The Fall of Minecraft and The Rise of The YouTuber

Minecraft and YouTube have gone hand in hand for around 5 years now. YouTube might even have contributed to Minecraft's popularity and Minecraft has definitely created a few new YouTube stars. However, with the Minecraft craze starting to lose steam (it's still popular just not at the hypercraze levels of yesteryear), what happens to those that have been making a rather impressive living from uploading game-play videos?

Surprisingly the answer lies in my GCSE Geography!  Just like Cumbrian Hill Farmers these Youtubers have had to diversify!

There's no jam and tourism here though.  Some channels have already abandoned Minecraft for other creative games such as Roblox. Those still sticking to Minecraft have started to support these videos with other games, covering whatever is popular, discovering hidden gems or following fan suggestions.

Perhaps this ability to engage directly with fans and receive near instant feedback is part of how YouTubers have become the new celebrities.

I'm going to focus on two such celebrities, that happen to be two of my son's favourites, and see what steps they have taken to keep their content fresh and how they have become a brand in their own right outside of YouTube.



First up, DanTDM also known as The Diamond Minecart.

Dan started on YouTube with a Pokemon TCG channel (PokemanDanLv45 if you're curious) but eventually created a new channel featuring showcases of mods in Minecraft (for anyone that doesn't know, mods are unofficial modifications to the game that can add new features and mechanics).

Four years have passed and now the channel has over 14 million subscribers but as the development of mods for Minecraft has declined Dan moved on to multiplayer Minecraft and a range of story maps. Oddly with the decline of mods a lot more is possible using Command Blocks.  This means there has been some truly impressive story maps and even whole new games created within Minecraft (Take a look at Terra Swoop Force for a great example of what is possible). Unfortunately these kinds of creations take time which is not ideal for YouTube channels that put out daily videos.


Looking outside of Minecraft Dan has several popular series such as Tomodachi Life and Pokemon: Brick Bronze (an entire pokemon game/tribute inside of Roblox). There are also a number of games that just don't have enough content to support an entire series. These could be one off mobile apps or shorter games but Dan's fans seem to enjoy the new experiences and seeing him just have fun with games. I've lost count of the number of games my son has wanted to try, just because he has seen them on YouTube: and he's not the only one.

Over the past year or so Dan has tried a few more obscure games, even going back to some Flash based ones. With millions of subscribers that means that there's likely thousands of new people trying these games, and in the case of Riddle School(a point and click adventure) this has resulted in a new chapter in the game 10 years after it had ended. With Dan trying a few new and early access games you can see how much of a difference his influence can have for small developers. I can think of at least two that have been so grateful as to add DanTDM content to their games!


This is the point where channels reach outside of YouTube. You can also see it with the amount of merchandise available, even smaller channels might offer t-shirts etc. Some of the bigger channels even have toys as part of the TubeHeroes range. This is a clever way of avoiding licensing issues with both Minecraft and YouTube that still gives kids a chance to own their favourite characters.

Dan has taken this concept further, recreating regular characters from his videos outside of Minecraft. Primarily this is through a new graphic novel style book featuring an original story but also spans to the live show. Yes I said live show, as in theatres and tour dates! You may have seen our review in Niche Issue 14, if not then go check it out! It's true some guy who played games in his bedroom/loft has put the work in to now be touring the country like some kind of rockstar! There show has now even reached two other continents and there's even rumblings of some kind of animated outing for these characters!


There is another YouTuber creating his own books and may have actually developed his characters outside of Minecraft a bit sooner. Mr Stampy Cat or just Stampy for short or even Stampylonghead/nose as his channel is named.

Stampy hasn't reduced his Minecraft content, if anything he's now producing more but in more diverse and unexpected ways. His main series is currently fast approaching 500 episodes. It started as a standard survival mode let's play but now follows Stampy and several recurring characters as they create new buildings and mini-games. There is an ongoing story with some "big event" episodes that have involved flights to the moon, undersea exploration, battling pirate ships and high altitude thrills in an air balloon. Oh, and a few visits from aliens and father Christmas.

It helps that Stampy himself (Joseph Garret in real life) has a background in film production and editing. Which also comes through in some of his new projects, namely "Stampy Shorts". These shorts might be the kind of projects film students would create but at least so far they have all been created within Minecraft. It may have mixed reactions from fans but I'm impressed by the innovation.

Most of these shorts have a comedy element that unexpectedly feels Monty Python-esque and even though I say my son watches these videos I do find I'm occasionally watching by myself.

