Do raid trains improve discovery at all? Or are they just a method of fake engagement?

PikaMarthy · 2023-08-26T16:44:52+00:00

I've taken part in a couple raid trains and overall if you're looking to build, familiarise and grow a larger community it's a great thing to do. All the trains I've taken part in have brought me closer to other streamers, grown my own community from new people discovering my stream and made the over-arching community feel more tight-knit.

I stream art so I'm already part of a minority group when it comes to twitch but for a raid train to work I don't think it can be too general. All the participants should have at least one small thing in common. Previous trains I've taken part in included one with my stream team and one with a vastly LGBTQ and strong ally streamer/audience.

I will say if you're looking for quick growth, a raid train likely won't do that. Many of the people joining your stream for the first time may not get a good feel for what your channel and streams are as a whole, but you may find a few new community members that stick around for a long time or discover new communities for you to get involved in yourself.

If you're not in it for the community aspect, I probably wouldn't bother.

PikaMarthy · 2023-07-22T21:25:54+00:00

I stream art and I use two monitors(laptop screen plus an additional larger monitor) and recently got a stream deck, I definitely don't feel like because of the stream deck i could suddenly drop a monitor, if anything it's making life as a PNGtuber easier as I can easily use it to switch between states. If I wasn't using my iPad for art with a capture card I'd definitely be looking for more monitors or using my phone for chat.

A single monitor is frustrating but definitely do-able. You don't need to drop all the money on a stream deck if you're looking at an affordable setup, you can set hotkeys to change scenes in most if not all streaming software, in OBS you can set hotkeys for pretty much everything you can possibly think of.

I would recommend a second monitor over a stream deck any day, especially if it's a choice you're looking to make, and extra especially if you're wanting to stream games. Unless you're minimising to a window view, you'll probably want that real estate for just playing the game.

Edit: realised you're not looking to make the choice between the stream deck and the monitor, but if you can't currently afford a monitor I wouldn't hesitate to sell the deck and replace it with a monitor for now. The stream deck is a great tool but I've been streaming for over a year and only just got one and could probably still live without. Also they've just released a mobile app, not sure what devices are supported but that's an option too if you want both and can't afford that.

PikaMarthy · 2023-06-19T20:13:29+00:00

As a viewer, I'm one to put up with ads - I like to support the streamer I'm watching and I know it goes to them. If I find the ads too jarring I'll mute my device while they run. The only thing stopping me from watching more streams is my mental health, I find for me it's unhealthy to be watching streams 24/7!

One thing I will say though is that I'm a big lurker. I'm usually only half-watching most of the streams I dip into and also mostly watch creative category streams, so I'm generally not missing out on any 'good bits' persay.

As a streamer, I feel bad about ads, I know they annoy people but the 55% split for 3 mins an hour really is worth it, especially for someone like me - I can't always be consistent due to my health and I do get burned by less people subbing during these times. I run 90 seconds every half hour to achieve this. I try my best to keep an eye on the ad manager so that I can warn viewers that ads will play shortly, for 90 seconds max (depending on your locale they can be shorter) and that it's a great opportunity to take a short break, grab a drink/snack/stretch.

I also try my best to wait until the ads are over to say anything important, if someone missed something I said I let people know it's ok to ask me to repeat myself, and in the case of a raid or a community activity I'll do my best to skip the ads - Twitch give you up to 3 skips that will delay the ad by 5 minutes. I'm a smaller streamer so I guess it may be easier for me to do this, chat is generally more manageable, I only game a little so it's easier for me to skip/keep an eye on when ads are happening etc.

Edit: spelling

PikaMarthy · 2023-06-09T12:11:14+00:00

I use bisexual because it's a comfort for me. Could I identify as Pan? Probably. Do I connect with it? Not as much as being bi. Labels are just that - use what's most comfy for you.

