BigMalta

 On todays episode, we sit down with BigMalta and see how his journey has been like over the last 14 months from streaming to the 1st Niche Gaming awards. 
Check out his socials
Twitch:   / bigmalta 
Tiktok:   / bigmalta  
YouTube:    / @bigmaltastream

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 3:26

Alrighty, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Big Malta live and in color. Hello, Big Malta. Welcome and good sir.

SPEAKER_01 3:34

Hello, everybody. Lucky number 13 on the episodes, eh?

SPEAKER_05 3:41

Hey, there we go. Yes, sir. Lucky number 13. The sea the season semifinale. If you will, guys. Well, we won't waste no time, Mr. Malta. Thank you for coming up and being a part of this podcast. And like you said, number 13. Can you believe that, guys? We've been doing this since October and already 13 episodes in. Let's go. So, Mr. Malta, we will give you the floor. Go ahead, introduce yourself. Tell us who you are, tell us what you're all about, and how you came up with your stream name.

SPEAKER_01 4:19

Absolutely. The stream name's a funny one. First and foremost, hey everybody, I'm Big Malta. You can also call me by Zach. Go buy that too. I've been streaming now for about a year and a bit, year and a couple months. I do a disgusting amount of variety. By that I mean hard to catch the same game twice, except in a few rare cases. But I love to play everything that's new, everything that's coming out. The stream name question's funny. On Xbox 360 and up, I was young Malta for a long time. And then I turned 30 and I went, I don't think that flies anymore. So let's come up with a new adjective. So big took its place. The Malta part is because my mom is Maltese. So I'm half Maltese, the other half of me, Canadian, born in Canada, all that good stuff. But Malta's a very small country. They're one of the smallest in the world, if you're not counting the Vatican City, probably the smallest. And I'm very proud of that heritage. Its country decided to put that in the name.

SPEAKER_05 5:17

Let's go, let's go. It's good to see that you hit puberty and went from young Malta to Big Malta. But and it's funny because you named your bot for chat young Malta or Little Malta or something.

SPEAKER_01 5:30

What is it? Yeah. Little Malta, that's exactly right.

SPEAKER_05 5:34

Oh boy. I didn't put two and two together until you just said that I was like, hey, his bot is named, you know, Little or Young Malta.

SPEAKER_01 5:43

I make fun of that bot constantly, man. I bully it. I call it my uh AI son.

SPEAKER_05 5:49

But yeah, AI son, let's go. Uh lady says hello, oh hello Malta. Hello, hello lady, how you doing? So what got you into streaming?

SPEAKER_01 6:02

Oh man, that's a great question. One of the things that I've always strived for, especially in the online space with gaming, is having a good place to play online with people, make friends, but I found that the online like PvP environment, I don't know if you guys will agree with this, but it's a little bit toxic at times. You're playing a game, people are kind of using that as a space to yell and scream and take out frustrations. It'd be a little less unpleasant sometimes. So forming real connections was actually pretty tough. I realized that broadcasting on Twitch gives you a great platform to talk to people and make like real connections and enjoy yourself. I know a couple people that have done this for a while and they kind of talked me up to it, and I went, you know what, I could do that. That sounds like fun. That sounds like fun. So that was the turning point for me, is deciding that it was just a good space for it, right?

SPEAKER_05 6:46

Yes, yes, of course. And like you were just saying, great place, great way to make new connections and new friends and shout at a game and not get judged by it. Exactly right, exactly right.

SPEAKER_01 6:58

It's all love on you.

SPEAKER_05 7:00

And you're you're wearing a hockey jersey, so I'm assuming you you like the the shouting and the hollering and oh yeah, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:09

I'm a little on the loud side, although I will tell you it's a 7-Eleven hockey jersey, so I don't know what that counts for, but wanted to rep Canada a little bit, so there you go.

SPEAKER_05 7:19

Uh so you kinda you you said you've been doing this for a little over a year now. Is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 7:24

Yes, sir, absolutely. Last January, February-ish, round there. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 7:29

Okay. Well, congratulations on the winter. Congratulations on the year. Uh let's see. Do you stream on any other platforms other than Twitch?

SPEAKER_01 7:39

YouTube also broadcasts the streams, although I'm gonna tell you most of the time it goes sight unseen. I get the email that says your YouTube stream growth, and it's like path viewer zero, current viewers zero, and I think it's funny. But hey, the more accessibility, the better. The odd time I get a YouTube chatter, I'm going, oh, look at that.

SPEAKER_05 7:57

Hey, what do you do in here? It's like that uh the TikTok video where it's like, uh, what is it? When you're just you not used to somebody being in chat and somebody says that was like, ah, where'd you come from?

SPEAKER_01 8:08

Yeah, whoa, somebody's here with me? This is crazy.

SPEAKER_05 8:10

How you doing?

SPEAKER_01 8:11

Hold on. That's exactly right. Those are my only two platforms I stream on. Otherwise, I post short form content about everywhere. So good old TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, all that good stuff.

SPEAKER_05 8:22

All that and I have your links in my chat, but it is correct me if I'm wrong, but it's big malta across all platforms, correct?

SPEAKER_01 8:31

There's one of them that they stole big malta on. It was uh man, I wish I could tell you. I should be locked into this. Somebody had taken it and I was like, what? I think it's TikTok. I have to be No, I'm Big Malta on TikTok. It was something like YouTube or something. It has to be Big Big Malta. I don't know. No, maybe that's Instagram. I'm fact checking. I should have had this straight, but yeah. No, big malta on Instagram too. One of them is Big Big Malta.

SPEAKER_05 8:58

Alright, guys, so just go to all the socials. Yeah, if you go to all the socials and type in Big Malta and one does not show him, type in Big Big Malta.

SPEAKER_01 9:07

Add a big in there, you're fine.

SPEAKER_05 9:08

Just add an extra big in there, that's fine.

SPEAKER_01 9:11

Yeah. Same one on PlayStation. Somebody taken the username. I'm like, dog, what who what other big malta's running around? You're competing with me. Is there a bigger Malta? Oh shoot.

SPEAKER_05 9:21

We need to have a battle of the multas. There can only be one.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Yeah, exactly. Oh, stolen valor, they're stealing this.

SPEAKER_05 9:29

So if you're out there, big other big malta, we're we're challenging you for the battle of the multas. I'm coming for you. Dang, that's a real call out. Hey, I'm just saying, I mean, there can only be one, right?

SPEAKER_01 9:44

That's true. That's true. You're right, you're right.

SPEAKER_05 9:49

So, what kind of games do you stream, or do you have a favorite type of game that you enjoy streaming? I know you said you're a variety streamer and you don't do more a game more than once unless if it's a a certain few. So, what would you say is your favorite type of streaming game?

SPEAKER_01 10:02

I'm really glad you asked that. To be honest, I like to play new release titles a lot. So I try to stay like ear to the ground at the gaming community. And if something's coming out people are really enjoying, if I'm forecasting something to be like just an absolute killer title, I'm gonna pick it up and try it. I'm trying to let people know, like, not any good opinions, but my opinions on the games for sure. I'll tell them, like, is this worth paying 60 to 80 bucks for or not? My favorite types of game are definitely like action adventure titles. Anything that's got like cool cinematics, good feelings, and just like an artistic spirit. I love that stuff. That's my number one favorite for sure. We're talking like Uncharted and The Last of Us, God of War Games, a lot of those PlayStation titles. Big fan of that style of game, for sure. Gotcha, gotcha.

SPEAKER_05 10:51

Nikki says only one Malta, and he's our favorite.

SPEAKER_01 10:55

Thank you, Nikki. Oh, I appreciate that.

SPEAKER_05 10:59

So, what kind of games will you not play? Absolutely no, you cannot pay you enough to do it. You will refuse. What is that type of game style or game that you won't play?

SPEAKER_01 11:10

Oh man, that's an easy one. It's strategy games, believe it or not. If you were to throw in like Civilization 6, I know that's a great game, but my brain does not work for that. It's just the puzzle aspect that like really loses me. I am not invested enough to learn, and for some reason it just doesn't click. I'm sitting there going, why am I losing this every time? Then I get frustrated and inevitably it just doesn't work. That's the big one. The other one that I still will dabble in, but oh man, it's a struggle for me, it's Dead by Daylight. I I like watching it, but people that play it have that down to a science, and I just don't.

SPEAKER_05 11:49

Oh yeah, I definitely agree with that. I I have Dead by Daylight play downloaded and I played it on console years ago, sucked at it then, came to PC because you know everything's better on PC, and downloaded it when Springtrap was released. Played it maybe maybe maybe like three or four games, and I was like, nope, I still suck at this, so couldn't tell you the last time that I played it. I think that was probably the last time I did.

SPEAKER_01 12:16

That sounds like me too, man. Maybe it would be a good duo on there. Who knows? Hey, there we go.

SPEAKER_05 12:20

Y'all want to see some horrible how not to play Dead by Daylight? Join the collab.

SPEAKER_01 12:25

Yeah, we'll run a tutorial on that one. Just do the opposite of this. You're bound to win.

SPEAKER_05 12:29

There you go. Yeah, I um I I watch people play it and just watching how they loop the killer and you know throw the pallet down. I'm just like, how do you make that look so easy? Like when I do it, I'm I'm killed as soon as they look at me.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

Like, you know straight up, yeah. Yeah, you're absolutely right. That part is tough. Oh man.

SPEAKER_05 12:53

It is. So if you're comfortable answering this, what do you do for a living?

SPEAKER_01 12:59

Oh, I'm definitely comfortable with this. It's not my joke about in chat a lot, but uh I manage a furniture store, which has no correlation to streaming whatsoever. If I'm talking on here like I'm selling couches all day streaming by night, that sounds a little insane, but it's got a cool duality. It's got a little bit of a different world than people might know.

SPEAKER_05 13:20

It's like Superman, you know, you're you do something by day and you're completely opposite at night.

SPEAKER_01 13:26

Yeah, at work, I'll tell you honestly, I kind of cosplay a grandfather. So I'm dressed in like, you know, a sweater vest, a pair of glasses, so my eyes don't get burnt out on my computer. I got my hair done up a little bit different, very prim and proper. Doing the customer service gambit, and I get onto Twitch and well, quite the opposite. I'm dressed a little bit skezier, using a little bit different choice language. It's almost like looking at a different person, I'll tell you that much.

SPEAKER_05 13:53

You're Jekyll and Hyde.

SPEAKER_01 13:55

Exactly right, exactly right. This is the fun side, though, I'll tell you that much.

SPEAKER_05 14:00

Come on, so how many biddies or subs is it gonna take to get professional Malta on stream? Sweater vest and all.

SPEAKER_01 14:09

The customer service version? That sounds like a heck of an idea for sure.

SPEAKER_05 14:13

Hey, there you go.

SPEAKER_01 14:13

I'm not against it. Use my phone voice on there. I hear you.

SPEAKER_05 14:20

Welcome to Big Malta's chat. Today we're going to play.

SPEAKER_01 14:25

Put the helpline on screen, phone in, I'll answer all your questions about ottomans. There you go.

SPEAKER_05 14:31

Oh man, oh man. That could be a fun stream. I'm just saying.

SPEAKER_01 14:36

It could be, it definitely could be.

SPEAKER_05 14:38

Just go get you a little burner phone. I was literally about to say just go get you like a little burner phone or something.

SPEAKER_01 14:46

Furniture line. Oh man. That's funny. That is really funny.

SPEAKER_05 14:51

We're gonna make it happen, Chat. Mark our words. We'll be there. See, look, Frodo says I'll be there.

SPEAKER_01 14:55

Frodo. I was telling Bullet this before the stream, but today me and Frodo collided with each other. We both ended stream at the same minute and tried to raid each other in the same minute. It was so funny. I've never seen that before. Crazy. Oh, shout out Frodo for that, though. That was hilarious.

SPEAKER_05 15:14

He is another. And speaking of Dead by Daylight, like he is one of the ones that has it down to a T.

SPEAKER_01 15:20

He does. Yeah, he knows that science for sure. Real.

SPEAKER_05 15:24

Exact same time. Crazy? Yes. I've never had it where y'all where we've crossed paths, but I've had it to where I've as soon as it gets to like one second and you go hit the raid button, you get raided, and it's like, oh, okay, well, let's cancel this real quick. Alright, hey guys, how y'all doing? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:41

A couple days ago, this was just uncanny, man. Uncanny.

SPEAKER_05 15:47

So what is your current setup for streaming? Like, you don't have to go into PC specs or anything, but what is your like the generic layout of your setup look like?

SPEAKER_01 15:55

This is surprising to a lot of people, because I've got like kind of a weird setup. I'm largely a console gamer, so I have the PS5 Pro, which is my main source of action, if you will. I've got the Xbox Series X, the fancy boy, and I've got the Switch 2 all set up on my desk. I have dual monitors, one that strictly streams the console game, and then I've got like a mini PC, the best one money could buy out there, that sits there strictly used for stream that plays off my other monitor and feeds it the capture card. So it's complicated, but it works really well. It's a lot of switches between those consoles, I'll tell you.

SPEAKER_05 16:34

Seems seems seems like a lot of work.

SPEAKER_01 16:38

It was. It was. It's nice though, because whatever console exclusives they put out, so like then it was Pokemon game. I went and picked that up right away. If PlayStation's like, hey, we got like Saros coming out at the end of the month. I don't blink twice. I'm like, pre-order it for whatever. I can play it on stream. It's fine. I got it. Doesn't need to wait for a certain launch. I'm just there and ready for it.

SPEAKER_05 16:59

So you guys are looking for that brand new gaming content exclusive reviewing professionalism. Check out Big Malta. He will tell you whether it's worth spending your $80, $90 for a brand new game.

