Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all your friends at SHF!  No holiday card or video this year, but we're with you in spirit!  Now get off the fucking computer and go spend time with your family.

Much Love,
Scott

Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Review

Credit: bestofbothminds

I've made previous posts about Zelda games before, so I'll spare you the nostalgia trip.  Warning: spoilers ahead!  (Also if you want some background music to listen to this, then click here.)

After a brief hiatus from the game, I've finally completed LoZ: Skyward Sword!  Right off the bat I can say it was a super worthy addition to one of the greatest gaming franchises out there.  Beautiful story, art, music, puzzles, you name it: it was there!  Let's break down the game:

For those of you who didn't know, my personal obsession with gaming started with Ocarina of Time.  I think it's safe to say that game is still an industry standard.  It's solid at every front and is a strong contender for the Greatest Game Ever Made.  So making Zelda games in the wake of the OoT juggernaut is quite the task.  While Nintendo will never be able to recreate OoT completely, they can sure do their best to keep the basic Zelda experience fresh.

Nintendo is the most creative video game company currently on the face of the Earth, so I came into Skyward Sword expecting nothing but the best in terms of a fresh adventure.  In the end, I got everything I expected-- new puzzles and gadgets as well as refreshed classics such as bombs, the hook shots, and the good ol' bow and arrow.  Mixed in with new gameplay elements such as timeshift stones, it all culminated into a very real challenge that puts your mind to the test.

I still found myself in the same routines as previous Zelda games--occasionally hitting a rough spot where I would spend 3 hours looking for a path or an object that ended up being right in front of me.  In Twilight Princess, I remember spending hours looking for the next part of a path in the Water Temple.  This time, I remember getting caught up in the Lanayru Desert.  Thankfully, a lot of frustration and wasted time was cut short thanks to Fi: your lovely companion for the duration of Skyward Sword.  Informative and thankfully quiet (I'm looking at you, Navi), Fi was an excellent guide.  You could ask her for hints as well as observations about your surroundings.  If you forgot about your objective, Fi was also just a question away.  She also made great observations about enemies (especially bosses) and compared your success rates and pointed out weaknesses.

Let's talk about the story for a bit before we go any further.  I'm very glad Nintendo made Skyward Sword a prequel--it actually sets a few things straight, such as why you always have the reincarnations of Gannon and Link.  Nintendo set the stage immediately.  You start off as sleepyhead Link again--late for something or another.  It's also the day of some annual ritual where the victor is essentially Zelda's boyfriend.  In this game, Zelda is your childhood friend who plays the part of the Goddess in this festival.  Your first opponent is Groose--your typical retarded jock who wants to get in Zelda's pants.  He knows that Link is a threat, so he kidnaps your bird, which is part of the festival in this floating sky city.  Link finds his bird and kicks the shit out of Groose and his cronies.  Link gets alone time with Zelda, gets the sailcloth, and is about to score with Zelda before she pushes him off the Goddess statue and you're forced to land in a little area perfectly with your sailcloth (which was very, very frustrating).  Things are all fine and dandy until Zelda is swept down beneath the clouds to a place where no Skyloft resident has ever ventured---to the ground.  There it is where you begin your pursuit of Zelda, who is also being pursued by Ghirahim.  It later turns out that Ghirahim is serving Demise, this game's version of Gannon.  Though Demise's name just sort of pops up in the story, he was actually The Imprisoned the entire time.  You kick Demise's ass in a pretty boring boss battle and send him back to his place.

Let's talk about overall gameplay/dungeons/fights.  First, I have to compliment Nintendo on the controls.  The WiiMotion Plus or whatever it's called was a great tool of precision.  The ability to actually control the angle of your strikes made this much more enjoyable than the old days of mashing B.   Nintendo utilized this technology to the fullest.  Although there was occasionally some frustration with the WiiMotion Plus, I can't really say anything bad about it.  It was pretty smooth.

As for the dungeons/temples/fights, there were a lot of fresh experiences.  As you probably guessed, they took place in different climates of Hyrule--mainly desert, volcano, and forest.  But other favorite climates wiggled their way in there, too.  It was nice to be able to access them from the sky, dropping down from your bird into the zone.  You could then select where specifically you wanted to land from a series of Bird Stone save points.  The biggest problem I found was that you ended up having to clear each zone like 3 times.  It got boring after a while, even though the zones always extended a little more.  Overall I felt like it made the game feel 10 hours too long.  In previous games, the climates and zones were constantly changing.  Here, I always had the impression that I was playing the same thing over and over again, just trying to get whatever the hell it was that I needed.