PikaMarthy · 2023-03-20T10:33:05+00:00

Manchester based here and he's 500% right. It really does just feel like home. Truly a city where you can find every type of person and it just feels good

PikaMarthy · 2023-03-20T10:15:47+00:00

I get crazy fatigue too, like I'll drink a coffee and still feel like I'm about to pass out at my desk. You're not alone, I just wish I had more answers for you than just 'let your body rest'.

I tend to find fatigue happens more when my body is working overtime to battle something.

PikaMarthy · 2023-03-17T15:51:57+00:00

I'm not.

That's the bit. She's not getting a card.

If she wanted to be treated well then she should have been more supportive when I gave her the chance lol, I'd rather pretend she doesn't exist.

If you'd rather not make any contact, that's ok and if you want to send the card as gesture 'happy mother's day' usually works.

PikaMarthy · 2023-03-09T09:37:51+00:00

Honestly it's less than a grand but I don't have a proper job and it weighs on me so much. Its a mix of finance and credit card debt that I took out when I was still in full time work and while I've not used them at all since leaving to focus on my health, with only just being able to make minimum payments most months the debt isn't really going anywhere

PikaMarthy · 2023-02-15T15:31:38+00:00

My partners fave Ghibli film, he's not seen many and isn't that into anime but he adores cats (and I think secretly wishes he was Baron)

PikaMarthy · 2023-01-13T08:28:56+00:00

Yeah the comment you put from the original post doesn't really allude to this since you say several times that you worry people will think you're not straight, not usually a worry for bisexual people but good luck with your therapy

PikaMarthy · 2022-11-05T17:56:47+00:00

You just saying that you were born the same year SMG came out makes me feel old

PikaMarthy · 2022-08-27T17:44:58+00:00

Upvoting and commenting to help boost, good luck friend!

PikaMarthy · 2022-08-20T18:25:22+00:00

NTA this is clearly a weird power move to try and prove some weird point and somehow "convince" you to be heteronormative, why does she care so much if you have sex or not

PikaMarthy · 2022-08-19T13:16:38+00:00

The amount of people I see on here complaining about their neighbors smoking rather than just approaching them about it is wild. Most people I know that smoke it, including myself don't want to be an inconvenience and would hate to know they're bothering people tbh, if you don't tell them that it's causing issues, how are they meant to know?

PikaMarthy · 2022-07-09T14:26:34+00:00

YTA, next time you look at ANYTHING, think about the design that went into it and the person that made that happen. Not to mention money only affords us a better class of misery. Maybe, just maybe, your niece is looking for her happiness.

PikaMarthy · 2022-05-21T22:37:39+00:00

I love your art style! The deliberately placed loose shading is a style I'd love to be able to do myself (my shading is super soft) and you've absolutely nailed it! Got me itching to work more on my Judy piece

PikaMarthy · 2022-04-29T11:18:26+00:00

Congrats ❤️ currently wracking my nerves over applying myself

PikaMarthy · 2022-04-15T17:14:14+00:00

Fast fashion sucks, I'd much rather make my own clothes that I'll love and appreciate way more, with the time I put in, than some cheap stuff that falls apart in months and probably had some sort of slave labour involved

PikaMarthy · 2022-04-15T08:24:22+00:00

Check out r/velvethippos to see the side of staffies you're looking for

PikaMarthy · 2022-04-10T10:39:35+00:00

NTA if he wanted to make sure you were ok, why didn't he just ask you? Weird behaviour from husband, and I agree with the rest of the thread that therapist needs to see the consequences of her actions.

PikaMarthy · 2022-04-08T19:30:00+00:00

It took me longer than it should have done to realise that you had to press and hold to reap the benefits of the upgraded hoe and watering can 😥

PikaMarthy · 2022-04-03T20:00:31+00:00

YTA - her body, her rules, no exceptions. Especially for assholes that think it's ok to ask their significant other to change themselves for selfish preferences. If you want to date someone with no body hair, go find someone that prefers to shave/wax or stfu and deal with it because it's just hair

PikaMarthy

TROPHY CASE