For example I'm slightly hooked on the "Quest to..." series. What started as a mission to defeat the Ender Dragon is becamegeneral craziness and surreal builds with around 1/3 of the video dedicated to the intro and an improv comedy sketch..

That brings us onto Stampy's collaboration with Maker Studios for Wonderquest, an educational series built in Minecraft. There are now two seasons of this show, having covered a whole range of topics; from the water cycle to states of matter, all pitched at a level that covers quite a few age ranges. This along with the fun filled story, family friendly humour
and a few guest appearances means there's something for most kids, even if the science is a bit too simple or advanced for them. Each episode is accompanied by an animated short with some
additional lessons, yet another example of characters
breaking out of their Minecraft home.

Stampy still continues with other Minecraft content too, but mixes it up with challenges and game show elements. In particular he takes part in weekly building competitions (Building Time) with fellow YouTuber iballisticsquid. These videos go live the same time each week and they have become a family tradition. We all gather round to watch in much the same way as I sat with my parents to watch Gladiators etc.

These examples are just the start. Other creators have their own project, even family channels such as FGTeev/Funnelvision have branched into animation. Others have collaborated to create the Pixelarity miniseries and at least two I can think of have their own mobile games (iballisticsquid and PewDiePie). So there you have it, YouTubing isn't quite as simple as it used to be, with creative folks pushing their brand well beyond the streaming service.

Telltale: Inconsequential Consequences

If you've never played one of Telltale's episodic stories I recommend you do it now before you read any further, I'm about to look behind the curtain....

I've touched on this in previous blogs but I feel like I need to look deeper and explain myself. You may know that Telltale make story driven games that are tailored by player choice, the choices you make affect how the story plays out. The first time you see that on screen you're hit by a wave of responsibility and fear of the unknown... how badly will things go if you make the wrong choice? That first playthrough is pure magic, with every decision requiring tense consideration. If you've played through a few series though, you start to see what many of telltale's detractors eagerly point out; your choice doesn't matter. Bear with me, what this actually means is that generally no matter which choice you make, or even if you fail to make any choice, the story still runs the same course and you'll arrive at a near identical conclusion.It's almost unavoidable given any follow up series will need to start with players in a similar situation regardless of how they ended previously.

This can mean that some people feel the choices are hollow and ultimately pointless, I can't agree, I think the choices matter even more, it's the consequences that become irrelevant. If the outcome is more or less the same each time it's odd that people give it so much importance. The reason these games are so enjoyable and refreshing is the choice itself.

It's difficult to give examples without running into spoilers, but imagine a situation where you are given a choice of taking someone's life... you can either step up or leave it to someone else in your party, either way this person will end up dead and the story will continue from there, but you have to ask yourself, do you want this responsibility? do you agree with this act? If you go ahead with it will it change your existing relationships, will your group be thankful or think you a monster? Is this experience going to haunt your character or even you as a player? You already know what's going to happen, does that in any way make the choice easier? It may do if you are think purely in terms of gameplay mechanics but if you can stay invested in the story this is where the true magic happens.

There's some less dramatic, less spoilery examples. At one point in The Walking Dead Season 2 you decorate a Christmas tree, a rare opportunity in a post apocalyptic world. When asked by a terrified and less battle hardened tween to place an angel tree topper ornament on the tree you have a choice. Agree or go with your own preference, a star... I feel like I know what the "right" choice would be, you should be making friends and comforting this girl, teaching her how to survive... but damnit I was also a ten year old girl living through hell and I wanted a star on that tree! For those few seconds that was the most important thing... as far as I know this had absolutely zero impact on the story but even reflecting back it was a fun and engaging decision. In that same episode you have to choose a a table of friends to sit with and it somehow becomes one of the hardest decisions of the series, it might not change the plot but you can guarantee someone will be acting mopey or disappointed in the future.



Half the fun is finding out how far you would go, and looking at how and why you made a particular choice, occasionally the games will make you pay for that choice, even if it is just a scowl and a sarcastic comment from a fellow adventurer.





It remains to be seen if Telltale stick to the formula for The Walking Dead Season 3 (at time of writing only the first two episodes are available), or if they'll design decisions to have more impact on the plot and be less predictable but its going to be one heck of a ride finding out. You might also want to check out Life is strange, a game that can be described as the same genre but it brings back some of the magic of unpredictability as the developers and writers run on their own formula and add their own twists and mechanics.