Overall, I was very pleased with the boss battles.  While they weren't exactly too hard, they still took some time to adjust to and find the weaknesses.  One think I liked was that you had the ability to go and fight them again through a dragon who recreates the battles.  If you won 9 in a row, you got the indestructible Hylian shield, which I found essential for the Gannon fight.  The weakpoints were usually the same--and eye or some exposed heart after ripping off some armor.  But Nintendo didn't always plop you in a small room with these bosses--they made some very interesting environments to fight the bosses in--such as on the deck of a boat in a storm.  The angle of your strikes always played in to the fight, too.  The most disappointing battle I had to fight was Demise.  Although I died a lot trying to find his weaknesses, once they were discovered then Demise was short work.  The environment never really changed all that much and Demise never really transformed (except from The Imprisoned to Demise).

At the end the credits, you have the option to restart the game in hero mode--a hardened difficulty which will overwrite your current game's save.  Don't make the mistake I did--make a copy of your save and then restart in hero mode.  I was dumb and in a hurry and lost my 35 hours of gameplay.

Skyward Sword was a super worth addition to the Legend of Zelda series.  I was really rooting for it for GOTY last year and was disappointed that it lost out to Skyrim--most likely because Skyrim was multi-platform and had a larger audience.

I really hope the new generation of gamers pay attention to Zelda.  They need to remember that it's not the multiplayer or the endless slaughter of enemies in a poorly thought out campaign that makes a great game--it's the challenge.  And Skyward Sword will stretch your brain and patience to bring you that challenge.

The End of an Era

Hey guys,

First, listen to this.

Vacation time is stretching a little longer.  I know, I know.  But I do have some things I need to get off my chest.  I know no one actually reads this, but I'm still gonna post this anyway.

I love making videos.  It's become an obsession that I can't shake.  Problem is that SHF has stagnated.  This is completely my fault- all we've ever done is MLG EXTREME.  And that show has gotten out of control.  Whether I'm forcing content or going as far as being an online bully to squeeze out something funny for the show, it's just become too much.

Still though, I am craving success.  I haven't succeeded in much lately, online and IRL, but the declination of SHF has crushed me.  Now I'm not saying that I'm making videos to become internet famous.  That's far from my intent- I do it because I love Halo and everything and everyone that surrounds it.  I just need to make something that I'm proud of.  But MLG EXTREME is dragging SHF down with it.  That's why we've decided to end MLG EXTREME at episode 100.

You heard that right, folks.

For two and a half years we have kept you entertained with MLG EXTREME and it's been a thrill.  We've had our ups and we've had our downs.  But sadly, all great things must come to an end, and this is no different.

The people from the show aren't going anywhere.  Wizzle and I will still be around, joined by lesser active cast.  Right now we're planning a transition to more of a group effort.  In the past, I was fully in charge of everything that has been put up on SHF.  But I won't be running the show any longer.  Our group will be uploading their own content at free will.  This means that you'll get a lot more than just me behind every video.  Each experience will be different and exciting.  And as Halo 4 approaches in all of it's glory, we will be sure to pile behind that and push out every ounce of content that we can.

So don't think of this as the end.  It's not.  It's the beginning of something new.

Much love,
Scott

Summer Break 2012!

Yo homies,

So the good folks here at SHF are taking their annual summer break.  We're going to be away from YouTube for 2 weeks, so you should make good use of your time by watching older videos!

But fear not, for things will still be happening behind the scenes.  I've been working with an affiliate on a super cool project that I can hopefully show off upon our glorious return.  It's been progressing nicely and I'm stoked to see it come to reality.

Also, I'm sorry we didn't get an MLG EXTREME out this week.  We've been consumed in DayZ and a renewed interest in Minecraft!  Hopefully we'll be able to make it up to you.

Smell ya later.

Thanks,
Scott

New MLG EXTREME Episodes, Ender Hunt Finale, and a Machinima!

Hey guys!

Sorry I haven't updated this in a few weeks.  Laaaaaaaazy.  But things have been happening on the SHF front.