SPEAKER_01 17:13

I write all the reviews out and post them in the Discord, and they are they are something else. I'm no IGN, I'll tell you that much.

SPEAKER_05 17:21

For better or for worse. Since you have uh chat pulled up, you can drop go ahead and drop your Discord link in in the chat so chat can hop on over and check out your chord server, sir.

SPEAKER_01 17:32

Thank you for mentioning that. I certainly will. I would love to.

SPEAKER_05 17:37

Tonight is all about you, my man. Like, you know, using using this to to get you out there and all your platforms and Discord and everything, that's what it's about. So whatever I appreciate that. Oh no, it didn't post. Hold on. I don't know why. Hold on, chat. Technical difficulties. I don't know why. Oh no. I have it turned off to where you can post stuff, but it never does.

SPEAKER_00 18:02

So that's so funny. That's so funny. That's okay. We got it. We got it. Hold on. I got this.

SPEAKER_05 18:08

I got because I have the power to override that kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_01 18:14

Perfect.

SPEAKER_05 18:15

Yeah, they they make me pull the make me pull the big stuff out. There y'all go. There is a per the link to uh big multi server. The Dove Club.

SPEAKER_00 18:29

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 18:31

Y'all head over, check that out. So what does your stream schedule normally look like? Like how often do you try to stream weekly?

SPEAKER_01 18:39

I try for three every week at the minimum. At the minimum minimum. My three are always restricted to my days off of work, and I'm not asking anybody to follow my schedule because it's very varied. But if they show up at any of them, I'm honored. So I usually stream like Sundays in the afternoon time. Tuesdays the better part of the day. And Thursday or Friday, depending on if there's a release that week, whether it comes out on the Thursday or the Friday, so that we can get first coverage on that stuff. I want to take first out with whatever new game is rolling out so people aren't getting spoiled, so they're not seeing things like way, way later. Just kind of be up there with it.

SPEAKER_05 19:14

There you go.

SPEAKER_01 19:15

Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_05 19:16

It's live with Big Malta, the brand new release. Yeah, exactly right. Exactly right. So you know when you have that first time chatter come in, you know, you got your little box that had that has some generic rules that you you put and it says okay, I got it, and then they can chat. What are some ground rules for your channel so if they came in, you'd like they know what to look out for?

SPEAKER_01 19:43

Yeah. You know what? I'm all about just inclusiveness. Like, I won't tackle any sort of intolerance. I don't want somebody talking ill of somebody based on their gender, sex, religion, or politics. I don't want that kind of thing in there. This is a peaceful place. Like, this is somewhere where you can give me the worst take on earth. You can be like, hey, you know what? Stepbrothers wasn't funny. And I'll be like, whoa, whoa, whoa, hang on. But I'll hear it. I'm here to listen and maybe even argue back. I will argue. The other stuff. Oh, yeah, I'd argue with it too. Movies movies cold, right? Who's gonna come in and say that? I hope nobody, but you never know people's tastes. You never know. Yeah, as far as the other stuff though, if I see any of that, I have it pretty heavily moderated that like I don't want people doxing each other or like hurting each other. And luckily I find the community is fantastic. I know I've been in streams, I saw somebody where somebody was kind of pressing the streamer, like, tell everybody your location kind of thing. And I was like, ah, that's just not respectful. That kind of thing, I don't sit with. But you know what? Everything else, whether it's just like commentary, even somebody saying, I had a hard day, let's talk about it. I'm here for it. I'm here for it. That's fine. I'm happy to be a sounding board for that stuff. I'm here for the people, and I'm here to do that with them. Yeah, even if they're promoting a stream too, like, that's great. People stream here, I'm happy to watch streams as much as I'm happy to stream, so that's totally okay too.

SPEAKER_05 21:08

W streamer, indeed. And that's what I try telling everybody that that may have never heard of you. Like, you you're just so stuck. I'm trying to put the You're very uh generous and you're very nice, and like you said, your community is definitely uh a a win for that as well. Like you you make have a way of making everybody feel welcome if that if I'm gonna do it.

SPEAKER_01 21:30

I can say the same for you, man. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 21:33

Here we go. Look at you trying to be uh look, you're already on the podcast, you don't have to butter up butter me up no more, okay? True!

SPEAKER_01 21:42

That's funny.

SPEAKER_05 21:45

So, what is a big pet peeve of yours during stream? Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 21:50

Oh, yeah. Personally, during stream, it's when I can hear my cat throwing up. Yeah, that's the biggest one. I hear that fateful noise from outside of the stream room where I'm like, Uh-oh. Something's happening that's not supposed to be. And uh people on the other side can't hear what I hear. And I'm going, I gotta throw up the BRB right quick. Hang on. Oh my god, that's my biggest pet peeve for sure. For sure. The other one, and this is unique to my industry, probably. It's when a representative from a company is trying to phone me midstream to sell me something for my job, and I'm like, I'm kind of busy. Let's not grab this. That's it. I don't have a lot of other things that bother me. I'm kind of here and unbothered, other than that.

SPEAKER_05 22:34

Yeah, but look, I am off the clock. Call the other manager.

SPEAKER_01 22:38

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. I just get this call and have them continue. Yeah, you got my personal line. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_05 22:46

Well, you know what they say. If it's important, they'll leave a message.

SPEAKER_01 22:50

That's exactly right. That's exactly right. They don't text. I'm like, oh no, not reporting to this. No, thank you.

SPEAKER_05 22:55

Yep, there you go. Didn't leave me a voicemail. You didn't text me, ask me how you're doing. No, sorry. I don't want your couch. Keep a couch in your store.

SPEAKER_01 23:03

I'll get you back in five hours, you know.

SPEAKER_05 23:05

Five to ten business days.

SPEAKER_01 23:08

Yeah, exactly. That sounds about right. Sounds about right.

SPEAKER_05 23:12

So if you can remember, what was the first game that you streamed?

SPEAKER_01 23:17

Oh, you know what? I do remember what it was. I started out playing a game that I actually still play to this day. I'm a fan of certain gotcha games in those varieties. Now, I understand they're a little predatorial sometimes. They take up a lot of time or they prey on people for money. So I don't necessarily tell everybody and their dog to go up playing them. But I was playing Honkai Star Rail. It's a game that I keep up on. I just usually keep it off stream now. I really started with that and like kind of got to know a lot of good friends through that game, too. I regret nothing about ever having streamed that game, and I still think it's a good time to play. Not sponsored, by the way.

SPEAKER_05 23:52

So what's that game about?

SPEAKER_01 23:55

It's kind of like a turn-based RPG style gotcha game. So they roll out like dozens and dozens and dozens of new characters. We're since about 2021 playing that game. So yeah, been a long time now. 2022, maybe somewhere around there. But it's really fun. You get your characters in like a turn-based team of four, you go through the motions fighting against other little enemies. They give out mini games every other week. The content flow in that game is absurd. It's a free-to-download game, but they give you like a ton of stuff to do. I think I've got collectively probably 500 hours in that game.

SPEAKER_00 24:29

Jeez.

SPEAKER_01 24:31

Yeah. Over a lot of years, it just adds up, right? Oh yes. Oh yeah, indeed. Yeah, it's cool though. I still keep up, and I've met some of the voice actors from the game who have been really nice people. They're really cool just to talk to. In the next little while, we're going to an expo on a vacation. They have a couple of the VAs there, so I'll probably just share my appreciation for their craft. Tell them, like, hey, I still play that game. I like your role. Good job. Expect that in the vlog at some point.

SPEAKER_05 24:58

Nice. Nice. It'll be too. Be sure to check that out and wait and you know when that drops.

SPEAKER_01 25:04

Yeah, just give me time to edit, please. Be nice.

SPEAKER_05 25:09

What's what's a game from your childhood you wish you could play again for the first time?

SPEAKER_01 25:15

So easy. There's two answers for this, and they're Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon. Man, I love those games as a kid. They were so formative for me. I remember first time I ever saw that little orange bandicoot, and I was like, I don't know who this fella is. I love him. I die for this guy.

SPEAKER_05 25:32

And then you do get because you're playing him.

SPEAKER_01 25:35

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Spiral the Dragon 2, like they were so fun. There was a point in time, and this is kind of a throwback here, but they made Crash Purple and Spiral Orange, where they mixed the worlds of the two. And as a kid, that brought a tear to my eyes. I was just like, there's no way. This is a dream come true for me. So the games maybe were just a little bit lackluster. Like mobile games, but they were everything to me back then for sure.

SPEAKER_05 26:01

Yes, you know, those those crossover events, you know, like all fairly odd parents and you know, Danny Phantom and all them other ones.

SPEAKER_01 26:09

Yeah, man.

SPEAKER_05 26:10

Yeah, those crossover ones that we didn't appreciate until we were older, and then we appreciated the value of it for sure.

SPEAKER_00 26:18

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 26:19

Those are both great games, and Spyro has been remade. Yes, yes. So fun fact. Yeah, I never played Spyro as a child. I never played Crash as a kid neither. It wasn't until the remakes came out for uh what is it, like the PS4, I think it was, until I played them for the first time.

SPEAKER_01 26:38

Oh, that's wonderful. I played those remakes too, and man, I just it was magic. It was magic.

SPEAKER_05 26:44

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 26:45

Truly it was magic.

SPEAKER_05 26:46

I my wife had the PlayStation 4 because after the PS2, I just went to Xbox and I never looked back. And um Oh yeah. And she we got together and she had the remake of Spyro, and I was like, you know what? I never played that not. Let me tell you, that was one of the funnest games that I ever played. I lost a lot of time on it. Yes. I was like, so this is what this little purple dragon was all about. I missed out.

SPEAKER_01 27:10

Right? It's like I'd 100% that game. I'd play it again and I'd 100% that. I have the knowledge now.

SPEAKER_05 27:18

Do you do you have a favorite game, like all-time top favorite game?

SPEAKER_01 27:23

Yeah, you know, that's kind of a big question, but I would definitely say it exists somewhere, either in Uncharted 3, God of War Ragnarok, or we could pick a Resident Evil game. And you can almost pick one at random. Resident Evil 5 has a very, very special place in my heart. Those are gonna get the throne for me. That's your podium right there. Really, just such a big fan of those games. They make me feel a certain way that's like, oh, this is cold. This is gold. You're good. I was gonna say that cinematic kind of storytelling really, really sells me. It was like this is emotional, this is acted to like an extreme, and like this would connect generations. People could play this now, they could play this in 20 years, and this would still connect, I feel.

SPEAKER_04 28:07

Oh yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 28:09

Um, I was gonna say God of War was probably another one that I missed out on as a kid. It wasn't until me and the wife got together and I played uh what was it? Oh it's the one with his son where he is just the game after he lost his his wife or his mother or whatnot.

SPEAKER_01 28:27

Oh yeah. First one with Atreus, that game's yeah, that that's so good, man.

SPEAKER_05 28:32

Yep, that was the first one that I played.

SPEAKER_01 28:34

So that voice actor is supposed to be where I'm going on vacation, the guy who voices Kratos in those games. So if I can share my appreciation with him in person, I'm gonna take advantage of that for sure. There's no doubt in my mind. I'll gladly, gladly talk to him.

SPEAKER_05 28:50

So, what is a game you've 100% completed that you'd recommend to a new gamer? Oh, that's a great question.

SPEAKER_01 28:57

To a brand new gamer.

SPEAKER_05 28:59

Brand new, never played a game before. I want to play a game. What would you recommend?

SPEAKER_01 29:03

Yeah, if you're just starting right now, this is a bit of a tough one because I'm not at the 100% mark. I'm cheating a little bit. I'd say Resident Evil 9. It has a great duality, it's really fun. People have asked me, like, should I try this out? And I'm like, Yeah, most definitely. I would also love to throw in like a Fallout 3, but to save 100% of that is such a stretch. I've played it many times, but getting that 100% platinum, who boy, my skill is not quite at that point.

SPEAKER_05 29:34

Now, for someone that has never played Resident Evil, i.e. myself, would you recommend me to start with nine?

SPEAKER_01 29:41

Yeah, yeah. I'd say if you're interested in the genre to begin with, if you're like familiar with horror, there are places you could start to establish the story, like Resident Evil 4, that would give you a little bit better pretext for it. But if you were like, I'm just doing a one and done, start on the new one. It's very, very polished. It is very, very like pristine in the way it presents itself. And it's got the really cool aspects of both getting to experience the fear of one character and how scary they can make those games, and the absolute power host that's their other protagonist, Leon Kennedy, and how he's just unstoppable.

SPEAKER_05 30:15

Uh Nikki says she's never played Spyro War Crash either, so I'm not the only one. I don't feel so bad.

SPEAKER_01 30:22

No, I hope she gets to. I bet she would really like them, to be honest. Good with the kids, too, honestly.

SPEAKER_05 30:27

Oh, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 30:29

Yeah, it's very family friendly.

SPEAKER_05 30:32

What gets you to stream on bad days? Like you've had a really bad day at work and you know that you gotta stream that night. What gets you to stream on those bad days?

SPEAKER_01 30:41

Yeah, you know, I have a couple things. One answer is better than the other for sure. Part of me is this almost OCD level, like compulsion. If I tell people I'm going to stream, I I live up to my word. I'm like, I'm gonna be there. I will be there for good, bad, or worse. I'm like, I'm gonna be on the stream. But the real thing that drives me to be there is the friends that are here waiting. If I start a stream, I see in the chat I have friends there ready to watch, ready to talk to. It's just a sense of relief. Doesn't matter how hard the day was, how bad things have gone, people here will just be there to hear you, they're there to talk to you, and they make you feel better immediately. I have so many good friends that I see, and I'm like, ah man, that's lovely. And I come out of there smiling no matter what. That's the thing that really gets me through for sure.