The Characters of Telltale: Part 1 - Ladies First

My experience of Telltale's episodic game series goes back to the first season of The Walking Dead (TWD). If you've never played a Telltale game I recommend starting with that one. I'm mostly focusing on female characters this time round, as this blog was spawned from a previous one discussing Minecraft Story Mode.  

If you've never played a Telltale game I recommend starting with TWD Season 1. You play as Lee, again another well developed character and not a stereotypical hero-type. You're tasked with looking after Clem (short for Clementine), a little girl who is only 8 years old when we meet her. Clem is one of the strongest most likeable female characters I can think of. She's vulnerable but brave and when it comes to the second season she's the hardened survivor that know's what's what... If only people listened to her a little more often. Having seen what Clem came through in Season 1 though, you realise that Telltale have managed to craft her
into a believable, adorable bad-ass. Season 3 of TWD is due to start before the end of this year, we'll get to rejoin a considerably older Clem for at least part of it and I cant wait. This is the reason I can't look at Christmassy Citrus without tearing up just a little...

Telltale have also handled characters from TWD books, dedicating an entire miniseries to Michonne. Zombie hacking apocalypse survivors may not be the best role models but they make for some great characters , rounded by strengths and weaknesses like any human. I’ve not long found the time (and courage) to play this one. I already heard that it tackles themes such as parenthood and within the Walking Dead Universe that never ends well. Michonne is as kick ass as always but at the same time she is vulnerable and trying to come to terms with the great trauma(s) she has faced. My version seems to have played out as a rather erratic Michonne, sometimes selfish and defensive, other times righteous and heroic. She’s much more impulsive and easily affected by what people say, I don’t know whether this is a reflection of her mental state or my own whilst playing! Either way, I’m still enjoying this kind of organic character development.

Before Minecraft Story Mode (MCSM) came along, Telltale had mostly handled dark and serious properties, apart from their take on Gearbox’s Borderlands franchise. There’s still life and death and a bunch of Mad Max type shenanigans, plus face-pizza, but Tales From The Borderlands (TFTB) has much more humour. It’s almost the grown up version of MCSM, but instead of picking your gender you get two main protagonists. I could probably dedicate an entire blog to the game or to Reese, the male lead. I really enjoyed and recommend this one, the issue that people have about big decisions being inconsequential is mostly irrelevant as you can play the whole game for a laugh, even picking options purely for comedy value. Anyways on to Fiona, the lady’s got style for one and an awesome voice actor for another but she’s another great example of a female lead in a video game that has an actual character. She’s survived the world of Pandora with her friend/sister as a con-artist double act. Fiona thinks fast and can talk her way out of anything... mostly. She’d make a great leader for the group and the series is as much her story as it is Reese’s. Fiona starts off focused on survival and looking out for herself but she brings a certain street smarts and maturity to the group. Fiona still has a lot of issues to overcome (trusting others and letting them trust her, plus new responsibilities) and you can see her develop as a character over the course of the 5 episodes, again she’s one of those fully developed 3-dimensional characters that allegedly don’t exist in video games.

You might not be so familiar with the next franchise, The Wolf Among Us is based on the Fable comics. I’ve not read them yet but the game series has a certain film noir feel to it, set in a world where fairy tale characters secretly live alongside humans. There’s not so much a female lead in this one but I feel like Snow White deserves a mention in this article, without sounding patronising she’s self sufficient and independent with a deep sense of duty, how many times have you seen a princess that doesn't                                                                                     need rescuing?

That brings us to the final series that I want to cover, Game of Thrones. GoT is no stranger to strong resourceful female characters. This time around you have Elissa Forrester, mother to several of the characters you play and full of advice, she knows what shes talking about, but for better or worse I played the game pretty much ignoring everything she said. You meet women in other families that practically run their House from the background including the indomitable Cersei. Having to match words and wits with her is an experience I won't forget. Later you also meet accomplished warrior/brawler, Beshka and have a brush with the Mother of Dragons herself. Some of the most pressured sections of the game involve the political machinations in King‘s Landing and this is left to Mira Forrester, she may not be doing any fighting but can potentially have a big impact on her family’s fortunes... she has more to lose than anyone and still risks it all for her family (depending on how you play the game).