Anywho, let's get started.

The week of the 4th we released MLG EXTREME Episode 92: "Where's the Bear?"  It's an unusual break from Halo, but we thought we could have some fun in Red Dead Redemption.  You can watch it here.

Today (yeah, this episode was a day late) we put out MLG EXTREME Episode 93: "The Comeback Kids."  I really like this episode, mainly because we get to show off a bit.  While the show's roots come from our lack of skill, we really aren't that bad- as proven in this video.  You can watch it here.

On May 30th we wrapped up "The Hunt For The Ender Dragon."  I had a blast doing this series and we really hoped you enjoyed watching it.  It certainly increased the flow of content for SHF, running a total of 56 episodes (or 12+ hours of video).  As always, you can catch the finale as well as the complete series in our playlist.

Wizzle and I have been busy on some other projects recently.  One of them is a short machinima that we've had in our heads for a while.  While it is pretty stupid, it really shows off JT's Joker impersonation.  You can catch "Why So Serious" here.

While we still have a while, this is just a heads up that the ShawtyHullstineFilms crew is taking a vacation soon.  I'll let you know when, but there is the potential that we won't have any new videos for up to 3 weeks.

I think that's everything.  Enjoy!

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 91, Ender Dragon Update

Hey,

We've kicked off season 10 of MLG EXTREME and our march towards MLG EXTREME: Episode 100 this week!  You can catch the latest episode, "MLG EXTREME Episode 91: Hiding In Hemorrhage 2.0" here.

Also, we're starting to wrap up The Hunt For The Ender Dragon.  Look out for the series finale this coming week.  You can catch the series in it's entirety here.

And that's it for this week.  Check in next week for more.

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 90: "Lava Pit", More Ender Dragon

Hey guys,

Business as usual this week.  I promise that when The Hunt For The Ender Dragon ends, I'll try doing some new things.  But let's outline what's new this week.

We've wrapped up season 9 of MLG EXTREME with MLG EXTREME Episode 90: "Lava Pit."  This is a gametype we've been wanted to do since the early days of MLG EXTREME.  You can watch it here.  We're starting our march on episode 100!

The Hunt For The Ender Dragon continues this week.  I decided to make the last few episodes around 20 minutes a piece due to the lack of activity going on in them.  While it still features our commentary, there just isn't much progress in the adventure.  But starting tomorrow things are going to get exciting.  If you haven't started watching the series, I recommend picking it up starting now.  You can catch all episodes in order in our playlist.

And that's all for this week.  Summer is approaching and the outlook is bright!  Make sure to stay tuned.

Thanks,
Scott

Legend of Zelda: A Generation That Grew Up With The Boy Who Didn't

Listen to this to get your nostalgia ready.

Any gamer who grew up in the '90s has some memory of The Legend of Zelda.  More specifically, LoZ: Ocarina of Time.  If it wasn't the pinnacle of their childhood video game memories, then it was damn near close.  Surely it was one of the first games that instilled a sense of adventure and heroism in the player.  You were Link- the Hero of Time.  And just like the unsuspecting boy from the Kokiri Village, you were ready to be thrust into the darkness that was about to consume Hyrule.

This was the experience that launched my gaming career.  And whether you think I'm a loser for cherishing the experiences I had during my time as Link or you can relate to me exactly, you should certainly know that I'm not alone.  Ocarina of Time turned video games upside down.  Sidescrollers and block games became irrelevant upon OoT's debut on the shelf of the game store.  Also, if your game did not have a compelling story that gamers couldn't immerse themselves in, your game was going to fail.

I remember going to pick up my copy.  I had played the game with a friend and I thought it was the most amazing thing ever.  I can vividly remember watching my friend as he ran about Hyrule field and slashed everything in sight with his Kokiri sword.  I was hooked immediately.  I also remember going to pick up the game.  I was fucking stupid back then and was too immature to realize exactly what I had just bought, (a piece of gaming history) so I tore up the box and slapped the cartridge right into my Nintendo 64 (which is still with me after 12 years or so.  I also have the instruction manual, which is also pretty beat up).  From that point on, my life was changed.