SPEAKER_05 31:28

And you know, every time I've asked that question, I've the community has I think has always been the answer that has been thrown out. Because like you said, you know, your community shows uh showing up that's just it it makes it better, and especially for the the ones that have been there for a while that knows you, you know, more than just the streamer level, but more kind of on the personal friend level and can get you out of that funk, yeah, that what makes it all worthwhile for sure.

SPEAKER_01 31:53

I agree with you a hundred percent, hundred percent. They know.

SPEAKER_05 31:59

So, what has been the hardest thing you've had to overcome since you've started streaming?

SPEAKER_01 32:04

I think the thing they don't tell you, and I'm sure every streamer ever can relate to this, the technical stuff is oh man, not as easy as people make it look. You go to streams that are so polished, people press a button, 40 things happen. You start streaming, you're like, that is that's some good work. You get a newfound appreciation watching some of those like streamers at big communities with these elaborate redeems. Like, how did you do that? I have hit up so many people being like, I'm really sorry, I just saw in your stream you had this redeem. How'd you make that happen? What did you use? I've gone down the rabbit hole on like tutorials on YouTube, whether it be for things like mix it up or like trigger fire, just OBS or hardware related, having to look up specific pieces of equipment, like should I be filtering it this way? Do I need to change the visual aspect? Uh recently here I had a problem where my audio was desyncing itself, and it was a monitoring issue. It took me three weeks to learn, even just that that was causing a bit of a drag in the audio on stream, and I went, Oh, you're kidding me. This is tough. But I got it now, so there you go. Let's see. Yeah, that part was ridiculous.

SPEAKER_05 33:16

Facts, there's always something new to learn. Exactly. Yeah. Couldn't have said better myself. You're right. Going going to your audio thing. I um had Papa Marshmallow on here a few months ago, and he was in one of my streams one time, and he was like, Your audio sounds like really muffled. Like, what filters do you have on your stuff? And I was like, I I don't I don't know. He was like, when you get off stream, call me, share me, share your screen with me, and I'll walk you through how to. And I did that, and he went through my OBS settings with me and everything. He was like, You need to put this filter, put it at this decibel, put this filter on it. This and let me tell you, it was like a night and day difference the next time I stream. And I was just like, really, though just those three filters made a whole difference. And I was like, that's wild to me.

SPEAKER_01 34:00

Yeah, no doubt. I've had that where I've overfiltered, and then I hit a gong behind me. You can't even hear it. It's like, how do you guys not hear that? That's the loudest thing on earth. Those of you at home, this is the gong, by the way. It's an elite Facebook marketplace find.

SPEAKER_05 34:17

You get your chimes back there as well. Where's the harmonica? Yeah. Where's the harmonica?

SPEAKER_01 34:22

Oh, it's always beside me. I keep it on my person, don't you worry. We got a walking soundboard over here. There you go.

SPEAKER_05 34:28

And for chat, if you aren't familiar or um don't know who Malta is, he has channel points where you can redeem for uh evil harmonica note, a one note harmonica, the for this thing, that thing, the chimes behind him, and the gong. He's got all the things. He also has got a VIP gambling slot where I've still yet to win. I probably spent about 10,000 points on it, but it's fine. I'll get it one day.

SPEAKER_01 34:57

I lost the bat the other day. I had to turn up the win rate to 60%. A bunch of people got it.

SPEAKER_05 35:02

Of course. Of course.

SPEAKER_01 35:05

Not to make you feel worse about losing.

SPEAKER_05 35:07

That's alright. That's why I don't gamble.

SPEAKER_01 35:10

Yeah, it's a good lesson learned, right?

SPEAKER_05 35:12

There you go, Chef. Got one person ready to see it. There you go.

SPEAKER_01 35:17

Right on it.

SPEAKER_05 35:20

Ever since you started streaming, is there anything you have not? Oh, no, sorry, words. Okay. Take two objection. Ever since you've started streaming, is there anything that you regret not taking advantage of?

SPEAKER_01 35:35

You know, that's a really good question. I will say right off the jump, it should have been collaborations. Because I ran this almost as like a solo ship, and I would meet people of like similar caliber, but I regret not reaching out to talk to more people sooner. Because a lot of the good friends that we've found, like just through word of mouth or from like meeting each other in similar spaces, when I collaborate with those people, it gives me just such a grey sense of joy. Friday I was playing with uh Smokey Gamer, mutual friend here, and like that guy's awesome, that guy's incredible, but it took a long time for us to actually link up and get to streaming together. And by the time we did, both of us are like, hey, this is awesome, this is great. So that's something I wish I'd started a little bit sooner, but hey, no time like the present, right?

SPEAKER_05 36:20

Oh yeah, yeah. We love we love Smokey Gamer around here. He he's another W streamer for sure.

SPEAKER_01 36:27

Yeah, real legend for sure. Guy's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 36:31

He's a pillar.

SPEAKER_05 36:33

Yeah, I and I would have to to piggyback off that. Yeah, collabs definitely is something I need to get better at as well because, like you said, you know, you try to roll run this as a solo ship, it you gonna get nowhere. Real fan it's a community, you know. Community helps everybody.

SPEAKER_01 36:49

Sure does, sure does. But you know what? We're doing it right now. Do you mean we're in this do we end this together?

SPEAKER_05 36:54

High school musical, baby. We all in it together.

SPEAKER_01 36:57

Oh, yeah, you got it.

SPEAKER_05 37:04

Oh, can I have this dance? I heard it, I heard that on the radio on the way home earlier, so that's why it popped in my head.

SPEAKER_01 37:15

No, that's incredible.

SPEAKER_05 37:18

Chef agrees, says she needs to do more collabs, did so many for a while, then everyone got busy. Yeah, and that's just something else. You just it's hard finding, you know, just everybody's schedules lining up with real life and work schedules, and you know, some have kids. It's it's just really hard to find time per se. But let me tell you, when you do get that time to line up perfectly and the stars align, it's for a great it's a great stream.

SPEAKER_01 37:44

True. I feel like people in their different time zones, it gets tough too.

SPEAKER_05 37:48

Oh yeah, time zones.

SPEAKER_01 37:49

I talk about this a lot. My time zone is an odd one. I'm like out in the mountains here, so I'll talk to people that are down in the states or even in other countries. I have a chatter that I just love to talk to every day, and he'll hit me up at two in the afternoon and go, Man, I'm going to sleep. It's 2 a.m. I'm like, oh, right, have a great night. Meanwhile, my day's just getting started.

SPEAKER_05 38:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:09

It's tough.

SPEAKER_05 38:10

Yeah, really tough. Um Scotch that was in chat earlier, he lives in Australia. He's 16 hours ahead of me. So yeah, so when my my day is starting, his is ending, and vice versa.

SPEAKER_01 38:22

So yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense.

SPEAKER_05 38:26

I mean, like right now it's it's 7.43 for me.

SPEAKER_01 38:29

And oh yeah, and it's not even six for me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 38:33

Yeah, time zones are hard for collabs. Yeah, they are indeed.

SPEAKER_01 38:38

Just a hurdle, I guess.

SPEAKER_05 38:39

But we get through it, we make it work.

SPEAKER_01 38:42

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_05 38:45

Uh let's see, where are we at here? Do you ever feel forced to go live sometimes?

SPEAKER_01 38:51

Yeah, although I feel like it's self-imposed. I definitely feel that. There's been a day or two where, like, you know, work is long, you go through something a little tough, or you're just like trying to pull your shorts up, eat dinner as fast as you can, get changed, get on here. And I've told people, like, yeah, I'll be there at seven. And all of a sudden I'm looking at the clock going, oh shoot, it's 6.50, and I'm like halfway done a plate of lasagna. I gotta go quick here. So sometimes I'm like a little stressed about it, but again, like that pain is alleviated. You get on here, you're like, nah, this is chill. We're good. We're good. There's no pressure once you're just here. I feel like if I showed up 20 minutes later or with the plate of lasagna to the stream, I don't think people would be mad. I don't think the chat's gonna put me under fire for that.

SPEAKER_05 39:33

No, like if you would have messaged me, like, hey man, I'm I'm running late, I'm getting me some lasagna, I would have just gone live and be like, all right, guys, so here's the deal. All right, so Malta's bringing lasagna for everybody, so he'll be here in a minute.

SPEAKER_01 39:44

Woohoo! Big promises. Holy, I'm not that good at cook, you know.

SPEAKER_05 39:51

That's so you you were just speaking about collabs a little while ago. If you could collab with any streamer, whether it be a big mega streamer or just a smaller streamer, who would it be?

SPEAKER_01 40:01

Yeah, you know what? That's a great question. There is somebody who I've not collaborated with on stream yet, but I think just has one of the best like sense of humor that I can give a person. His name is uh Ubu Sulu. Dude is hilarious, very funny. I play games with them offline, and honestly, he just tells me the funniest things ever. Our time zones are just a little off. He doesn't stream as much anymore, but that guy, huge shout out to that guy. He's just super funny, super, super funny. That's why it really just boils down to like the person's humor at its core, and in his case, I think he's just electric. It's really funny, dude. That's probably what pick.

SPEAKER_05 40:42

Very nice, very nice. And yeah, yeah, we're friends. I don't know why we have him, but yeah, and like you were just saying, you know, the collabs, their the energy has to match per se. Like, you know, you said that he just cracks you up, and you know, his energy is just on fire. Like I was watching yours and Smokey's uh Fall Guys stream the other night, and boy, I was I was laughing and hurting because it I couldn't catch my breath.

SPEAKER_01 41:10

Sometimes I say something to Smokey that I'm like, is is this joke gonna land? And man, is he good at picking that stuff up? He is hilarious. Seriously, he can take a joke and he just knows right away. He's like, This is gonna be it. If I posted a clip the other day where I said if we win this match, I'd pee my pants. I don't know why I said that. And his first response is me too. I would too. Hey, I was like, Well, it took him no seconds, didn't skip a beat. I'm like, oh man, I'm with the right guy.

SPEAKER_05 41:39

There you go. I hope y'all didn't. I hope y'all won that match to see if y'all were true to y'all's words.

SPEAKER_01 41:44

That's the worst part we did. We expect some peep pants here, sir. Dang, these pants are too driver's dream. That's funny. Yeah, we owe everybody. Sorry, everybody.

SPEAKER_05 42:01

What would you say your favorite memory since you've that you've had since streaming?

SPEAKER_01 42:07

Yeah, if I may, we do um, we did something last year. This was in December. I decided, obviously, based on what I see in the streaming space a lot, and the much bigger version of the streamer awards, to have a smaller one that was contained within a part of the community that doesn't cater to just the big, big streamers or the like the multi-thousand stream partners. So I decided to put together my own niche stream awards, basically building a website, making sure that people could present and like recognize their favorite streamers within the community, whether it be themselves or their friends, and just get exposure to each other, make lots of good connections. So that kind of thing, I wasn't sure how it would land. I had a great co-host for it, Goth Calico. She helped me out on that, and we decided just to put it on into December. It went bigger, better than I ever could have expected. It was a huge thing. I've never seen my CCV in triple digits, and it scared me. It was really cool. We decided to jazz it up, wore like suit and tie, decorate my whole stream room out, and I thought if no one shows up, that's okay. But the people came through en masse. We had almost 10,000 votes in the awards, and like I got to know so many great, great people through that show. I think we were talking before the stream, even like between you and I. That was one of the connections we had too. That's my favorite memory for sure. For sure.

SPEAKER_05 43:31

Oh, yeah. I was I was uh gonna say that's how I I came across you was I was um watch there for gypsy, cozy, and I think Bree Bree was in there as well. Yeah, and oh yeah, I was I you know I was there to support and show you know show for the community and whatnot. And lo and behold, at the end of the show, I got an honorable mention. I was like, oh, okay. I I wasn't aware of that, but okay.

SPEAKER_01 43:56

Well deserved, too. And Z winning streamer of the year, Brie winning. Best uh IRL. It was awesome. I was like, there's wow, no doubt they're picking the right people for this.

SPEAKER_05 44:06

Oh, yeah. For sure.

SPEAKER_01 44:08

Yeah.

unknown 44:09

Super sure.

SPEAKER_05 44:10

Well, I'll I'll scratch that question out because I was gonna uh I had it I had a cue down the line uh to to explain the the gaming awards. But it was definitely like I said, that's how I came across you. And for someone a great great example for somebody that did not know who you or Calico were, and just seeing how y'all presented the awards for being just first-time award show off as well, you would not have real uh if you had not have told us, I would have never known that that was the first time y'all put that on. I mean the presenters for the awards were just as professional as can be, and that was that was something else I thought was cool that y'all didn't just do it yourselves, y'all had other streamers come in to present awards, and I thought that was just pretty cool by itself, and then just you know I I'm losing my words. But it was it was a great it it was a great time for sure, and just seeing how y'all presented yourselves and just seeing how the community showed up and like you said it was in the triple digits. I think the highest I saw it on my end, because I was in and out, I think it was like a hundred and six, a hundred and seven between the two of y'all, and it was just y'all and it wasn't just chat was flying by, like y'all are also taking the time to interact with the chat and read the chats and everything, and I was just like, these two to be able to keep up with all of this stuff, like that just shows the appreciation they have for their community. And I was like, instant follows. I gotta and I knew from that moment when I I met you and Calico, I was like, I've gotta get them on this podcast.

SPEAKER_01 45:45

And oh man, I'm so happy to be too. It's so so nice to be here. It's great.

SPEAKER_05 45:50

Yeah, and and lo and behold, but I didn't want to just be random, like a rando, just like, hey dude, I do this podcast. Like, would you want to come do it? Like, I wanted to hang out with you and get to know you a little bit, and then I I felt, I guess, comfortable to approach you. I just I didn't want you to get that rando weird vibe from me. Like, who's this guy like messaging me out of the blue like this?

