The Giant Bombcast: Live and In Color, Starting July 26, 2016

The time is finally upon us, friends. Next week we'll begin live broadcasting video of the Giant Bombcast for Giant Bomb Premium Members. If you're a member, you can join us every Tuesday at 11AM as we do the thing we've been doing for the past eight or so years: record the Giant Bombcast.

This will be a look at our live audio production process, raw and uncut. That means that you'll get some breaks in the broadcast, you'll hear the music get laid in live, and the ad breaks will be present in the live version of the video. You'll see us talk into microphones! You might even catch a furtive glance or two, who can say?

For those of you who can't join us live, that video will, naturally, be archived. Those archives will be open for all to see, both on the site and on YouTube. We've been recording test episodes for awhile now as we sort of dial things in, and we're pretty close. Here's our test recording of this week's show:

As you watch, I've already got some notes on this test show. There's some lighting stuff in this video that isn't exactly how we want it and we'll probably clear the unused mics off the table. We have a light bit of decorating we'd like to do on that back wall, too, but we have to get the building facilities crew to handle that. We're also planning to install cough buttons as soon as we can get our hands on a set that doesn't add a bunch of hiss to our audio chain. We don't have a Skype setup in here yet, so remote shows and interviews are currently beyond us. That's more of a factor for the Powerbombcast, though, which is the only remote show we currently do. Anyway, consider all that as you watch!

We've been careful to focus on the audio portion of the show and not spin this up into some big, video-first feature. That's not to undersell what we're about to do, but I know some people are a little hesitant to the notion that people would be motioning to cameras and all that other shit that often comes many other video podcasts. Our goal is to basically keep doing the show we've been doing. People seem to like it that way! It's still the most popular thing we do! We've actually been pointing cameras at the podcast for years, even before we had our own studio. The catch is that most of those shows we recorded upstairs in CNET's podcast studio weren't actually being streamed and the cameras were merely on, not recording. So between that and the copious amounts of time we spend in front of other cameras, we're pretty used to the whole thing.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little preview of the show. We're just about ready to go!

Nice! Real life will probably get in the way of me watching these, though.

The future is now.

Sweet

I just hope there won't be anything in this version of the Bombcast that can't be experienced in the audio version. I'm someone who always wants to experience the most complete version of something and try to watch every live show live but it's getting hard to keep up.

So 7PM GMT? Awesome!

At long last we can see Brad declare "Emails"

PODCASTS ARE FOR YOUR EARS! But cool I guess :)

I hate it when gaming Podcasts do this, I listen to the Podcast because I'm bored at work and put my headphones on. However now I'll end up watching the video and then have nothing to listen to :/ I have the opposite problem with Gamespot though, I used to love watching their weekly show, but since they changed format and made it a Podcast too, I end up just listening to it now.... I want the old show back lol.

this is what people must've felt like when they say the film of the train pulling into the station in the 1890s. wow

Fantastic, this is going to get me in on the Bombcast a lot more frequently.

Interesting, how long does it typically take to upload a podcast? We looking at 8 pm pst for the audio version?

yes please and thank you

I have no idea if I'll ever watch these live, but I usually listen to the Bombcast while playing a game, and I have two monitors on my PC, so I'll probably just throw up the video on a second monitor and not change much. Sounds good!

@nagafen: I listen to the Bombcast at work too and I'm going to continue doing so. Just because someone gives you a new option doesn't mean you're obligated to choose it.

Oh shit. I'm hyped, though starting August 23 I won't be able to watch live.

what is life anymore

I think it would make more sense if Jeff and Dan were on the same side of the table, would make Brad seem more like the host and would require less camera changes. Could do Brad at the top, then Dan, then Jeff, using a slightly zoomed out version of the camera that currently just shows Brad and Dan, then the only cuts are to Drew/Jason.

@nagafen: ...Just don't watch the video. This is a non-issue.

Wait, does this mean if we ever get a video beastcast that we'll finally get to SEE the chair revolve?

Also, that's a turn for the books that the bombcast will actually be recorded on tuesday now, right?

Oh one last thing: Once this format has been running for a while, I'd be really curious to see the breakdown of how people are consuming the bombcast. I imagine it'll probably do pretty well live; With chat and everything, it might almost have a bit of the magic of the nightly E3 streams etc. I'd be interested to see the rest of the breakdown with watching the archives or just listening to the old audio version like a luddite (probably what I'll do). Audio will still probably be the most popular by a decent chunk, I'd guess?

@hassun: Yeah, Kinda Funny tends to put pictures and show things on video that audio listeners can't experience, but based on Jeff's post it seems like this won't be a problem.

Can't believe you don't float in a white featureless room like in my mind.

Man, Drew really is way out there in no man's land compared to where everyone else is sitting.

I'll probably never be able to catch it live, but I could see myself switching between audio and video depending on when and where I would want to listen. Cool to have the option!

Skype set up? Gotta get on the Discord.

But I probably won't be watching these too often, but it's cool that they're there.

He explicitly addresses this in the article that you're commenting on, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Also, what up CCG?! Lurk from reddit.

I can't accept this. You kids and your further video tech! I remember the days where listen to podcasts was good enough!

@nagafen: I use the podcasts for the same reason and I've hit upon a very effective way to deal with this very issue.

Continue to listen to the audio version..it's staying right there.

This is very cool, but I sure hope this doesn't result in people making fewer of those AMAZING "Animated Bombcast" videos.

Not complaining just curious: Is this something people have actually been asking for? I just don't see the point, personally, especially since they're not adding any visual elements beyond seeing the mouths that create those beautiful tones we've been enjoying for years.

Probably won't watch most of these because of how I consume podcasts, but I'll definitely check out a couple, and pop in now and then to see classic moments play out. There are a lot of great Bombcast bits that I wish I could have seen go down.

Hence the reason why it's worth being a member!

I know I've said this like four times now, but I really do hope they never start to rely on visual bits. Glad they address that directly. That said, I'll probably be around to catch some of the live video.

Sometimes you guys talk about stuff that is embargoed until Tuesday morning. I'm assuming you can't talk about that stuff anymore.

Nice!

Hey everyone its LIVESDAYS, THIS YEAR, WE'RE DOING IT, LIVE

Fantastic!

Same here, but I don't think they will. The majority of the audience will still be listening to the podcast. I simply don't have time or motivation to sit at the Laptop to watch people talk for 2 hours.
It's a great service for the Fans, but personally, the video has no value to me.

I've wanted this to happen for years. Thanks Giantbomb.

I refuse to watch these. I've always imagined Bombcasts as 4 guys talking games at a bar or something, and that's how I will continue to imagine it.

Video Bombcast is just reminding me how great G4's Feedback (with Adam Sessler, Scoops Klepeck, Abbie Heppe and more) was. And that makes me think that it wouldn't be a bad idea if the guys had some b-roll of the current week's games that they could cut to whenever they come up.

Ohhhhhh its spelled leesa

ah man, its kind of crazy hearing the Podcast audio over video... 100% going to turn into this live :D

Awesome, the archived video version won't require premium.

The Future. THE FUTURE.

a little strange when Brad Jeff and Dan were looking at Drew when he was speaking, it was like they were looking at the camera and therefore into my soul.

I'm hoping that nobody will be looking at the chat, if there even is one.

I'm not really sure what the point of this is. It looks like a lot of extra production work for negligible gain. Hopefully it doesn't change the audio podcast and there is some benefit to doing this.

finally!!

Almost to professional making so many tests :)

Not sure to watch live as this is my dog walking PodCast.

I am excited for this!

@crackinwise: Yeah but it's just too tempting..