I'm not sure if it's a sad thing that a video game altered my life.  It sure didn't really phase many of my friends who owned the game.  Perhaps it was my love for a great story, which still an important part of my personality today.  I loved the game so much that I bought all of the OoT edition action figures (which I also still have, but unfortunately they're beat up as well.  I'm pretty pissed at younger me because I would love to have all of those things in mint condition.  The boxed ones run for about $100 a piece now.  Fuck me).

I think video games are going to replace all forms of entertainment-be it movies or books-in the near future.  The generation who grew up on story driven games is of age now and we're more expecting than ever of our favorite game makers.  But unfortunately, the younger gamers are the ones who are willing to spend the money, thus we have abominations such as Call of Duty ruling the video game market (and strictly for multiplayer, too.)  It's sad to see these kids grow up on XBL knowing nothing but camping and teabagging-- not knowing what it's like to be a part of a much grander adventure.

I must admit: It was interesting how I evolved among the people who were only interested in online play.  At first I was all about the story, and then during early my early teens I was all multiplayer.  Not necessarily in the "hardcore" sense, but I just liked hanging out with friends in the online battlefield.  But now that I'm older, I'm finding myself less tolerant of what multiplayer has become and increasingly slipping back into the story again.  And more importantly, I find myself looking back at the early days of my gaming career.  The days I spent as the Hero of Time.

Back to the days before Halo, before online multiplayer, back to the days when friends met up and talked about their progress in the Water Temple instead of how many fucking nukes they got the previous night.  I really do feel old once I step back and notice the gap between my generation of kids and this generation of kids.  I'm not that old, but a few short years has truly made a gap.  One that I find to be rather maddening.  Hell, I even find some of my friends on the other side.  Especially the ones who didn't start playing video games until later in life.  I really feel bad for them.  While I have no problem immersing myself into stories, they simply can't.  I really do believe that it was because I was exposed to games like Ocarina of Time at such a young age.  It really built my appreciation for adventure.  It helped me see past the label of the game and into the beautiful worlds that great minds had created.

Zelda was different because it challenged your mind.  It taught you how to think, be observant, and most importantly: how to explore.  You weren't some mindless drone whose sole objective was to shoot at anything that turned your reticle red.  You had to solve the puzzles in order to progress.  You were constantly in pursuit of something greater while using clever tools to get you there.  The Zelda games are a true test of how true of a gamer you are.  I don't consider hardcore multiplayer douchebags to be real gamers.  I do, however, approve of those who can rock out on the online battlefield while still being able to immerse themselves into worlds in single player.

The previous few paragraphs can be summed up nicely.  Zelda played your mind and emotions.  Something that games today lack.  And unlike each sequel to every juggernaut franchise, Zelda continues to innovate.  Sure, with each sequel to OoT you become a blood relative of the Hero of Time and are somehow in the same time period with a never changing Zelda, and you might play the same types of temples over and over again, but the puzzles and dynamics change each time.  I've played through most of the Zelda games (OoT, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword) and no two have felt the same.

I do plan on replaying OoT some time in the near future.  I need to reset my mind and put myself back into the days when all that mattered was exploring.  I used to wander Hyrule Field for hours, just looking around.  Now all I find myself doing is rushing to finish the game.  It's hard, now.  Games are designed with a designated path.  All you have to do is kill anything that occupies that path.  Perhaps developers looking for innovation should consider the fact that it's not how many perks you throw into your game, it's the basic concept of your game.  You can't innovate on a clear cut path.  You need to make gamers think.  You need to make them explore.

Just like Zelda said to Link at the end of OoT, "We must make up for all of our lost time."  We, the generation that grew up with the boy who didn't, need to remember what made those times so great.  With a light heart, and childish soul, and a little bit of nostalgia, we can take ourselves back to the golden age of gaming whenever we want.  We don't have to settle for today's status quo.  We can resume our roles as the Hero of Time whenever we wish.  For the younger kids out there, find Ocarina of Time and an N64 and play through it.  Maybe you'll see what we did over a decade ago.  For the older people out there, dust off your cartridge and play through the Deku Tree or something.  Rediscover yourself.  Make up for all of your lost time.

MLG EXTREME Episode 89, Ender Dragon Update

Hey,

MLG EXTREME is up a couple of days late.  We worked hard on brainstorming the masterpiece you'll see in this video.  But the wait was worth it.  You can check out MLG EXTREME Episode 89: "The Russian Warthog" here.