SPEAKER_01 46:10

I'm down for adventure, I'm down for whatever. You could be like, Do you want to go through a trek through the forest together? I'd be like, Oh, yeah, yeah, let's go. I'm there.

SPEAKER_05 46:17

Let's go get us some moose there, eh?

SPEAKER_01 46:19

Yeah, exactly. Man, I haven't seen one of them in a minute.

SPEAKER_05 46:22

Holy and Chef agrees, says yes, the awards were absolutely amazing. So, yes, y'all, y'all did a fantastic job.

SPEAKER_01 46:30

I've never been sweatier. I left that just a bucket of sweat because it was hot. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_05 46:37

And I'm assuming y'all will be doing another one this year as well.

SPEAKER_01 46:42

Yeah, this year I've been already in pre-stages, and I'm saying pre is in pre-precause it's April, and that's not till December. But the ideas kind of never stop going, and I've got some good connections and some good ideas, and every here and there, using somebody that I'd know or that I trust as a sounding board, I'll just fire off a message and be like, hey, I know it's not until December. Well, what do you think of this idea? And I've had some really good constructive feedback from people just being like, Whoa, that's that's great, or like, ah, we can work on that. So I'm excited for what we're able to produce this year. I think I don't want to hype it up too much yet, but bigger, better, badder. Expect just great things. I kind of know what I'm doing a little better now. So it'll only refine itself through the years.

SPEAKER_05 47:23

And you say it's only April, man. You know as well as I do. You blink your eye, it's July, and then you blink your eye again, then it's October, and then next thing you know, it's the week before. So you know it'll be here before you know it.

SPEAKER_01 47:34

Yeah, man, I feel that 100%. Last time I checked, I was still in my 20s, and now look at me. So now I'm not young Malta anymore. Dang.

SPEAKER_05 47:43

Can't wait to watch it again this year, yes, as well. I would definitely can't wait to have you as well. And um excited. So kind of just munching off of that. So, like, when should people expect to like start seeing I guess the voting and stuff to start, or like how can they elect people, or just just tell us the whole process, how how it goes.

SPEAKER_01 48:03

Oh, yeah. Last year I ended up basically building a site using just like a couple of tools that I had at my disposal, and I started the voting in October. And I plan on doing it above the same. So early October through end of November will probably carry on the whole mass of the voting. I want everybody to get acquainted. One of the hardest parts, if I can be totally transparent, when you get the initial round of people nominating their friends, their counterparts, people they watch, is making sure that these are legitimate. Because there was a lot of nominations that came in where people may not have known a category, or people may have just been a little off with what they were voting into, where I'm like, oh, they voted ex-streamer for a place, and they don't necessarily belong there. So either moving them a category or making sure that we just have the right people in the right place. I think even Berts, Berts Bees, was nominated in a category that he hadn't contributed to, and he was kind enough to reach out and be like, hey, I just want to offer like an amendment on this. I don't feel like I should be in. I think it was the IRL category. So I don't feel like I should be there because I haven't really done that. So if you don't mind, I want this to go to the right person. I said, oh yeah, absolutely. But that part is the hardest. I have to watch a lot of streams and pay attention to a lot of people to see who deserves, not who deserves to be there, who belongs in the right places, I should say.

SPEAKER_05 49:23

That's that's uh understandable. Yeah, I I can imagine so, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 49:28

I found myself on Twitch constantly just keeping like sharp eyes on the notifications to be like, all right, let's watch this person and see.

SPEAKER_05 49:36

Yeah, because um I was hybrid coder. He was in uh uh I think he was in the cozy category, I believe. And um he's he said he didn't even know he was even nominated until I told him about it, like two weeks before the award show. And he was just like, what is what is what is this niche gaming awards? You're like, what are you talking about? So I was like, Yeah, dude, like you're in this category. And he was like, Well, I'll have to go check it out then, and yeah.

SPEAKER_01 50:04

So oh man, I was in the family friendly categories, people were putting my name in there. I'm like, family friendly, please. No, no, no, no, no, not advertising myself that way. I've said things you should not have your children hearing on that dream. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_05 50:21

But yes, it is definitely a great time for sure, and I I was glad to have watched it and get to and and like you said, I was able to discover a lot of people from that award show, whether they were presenting the award or just the nominees from it. Like it's definitely a great way to expose others, you know, to get get their get their names out there. I don't know why her words are hard tonight. I promise I know how to talk.

SPEAKER_01 50:49

It's okay, man. I'm nervous talking to the talking to you. Oh my god. The chat looks great tonight. You look great tonight. It's easy to get on.

SPEAKER_05 50:56

Shush your face. I know I'm already here, but still I mean, I'm just in my normal my my Bianca stream merch. That's all I I wear this every stream. There's nothing spectacular to look at, I promise.

SPEAKER_01 51:09

I like it. It's good, it's really good.

SPEAKER_05 51:11

It was so great to see so many people in the community getting recognition to deserve. Yes, it was indeed. Yeah, certainly. I definitely look forward to it this year, and I know it'll be even bigger than it was last year, and I just hope and wish for many, many years of this, and it's just getting bigger and bigger until you're on TV one day with it. You're going up against the big dogs, folks.

SPEAKER_01 51:33

Or we get to get a community center, we can all link up for this. That would be cool. There we go. That'd be great.

SPEAKER_05 51:38

And chat as well. If you guys have any questions, feel free to drop them in chat. He's watching chat, I'm watching chat. We'll be sure to get them in. Of course. Did you or do you have a role model when it comes to streaming?

SPEAKER_01 51:52

Yeah, I do. I certainly do. There's a streamer I watch, he's uh a stream partner, he's got a higher C C V than some of the folks in our community, but he's full-time with this. Name is uh Tech Smith314. Guy is um he's incredible. He's incredible, really great streamer. You're in a chat of like usually around four or five hundred people, but it honestly feels like you're just talking to the guy one-on-one. He answers everybody in his chat, got a strong consideration for people, and he's been catering to this stream setup for like many, many years. He's somebody that truly does this out of like a sincere love and appreciation for the craft. He really, really loves art and the things that accompany it, and I find we have a similar taste. So I watch him a lot of the week. I've been sub to him for the better part of oh, probably over a year now. And I really enjoy his chat. I really enjoy his company. I just think he's a great dude. Great dude, great community, and something you can throw on just at like any time of the day. Because he usually starts up early in the morning, my time, usually around nine o'clock, and he runs through the better part of the day, five days in the week. It's easy to flip on. I've always looked up to him as somebody that's like a good approach for if you get that level of fame, if you get that level of recognition, how you should be treating your community and how involved he is in his process. I think it's great. That's definitely my role model for stream for sure. So a doubt.

SPEAKER_05 53:15

For sure, definitely sounds like a great streamer because, like you said, he takes the time to interact with everybody in chat, and you know, there's some of the other bigger streamers where you go in and chat's just steadily flying and they're just playing the game. Oh, yeah, I appreciate that sub. Thanks for the bits, and just keeps on going. And it's yeah, I it definitely takes means a lot to take the time to interact with everybody.

SPEAKER_01 53:38

Yeah, it's a nice thing too, because I have a little bit of uh a backing here. I've had the chance to like interact with him one-on-one, and I think he's as great a person as he presents. It's not a facade, it's not him acting, it is just the genuine person you're looking at, and that's awesome. He's not putting on anything, it's really you're just with the guy there. It's awesome.

SPEAKER_05 53:59

That's a big win for sure, because you definitely don't want to put on a act when you're doing this, and then you know, people get to know you one-on-one. It's like, well, this is nothing like you're you know, you are on stream. Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 54:14

I 100% agree.

SPEAKER_05 54:16

What would you say the best positive impact streaming has given you?

SPEAKER_01 54:21

Oh, yeah, for sure. The best positive impact it has is just on my like day-to-day appreciation for gaming as a whole. I used to look at it as just kind of this solo whatever endeavor, like it doesn't really matter. You just kind of do it, you walk away. People kind of treat it a little bit more like you know, you're a nerd if you do it, right? It has that stigma. People are like, oh, gaming is nerdy, gaming is like not a cool, cool thing. And this has just completely shifted my viewpoint on that. Now I feel like no, gaming is awesome, it's a great thing. You get to make a lot of friends. Streaming has brought me into a place where you get a lot of like-minded people that appreciate it as much, and they just kind of show you like, no, it's a great way to connect people, it's a great way to talk to people, entertain, or be entertained. It's awesome. It's turned some really like sour games that I've played into just a really great time. If I can give you an example of that, there was a game that came out, it was uh Code Violet. The game sucks, it's it's one of the worst things I've ever played. But I had one of the best times playing it on stream because I had a chat rolling of people that were like-minded to the way I feel. I say that lovingly. The game is like broken, it's half baked, it was just kind of an awful product. But people were just laughing and joking and going on about like, man, this is terrible, but it's so funny. So to sit there and laugh together, I had a great time playing something that on my own I would have been pretty upset with. I have no regrets about that at all. I made that purchase and went, you know what? This was fun for Twitch. It was fun for me, it was fun for Twitch.

SPEAKER_05 55:57

It's a good streaming, that's it.

SPEAKER_01 56:00

Yeah, exactly right, exactly right. I'm never gonna fire it up by myself in a million years. I will not. But on the stream, I do it again.

SPEAKER_05 56:09

You know what? We've been having a bad day, guys. Let's just boot this on. I know Chad will get a kick out of it. Let's go.

SPEAKER_01 56:15

Exactly. They'd be like, oh, he's gotta play that stupid dino game again. For any of the Cold Violet streamers out there, I'm sorry, but I don't think there is any of you.

SPEAKER_05 56:26

Again, going back to the multi reviews coming to you live.

SPEAKER_01 56:30

Yeah, that's my worst one I've ever done. That's like a one out of five. I would have given it a zero if I guess.

SPEAKER_05 56:37

Have you ever thought about like starting like a little like a review site or like a review page or something, like just reviewing games that you've played?

SPEAKER_01 56:45

Yeah, I mean, I've done the work that I have them all in writing. I put them all down in that channel, but if there was ever like a place to host it proper, I certainly would. It just depends. My social media reach a little bit more limited, to be fair. I would still post it on there, but it's almost like screaming into the void at the point we're at right now, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_05 57:04

I mean, you never know. Uh you never know unless you try.

SPEAKER_01 57:07

That's true. Yeah, you're absolutely right. It's the same that goes to Twitch, 100%. Words of wisdom.

SPEAKER_05 57:14

Just do a dedicated day, uh, uh call it Review Thursday or something. Exactly right. Exactly right. I would do that for sure. Or Tuesday, you have Taco Tuesdays and video game reviews.

SPEAKER_01 57:27

Yeah, yeah, 100%. That gives you days to digest the games. Enjoy for a couple days, come back and tell people what you think.

SPEAKER_05 57:33

There you go.

SPEAKER_01 57:35

Let's see.

SPEAKER_05 57:38

Did I ask that one already? Let's see. What's something small that still brings you joy in all of this?

SPEAKER_01 57:45

You know what? It's the redeems. The redeems still crack me up. The timing of them is occasionally just diabolical. People know the cues and when to use these things to absolutely get her eyes out of me, and it's so funny. The amount of time I've had somebody come in and tell me, like, hey, I want you to draw on the whiteboard, which is a silly little like prop I've got beside me, and they'll have me draw the silliest thing on the planet, that still brings me joy. I'm like, that is goofy, ridiculous, hilarious. But even after having seen them like a million times each, it feels like they're still so funny. It's still great to see people interact, see other people want that stuff to happen, and just have a little bit more of a hand in the stream. I love that stuff. I personally do. Something I'm always gonna toy with, always gonna have.

SPEAKER_05 58:32

And I will give it to you as well. Like when somebody comes into chat and redeems whatever it may be, whether it be the word of the day or the daily pig, which is a picture of his cat that he takes daily, or the harmonica or the drawing, like you will stop what you're doing mid-game, pause it, and do it. Like, there's no I gotta let me finish, let me get to a safe point, or let me, you know, get to a safe spot. Like, let me uh no pause right now. What do you want me to draw? Oh, you want me to draw, you know, uh a dinosaur head on a chicken body? Okay, yeah, we'll do that right now, and then you start just you'll do it.

SPEAKER_01 59:07

Yep. Oh, I'm serious about these. I'm here for the people, man. I gotta put on.

SPEAKER_05 59:12

Like earlier, as a you were in stream and I came in and I did my my daily the word of the day and the daily pig, and you're like, all right, yep, hold up, let me get pause. You want the pig? I got the pig for you.

SPEAKER_01 59:24

And you are like, Oh, I love that people want to see the pig, man. That's so fun. That cat is very near and dear to my heart, and I'm happy other people want to see her.

SPEAKER_05 59:34

He's awesome at that, says chat. 100% agree. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 59:38

Thank you, thank you. I try, I'll continue to try.

SPEAKER_05 59:44

Let's see. Oh, well, this kind of piggybacks into that last question that we did. But do you have a special catchphrase or do something special with your chat?

SPEAKER_01 59:54

Oh, yeah, that's definitely the daily pig. That feels special at least. Every day I have to seek out trying to take a different picture of it. Of the cat, I should say. Find her in the house, have something a little off what it was the day before. I kind of got a hilarious taste of that a couple days ago. Because for a two-day in a row period, I took a picture of a different cat. I I scammed the chat in a way.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:18

We did. The false pig. The false pig is what we did. Boy, we were mad about that. That was exactly what I didn't realize.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:26

I got give us back our pig. Stop scamming. And I was like, oh, people care. Oh man.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:32

Yes, we do. We come for the pig. You're just second to it. We come for the pig.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:36

I got scammed on that one. Or I did scamming. Everyone else got scammed on that one. I thought my neighbor's cat would suffice, but it didn't. It did not. They don't want that orange bugger. They want my little gray fiend. That makes sense. One day I'll get her on the stream, but as I was telling you before this, she she doesn't like the camera. She's not too fond. She runs away. She knows. She gets nervous.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:01

I definitely remember that because you were like, alright, guys, just bear with me, okay? I wasn't able to get the pig, but I got this. And we're like, that is not the pig. Like you said, hashtag bring the pig or something like that.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:14

Mm-hmm. They're like, who is that? Who on earth?