You could be reading this article and wondering why it seems Telltale hate men...I don't get that myself but the world (and particulalrly the internet) is made up of a whole range of people. In fact my writing may seem a little biased but in truth Telltale has developed some strong male characters too. They may not all be conventional, they may not all be strong leader types but they have their strengths. Themes of fatherhood in TWD, brotherhood and friendship in TFTB, redemption in Wolf Among Us; all still "manly" qualities but without relying on bald heads, muscles and gruff voices. I could write a whole article on Telltale‘s male characters, one on my favourite characters and maybe another on the strongest or most interesting but I’ll save that for another day, it just happens that inspiration for this topic hit me first.

Somehow it's always the semi-naked DoA “babes“ and ridiculously armoured female rogues that make the news or the memes, yet videogames can do strong characterisation, sometimes they even represent female characters better than most Hollywood movies.

Telltale: What it Means to be a Girl in a Videogame

Being fully aware that Telltale Games’ next season of The Walking Dead is just around the corner (as I started writing this to be released 20^th December 2016) and I'm as excited for Season 3 as I am for AMC's Season 7, I want to talk about Telltale Games.

For this blog I want to look at how they have made me reconsider perceived gender roles. There'll also be a follow up blog looking back at some of the characters portrayed in their games going as far back as the first season of The Walking Dead (TWD).

To be honest this article was inspired by a scene in the recently concluded Minecraft: Story Mode (MCSM). I’ve sat and played through it with my son with the default character settings for the protagonist, Jesse, as well as the first few episodes using one of the female options. The thing is, this is exactly the same character, just a new skin and a different voice actor… This doesn’t affect the story and there’s no noticeable differences in any dialogue. So then why, when playing as the female Jesse, did I see a different team dynamic, pick up on different details and infer different relationships?

In the first episode Jesse meets Petra and there is an obvious bond. However, with the male Jesse I found I was thinking of this as some kind of mutual attraction. Whereas in the exact same scenes with the female Jesse I got the impression that Petra was more of a celebrity or “cool kid” with Jessse taking more of a “little sister” role. If there was ever a time for “notice me senpai” memes this would be it.

As each episode released fans have continued to ship Jesse and Petra, Jetra, but is the story designed this way or are most of us programmed to pick up on this boy meets girl dynamic?

You can even see a similar effect in Jesse’s relationship with Lucas, known to most of the characters as "Blond Guy". With the male Jesse there’s a bit of an uneasy friendship, but play as the female version and perhaps you’ll think of other reasons for the awkward pauses and goofy responses. Whatever social construct or mental process I'm subject to, it apparently reaches further than I thought.

Jesse has two friends, three if you count his/her pet pig, Reuben. In my eyes at least, being male or female shifts the dynamic of this group… It feels more natural for fem-Jesse to be close friends with her pet, hang out with Olivia and kinda just tolerate Axel. Whereas the male Jesse appears to think of Reuben as a brother, respects Olivia for her skill with redstone and likes to do stupid stuff with Axel. I have to wonder if anyone else sees it this way and how much of it is intentional design from Telltale, with so much player choice it's hard to tell.

Sometimes I think that Telltales's choices can tell you a lot about yourself, but given some of my recent options in other games that would make me un-trusting, cruel and selfish so perhaps I won't judge myself too harshly for having these preconceptions in a videogame.

I do want to take a closer look at what these observations say about the game and society though. Firstly the fact that the game can function with both interpretations and probably many in-between is a testament to Telltale’s story telling abilities and integrity; the story wasn’t changed to make it more "manly" or "girly" depending on your character design. I can’t say if it’s intentional but there’s a massive message about equality and gender stereotypes in the real world.

The game gets criticised for inconsequential decisions but when your dialogue choices can reflect how you see your character and their part in that world you realise how important it is that you can make these little personal touches (more on this in an upcoming blog). I've always strongly believed that these games are more about your choice than any consequences of that choice, but that's a rant for another time. An example of this tailored storytelling occurs early in the series; you get a chance to enjoy zipping through the Nether in a minecart with Axel or you can tell him to calm down and keep an eye out for trouble. You might find that you feel like one version of Jesse is more suited to one of those options than the other. Maybe it's best not to read too much into your decision but I'm fascinated that my mind made this distinction.

So what does this say about society? For one it shows how deeply ingrained cultural norms can be. I didn't expect to see the two versions of Jesse as separate characters. This makes me wonder what other social conventions I've assimilated without even realising. That I'm surprised that a male and female character are treated exactly the same in a video game is telling, without diving down the political minefield (and mixing too many metaphors); it suggests that maybe we don't get this kind of equality often.

Feel free to add your own comments below!