The Hunt For The Ender Dragon is sailing smoothly.  If you haven't started watching yet, I think the episodes are really funny now.  It took us a while as we were getting set up, but we're moving along on our adventure now.  You can always check our playlist to see the series in it's entirety.

And I think that's it for now.  Tune back in next week for more.

Thanks,
Scott

P.S.  Team MLG EXTREME combines for 100 points in this ass raping.

MLG EXTREME Episode 88, Ender Dragon Episodes

Hey guys,

Sorry this post is late.  This week I've been trying to take it easy.  It was just a stressful week.  Anyways, there isn't a new SHF Digest this week, so I may just do it either this weekend or combine it with next week's.

Let's get down to new video releases.  This week Wizzle and I played around in Forge.  I think the beginning part is hilarious.  You can catch MLG EXTREME Episode 88: "The New Crib" here.

Some pretty funny action is also happening in The Hunt For The Ender Dragon.  I'm pretty disappointed with the amount of views this thing is getting.  I really like this series.  If you haven't watched it yet, try watching it during lunch or something like that.  I find that when I watch unedited action with commentary I usually enjoy it more while I'm eating.  We're up to Episode 39 now.  Catch the series here.

I've also been talking about some machinima this week.  That's still coming along, but I don't think I'm gonna release any of it for a while.  I want to pace myself on it and make sure I don't end up overworking.  It's just for my portfolio anyway.  On top of this I may be getting myself into another mess with a group I've worked with in the past.  We were considering possibly doing some CGI stuff.  I doubt it's gonna happen but if it does I'll let you know here.

And I think that's it for now.  Be sure to come back here next week!

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 87, Other Things

Hey,

Sorry for the delay, but MLG EXTREME Episode 87: "Unfortunate Encounters," is now available.  You can view it here.

The reason for the delay is because I've actually been working on something else this week.  While it's more for me than it is for you guys, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.  Word on what exactly it is will probably be out between now and the end of next week, assuming all goes according to plan.

The Hunt For The Ender Dragon should resume tomorrow, once more assuming all goes according to plan.  The adventure is going to intensity very soon.

And that's it for now.  Stay tuned!

Thanks,
Scott

Recap, Vacation Time!

Sup homies,

SHF will be inactive from April 7-13 because of the holiday.  During this well deserved break we're going to give ourselves the chance to decompress a little bit, but we're also going to be working on some other projects.  Just goes to show how much we love you guys; we could never take a vacation from you!

But since we won't be uploading anything during that span of time, we're just going to recap the events of this week right here, right now.

The video above is the SHF Digest, covering the events of the weeks of March 26 and April 2, 2012.

New Ender Dragon videos were posted this week!  Catch them in the playlist.

MLG EXTREME was already covered in the previous blog post.  Scroll down to find information.

We added some new Mass Effect 3 videos!  I love this game so much.  It really does a great job of immersing you into the story and creating emotional ties to the characters.  You can see our Mass Effect 3 videos in the playlist.  I may write a review on ME3 here soon, so be sure to stay tuned.

The old Overkill Glitches group is in charge of Halo: CEA Tricks for CMNeir.  You can catch new episodes in our Halo: CEA Tricks playlist!

I do believe that's everything for now.  Have a happy holiday and we'll see you here in a couple of weeks!

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 86, Ender Dragon Episodes 28-33, Other Things

Hey guys,

Below you will find the first SHF Digest, recapping the week of March 19, 2012.

I'm hoping to get these out every Tuesday or so, just to recap the previous week.  I thought it would be a good idea since SHF has been overloaded with content recently.

On to other things.

There was no MLG EXTREME the week of March 26, 2012, but Episode 86 aired today.  You can catch it here.  This week's episode was alright.  Wizzle and I need to come up with new ideas.  But he's been loaded IRL and I've been overly-focused on other projects.  Sorry.

Ender Dragon is sailing steady.  You can catch all of the new episodes as well as the old ones in our playlist.

We also released a video of our friend Lauren drunk on St. Patrick's Day.  40 minutes long (after 20 minutes of cut footage), lulz will ensure.  Check it out here.

I also got rejected by a girl.  Damn, looks like if I can't get laid in this video then my luck is just bad.  Watch me fail here.