SPEAKER_05 1:01:17

That is a false imposter.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:20

Exactly. That's some other, some other animal. We don't know her.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:25

The first time I did the daily pig, I thought it was a daily check-in.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:29

It's sure made to sound like that. I understand how the wording gets lost on there. I'm like, oh shoot. I should almost figure out a way to make it a little bit of column A, a little bit of column B. Maybe that'll be a further stream development.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:42

There you go.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:43

Yeah, I got ideas. I got ideas.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:46

He's working on it, chat. He's working on it. Okay, give him time. We'll get there. What would you say is your biggest accomplishment during your streaming career? Next to the niche gaming awards? Because I know the niche is your top one. Next to the niche gaming awards, what would you say your biggest accomplishment would be?

SPEAKER_01 1:02:05

I'm glad you asked that. You know what? Yeah, the gaming awards always take the number one spot for me. But the second of that is another small little event that I thought was so funny. It was uh Fish Fridays we did for a while, where the whole stream, and I mean the whole stream, I didn't think it would be the whole stream. I thought it'd be like five or ten minutes. If people told me the name of a fish, I was just drawing it out for them. And the first couple times I did it, I thought, you know, I'll do this like once or twice. And it went on for like two or three hours. I'm like, oh man, people people want to see this? Like, you sure? And I kept doing it for a while. I haven't brought it back in a minute, but I'm always tempted because it felt so funny to have that carry on over like an entire stream. I'm like, oh, I thought this was just gonna be nothing. And it ended up being that I have like a whole notebook. Probably leak these details. Whole notebook full of just fish on my desktop, just all over. They're kind of bad, but that was the idea. Anyway, that was one of the things I was really proud of that I thought was really funny. You got everything in here, you got squids, you got octopuses, you name it, it's in there. Yeah, there's a lot, it goes on forever.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:15

I just like the random jail that was just written on that first page.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:20

Oh yeah. I don't even know what's in here, man. There's there's all sorts of jail. I don't know why that's in there. Somebody got jailed for requesting fish spaghetti or something. Yeah. He's cracked me up. They're really funny.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:32

Alright, check if that ever comes back, you'll hear from me.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:36

You'll hear from me.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:37

Hashtag Fish Friday, let's go.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:40

Oh man. Let's make this man viral.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:42

Fish Friday.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:44

I've been sharpening up my skills. I'll be able to do you better than these, even still.

SPEAKER_05 1:03:48

There you go. That was funny. What would you say has been the most difficult decision you've had to make while wearing your streamer hat?

SPEAKER_01 1:04:03

That's a great question. That's a really great question. I think. Yeah, you kind of got me at a tough point here. I was gonna say picking moderators, but to be honest, they kind of just came in and offered it up and do a great job on their own. I think they kind of just were able to mod themselves. You know what I find is my greatest difficulty on Twitch? Sometimes it's just deciding who to watch. Because I'll turn on the website, I'll you know, log on here. And there's three friends all streaming a different thing at the same time, and I'm going, I only got two eyes in my skull, I only got two ears, I can't listen to these, and I can't watch these at the same time. I know there are VODs, but I love to be there when they're live. I love to talk to people. So I honestly struggle sometimes with just knowing who to raid, who to watch, or where to go. I'm like, man, this is this is tricky. Like, I was already watching streamer A, but now Streamer B is on, and I don't want to abandon my friends, but like I want to see this. That's my hardest thing for sure. For sure.

SPEAKER_05 1:05:09

It's definitely difficult, and I've had people ask me before, like the latter just you know, starting to get a community and everything. It's like, well, I don't want to this you know, streamer A to feel bad because I haven't been there because I've been watching streamer B. Like, how do you find the time to do it? And I said, for me personally, because you know, I have at a time, I'll have 15, 20, 30 people on at one time. I I was like, you just gotta make time, you know. Even if it's just going in and just hanging out, you know, 15, 20 minutes, just chatting with them, and it's like, hey, you know, I'm not trying to be rude, but I like you were saying, I want to go watch, you know, I want to go hang out with streamer B. Like, I I don't want you to think I'm just bailing on you. Like, that's that's something that I find has worked for me is just, you know, just prior time priority, I guess you can say.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:58

Mm-hmm. Totally totally. Totally agree.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:00

And I was going to say, and I'm pretty sure I speak for any streamer in here that you know it doesn't matter whether it's five minutes, ten minutes, or five hours. Like just you come in and saying, hey, how you doing is is enough for us for sure. For me anyway. For me. Because you took you took that five minutes out of your day to come in and say, hey, I can't hang out, but I gotta, you know, got something to do, or I'll be lurking. Like that, you you still took the time out to even type that out. So that that means the world to me.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:31

Absolutely. I agree. I agree. I feel bad when I have to go to a stream and tell them, like, hey, I'm at work. Like, I'm just having lunch right now. I got 15 minutes. But at the same time, I love being there. I love talking to the people. And if it's 15 minutes, it's better than nothing. Better than nothing for me for sure.

SPEAKER_05 1:06:49

Like alt mommy, right now just happy podcast, you two amazing guys lurking. That that means the world. That that means the world, you know. It does. It does. You showed up. That's all that matters. Have we have a great link, friend? What has been the most next okay, let me rephrase this. Next to the niche gaming awards, because I know it's gonna be number one again. What has been the most satisfying experience you've had during streams?

SPEAKER_01 1:07:20

The most satisfying. It's seeing the people band together for a cause. It's always seeing the band together for sure. There was uh this is last month. This is calling back to March. It's funny to see when I bring up an idea and I say, everybody band together on this one. People just absolutely rolling together like a giant snowball and coming together for something. When I did the gambit to get a ditto tattoo, I thought this was gonna be just a like running joke. I was like, if we get enough subs, I'll do that. And I thought, lo and behold, this is gonna be nothing. Yeah, no, people took that really seriously. They opened the floodgates on something, everybody went. Just gangbusters on that one, and yeah, it worked out, but holy man was that hectic. I didn't think that it was gonna go that direction. I thought I was just gonna make a joke like a fart in the wind, and uh yeah, no, no, no, no. People did it, they did the damn thing for sure. I was like, holy, are we doing this? Okay, yeah, nice. That part was that was hilarious. That's so satisfying to see because I'm like, wow, people actually genuinely want to like hang out with each other, they want to be friends, they want to do this. It's cool. I love the collective goal, it's fun.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:34

Yeah, I was gonna say that's when when chat is when you're when you're challenging chat, they're gonna show up and they're gonna show up in numbers and and prove you're wrong.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:44

Oh yeah. I'll keep challenging them in every day. I have to. I have to.

SPEAKER_05 1:08:51

It's the streamer's job, right? That's right. You gotta keep them on their toes. Gotta gotta keep them wanting more and keep them coming back.

SPEAKER_01 1:08:59

Exactly right, exactly right.

SPEAKER_05 1:09:03

Have you had your I made it moment? And if you have, what was it?

SPEAKER_01 1:09:08

Oh yeah, that there's two things to that. And I mean to play on the obvious, the niche stream awards definitely, definitely felt like that. I was like, wow, I cannot cannot believe this. It's hard to fathom. It left me like perplexed. There was a good couple days where I'm like, whoa, that is nuts. The come down from that was unholy well. But I'd say the other one of this is when you get to the point where you've made friends, or sorry, made friends you're talking to and gaming with offline. You're like, I made it. I did what I came here for. I have friends, I have people that I can like message and tell, like, hey, something changed at work, or like, oh my god, this is something going on in my life. Not to get too personal with this. When I started streaming, I had I had other cats in my house, and I went through a little bit of a hard period where I I lost a couple of them because they were quite a bit older. And even at that point, there was other streamers and friends that I've just like made connections with on the platform that were very supportive and very helpful. And this is normally things that are like just personal to my heart, they're near and dear to me. And having those people to turn to and be like, hey, this is somebody who I just know through the internet, but they're actually being very kind and supportive of this whole endeavor. It means a lot, means a lot to me. So that's definitely like very, very humbling. You're like, this is an incredible place, and like I have real friends here. This isn't superficial.

SPEAKER_05 1:10:30

Oh, yeah, for sure. And those online friends are definitely the like you were just saying, like, those are the real connections that you make because these are people you've never met like physically or in person a day in your life, and here you are pouring your heart, pouring your heart soul, your you know, your thoughts out to them, and they don't judge you or bat an eye. Like they're just all right, bro, come on, bring it in.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:51

Give me a hook, come on, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 1:10:54

And and that's what it felt like, and it was and and I've always been a big advocate of if you can meet your online friends in real life, do it. Like that first time you meet them, it it's just a wholesome like I was telling you earlier that you know, my friend that I've been gaming with for 15 years, he came down from Canada and I went I walked up to him and I went to go shake his hand. He was like, Oh no, bud, come here. 15 years, you're getting a hug.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:21

Yeah, yes sir. That's exactly it. That's awesome. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_05 1:11:26

But and and it's and it's fun too because you just it's your first time meeting them, but you've known them for so long. Like you've known them for a long time, and it's like, where have you been? Like it it's like nothing has changed other than just seeing them in person. Like we were we were heading to go to a putt-putt course and they were in the back seat, and I was driving, and they would be in conversation with like be talking and and I I I just started laughing. They're like, What's so funny? I said, It's funny because it's like we're online, like I can hear your voice, but I can't see I can't see you. It's it's like we're just gaming.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:02

Exactly right. You got that same exact feeling. Next week, um, I get to meet another streamer, a counterpart here from Twitch, and I'm really excited to actually make that connection. We're ending up in the same place, and I know we've been planning this a bit, but that's gonna be it's fun. Something I'm actually really looking forward to. It's gonna be great.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:19

Oh, yes. So, yeah, definitely if y'all can meet y'all as you know, your online friends, do do it. You will not regret it, I promise you.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:26

Come on up to Canada, I got you guys.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:28

Alright, let me get a passport. I'll hold you to that.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:31

Hell yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:12:34

Let's see here. What is one thing you could add to your setup to make it feel complete?

SPEAKER_01 1:12:41

Actually, I've got it, but it's not added yet. I'd love to share this with you. Uh here, let me drag this into frame for a minute. I just picked this up. This was like a purchase I made recently. It's a better camera, a DSLR quality camera. And I haven't set it up yet. I've just got it like beginning its operation. I'm still learning a lot about how to use this, but eventually that'll be integrated into the setup, which I feel like is a good step towards what I want my setup to be, how I want my quality to look, how I want things to be represented. I'm happy with what I have, but I think this is gonna be a nice little uptick for things. But yeah, that's in progress as we speak, actually. Yeah, good ass.

SPEAKER_05 1:13:19

So, what kind of make-in model is it, if you don't mind? Because I've been honestly thinking about opening to like the the the bigger quality cameras, what but I'm just so confused when it comes to that because there's just so many options out there. Like, I don't want to go down the wrong one, and I am so tech literate, I don't know what the words are, I don't know what the numbers are. Like, oh yeah, this da-da-da-da-da. I'm just like, yeah, that that's a lot.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:44

I agree. Well, in this case, I don't know much about this either. I'll be totally transparent. I was lost, I was doing every Google search known to man. This is a Canon M60, which is like a starting line DSLR, one that was actually made for content creation, but isn't by no means like the newest, fanciest, best model. I'm not somebody that wants to invest thousands of dollars and then not know how to use anything or not be able to use it to its proper ability. So this is my, you know, getting my foot on the floor here, getting things started, kind of mark. This is the first step into making a bigger thing. I'm really hoping it improves things, but I know it's not gonna be like the end of the world. This is the greatest quality I've ever seen, kind of thing. Yeah, I'm excited for it though. There's a lot of learning that I've been doing, a lot of vlogs and things I've been watching, a lot of like YouTube tutorials as any streamer does, and just trying to get accustomed to how this thing works. And I'm impressed with that it does so far. It's really cool. There's always improvements. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I'll be doing some light vlogging with it and like trying to take TikToks on this thing and seeing how it works, seeing how it looks. Somebody who knows photography is gonna be in chat going, oh dang, that is oh no.

SPEAKER_05 1:14:57

And chat, like I said, if you guys have any questions, feel free because we're coming towards the bottom of this list here. Uh let's see. Um, what do you think your biggest strength is when it comes to streaming?

SPEAKER_01 1:15:13

Oh, yeah, probably my volume. Just uh being able to not stop talking whether I'm alone in the stream or whether there's a lot of people. There's always something to be said. I unfortunately have that strong, strong vocal tick that I can just never stop, never allow that bit of silence through. It's a strength and a weakness. Sometimes I can talk maybe a little too much for some people, but at the same time, if I'm playing a game, I'm gonna be sitting there talking to myself, engaging in conversation with people that might be lurking or busy. So when they jump back in, it's not too an awkward silence. I don't want it to feel like anything weird for the people who are just getting there. I want it to feel like things are alive. And I've kind of been doing that since I started. That I think is one of the hardest things when you're starting streaming is understanding that you're okay to talk to nobody. It's totally okay to just sit there and say what you're thinking or say how you're feeling and try to spark up that bit of conversation. In fact, it's sometimes surprising how making that conversation can re-engage people or get people back or feeling more comfortable. That's something I'm always always privy to doing for sure.

