My Content Creation Journey: From Twitch to Finding My Niche

Hey there, fellow creators! I wanted to take some time today to share my personal journey as a content creator and talk about the different platforms, tools, and techniques I've discovered along the way. Maybe some of this will resonate with you or help you find your own path in this wild world of content creation.

The Early Days: Starting Small on Twitch

My journey started years ago as a tiny broadcaster trying my luck on Twitch. Back then, I was using a different account called Schrodember (yeah, I know it's a mouthful). I was going for that family-friendly content creator vibe, playing games like Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite, and Overwatch.

The name was actually a play on words combining Schrödinger's cat and ember, like fire embers. Pretty nerdy, right? But here's the thing about Twitch, even back then, the discoverability just wasn't there. You had to already be popular or really know what you were doing to get noticed. After a year or two, I was ready to try something different.

The Mixer Era: When Things Got Exciting

That's when I discovered Mixer. Microsoft had just bought Beam and rebranded it, and I thought, "Let me try this new thing." And you know what? It was actually pretty great. I found some success there, especially through a group called The Shed. We had collaboration nights and built a real community.

What made Mixer special was their FTL protocol. We're talking sub-second response times, compared to Twitch's 8-10 seconds (and even worse on mobile). When someone typed in chat, I could respond almost instantly. It was a game-changer for real interaction.

But here's the sad part. People on Twitch had this cult mentality, instantly writing off Mixer as "just a rip-off" without even giving it a chance. Instead of checking it out with an open mind, they dismissed it completely. That kind of thinking keeps you stuck in a rut.

Unfortunately, Mixer didn't survive. It got killed by its own mismanagement, and Microsoft eventually pulled the plug. Such a waste of potential.

Platform Hopping: The Search Continues

After Mixer died, many of us scrambled to find a new home. I tried Trovo, which started with promise but then went completely overboard with gamification. Treasure chests, embers, sparks, arena battles, team battles, you name it. Everything became so confusing and overwhelming that it lost sight of what mattered: the streamers themselves.

Then there was Glimish. Again, looked promising at first, but you could see the cracks early on. Small volunteer team, poor management, lack of consistent communication. They tried to rebrand as a "reimagining" but folded after just a few months.

Now we have SharePlay, which announced beta access "in a few weeks" about a month ago. Radio silence since then. The Discord is basically dead, the hype has evaporated, and I'm predicting it'll be DOA (dead on arrival) when it finally launches.

Finding Some Stability: LiveSpace and the Big Players

These days, I'm multi-streaming to several platforms, including LiveSpace, which I actually like quite a bit. It's more of a true platform than just a service, with community features and a Twitter-like feed. They offer an 85% revenue split and you get your sub button right away after connecting to Stripe. The problem? They need to promote themselves better. You can't just build it and expect people to come anymore.

Of course, Twitch is still the king of live streaming, despite all its issues. YouTube is solid too, though they could make some improvements. The reality is, as content creators, we need to diversify and keep our eggs in different baskets.

The Podcast Chapter: Beyond the Veil to Zero Point Report

Somewhere in this journey, I also got into podcasting. I became the technical director for a show called Beyond the Veil, which covered Secret World Legends news and updates. When that show ended, three of us continued with a new podcast called Zero Point Report, which we've been doing for a couple of years now.

This taught me a lot about audio production, using tools like TeamSpeak initially, then moving to Discord, and eventually settling on Ecamm's interview mode. We've had up to six people in interview mode with no problems, which brings me to my next point.

Tools of the Trade: What Actually Works

Let me talk about the technical side for a minute. I started with OBS like most people, and honestly, it's still the best free option out there. No monthly fees, no limitations, just solid, reliable encoding software.

But a couple of years ago, I moved to a two-PC setup using Windows and Mac, and that's when I discovered Ecamm. This program has been a game-changer for me. Instead of relying on dozens of OBS plugins, Ecamm has most of what I need built right in.

What you're seeing in my streams now, all these overlays and graphics, that's all built within Ecamm using their native tools. I don't need Photoshop or Canva for basic overlay design anymore. I can create shapes, adjust corner radius in real time, integrate chat from multiple platforms, and even do live demonstrations like this.

The interview mode in Ecamm 4.1 supports up to 10 people, though your mileage may vary depending on your internet bandwidth. I'm running this on a base model M1 Mac Mini with just 8GB of RAM (yes, I should have gotten 16GB), and it handles three to four people without breaking a sweat.

Lessons Learned: Advice for Fellow Creators

Here's what I've learned after years of platform hopping and experimenting:

Give things time. Don't switch strategies after just a week. Give new approaches at least three to six months to see if they work.

You don't need the latest AAA games. The indie game market is wide open and often more engaging than big-budget titles.

Start with free tools. OBS is incredibly capable, and there's no shame in using free software when you're starting out.

Diversify your presence. Multi-streaming might not be for everyone, but having your content on multiple platforms protects you from sudden changes or shutdowns.

Be willing to experiment. I've tried everything from family-friendly content to indie game reviews to podcasting. Each experiment taught me something valuable.

What I'm Doing Now: The First Two Hours

Currently, I'm running a video series called The First Two Hours, where I dig into my Steam catalog and play games I've never touched (or played for less than 15 minutes). I've got about 300-400 games to choose from, so content isn't a problem.

The format is simple: play for two hours, evaluate the mechanics, gameplay, audio, graphics, and give my final thoughts. It airs every Sunday at 9:30 PM Eastern on my 2TonWaffle channel.

Looking Forward

The content creation landscape keeps changing, and that's both exciting and terrifying. New platforms will emerge, others will disappear, and we'll all keep adapting. The key is staying flexible, learning from each experience, and not getting too attached to any single platform or strategy.

Whether you're just starting out or you're a veteran looking to try something new, remember that everyone's path is different. What works for me might not work for you, and that's perfectly okay. The important thing is to keep creating, keep experimenting, and keep connecting with your audience.

If you want to check out more of my content, you can find the Indie Creator Hub on YouTube or join our community at thisindiecreator.com. We do live recordings every Tuesday at 9:30 PM Eastern, and episodes go up the following Tuesday at 8 AM.

Until next time, keep creating, and later taters!

The Independent Creator