Mass Effect 3 is awesome.  Just fucking awesome.  I haven't played the previous 2, but after playing through Mass Effect 3 I might seriously consider getting myself copies.  But Mass Effect 3 has also been occupying a lot of my time.  I'm hoping to squeeze a few more videos out of it.

I also keep forgetting to bring this up, but we've been given the amazing opportunity to bring CMNeir's "Halo Tricks" series full circle with Halo: CEA Tricks.  It features the old Overkill Glitches crew.  You can see the episodes as they are released in our playlist.

Ok, phew.  I think that's everything.

Just a heads up, we're taking a well deserved break next week.  From all of us here at ShawtyHullstineFilms to you and yours, have a wonderful Easter holiday and we'll being seeing you around in a couple of weeks.

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 85; Ender Dragon Episodes 24-27

Hey guys,

Sorry, a little late again this week.  Problems on Wizzle's end.  Send him the angry messages.

This week's MLG EXTREME is a bit of a filler episode, but fun none-the-less.  You can view MLG EXTREME Episode 85: "Super Serious MLG Pro No-Scoping" here.

We also have some new Ender Dragon episodes up.  Check the playlist because I'm lazy more motivated than ever.

That's it for now.  We'll see you next week!

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 84; Ender Dragon Episodes 17-23

Sup peeps,

Let's get down to business on this beautiful Tuesday afternoon, shall we?

First off is MLG EXTREME Episode 84: "Wizzle Knows What The Ladies Like."  8 days overdue, I know, I know.  But this one does have some pretty funny moments.  We actually had to record twice this week because I didn't like what we had the first time, and I was going to to release this episode yesterday on time for the week but I was playing Civilization 5 after I snagged it off of a nice 75% off Steam sale.  Score.

You can watch MLG EXTREME Episode 84: "Wizzle Knows What The Ladies Like" here.

The Hunt For The Ender Dragon is also progressing nicely and is staying on schedule, mostly because I am 10 days ahead on rendering.  As you may have heard from our last blog post, we just finished the adventure last Friday or Saturday.  I forget which one.  Anyway you won't be disappointed.  But I'm not going to spoil it any further than that.  And I'm also not tell you how many more episodes there are going to be, because that's a large part of the surprise.  Since I'm not keeping an episode list on this blog just to keep things uncluttered (trying to prevent a mammoth link list like the MLG EXTREME one on the right of the page) around this blog, you can look at the YouTube playlist here for the complete series to-date.

And other than that we're working hard on another project that will surely please many of you.  Chances are it is what you think it is.  More on that later.

And that's pretty much it for this week guys.  We'll hopefully see you all here next week.

Thanks,
Scott

P.S.: In case you haven't caught on yet, The Hunt For The Ender Dragon has a new episode every other day.

News and Stuff

Hey,

Sorry we didn't get an MLG EXTREME out this week.  We recorded one, didn't like it, and recorded a new one.  Unfortunately, I didn't get much time to edit it.

But fear not, for I shall release it this Monday.  Ender Dragon is also keeping up nicely.  We recorded the last session last night.  You should see the finale this June.

That's it for now.

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 83, Ender Dragon Episodes 6-16

Hey guys,

First things first, since we didn't have time to record an MLG EXTREME over the past couple of weeks I decided to reach into the vault of unreleased episodes for you guys.  I even forgot I had this one recorded so I got to sit back and enjoy it, too.  It's raw MLG EXTREME fun at it's best.  I think the reason why we never released it before was because we had some serious moments and we lost pretty badly.  Not that we care, but we prefer to stay lighthearted at all times while recording.  But that episode is a pretty accurate picture of what it's really like to play with Team MLG EXTREME.  We do have a competitive side, too.  And it kinda sticks out in this video.

You can view MLG EXTREME Episode 83: "The Little Engine That Couldn't" here.

Also we released about 10 new episodes of "The Hunt For The Ender Dragon" since I last updated the blog.  I'm not going to link them all, but you can stay up to date with the show's playlist.  I'm thrilled with the direction of the series.  A story line is starting to evolve and I think people can now follow it with a little more enthusiasm.  On the downside, there is still an hour and a half of footage to go through until the time where Juicer7444 (Tyler) gets his new mic, so unfortunately you're gonna have to put up with the white noise in the background for several more episodes.  Maybe you guys don't notice, but to me it really sticks out.