SPEAKER_05 1:16:21

Oh, yeah, for sure, indeed. And and that's what I try, you know, I'll tell, you know, like you you really hit the nail on the head with that. Like, you gotta feel comfortable talking, even if you're by yourself. Because, like you said, you'll have that person come in, that first time possible chatter, and you're just staring blankly at a screen, just not saying nothing. Like, that's gonna give me vibes that you're not gonna want to talk to me or whatnot. So I yeah, you you just gotta feel comfortable doing it. And as you said, that the more you do it, even when there's nobody there, you'll be more prepared for when the people do start showing up to have that conversation with them. So talk to yourself in the mirror, talk to yourself when you're just playing by your like even if you're not even streaming, just just playing a game offline, just just start talking, like like you said, about the gameplay or something that you didn't, you know, you're getting killed a lot in chat, like in the game. Like just communic just start talking.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:16

Oh, absolutely. I can speak personally. I have no problem talking to just myself. I don't get nervous around me. I'd be more nervous talking to more people.

SPEAKER_05 1:17:26

I mean, like me tonight, like I I'm uh you're number 13 on for this podcast, and I think I'm fumbling more words tonight than I had before. I mean, I'm in the presence of greatness right now, Mr. Big Malta in the house on stream.

SPEAKER_01 1:17:38

Let's go. The greatness is in the chat, man. I appreciate you, man. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_05 1:17:45

So let's see here. If you were not to have ever streamed or done anything content-related-wise, and you were to start tomorrow, how would you approach it?

SPEAKER_01 1:17:55

You know, I'm glad you asked that. I talk to a lot of people, especially my day-to-day life, that are interested in starting, and they say, like, well, what's the best way to get your foot in the ground? I tell them a couple things, you know. First of all, make sure you've got a setup that makes you comfortable. Make sure you're comfortable playing, make sure you're in a place you like. Don't make it stifled. Don't try to set it up in a way that you think is just there for presentation. Make it in a way for comfort. Make sure that you are okay with sitting down playing that. Make sure you have your expectations set right as well. So don't sit there and be like, all right, I'm expecting 100 viewers tonight for the first time ever. I say it might start light, you'll get there. Consistency is key. Make sure you're in a place that you are uh both looking at the screen and you're able to access your streaming tools. It's not about having the most expensive stuff, it's not about having the best stuff. Just be heard, be seen, be you, you'll be fine. Because some people get nervous about that stuff, or they just expect that like the floodgates are open, they're gonna show up en masse. I'm like, well, it might not happen right away. Don't get discouraged. You'll be totally cool. You'll be cool as a cucumber.

SPEAKER_05 1:18:59

Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure. And and I I know people that have been listening to this pod since I've started it. It's kind of like a broken record, but you know, I was that in that boat. Like when I first started streaming 10, 11 years ago, however long it was, me and my roommate at the time were literally streaming the same game, the same lobby, in the same room. And he had would have, you know, 10, 11 people in his chat, and I have nobody in my chat. And I'm just like, what am I doing differently? Like we have the same setup, same camera, same like everything. Like, what is it differently than that I'm not doing? And it's just I I found down the road it was just like you said, just that communication, the way he was talking to chat, and the way he was just talking about gameplay. And you know, here he's getting that communication across with them. Meanwhile, I'm over here raging and cussing and fussing and doing this and that and the third. Oh, we were playing Call of Duty, okay? We were playing Black Ops Black Ops 3, okay? Neither anymore.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, of course.

SPEAKER_05 1:20:02

And and you know, now that I've grown up and matured and blah blah blah blah blah, and just I can see how it would have came across as that new first-time chatter or somebody that came in and just hearing this person that I've never seen before just cussing and fussing at a game, like I I wouldn't be, you know, I wouldn't want to try to interact with like no bro, I'm good. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 1:20:25

Right? It's like, well, that's a little scary. Hang on, hang on, hold on. That's funny. That's so funny.

SPEAKER_05 1:20:33

Cod cussing is necessary for COD, yes, yes, it is. Yeah, and that's why I don't think I've played a COD since Black Ops 3.

SPEAKER_01 1:20:41

Hey, valid, man. Valid.

SPEAKER_05 1:20:44

Ryu, good morning. Welcome in, good friend. How are you doing? Uh Nikki, I don't think you were here when he answered. I did ask that one. Um, he but he does. Who was the streamer that you look up to, Malta? Could you give us a rundown on that again?

SPEAKER_01 1:21:00

Yeah, his name is Tech Smith314. He's a partnered streamer, but again, somebody who I really look up to, somebody that is like to talk to him and to hear about his kinship with his community. It sounds like he's talking about like a family. And yet, this guy runs a very tight ship, a very big stream, but when you're talking to just him, it feels like you're talking to just him. That sense of community is so strong, it doesn't matter who's in there, he's just like connected. It's great. I brain into him sometimes just to give people a taste of like, hey, this is somebody who I really like, somebody who I really admire, but yeah, that's my answer for sure.

SPEAKER_05 1:21:36

And you said Tech Smith, what were the numbers again? 314. 314, okay. Tech Smith 314. I'm sorry, Dane Kids. Oh, you're fine, Nikki. That's why we will more than happy to run anything back that you may have missed. It's fine. It is a okay, friend.

SPEAKER_00 1:21:53

Absolutely, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 1:21:54

You have something to send to, don't you worry.

SPEAKER_05 1:21:57

And going back to the uh the the um your answer to that last question about the approaching streaming. Like, like you said, you don't have to have the most expensive stuff, you don't have to have the fancy camera, you don't even have to have a camera at all. As long as you got a good quality mic and a positive mind, you can make it. Like I I follow people that have you know two, three thousand followers and they've never once used a camera. You know, it's just oh nice how yeah, it's just how how they communicate and interact with their chat and everything, and yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:22:29

I agree. You're right there, you're absolutely right there.

SPEAKER_05 1:22:32

But yeah, definitely. You don't have to I mean do your research, obviously, yes, but you don't have to go and spend eight, nine hundred dollars on a camera or you know, stream, you know, ring lights, or you don't even have to have the most expensive PC. Like my PC is it's like it's not cheap, but it's not you know the most expensive thing out there neither. Like it gets the job done. I mean, and there's room for up uh words are hard, I promise. I can talk.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:00

They are no, they are hard.

SPEAKER_05 1:23:01

Don't even worry. But I mean it's it's your mid-grade computer, and there's room for upgrades where I can swap interch you know interchangeable parts and everything. So you you don't have to have the most expensive stuff, you know. It's true. I started out on uh Xbox 360 and a laptop. That's what I started out on years ago.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:21

Yeah, that makes sense. That's great. I'd rather watch my favorite streamers through a T-I-84 calculator than you know the biggest streamer on earth streaming through the best setup ever if they're not funny. I'm just saying.

SPEAKER_05 1:23:35

So yeah. But I definitely would agree with you on on your answer to that as well, sir.

SPEAKER_01 1:23:42

Yeah, thank you, man.

SPEAKER_05 1:23:44

Well, we can scratch that question, which was talking about the tell us about the gaming awards. But uh, let's see. What's a belief about streaming you had when you started that you think now is completely wrong?

SPEAKER_01 1:23:59

Oh, okay. I think that my original belief when I started streaming was more about putting up walls. So I was streaming to like obviously just looking at the reports I send you with the emails and stuff, to like a lower CCV, and I kind of thought, ah, you know what? This is a good place to be. I don't think I'll ever get to a point where this is like a bigger thing, or it gets like to a certain level, and even seeing it now, I still have a hard time believing that. I had a C C V of like two or three people, and now if I get my stream report and it's at like 10 or 15, I'm like, really? Me? Nice. Oh, it feels kind of surreal. It was a belief before. I was like, well, it's not something I'm gonna like be insistent upon or be like, oh, I have to be there. I was just kind of like, yeah, if it happens, chill. If it doesn't, probably won't, it's chill. And even seeing that, like, I appreciate that so much. I still am a little bit like, wow, that's kind of crazy. But that's something that I've always been a little bit like apprehensive about to start. That now I'm like, wow, that's that's really cool. I guess it's it's doable. It doesn't mean it's forever, but it sure is neat. It sure is neat. Indeed, indeed.

SPEAKER_05 1:25:12

Yeah, and I just look at it as it's just numbers. Like, I'm here to just play a game and hang out with my friends and just have a good time. Yeah, like if we get the follow if we get the followers, that's amazing. If we get bits or subs or whatever, like that's incredible too. But at the end of the day, I'm just here to make friends and hang out and have a good time.

SPEAKER_01 1:25:32

Yeah, absolutely. Me too. Me too.

SPEAKER_05 1:25:36

Other than gaming, what type of hobbies do you have?

SPEAKER_01 1:25:41

I'm really glad you asked that. I really like concerts a lot. I'm like a huge, huge fan of music. I listen to music on average, probably at least about three hours of the day. I really try to keep up on things. I try to listen to new artists, hear things that I've never heard in my life. Every time I hear a new artist that I'm a big fan of, or I discover something that I haven't heard before, I try to invest in their back catalogs, understand a bit more about where these artists are from. A lot of the tattoos I have are music related, and I mean I don't always talk about this, but I've probably seen over a thousand shows in my life just traveling back and forth to places. So I really, really like music a lot. It's my favorite passion that I pursue. Although I'm not great at playing it, I just am such a fanatic for the art. I just love it. I love to sing, and even though it's poor, appreciate this stuff, watch music videos, all of it. All of it. It is my favorite thing on earth.

SPEAKER_05 1:26:42

Yeah, we actually just had that conversation in uh a stream of yours the other day about some concerts. Because I was telling you about how I saw um Fall in Reverse in concert last summer, and that was like my first actual like concert concert that I'd ever been to. So definitely but it's a good thing.

SPEAKER_01 1:27:01

Yeah, when I used to live in the city, I'd keep tabs on it. And when I was younger, I'd like count and tabulate the amount of bands I saw. And specifically like 2012-2013, I was racking up heinous numbers going to festivals and shows and like just hanging around the bars and things where bands were playing and coming through, and I had some really crazy experiences, even seeing bands. Like I saw this band named Ghost, they're big now, but I saw them in a pub to 20 people. There was nobody there, and it was it's cool to look back on and be like, dang, that's the same band. They're playing the arena next time they come by. Shoot. Yeah, that kind of thing is interesting.

SPEAKER_05 1:27:39

Yeah. Um I I went to school with a guy that used to he had like a little little band that he was in and everything, and they used to travel to a a bar about two, two and a half hours away from where we lived. And um, I think a day to remember came one like they opened for a day to remember one night, like before they were mad. Like before their their EP album went out, and then like they got to hang out with them and everything, and a year or two later they ended up blowing up in one of the best, you know, rock heavy metal bands there is, and yeah, I was just like, that's yeah, I love a day to remember.

SPEAKER_01 1:28:18

I've met those fellows, they're real nice, but I never got to hang out with them, never got to open one, that's for dang sure. They're lovely though, they're very nice folks.

SPEAKER_05 1:28:26

Yeah, we uh they were playing in a city, not uh there's really two main cities in in Carolina where they concerts are held at, and they were in one of those cities last summer, and I was I was kind of jealous because I wanted to go see them, but they they played like a month after Fallen Reverse came through, and I was just like, I don't have the money for the tickets, and blah blah blah. So I was seeing on TikTok people that were going to these con the to the concert, and they were they had lawn seats and they were sitting on the lawn and whatnot, and security would come through and just randomly pick people that were sitting on the lawn and upgraded their seats to on the stage, like the back of the stage. And so when a day tour was cool, when a day tour member came out, they watched the concert from the back of the stage, and I was like, bruh.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:13

Yeah, that's awesome. No kidding. Holy, I would love to do that stuff. That's just unreal. That's unreal.

SPEAKER_05 1:29:22

That's great. Yeah, yeah, definitely and it and it's definitely cool too because like for a band to do that for their fans, like that's definitely a a great thing looking at for for all their fans.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:35

If you got a sec for me to tell you, I can tell you a cool story about a show in a similar vein, at least.

SPEAKER_05 1:29:40

Story too. Let's go. I love it.

SPEAKER_01 1:29:43

I saw Metallica last year, so I went to them. They played two shows over a weekend, one of which was on a Friday, the other was on my birthday, it was on a Sunday, and through their fan club, they have a raffle in a similar fashion where you can basically enter to upgrade your tickets. And I was lucky enough to win this, so me and my partner got to go inside of the stage in this little tiny circular pit where you're connected to the stage, you got your hands up there. So we were within like inches of the band while they're playing. And on my birthday, one of the opening acts, Five Finger Death Punch, while the singer is playing, came over and he saw me in a giant obnoxious party hat I was wearing, because it was my birthday, and he held my hand while he sang one of their big hits, and I could have cried, man. My partner took a video of this. I look back on it, I'm like, that was that's extreme. That is so lucky. It's ridiculous. It's me just holding on to this guy's hands while he's singing to me, and I'm like, oh wow, that's that's crazy. That's nuts.

SPEAKER_05 1:30:44

I love some Firefinger Death Punch.

SPEAKER_01 1:30:46

Yeah, they're fantastic, fantastic band, really nice guys, too.

SPEAKER_05 1:30:51

Oh, yeah, I definitely enjoy what they do with like all the military um people as well. So definitely big, big round of applause for them.

SPEAKER_00 1:31:00

Absolutely, absolutely. I'm kind of jealous of you now.

SPEAKER_05 1:31:04

I agree. That's it. String is over, guys. No, no, oh dang, I sold it all right, but what is your go-to on making people feel welcomed and comfortable the first time they come into your chat?

