Planetside 2: In the Limelight...Wrel .

BLUF (bottom line up front): Wrel is a YouTube personality who makes tutorial/commentary videos that contributes to the gaming industry as a whole, particularly Planetside 2.  YouTube channel.  Twitter.

To the Planetside 2 (PS2) community, Wrel needs no real introduction. He makes some pretty outstanding videos, and they speak for themselves. Wrel entered the spotlight rather suddenly. When you watch his videos, it is obvious he is here to discuss more than simple weapon stats and offer pro advice. Everyone has a story. Come to find out, this current chapter of Wrel’s story started just after PS2 launched, and he has been making videos consistently since then. Here is my interview with him…

Where did he get the name Wrel?

It didn’t mean anything when he first came up with the name. He was looking for something that was not being used. Through word-play and random tinkering, he came up with Wrel, and liked the look and feel of the name.

In Planetside 2, is he part of an outfit?

Wrel runs Elsewhere [ELSE] on Waterson, but he’s the only person in the outfit.

Where is he from?

Fairbanks, Alaska. Which is also his favorite place.

What does he consider himself to be (professional-wise)?

He considers himself a YouTube commentator.

What led him to do this?

Video games. He has passion for gaming as a whole. Wrel is in the business of adding value to others. His motivation is not to acquire subscribers, millions of views, or honorary titles. It’s to create content that is interesting, helpful, or entertaining. To him, success comes as a result of these videos; success is not the reason for their creation.

Where did he start out?

He started playing right after beta ended. Wrel started making videos fairly quickly, but his videos didn’t immediately get the exposure they do now. Since then, he has been submitting videos on a consistent basis.

How did he get into making tutorials and YouTube videos?

He first started making consistent video content for Mass Effect 3 back in November of 2012. They are still there on his channel as his early work. He didn’t do many other videos until PS2. Once he started playing PS2, content came pouring out. He cited the three year plan as one factor for his long-term intention of being involved with this game.

What software does he use to make videos?

Microsoft word for script writing, Audacity for audio, Adobe Photoshop for thumbnails, Adobe Illustrator for vector art (channel designs), and Sony Vegas Pro.

What hardware does he use?

A Panasonic headset for casual play, and the Blue Snowball for tutorials and serious videos.

What does he enjoy most about what he does?

He enjoys being able to put forth thought and express an opinion. He enjoys adding value to the community, and seeing the response to his work. He finds it interesting to hear a difference of opinion to what he has to say, which he views as providing balance to the discussion; promoting the free flow of thought.

What advice would he give someone just starting out?

1. There is a lot of room in this community to carve your niche, but the key is consistency. So many people have all of these goals and aspirations, but they get bored, get bad feedback, and their videos fall by the wayside, eventually ending altogether.
2. The hardest part is sticking with it and keeping it going.
3. Do it from a perspective where you are open to learning.
4. Having an opinion is fine, but you have to consider the arguments that you don’t understand or don’t agree with.
5. You don’t need money, to get started. If you have a headset, that’s really all you need.  FRAPS, Movie Maker, a YouTube account, and Audacity are all free programs
6. Do not feel you need top equipment to get started, just start somewhere and keep going.

What are his immediate goals with his YouTube channel?

Just keeping it a float. YouTube does not pay much, 37,000 subscribers provides pennies and dollars per video. If you’re thinking, “how can I help?” then simply hit the “subscribe” button on his YouTube channel.

What are his long-term goals?

He doesn’t exactly have any right now, but he knows he wants to grow the channel to something he can live off of.  He wants to first and foremost make this a career.  As long as he can enjoy the day to day, support his family, and grow as an individual, that is enough to him.

What sort of type of videos does he favor making?

He really enjoys making videos that use gaming as a catalyst for change, such as his “Thoughts on Better Gaming” series.

Does he feel a need to put in as many explosions and spectacular game play as possible?

Yes and no. He has to keep a balance. On one hand, interesting footage makes watching his video a bit easier. On the other, he doesn’t want the footage to replace the subject that he is speaking about. Nor does he want them to get distracted and miss what he has to say.

Does he have a YouTube commentator that he enjoys watching?

Yes, he goes by the name Drift0r. He is a Call of Duty commentator, and Wrel considers him his unofficial mentor. Wrel agrees a lot with Drift0r’s point of view, what he says, how he says it, and the way he presents his content. There is a lot a viewer can learn from Drift0r.

Does he get content inspiration from anywhere or anyone?

Life in general, current events, topics that people are talking about (such as his implant video), and viewing tweets or responses to past videos.

What other games does he play?

As of now, he also plays Warframe.

 

Thank you for checking out my interview with Wrel, if you would like to play Planetside 2, it’s entirely free to play! So don’t hesitate and check out their official website!  Like this interview? Check out our other interview with the devs behind the popular browser game Tanki Online!  Or check out this article about why there aren’t any more RTS games being made.

//Lanzer