Gotta say, I'm very happy with the results of the past couple of weeks.  I really feel that SHF is picking up steam again.

Thanks,
Scott

P.S.: Not only does Team MLG EXTREME rape in Warthogs, but look at the carnage we caused in this quick game that Wizzle and I played.  I went on a 27-0 Perfection while Wizzle piloted the Falcon the entire game.  As one guy said to us this summer in Reach matchmaking: "You're the best tandem I've ever seen on Reach."

F.A.Q. 2

Howdy folks!

Since my last FAQ is severely outdated I thought I'd give it an update.  Here goes nothing...

Q: How do you record/edit?

A:  Easily my most asked question.  If you're going to record video and audio, you're either gonna need a capture card or a video camera that can record DIRECTLY from your source or your TV.  I have a capture card: the Hauppauge HD PVR.  I used to have a Dazzle, but I upgraded a year ago.  You can see the quality difference between the two on our YouTube channel.  If you're a beginner, then get a Dazzle.  It's only about $20 and usually comes with an editing software such as Pinnacle Studio (which I used to edit video before I got my Hauppauge).  It may record in a lower quality, but if you don't know if making videos is something you like then you don't want to spend a ton of money.  Also, HD capture cards like the Hauppauge or the Blackmagic Intensity create large file sizes, so if you don't have the memory then you shouldn't record in HD.

Here's how to set up the Hauppauge:

Since the Hauppauge doesn't record from HDMI, you're going to need to use a YPbPr cable.  Plug the Xbox YPbPr cable into the back of your Xbox and connect it to the "in" ports in the back.  That includes sound, too.  (Note, since the USB cable that comes from your Hauppauge isn't that long, it's going to have to be located close to your computer.  If your Xbox is far away, you're going to need extension YPbPr cables and audio cables.  The duel-sided YPbPr cables and audio cables are usually sold separately, you need to get both.  You're also going to need couplers to connect the extension cables to your Xbox cables. The Hauppauge comes with 3 feet of extension cables.  At one point before I moved around my office, I had almost 30 feet of extension cables.)  Then take extension YPbPr cables and audio cables (like stated above, the Hauppauge comes with 3 feet) and plug one end into the "out" ports in your Hauppauge and the other end into your TV.  Take the USB from the Hauppauge and plug it into your computer (The Hauppauge uses USB 2.0, the Blackmagic Intensity needs 3.0).  Load up the TotalMedia Extreme capture software that comes with the Hauppauge and begin recording!  I record in the M2TS format because it's high quality with smaller file sizes.

Here is a nice diagram.

How to set up the Dazzle:

The Dazzle setup process is very similar except for a few minor differences.  First is the fact that it uses standard component cables, not YPbPr cables.  Secondly is the fact that the Dazzle only has "in" ports, so you're going to need splitters to use for both "in" and "out" ports.

I use Sony Vegas Pro 9 to edit.  It is pretty expensive and sophisticated, so it's not ideal for beginners.  I import my files, adjust text and audio settings and add effects if needed, and then render.  I render in Sony AVC format with max settings.

Q: OK, so I'm making content.  How do I get subscribers?

A: I'm still searching for an answer, too.  The thing is that YouTube has mountains of content, so your videos are just going to get buried underneath that mountain.  YouTube isn't what it used to be.  It's a lot harder to get famous.  But with hard work, you'll get there.  Just know that it's not going to happen overnight.

But there are some tricks that I can share with you that I've learned from my 2 1/2 years of experience.  The biggest thing is to create lots of content.  Make sure the quality is good, but create a lot.  I've noticed that my subscription count skyrockets when I upload more than 1 video per week, and it drops when I take breaks.  Also, get to know people.  Make connections with other YouTubers of your genre.  It's going to be a lot easier to be successful when you can work with someone else.  But once more, no one is going to trust you overnight.  Establish a good track record and then those connections will come to you.  It took me several years to get a connection with CMNeir, but now I'm recording Halo: CEA Tricks for him.  Like I said, it takes time.

Q: Can I play with you guys sometime?

While my friends list is usually full, I'm open to game invites.  Just don't spam me constantly with messages and join my parties.  That gets annoying very quickly.  I'm also working to start up some servers for games such as Minecraft and Halo: Custom Edition, so that should be a good time to play with us.

Q: What are some of your favorite games?