DanTDM on Tour: QnA

I've been working on some kid friendly content for min-geeks and budding nerds... stay tuned for more on that. Today I bring you a Q&A session with DanTDM (The Diamond Minecart). If you don't know who Dan is then ask your/some kids. He is one of the fastest growing YouTubers with over 12 million subscribers, popular for his Minecraft "let's plays" and "mod showcases", he now has content for a range of kid friendly and trendy games. Dan has recently started his first live tour, having added extra dates after the first run sold out within 24 hours. Interview after the jump.

Why did you decide to go on tour?

I had already started to explore doing what I do live which started by finding ways to tell my Minecraft stories on stage rather than through YouTube. This presented its own challenges since I couldn't edit anything like I would with a video, but it also had its own unique positives such as getting audience feedback, getting them involved and feeling the energy in the room when the audience are reacting to what you are performing. As soon as I had tried this once, I explored different ways to make the best of a live space and that is where the DanTDM tour was born. I wanted to get rid of the screen that separates me and my audience and bring them what they see on my YouTube channel, but share it with them face to face instead.

What can fans expect to see on stage?

One of the best parts of this tour is that it is so unique as a concept that no one really knows what to expect from the show! However, you can definitely expect some custom made TDM games, audience participation, a full story and certainly things that my fans have never EVER seen me do before!

Are there any further tour plans?

Definitely! After seeing the reception of not only the idea of me doing the tour, but the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the first couple of shows, I do want to keep exploring this live space. I'm having such a blast sharing these shows with my fans so I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.

What appealed to you about Minecraft? Why did you start making YouTube videos?

The most appealing part of Minecraft for me is the creativity. You can literally create ANYTHING you want inside this one little game. And from a video making perspective, that is perfect. I started creating YouTube videos because of my passion for video making and I used it as a way to share some silly animations that I did, but then combined that with my other passion, video games. Since then I have been making videos every day!

What are your interests outside of gaming and vlogging?

Outside of YouTube I love spending time with my family and my dogs. Our little Pugs probably have a better social life than I do so we spend a lot of time out and about with them! Music is also another passion of mine whether it's listening, watching, playing or writing.

We understand you are a keen musician. Do you have any music plans for the future? 

Hopefully! The strange thing about YouTube is that you never know what is going to happen, even in the near future so hopefully I can bring music into that at some point.
For those of you coming to the tour, you may have a little musical surprise waiting for you there!

What advice would you give to someone wanting to start YouTube gaming/vlogging?

Just go for it! Every single YouTuber has to start from 0 subscribers and build a subscriber base from there. It's a very slow process so don't give up, learn along the way and most importantly, love what you do because if you aren't loving what you're doing, then your audience won't either.

Produced and promoted by Endemol Shine UK, ticket prices start from £15. Further details and information about where to buy your tickets can be found at www.DanTDMTour.com/tickets.

 If you'd like to see more of Dan and try out some of his videos follow this link https://www.youtube.com/user/TheDiamondMinecart .

Niche Plays: Minecraft Story Mode Episode 6

I can hear you all exclaim “You wrote that amazing preview in Niche's Christmas edition but now you've skipped 5 episodes!” well, I'm giving "Episode 6: Portal into Mystery" this edition of Niche Plays as it can easily be played as a stand-alone episode. (Although you will need to purchase at least Episode 1 to be able to play this but I know the season passes for PlayStation are currently on sale.)

The series handles a lot like other Telltale games, an evolution of point and click adventures with a focus on making your own story, all set in the

familiar world of Minecraft.

This episode starts with our heroes entering a new dimension, to be immediately invited to a gathering at a large creepy mansion. What follows is basically Danganronpa for kids, a crazy, intense murder mystery involving major Minecraft YouTubers; Captain Sparklez, Stampy, Dan TDM, StacyPlays, and LD Shadowlady.

There's nothing quite like this. The choices this time don't seem as major or as plot altering, but if you happen to have kids that are big fans of these YouTubers then to them this is going to be like taking part in a major blockbuster movie alongside your favourite god-tier actors.

I was joined on this adventure by my 6 year old and he was on the edge of his seat the entire time, seeing some of his favourite characters put in harms way, not knowing what would happen next and possibly being responsible for their safety... It's going to be one of those gaming memories I hold on to. This episode does speak to a more specific audience but despite the odd graphical hiccup and variable voice acting skills of the YouTube guest stars, this was an enjoyable experience particularly with a young side-kick along for the ride.