This image was created with help of AI to share the mood with you. If you want a Key-Visual of your dreams, either created with AI, or handcrafted, drop us a line.

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Pre-Production

Here's how to prepare for creating your DevDiaries:

1. Set Goals

• Showcase the unique "emotional anchor" mechanic and how it affects the gameplay.
• Highlight the visually stunning dream worlds.
• Create excitement about the game's launch.
• Engage with the community to gather feedback on the game’s concepts.

2. Understand Limitations

• A small team of 5 developers, deeply involved in meeting the deadlines. 
• Basic recording equipment (a smartphone camera and USB microphone).
• Simple video editing software (DaVinci Resolve or CapCut).
• Early gameplay footage and concept art.

3. Describe Target Audience

• Primary audience: fans of roguelike and narrative-driven games.
• Secondary audience: art enthusiasts interested in unique visual styles.
• Age range: 18-35.
• Interests: dream interpretation, psychology and surrealism in art and games.
• They're looking for: innovative gameplay mechanics, visually striking environments and deep, replayable experiences.

4. Draft a Content Plan

• Key channel: YouTube‍
• Additional channels: Discord, Reddit, TikTok (for fast cuts)‍
• Schedule: 1 episode per month, 3rd week of each month
• Episodes: 
  • Introduction to "Dreamscapes: Awakening" - overview of the game’s concept and core mechanics.
  • The Art of Dreams - deep dive into the visual style and inspiration behind the dream worlds.
  • Emotional Anchors Explained - a detailed look at how the core gameplay mechanic works.
  • Designing Dream Enemies - showcase enemy design and how it relates to dream themes.
  • Evolution of the Dream Forms - how the concept of transforming the player character developed.
  • Sound Design in Dreams - creating an immersive audio landscape for each dream world.
  • Balancing Roguelike Elements - how do we make each playthrough feel new but fair?
  • Community Q&A - asking players questions and getting feedback on what we show them.
  • Technical Challenges - how we create procedurally generated dreams that feel cohesive.

This plan offers technical insights, artistic showcase and community engagement, appealing to the target audience.

5. Prepare Script and Questions

Planning your script and questions helps you stay focused and saves time. It allows your host to prepare, ensuring smoother footage and delivering your message clearly.

Sample script

Here is a short example of a script for the first episode “Dreamscapes: Awakening”:

Tips to follow:

• Engage early. Start with a strong hook to grab audience attention. And go to the details after.
• Keep it Personal. You want to connect with your audience. Start a dialog, invite people to share their impressions and ideas. 
• Tease Future Content. Mention upcoming episodes to encourage viewers to come back for more. 
• Call to Action. Prompt viewers to engage by subscribing, leaving comments, and sharing feedback. Looks trivial, but it works.
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Production

Set the Stage

It’s important to prepare the right environment before you start filming. 

• Background. Ideally it should reflect the look and feel of your game. But a clean and simple room will also work well. 
• Make it clean. Try to remove all unnecessary objects from the scene. But keep composition balanced.
• Focus on good lighting. Even with Zoom calls, good lighting is the key to get the best possible result. You may use light equipment, rent a photo studio for several hours, or stay with good natural lights.
  ‍Quick Tip: before you spend money on anything else - make sure your lighting is good. Check this video by Aputure, to learn 5 quick and easy setups to start with.
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• Sound. Don’t underestimate the importance of good sound quality. Try to use good mics and a soundproof room. The use of standalone audio recorders, like the Zoom H-series, as a backup solution can be helpful if you happen to lose your original recording. At the very least, process your audio with AI to remove any noise.

• Make-up and Clothes. Ensure your hosts are dressed appropriately for the style and theme you're using. Apply simple, clear make-up to maintain natural and true skin tones. But avoid overusing it, unless you do it on purpose.

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Film

Stay natural. If you have just one camera, that’s fine. Shoot B-roll footage in addition to the main video. “Behind-the-scenes” clips can work well, such as shots of the development team working, close-ups of your workspace, emotional brainstorming sessions, or even casual moments like having lunch together.

