Become A Twitch Streamer
So for those of you that watch Twitch like you watch TV or have a passion for playing video games (lets be honest, who doesn’t?), watching your favourite streamers, day in and day out sit there earning a living from doing the exact same thing you do, can be a bit frustrating.
You may have said to yourself….’I wish i could get paid to play games all day’…or…’I could do that!’
Well there nothing stopping you from having a go, you may not make a living from it, but you’ll definitely have fun and who knows where it will lead.
For the record, i also have thought about streaming, so am writing this guide for myself as much as for everyone else.
So where to begin?
Just kidding!, you don’t need a monster gaming PC with all the bells and whistles to become a streamer, although there’s no denying that having all the best equipment will make things easier it does nothing if you have the personality of a toaster. The first place to begin is to set up your channel.
1. Make a Channel
Make an account
Think about the type of streaming you’ll be doing and have that in mind when you make a username etc.
Customise your Channel
Choose a profile avatar and banner, try to think about the style and theme you want to go with and what it will look like when viewers visit your channel.
Get familiar with the site
Explore all the tools and options available on the site and familiarise yourself with them.
Okay, so you have a channel but no way of putting anything on there. In order for you to begin making content you’ll need a few things, i’ll list them below but it’s worth mentioning that you can in fact start streaming straight away with your smartphone and your camera by making an IRL stream short for, in real life. Similar to a YouTube vlog.
Also if you have an XboxOne you can download the Twitch app and stream directly on your console, it’s a great way to get some practice before committing yourself to buying extra equipment, one downside however is the quality is very low.
For those that want to dive right in with a good beginner setup, here’s what you’ll need…
2. The Equipment
Gaming Console or PC
This is more preference, but you’ll either need an xbox, playstation or PC (I’d recommend a PC) but if your reading this i’m guessing you probably own 1 or 2 of these things already.
XboxOne
249.99
Playstation
249.99
Gaming PC
699.99
Elgato Capture Card
This captures your gameplay on scream and streams it through elgatos software.
Elgato
99.99
Microphone
If you plan on talking then you’ll need a microphone.
Blue Snowball
47.00
That’s it! literally, although there might be a few bits and bobs like HDMI cables you might need, with this you should be good to go. Now, i’m not going to go into so much detail like the type of desk and chair you should be looking to get because its pretty self explanatory however, there are some flashy items out there that can certainly up your streaming game, it is pricey though…
3. Added Flare
Stream Deck
Check out the website because my writing will not do it justice…
Stream Deck
139.95
Green Screen
Cut out the background from your webcam and only have you in the picture.
Green Screen
149.95
WebCam
You want people to see you right?
Web Cam
37.99
So now your fully setup and ready to go, your probably thinking ‘what next?’ or ‘can i stream now?’ well….yes….yes you can! Just one last thing though.
You’ll need to download a software to conduct your stream.
Check out the video below.
I admit, that last step is a little long winded, but you want to do things right am i right?…?…okay never mind.
Now, your ready to get streaming…
5. Get Streaming
Kristian Woodroffe