A: We like all sorts of games.  Halo, Battlefield 3, Minecraft, Half Life 2, APB: Reloaded, and Counter-Strike: Source for example.  We're also looking forward to Halo 4, GTA 5, and the new Counter-Strike.



Well that's it for now.  I'll have this linked in the sidebar should you need to quickly reference it again.  I'll also try to update it with more questions as they come.

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 83 Indefinitely Postponed

Hey,

Thought I'd give ya'll a heads up that MLG EXTREME isn't looking good for a Monday release as usual.  Busy week.  I don't normally give a heads up here but since we're really trying to go every week again I'd thought I'd post it here.  This week was just too crazy to give some time to MLG EXTREME.

In other news, The Hunt For The Ender Dragon will stay on schedule.  Have lots of those recorded and rendered already.

We'll try and get MLG EXTREME in this week.  Unfortunately this week was very, very unusual and both Wizzle and I just couldn't break focus on our real lives for MLG EXTREME.  Remember, this is just a hobby.  We don't benefit in any way from SHF as of now so it has to take a lesser priority to other things.  Sorry.

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 82; Moar Ender Dragon

Hey folks,

Lots of new content this week!  Let's get started.

MLG EXTREME Episode 82: "Looney and the Griball" is out now.  It's a good one (Minus the bad audio.  Had to record it old skewl this week because of the fact that we were communicating with people in-game.  Sorry.).  Hit the link below to check it out.

MLG EXTREME Episode 82: "Looney and the Griball"

We also have a few new episodes of The Hunt For The Ender Dragon.  Hit the links below to watch 'em.

Episode 2: "Radiant Dawn"
Episode 3: "Ender Encounter"
Episode 4: "One Dungeon, 100 Pigs"
Episode 5: "Coal and Iron"

I'm really excited about this series.  So far we're about 17 episodes ahead of the newest episode recording-wise.  Trust me, if you haven't been getting into the series yet, we're gonna start making progress next episode.  And if you're tired of all of the microphone background noise, you're gonna have to wait.  Tyler (Juicer7444) got a new headset which will improve the sound quality on his end, but the downside is that we've already recorded 17 episodes with his current microphone.  I'll do my best to drown out the white noise with music.

And that's about it for this week.  We'll see ya around.

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 81, The Hunt For The Ender Dragon Episode 1

Howdy folks,

Two new pieces of content from SHF in the past 48 hours.  Let's jump in.

First off is MLG EXTREME Episode 81: "The Climb."  Wizzle and I goof off in a custom game map as we try to climb it.  You can view it here.

Next up is a new series that we're doing in Minecraft.  It's called "The Hunt For The Ender Dragon."  In this series we're gonna try and find/kill the Ender Dragon, thus beating Minecraft.  All of the footage will be raw and unedited, so you can tag along with us the entire way.  I'm gonna try and release these episodes every couple of days.  You can view Episode 1 here.

As with the start of all series, the first few episodes are gonna be shaky until we get our footing in the game.  I can already tell you episodes 1-4 is full of us trying to get traction in the game.  While there are some hilarious moments, the real fun should start after we begin obtaining the materials necessary to reach the Ender Dragon.

That's it for now.  Stay tuned!

Thanks,
Scott

MLG EXTREME Episode 80: "Duos Annos" (Two Year Anniversary Video)

Howdy,

Sorry we've been gone for so long.  We decided to take a little break due to the fact that this January was just crazy busy for us.  But alas, we have returned and are ready to go.  We're kicking off 2012 and ending season 8 with our MLG EXTREME two year anniversary special.

You can watch MLG EXTREME Episode 80: "Duos Annos" here.

I might as well give a brief overview of 2012 while I'm at it.  You can probably expect MLG EXTREME to return full-force, and greatly improving as we move into the spring months (during spring we usually have more time on our hands and our moods greatly increase as the weather warms and the wintery, gray skies turn to sunny and blue).  We're also gonna try and get some non-MLG EXTREME content out this spring, too.  As 2012 closes, we're going to have to decide whether or not we will take MLG EXTREME to Halo 4.  That decision will not be taken lightly.


Anywho, thanks for the past 2 years.  It's been really fun.  We look forward to the future!


Thanks,
Scott

P.S.- Once again, thanks for featuring our content, HBO.