming-Mouse/dp/B00BCEK2LA or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104838
The Razer Deathadder 2013 is more comfortable but probably has lower build quality, and can be found http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826153114
Get whichever one looks comfortable to you.
If you don't already have a nice mousepad, I recommend the Steelseries QCK, QCK mini, or QCK+, get the biggest one you can fit next to your keyboard.
If you want a wireless mouse, the only one I've heard recommended is the g700s, and it's a laser mouse (laser inferior)

A friend of mine in college had an older version of this laptop and it handled tf2 decently well on a 1080p external monitor, which is pretty impressive given how old of hardware it had. My girlfriend got that exact laptop (the one I linked to) and it's significantly more powerful than the other, but I haven't tested it for tf2 performance (I could do so and then give a report, if you'd like). It seems there's an even more powerful version of it that came out recenlty for cheaper here.

Of all the laptops I've dealt with (quite a large number), I've been most impressed with this series. They back of the monitor is made out of what seems to be aluminum which is a nice protection for the monitor. The battery life is insane at around 9 to 10 hours. It has two video cards, an intel one which is really weak and uses very little power, and an Nvidia GT 610M 1Gb which is pretty decent and uses a bit more power. It certainly isn't a gaming computer as you'd normally think of one, but is quite a beast given its size, price, and battery life.

I would definitly recommend going with the ASUS U31SG-AS52.

Lemme know if you have any quesitons.

Keep in mind that these prices are not final or the best available. PCPartPicker just takes whatever listings it finds on the internet. Generally, these parts are cheaper. There's also resources like /r/BuildAPCSales where you can find cheaper prices (more on that later).

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor | $109.99 @ Newegg
CPU Cooler | Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler | $26.88 @ OutletPC
Motherboard | ASRock Z170 Pro4S ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $89.99 @ Newegg
Memory | Crucial 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory | $49.98 @ Newegg
Storage | Kingston SSDNow V300 Series 120GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $44.88 @ OutletPC
Video Card | XFX Radeon RX 460 4GB Video Card | $114.00 @ Amazon
Case | Deepcool TESSERACT SW ATX Mid Tower Case | $38.99 @ SuperBiiz
Power Supply | Corsair CXM 450W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $49.99 @ Newegg
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total (before mail-in rebates) | $534.70
| Mail-in rebates | -$10.00
| Total | $524.70
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-12-19 11:16 EST-0500 |

 

Here is a guide on how to overclock the CPU in this build: http://overclocking.guide/asrock-z170-non-k-overclocking-guide/

Here is a benchmark of the CPU in TF2: https://youtu.be/JMb1Hr2nmJo

Min. FPS 105 | Max. FPS 287 | Avg. FPS 156

----|----|:----
1920x1080|16:9|Fullscreen
Model detail: High|Texture detail: High|Shader detail: High
Water detail: Reflect all|Shadow detail: High|Anti-aliasing mode: 8x MSAA
Filtering mode: Anisotropic 16X|VSync: Disabled|Motion blur: Enabled

The GPU used in the video is more expensive. The RX 460 performance is comparable, is newer and has more VRAM. TF2 doesn't really care about the GPU, anyway.

Tweaking the settings and using some configs can easily get you more FPS.

 

# Saving money.

As I mentioned above, /r/BuildAPCSales is a fantastic place to find deals on PC parts. There's a few things to keep in mind, though.

Parts you cannot replace from the list:

CPU
Motherboard

The CPU (i3-6100) has hyperthreading, which essentially means the CPU performs better. The motherboard was also the cheapest that supports overclocking, which extends the life of your PC. If you change one of these two parts, I cannot guarantee that they will work together or support overclocking.

Parts you can replace from the list:

RAM (Memory) (DDR4 only)
Storage (SSD and HDD)
GPU (Graphics Card)
PSU (Powersupply)

RAM must be DDR4, it's very easy to tell because it will always be in the title. Any RAM that is labeled DDR3 or DDR2 will not work with the PC.

SSDs are insanely fast. The caveat is that they are expensive for their GB size. Any SSD will work with the PC, so if you find a bigger SSD for a cheaper price, go for it.

HDDs are slow, but affordable in large sizes. The difference is that games on SSDs will load faster, while games on HDDs will load slower. Keep the games you want to load fast on the SSD, and other games, movies, music, etc. on the bigger HDD.

PSUs are tricky and I don't recommend picking a different one. The one I chose leaves room for upgrades, is easier to use and, most importantly, is reliable. A non-reliable PSU can destroy your PC. Trust me, just stick with the one I chose or ask /r/BuildAPC if another one you find cheaper is reliable.

# Peripherals

Good mechanical keyboard: TOMOKO 87 Key Blue Switch Mechanical Keyboard, $34.99 USD

Good gaming mice: Logitech G300s, $24.90 USD, SteelSeries Rival 100, $29.88 USD, Corsair Harpoon RGB, $29.99 USD

1080p, low response time monitor: Acer G226HQL 21.5", $89.99 USD

My setup is like iamlouie's, except that I use the Sennheiser HD201 instead of the HD555. (It's significantly cheaper and still offers reasonably good quality, far better than I've gotten from any of the $50 Logitech headsets I've used.)