Prepare simple graphics for opening and closing scenes, transitions, infographics and text elements. Don’t hesitate to buy stock footage if it helps to tell the story.

Prepare in-game footage. 

Try to film the host using more than one camera. Your smartphone will do the trick as well. Filming wide shots and close-ups from different angles will help you to get more engaging results.

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Edit

Keep it simple. Cut to maintain pace. If you don’t have enough graphics or in-game footage, use B-rolls and switch camera angles. For each platform you plan to use, check recommended settings for video format and compression.

If you don't have experience with editing, hire a freelance editor with a relevant portfolio. It will increase the quality of your diaries for less efforts.

Don’t forget the thumbnail graphics. 

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Publication and promotion 

Choose your platforms (YouTube, social media or blog) and promote across them. Be consistent. Start simple and improve as you go.

Create regular, authentic content that your audience will like and that supports your marketing objectives. Prepare several publications to promote each episode from different angles.

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Budget, Time and Risks

Creating DevDiaries doesn't have to be difficult, but you need to be aware of the investments and potential pitfalls involved.

Estimated costs for self-production:

Basic equipment:

• Background, or well-prepared room ^*1
• Cameras x2
  • DSLR or mirrorless cameras + lenses _{$2500 - $5000} ^*6
  • Compact camera or a decent smartphone _$1500 ^*9‍
  • Camera tripods / mounts x2  _{$150 - $350} ^*6
• Microphones x2
  • Lavalier mic for host _{$250 - $350} ^*3
  • Shotgun mic for backup _{$150 - $350} ^{*7, 8}
  • Recorder _{$150 - $300} ^*8
• Lights x2
  • Video lights or light tubes _{$150 - $250} ^{*4, 5}
  • Softboxes, reflectors, light stands / mounts _{$100 - $200} ^{*2, 4, 5}
• Accessories: memory cards, extra batteries, cables, external SSD drives
• Software for video editing tools _{$0-$50 a month}

Sub-total: $1500 - $8500
‍Mostly one-time payment. But you may cut the costs by renting equipment.

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How did we get to $1500 after all? Here is a cost-efficient idea for the core equipment (not sponsored by any of them):

• DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo — wide-angle camera with one lavalier mic included, good for wide-shots and B-rolls – $650
• Apple iPhone Pro 15+ with external SSD. With good lighting you can use it for close-up shots – you may already have one at the office
• Zoom M3 - a shotgun mic with a recorder – $200
• Amaran COB 60x S - light source – $200
• DaVinci Resolve - the free edition for editing and motion graphics.

With softboxes, stands and tripods, you can get a full setup for around $1500 in a one-time investment.

What about the efforts per episode? Let's check:

• Planning and scripting: 8-12 hrs.
• Additional artwork and motion graphics: 6-8 hrs.
• Filming: 6-8 hrs.
• Editing: 6-8 hrs.
• Publication and promotion: 1-2 hrs.
• An a place for unexpected changes: 2-4 hrs.

Sub-total: 30-40 hours per episode.

If you average rate is around $30-$50 per hour, then it will take around $900-$2000 per episode without the cost of paid promotion.

Risks to consider:

• Time taken from the core development.
• The inconsistent release schedule disappoints viewers.
• Poor quality can dramatically affect the amount of followers.
• Team members may find themselves uncomfortable on camera.

Conclusion

DevDiaries are a powerful tool to market your game and engage with your audience. When executed well, they can be both affordable and effective. However, it's important to be realistic about the time and money they require.

If you are new to DevDiaries, it is a good idea to start small or seek help from experienced teams. This will reduce risks and make sure everything is done well.

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Next time we'll talk about top-tier versions of DevDiaries and how they help games make a big impression. The choice between simple and elaborate DevDiaries depends on your project's scale, budget and marketing goals.

What’s your approach to creating DevDiaries? How do they help you? We'd love to hear your experiences and thoughts on our LinkedIn page or on Medium.
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And don't forget to subscribe and follow us on social media to stay updated with our latest posts.

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