SPEAKER_01 1:31:19

People come into my chat at times when I'm talking about the most obnoxious nonsense you've ever heard. Usually I just gotta simmer down and say, if you're just getting here, this is the vibe! Oh man. I don't know. Usually just keeping a good positive spirit. I try not to keep any negativity on stream because it's like it's my off time. I love playing games, I love talking to people. There's no reason for me to be here and be upset. I think I would never come on here just with some weight on my shoulders acting nasty. There's no reason for it. Like, this is the best part of my day for real. So usually when people are there, just try to keep that air of positivity, make sure that they feel comfortable talking, make sure that they feel comfortable around other people, and keeping the vibes cool. That's it.

SPEAKER_05 1:32:06

Positive positive vibes. Exactly, exactly right. So this is gonna be kind of uh a two-part question on opposite spectrums. So on the first part of this is what is one area of streaming you want to grow in and get better at?

SPEAKER_01 1:32:26

Mmm, gotcha. Okay. I want to change around the way that the stream works to engage people. I don't want to have lapses where people feel like they're necess not necessarily engaged, or if there's a facet of conversation that they can't appreciate or approach that in a certain way. Like a good example of this is sometimes people get really, really in-deep talking to people about their favorite TV shows, especially like let's say an anime show. If somebody's not into that stuff, when somebody's telling me all these crazy niche things, I can get really in-deep to these conversations and it isolates. It'll be me just getting in with one person and everyone else is there, like, I have no idea what this guy's talking about. So I'd like to make it re-approachable that people feel like they can ask more questions, feel like they could be a part of those conversations better. And I also want to make sure that even if I'm playing a game, especially something online where I tend to get a little bit more focused on the game, that they can still keep engaged through the chat or through redeems or through functions of the stream so that my attention isn't solely captivated by the game I'm playing. Those are things that I'm always trying to work around and improve. So basically, workshop, either get the social skills better or workshop the stream to cater to that more. I know being in streams, if I'm watching somebody that's like insanely locked into what they're doing, it's tough. I almost feel like okay, I don't want to be the distraction. I don't want to be in here like talking to them while they're doing their thing. They're kind of busy right now. I don't want to feel busy for the people. I want to feel like I'm there to talk to them and they should be able to approach however they want.

SPEAKER_05 1:34:00

Yeah, and that and I'll I'll just go ahead and say I'm I'm bad for that because I know if I'm coming if I come into your channel and I see that you're locked in and I've already said, you know, howdy, howdy, or what whatever, I say the daily uh welcoming message that I do. And it's been a few minutes, I'll I'll do the I'll do the VIP slot just to hey, I'm over here. Let's go.

SPEAKER_01 1:34:20

I love that for it too, because I'm like, oh man, yeah, I gotta re-engage. It like it takes me away and puts me back where I'm supposed to be, especially having two monitors. I get caught up looking at the gaming monitor, and I'm like, oh, the chat monitor, dang it. I'm bad for that. I'm trying to get better with it though. Trying my best at least. So that's something I'm still getting used to.

SPEAKER_05 1:34:43

So you kind of just hit the head on that one if that's the answer you're gonna go with. But on the opposite hand of that, what is one area that you aren't proud in, proud of?

SPEAKER_01 1:34:52

That's definitely it. That's definitely it. I mean, there are times like our last Fall Guys match with Smokey where I had to bring home the win for us, and I had to even say out loud, I was like, I'm going to answer the chat in a second. But I had to address that. I know there are games that I play solo sometimes that I'm just so excited about or so enthused by that I just disappear from everything else. And that's that's definitely it. I'm like, oh man, right, I gotta keep engaged. If people are here to watch this, they don't want to just see the game playing with somebody going panting over what's going on in the background. That ain't it.

SPEAKER_05 1:35:28

But sometimes you gotta have that. Alright, I gotta lock in, guys. Like, give me one second. I I gotta do this.

SPEAKER_01 1:35:34

Yeah, I feel like if you can address it, address the elephant in the room, be like, alright, give me a sec here. People are a little bit more understanding, rather than just losing it and getting in there, right?

SPEAKER_05 1:35:44

Oh, wait, for sure, indeed. Indeed. Excuse me, sorry, guys. Let's see, where are we at? Where are we at? Alright, do you have any pre-stream rituals before you go live? Like, do you have a drink of water or tea or a snack or anything?

SPEAKER_01 1:36:02

Yeah, definitely. My pre-stream is it's always interesting because I forget certain things. When I boot up the stream, I gotta make sure my schedule is up to speed. I gotta make sure I'm posted in the Discord, I gotta make sure the daily pig is up, and that's probably the biggest part is making sure that the pig is authentic, that it's from that day, making sure that's on the stream and making sure it's ready for people. I get up to that point ASAP. I take that picture live, I make sure that that is like this is not from days ago, this is not from weeks ago, this is right now. So that's my biggest part of getting booted, and then of course, laying out expectation. Tell my partner, hey, I'm headed on here. This is the timeline, this is what we're doing, so that she's not sitting around there waiting either.

SPEAKER_05 1:36:45

Yeah, I like how you say that you'd make sure your your daily pig is current and up to date. Because earlier when I did it, you were like, you know, this from today because I'm still wearing the same shirt. Like, you you made sure to point it out that hey, it's legit.

SPEAKER_01 1:37:00

Mm-hmm. No scamming for me today. I was yellow and yellow.

SPEAKER_05 1:37:06

So, on the opposite side of that, what is your afterstream window look like?

SPEAKER_01 1:37:11

Oh, dude, that's a snack. That's a big old snack. I finish any stream, I'm like, it is time to feast. I don't know why being here makes me hungry. It's just something going on that I'm like, I'm starving. I need to go eat right now. It's really funny. It's true though. I leave the stream and I always tell people I'm like, I am getting a drink of water, I am going on here to have a snack. Usually when I'm ending streams, especially on a Tuesday, I'm like, it's lunchtime. I gotta go. So I've had the hey, can you continue? I'm like, no, I'm hungry. I gotta eat right now. It's really funny.

SPEAKER_05 1:37:47

Yeah, I felt that. I don't know what it is. It's always like, yep. Alright. I especially like if it's if it's hot or something and you drink through all your water or your your whatever you're drinking on, it's like, oh man, I gotta go give me something. Like I'm parched, I got to go. And I feel bad for like, all right, guys, hold on, give me one second, and then you know, throw the BRB screen up and like I'll be right back. I gotta get some more water. Like, I try to make sure I have it.

SPEAKER_01 1:38:09

Yeah. I agree. I agree.

SPEAKER_05 1:38:13

So since you're a big advocate or yeah, advocate for new game releases and you you do your reviews on them. Is there a game that you're excited to come out?

SPEAKER_01 1:38:27

Yeah, actually, there's a game coming out at the end of the month I'm excited for. It's coming up really quick. April 30th is the date on this one. It's from PlayStation Studios and a studio called House Marquee. They made a game called Returnal a few years ago that was a third-person roguelike shooter, and they're releasing its spiritual successor called Sorrows. I am jazzed about this launch. I'm really, really counting down the time until this one comes out. And I think it's gonna be big. I think it might be a little bit of a sleeper hit, honestly. That's what I'm thinking on it at least. I'm hoping so. That's my next big one that I got my uh sights set on for sure.

SPEAKER_05 1:39:08

Well, we will be sure to look out for that stream, because we know you're gonna be streaming it live and in color.

SPEAKER_01 1:39:15

You know I'll be playing that one.

SPEAKER_05 1:39:20

That's gonna be huge. What are your top three funniest moments you've had, whether it'd been in stream or something dealing with chat?

SPEAKER_01 1:39:29

Oh, I got you easily. One of the top three here, 150% would be the stream where I opted with Calico for us to dress up as each other. There is a ridiculous clip, and I still see the photo getting passed around within the community of me in a wig, eyeshadow, nail polish, and lipstick, which is ridiculous. Very, very funny. There's a running joke on the channel. This is the second one where one of my good friends just typed in chat, he just threw the letter J in there. And nobody knew why, nobody knew how. We debated it for the better part of an hour, and it just became a running joke on the channel that that's probably a good thing. So something's probably good. You just toss a J in there. There's redeems for it, there's a big wooden J somewhere in the room with me. This one, it just came up out of nowhere, and it was really funny. We're like J's, huh? Jays in chat. Alright, so if you ever see J with your name on it, it's a good thing. Chat likes you, I'm thinking. I'm thinking. The other one that I'm gonna throw out there would be during the Maltathon. It was a very long series of streams I did over the last summertime. I found myself at home alone a couple of days. Partners out on a trip. I thought, well, you know what? Let's just do a stream-a-thon. And it was it was ridiculous as an entirety. The whole thing we produced merchandise in, we ran stupid contests, we upset my mom. She's okay now, she's fine. Wasn't a big fan at the time. We uh made a joke out of raiding Kai Sanet, which he did not notice, of course. But that whole thing was it was a big one, and now I still get asked when's Maltethon 3. I'm like, oh boy, give me time for that one. Come on now, wait till he cleans things up. Yeah, we'll do Fish Friday and Maltathon 3 all together. We'll roll it into one.

SPEAKER_00 1:41:23

We'll be there. It'll be good.

SPEAKER_01 1:41:25

I guess there's another one I dressed as Elphaba from Wicked. People like that one too. I've done that twice now. Hard to get the green off, though. Hard to get the green off.

SPEAKER_05 1:41:34

Yeah, I uh when I was doing your their uh promo video for TikTok the other day, I was scrolling through your your Twitch because you know I've only followed you, you know, since December. And I will I saw those those clips. I've seen you dressed as a cowboy, I've seen you dressed as the the witch, and I'm just like, what have I like what have I been doing? Like, why have I not seen none of this? We'll get there. It'll all come back, I promise.

SPEAKER_01 1:42:01

It'll all come back.

SPEAKER_05 1:42:02

And when I say he was dressed like a cowboy chat, like I'm talking he had the cowboy hat, the handkerchief, the the flannel vest, like the big old butt buckle, everything. You were you you tried doing the hoe down throwdown in one of the clips that I saw.

SPEAKER_01 1:42:16

That's right. That was that same stream. Everything but the spurs on that one, I'm telling you.

SPEAKER_05 1:42:20

Yeah, he he he was trying to learn the hoe down throw down.

SPEAKER_01 1:42:25

It went well. It went well. I still can't do it, but it went well.

SPEAKER_05 1:42:30

Hey, Mrs. Refried, thank you for that follow. Welcome in, friendly. Oh, Mr.

SPEAKER_01 1:42:35

Fryen, heck yeah.

SPEAKER_05 1:42:37

Let's go. Welcome in, welcome in. If you aren't familiar, this is Big Malta. He is uh the man of the stream. If you aren't familiar with him, be sure to go check out all his content. He is a great phenomenal streamer, W supporter, W community, and just W vibes all around. I've had a good time tonight. I don't know about you, but I've I've definitely enjoyed this.

SPEAKER_01 1:43:01

Oh, yeah, me too, man. Me too. This has been great.

SPEAKER_05 1:43:05

What has been a risk you took with your content that ended up paying off?

SPEAKER_01 1:43:10

Yeah, I think it's just brutal honesty. Brutal honesty has really paid off in a good way. It's helped make good bonds, but I think it's funny sometimes when you're catching flack from the chat to give it back. I've had some of my best friends I made on stream who say things to me, and I'm like, nah, now you wait a minute. Hang on. I don't find myself to always be a hundred percent agreeable. Somebody's like, like what we were talking about earlier. Somebody came in and they said, Step brothers isn't funny. I wouldn't go, oh, okay, cool. I appreciate that. I'd be like, hey, you know what?

SPEAKER_05 1:43:43

Hold up. I love that movie.

SPEAKER_01 1:43:44

Hang on, hang on, hang on.

SPEAKER_05 1:43:46

The brakes, put it in reverse, Terry. Let's talk this about this.

SPEAKER_01 1:43:50

Yeah, I think sometimes people give me their more extreme takes or opinions because they know how I take those. Because they know I ain't gonna take that flack from them. I'm gonna go, whoa, time for discourse.

SPEAKER_05 1:44:02

We interrupt this fun. We interrupt the scheduled program to explain why they're wrong.

SPEAKER_01 1:44:09

Yeah, you could come in there, tell me your favorite game, and I'll go, hey, hold on. That's great, and I'm gonna let you finish, but that's not the goat.

SPEAKER_05 1:44:16

Yeah, last uh last last pod, we had uh we started a riot in chat between Yeah, we we it was between Red Dead Redemption 2 or Assassin's Creed 2.

SPEAKER_01 1:44:29

Oh yeah, it's easy, it's Red Dead.

SPEAKER_05 1:44:32

See, see, that's where the the riot started because fun fact, because I don't think you were here for it, but I've never played Red Dead Redemption.

SPEAKER_01 1:44:41

Cool! Oh, that's why you need the cowboy garb. I can lend you mine, don't worry. I'll send you a bowl of the cowboy ad flanner.

SPEAKER_05 1:44:47

Who says I don't have one already? Okay, I live in the south.

SPEAKER_01 1:44:50

I don't know. Now you have two.

SPEAKER_05 1:44:53

But yeah, that's that's what it all boiled down to, was because I've never played Red Dead, but I've played Assassin's Creed, and that's where the riot started because everybody was it was it was a bad, it was it was a fun time, but chat was gone. We started a riot about something else too, and I don't remember what it was. But I do know the Red Dead and Assassin's Creed was kind of the the main rioter point.

SPEAKER_01 1:45:18

I'm here for the riots. That's right, we're here for the chaos. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, we are. Yeah, we are.

SPEAKER_05 1:45:27

So, what is the strategy for you to pick games to play? Is it something you want to play, or is this something more strategical that you think about when it comes to playing a game?