I'd recommend getting a nice set of Sennheiser headphones and buying a clip-on mic separately. This thing is supposed to be la creme de la creme when it comes to standalone mics, and Sennheiser offers amazing bang for buck in terms of quality. Cheapest is the HD201 which can sometimes be found for as low as $20; it beats most $50 headsets I've seen in terms of quality and comfort. If you're willing to spend a bit more, there's the HD555's, which are ~$90.

I really cannot recommend Sennheiser enough; the quality on their headphones is amazing and when paired with a good standalone mic you will be hard-pressed to find a headset that matches them for quality and economy.

If you don't feel like spending that much, try what I'm using currently: http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413234166&sr=8-1&keywords=Zalman+ZM-MIC1

Half the price but definetely good enough for these purposes. Just make sure that if you do buy it, to keep it as close as you can to your mouth for best quality.

Software: Adobe Photoshop CC 2015.5

Hardware: This thing

Draw daily!! Drawing is all about mileage and pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone; it's just like learning any other skill. Also, have fun with it :)

I use a Senheisser HD555 and a Zalman Microphone Zm-Mic1.

I've used Steelseries/Icemat Siberias before and they were really good. I actually went through 3 pairs due to the cat eating the cord twice and the wires being pulled out once but Steelseries was gracious enough to replace two of them. When my last one broke, I decided to try the Senheisser HD555 and like it a lot more.

I've also used Logitech, Sony, Plantronics headsets/headphones in the past. They're okay. If I were on a budget, I'd just go with Steelseries Siberias.

Actually, there is! It's only the first comic, I believe, but it does come with plenty of other valve comics.
Also it's kind of pricy and hardcover. Would make a nice gift.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1595828699/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1407943894&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

It looks great. But the Federal Casemaker is more of a fedora. If you make a new version of it try something a little more like the link.


https://www.amazon.com/MIRMARU-Classic-Trilby-Cotton-Fedora/dp/B072QBP936/ref=sr_1_58_sspa?keywords=Fedora&qid=1554478744&s=gateway&sr=8-58-spons&psc=1

Mann Co. HQ. You can see the board in the Amazon listing: https://smile.amazon.com/Monopoly-Fortress-Officially-Licensed-Merchandise/dp/B0716CRKDD

Edit: and unlike what /u/Elvis_the_Typhlosion said, the playing pieces in that set are the bomb cart, cow silhouette, tower of hats, balloonicorn, level one sentry, and Saxxy; and Teufort is present on the green Pennsylvania Avenue space.

> in a few months

An optimist! I like that!

To answer your question, this is what I use, it's decent.

I have these (or ones like them, anyway). The mic is good, but the headphone quality is a little weak.

Plus after a while, they seem to loosen up and come off my ears (they are normally "gripping" your head, but after a while the grip slips).

I think if I were to upgrade, I would get a good set of headphones and a separate mic like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Microphone-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone/dp/B00029MTMQ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1248752176&sr=8-7

My friend has had this 8 dollar Zalman mic for a while and it is clear enough to understand words and whatnot. If you're feeling cheap, this will do the job.

I've been making sure to look at reviews to see if there are OS X drivers. The Sidewinder series does work with OS X, despite being a Microsoft mouse, for example. But thanks for the advice. Do you think wireless works fine?

I've played with people who don't have mics, it's really pretty bad and you'll never get anywhere if you can't communicate.

Just pick up one of these or something and you'll be good.

Wow, so apparently us UK folk are very fussy with microphones

there's already this which has comics from l4d, tf2 and portal. It's not all of them though, but it's still really cool

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0716CRKDD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_zZ7XDb5VWQVYH

For anyone wondering where to buy, this is also available on Amazon. Save this to your wishlist as the price has been rising and falling as of late

https://www.amazon.com/USAopoly-Team-Fortress-Monopoly-Game/dp/B0716CRKDD
Here's where you can buy it, you can see previews for what the actual board looks like too.

https://smile.amazon.com/USAopoly-Team-Fortress-Monopoly-Game/dp/B0716CRKDD

1. Doesn't appear to be
   
2. Yep
   
3. Normal monopoly

This has been on Amazon for some time.

you can see here https://www.amazon.com/Monopoly-Fortress-Officially-Licensed-Merchandise/dp/B0716CRKDD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=N75KCZ7PDBZ3&keywords=tf2+monopoly&qid=1561945896&s=gateway&sprefix=tf2+%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-1

> Get this mic.

FTFY

Some of them were printed, I don't know which though. Here's where you can buy them

https://www.amazon.com/Monopoly-Fortress-Officially-Licensed-Merchandise/dp/B0716CRKDD

Here you go

I use this, works great

https://www.amazon.com/Monopoly-Fortress-Officially-Licensed-Merchandise/dp/B0716CRKDD

I use this thing constantly. Shockingly high sensitivity and sound quality for $7.

http://www.amazon.com/Zalman-Zm-Mic1-Sensitivity-Headphone-Microphone/dp/B00029MTMQ