SPEAKER_01 1:45:38

Yeah, a couple of facets on this one. Um, the part of just watching gaming culture, I obviously have been playing games for a long time since I was a very, very young youngster. So I've got a certain taste made. There are things I pre-order, and no matter what tell them people tell me about it, they could tell me it's the worst piece of garbage or the biggest thing ever come out, I'm gonna buy it. I've already bought and paid for it, and I'm like, yeah, that's coming. The other two things are I'm watching review channels. If there's a game they go, hey, you just can't afford to miss. This is the one, this is like the next big thing, best thing since sliced bread. I'm gonna pick those up. And then there are channels of like-minded streamers. So if I watch people that I know play similar games to myself, or that I agree with a lot of their opinions on, and they say, hey, you know what, this is the one. This is a really good one. I try to get those too. I got into playing Path of Exile, watching a like-minded streamer who was like, hey, you know what? This, if you like X and Y, you're gonna like this. And sure as heck, I bought it and was like, Yeah, this is a good purchase. This is awesome. I like this game a lot. Watching the reviews gets me in trouble. I bought Crimson Desert based on some reviews, and it's super divisive. And I'm on the I'm on one side of the fence with that. All the Crimson Desert players. Tell me what you like about it because I can't find it.

SPEAKER_05 1:46:49

Yeah, I I was gonna say I I have I have heard a lot more negative reviews on that game than I have heard positive reviews on that game. So it's funny. Yeah, I'll I'll have to agree on you on that one. Like tell me, tell me where it's good.

SPEAKER_01 1:47:09

Yeah, the chat was like, when are we gonna get to the cool part? I'm like, we're not. That's the neat part. We don't.

SPEAKER_05 1:47:17

Oh man, oh man. Oh, it's funny, man. It's funny. It kind of goes back to your what was it, the violet, violet dragon game that you were talking about earlier?

SPEAKER_01 1:47:26

Yeah, called Violet with the dinos, where I'm like, oh man, this is woo eight.

SPEAKER_05 1:47:38

So, what has something your community taught you that you did not expect?

SPEAKER_01 1:47:43

Mmm. They have taught me a lot about who they are as people, and I I didn't know people would get to the point of comfortability that they are. There's a lot of people who are like happy to share things, and I've really gotten to know them to points where I'm like asking them about events in their life. I'm like, hey, it's so-and-so's birthday. Hey, blah, blah, how was your work day at this place? Oh, you got your school prom tomorrow. How's that gonna be? And like, they're little details that I never figured would just be like commonplace in conversation. I always thought it was a little bit more like black and white, people keeping to themselves. But no, I'm always honored and happy to know those things. There was a friend of mine I reached out to a couple days ago. I'm like, Man, such a birthday. And he went, yeah. I'm like, oh shoot, glad to know that. Happy birthday. But like, even those little details you don't expect. You don't expect.

SPEAKER_05 1:48:31

Oh, yeah, for sure. And it definitely means a lot to you know the the chatter that you know this person that they watch day in and day out has that interest or knowledge in about or or even the fact of remembering, like you just said, the birthdays, or oh, you had, you know, you prompt or you had a doctor's appointment. Like, how did that go? Just just the that connection is definitely uh a personal a personal thing, and that's what I enjoy about these small communities and the smaller streamers, because you get to know your your community on that personal level, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

SPEAKER_01 1:49:08

I agree, I agree, I a hundred percent agree. If I go away for a couple days, I miss people. I'm like, ah man, I haven't seen them in a minute. How they doing?

SPEAKER_00 1:49:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:49:18

I miss you guys. Come back.

SPEAKER_00 1:49:20

Exactly, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 1:49:23

What would you say your next goal or milestone would be?

SPEAKER_01 1:49:28

This is a real dumb one. I'm gonna tell you, it's a small milestone, but it's 500 followers. I think I think I'm close, but I haven't really been keeping watch too much. I just thought, hey, that seems like that seems chill, that seems cool, seems within reach.

SPEAKER_05 1:49:44

Well, that's it.

SPEAKER_01 1:49:45

That's it's small.

SPEAKER_05 1:49:47

Well, before stream started, you were at 490 followers, and I just I just checked uh about five minutes ago, and you're at 494. So we're close, we're six o'clock.

SPEAKER_01 1:50:02

Holy man. That's one of those things that I just I didn't even know that. That's super cool. Thank you for checking that. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_05 1:50:10

Yeah, that's I try to make it a cool. I I try to make it a point to like bring up, you know, the the numbers just to show that, you know, especially if you haven't been doing this for a long time. And if I remember where I was when I followed and where you're at now is kind of it I that's why I try to bring it up. And like I said, so 500 is your next goal. You're only six away from it. So what are you gonna do at 500? Are you gonna go to Disneyland?

SPEAKER_01 1:50:37

Less of a reward for me, more of a reward for chat, but I don't want to say what yet.

SPEAKER_05 1:50:41

Oh boy, let's do it, guys. Let's get him there so we can see what he is. See what this man has in the works.

SPEAKER_00 1:50:49

Exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_05 1:50:53

Where do you see yourself in five years?

SPEAKER_01 1:50:57

Ooh, that's a good question. Well, right now I'm at the ripe age of 32, just a youngin, of course. So in the streaming world, right now, I've got the house I live in that we've been here like about a year. I want to continue to innovate and change, renovate the space, and make this a little bit bigger and bolder. Obviously, with changes in life and how things go when you get into those years, like closer to when you turn 40, there may be changes in life that come about. I don't want to project that too too early. But if they do, still make it accommodating, nice schedule. Build a strong community, both old and new at that point, and make sure that the space is made to accommodate that as well. I think biggest changes would be to just what we're able to build and put together as a stream room, stream space, a setup. That's where I'm seeing things. I'm not projecting to be like, I'm not going, I'm gonna be number one in the universe. That's I'm being realistic here.

SPEAKER_05 1:51:52

So we're gonna have uh orchestra size gong chimes. Um yes. So okay, that's what we're hearing. We're just gonna have the gong built into the walls, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:52:04

Yes, sir, absolutely. Ceiling gong, that sounds nice.

SPEAKER_05 1:52:08

There you go. Just pull a string, it flops down at the ceiling.

SPEAKER_01 1:52:12

Yeah. Something I would like to do, which is something I need to expand on, is build a streaming workshop. Because I have like a shop I could use. I would need a separate setup, but a place for projects and bigger, more like hands-on things, building things on stream. Maybe if somebody ever redeems the hot tub stream, throw it in there.

SPEAKER_05 1:52:31

Only for nine million points.

SPEAKER_01 1:52:34

Exactly right. It's like work. In five years, someone should be able to make it, right?

SPEAKER_05 1:52:37

Hey, there you go.

SPEAKER_01 1:52:39

I think so.

SPEAKER_05 1:52:40

Well, chat, this is our final question of the evening for Mr. Malta. So if you guys have anything that you would like to ask, feel free to ask it. Um I'll give you guys a little while to think about that. Um yeah. While we mate, Malta, I uh appreciate you. Uh well, thank you again and again and again for wanting to do this and coming on and being a part of this. Means a lot to me. Thank you for hosting me.

SPEAKER_01 1:53:12

Likewise, man, likewise.

SPEAKER_05 1:53:15

But while this is huge, isn't it? It's huge. No, no, your your gaming awards were huge.

SPEAKER_01 1:53:21

No, no, no, don't you worry. We might have a pre-show in the works for that, but uh stay tuned. There you go, there you go.

SPEAKER_05 1:53:29

Um yeah, I definitely go into the niche awards. I I definitely am looking forward to it, and I really honestly truly wish you the best for that, and I really do want to see it grow and get bigger.

SPEAKER_01 1:53:44

I'll do my best, I promise that. I will roll up my sleeves and make sure this year is more enjoyable, more fun, and I already have some big surprises I'm working on that I want to make work. If we can get there, it'll be worth seeing for sure. I'll make it worth the people's time.

SPEAKER_05 1:53:59

Well, you made it worth our time last year, and it was a great time. Then you just wait. You just I enjoyed myself. I I don't know about anybody else, but I know I enjoyed myself, and I was there from go live to the very end, so I I was there the whole time.

SPEAKER_01 1:54:15

Thank you, man. I enjoyed myself too.

SPEAKER_05 1:54:18

Well, Mr. Malta, last question of the night, hardest question of the night. Alright. So, Big Malta. For being on this platform for 14 months with 494 followers, what would be the best piece of advice you'd give someone starting out tonight? They just came into chat, said, Hey, I'm new, I don't know where to go, I don't know how what to do. What would be your best piece of advice you'd give them?

SPEAKER_01 1:54:50

I got you. The best way to enjoy yourself, to succeed, and have a great time, don't treat this like a job. Don't make this an obligation, don't make it something that you're dreading going to, that you're feeling like you need to be there just to be there. And don't expect anything just absolutely insane with numbers. If you fixate too hard on making sure that this is like a career opportunity, that you're just bankrolling, that you're just getting follows and follows, you may find yourself leaving disappointed or disheartened. If you're here for a genuine love of the game, if you're here because you love gaming, you love communicating, you're here to make friends, I can promise you, you're going to have so much fun, you're going to have an incredible time. I see a smoky gamer here. I was talking to him Friday, and we share this mindset. We're both gamers at heart, but people people. We're here to talk to other people, to make friends with others, and I love, love sharing that mindset. I think no matter what, you log on here, you could have zero people, you could have a hundred people, you are going to come out of this with a smile on your face, having a great time. And if you can follow that mindset, as much as it can be hard to do sometimes, you're just gonna succeed in your own right every time.

SPEAKER_05 1:56:01

Amazing, amazing advice. Amazing advice. Yep, you'll be playing games anyway. Why not stream it exactly, Smokey? Like I I've said that he is right. I've said that almost every time. Like you're already doing it, you're already playing the game, why not? What's the harm in going live? You may have nobody show up. Like he said, you may have nobody show up, or you may have a hundred people show up. But at the end of the day, they're there to watch you play a game because you share the love of video games. And if you come into the mindset of I'm here to play video games and I'm not here to make zillions of dollars at this, you're just gonna you're gonna win. And you're gonna find that you have you you'll find out who the real community is because they keep showing up and showing up because of how you interact and how you present yourself, that you are there to show your love for that game and the love for the community, and especially the more they come around, and like you were saying earlier, you know, you get to know them on that personal level, and they know when you're having a bad day, you know if they're having a bad day, like those vibes that they can give, like, oh, how you doing today? Oh, if they're coming in and saying, Oh, I'm fantastic, I'm having a great day, like cool. Or if they come in and it's like, uh, you know, I'm okay, like, ho, ho, what's going on? Like, talk to me, goose. Like, that's that's what we're here about is building those connections and building the communities. That like Smoke said, if you build it, they will come, or something like that.

SPEAKER_01 1:57:23

Yeah, he's right, he's right.

SPEAKER_05 1:57:25

Sagely advice, yes, but yes, beautiful advice on that, Malta. I could not have said it any better myself.

SPEAKER_00 1:57:33

Thank you.

SPEAKER_05 1:57:35

Well, chat and Malta, that is all the questions I have for you, sir.

SPEAKER_01 1:57:41

Thank you, Melissa. I appreciate you. Those are great questions. Great questions.

SPEAKER_05 1:57:45

I try, I try. Like I said, half of those came from chat. So, like when I first started this back in October, I had 10, maybe 11 questions. And just 13 episodes later, you know, here we are with 20 something questions. So and it's steadily growing every time.

SPEAKER_01 1:58:02

Absolutely. Yeah, I love that. That's perfect.

SPEAKER_05 1:58:06

Well, this is normally about the part where I look for somebody to rate out, but I've switched it up. I want the guests to find somebody on their follow list, somebody that I may not know, or somebody that could the chat may not know. Because you know, this is about growing and helping each other and supporting one another. So you find somebody on your chat list. When you find somebody or your follower list, be sure to just drop them in chat and we'll read over to them and hang out with them for a little while. And when I'm doing that, I definitely would just like to say thank you again for coming and hanging out with us tonight and taking time out of your day because I know you're a busy man. And just hanging out and chatting with us.

SPEAKER_01 1:58:50

Thank you so much for uh having me for working around my schedule to make sure we can be here. I'm so excited to be here, man. I think this is just such a fun opportunity. This is great to be able to communicate with you, to talk to this side of the chat. This is awesome.

SPEAKER_05 1:59:03

Of course, of course.

SPEAKER_01 1:59:04

Yeah, Smoky knows. Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_05 1:59:07

We love Varco, let's go. Alright, so any last things you'd like to say to me or chat Malta? Because, like I said, we're gonna get ready to roll some credits here and rock out to the outro song, and then we'll get ready to head over to Varco.

SPEAKER_01 1:59:23

Yeah, man, all I got is just thank you so much. I appreciate you, appreciate the chat. And just thanks for having me every day. Any day I come on here, I feel so welcomed, I feel so like nice being here. All of the support in any facet, whether it's a view, a lurk, a follow, a bit, a sub, I don't know, just even a thought means a lot. That's that's the best. I appreciate you guys endlessly. For real.

SPEAKER_05 1:59:45

And we appreciate you, Malta. Keep doing what you're doing, keep rocking out, keep just being an amazing human and supporter that you are. I look forward to seeing what the future has for you, especially with the the gaming awards. I I expect to see that just grow and grow and grow, and I will be there supporting every single time. And maybe one day I'll win me something, but if not, I'll still be there supporting regardless. But yes, thank you again so much, sir. You are incredible.

SPEAKER_01 2:00:11

It'll come, man. It'll come, of course, you too, you too.

SPEAKER_05 2:00:15

So we are gonna roll these credits and see y'all on the next one. Toodles.

SPEAKER_00 2:00:20

Absolutely.