Hello everyone, and welcome to what's become somewhat of a rare occurrence! It's the Hibblejaybob monthly news! Now, I know better that to try to restart something that clearly didn't work for me before, so consider this just a latest news piece rather than a restarting of the monthly news EVERY month.
Rather, the last few months have seen me branch out into YouTube shorts and TikTok videos with short, funny clips from my stream. It's brought me a lot of job getting to go through my funny moments from stream - both new and old, and for the most part the people who have viewed my content have also enjoyed it.
That being said, with success also comes risk and I have experienced this firsthand. I am a small content creator with a small reach. But occasionally, my content will get picked up and shared wider than my usual content.
Unfortunately for me, as an openly trans content creator, exposure to a new audience invariably means exposure to new trolls, and the sheer amount of transphobic hate comments and dislike storms I've been getting on my content recently has weighed heavily on my mind.
Its forced me to re-evaluate my community interaction policies. For example, I've learned that the troll is a truly pathetic beast; the vast majority of whom are cowards. Most do not want to be the first to leave a hate message, rather they get spurred on by seeing others leave hate comments. Thus, by changing my comments to be hidden until I approve them, this has actually cut down on the hate comments I receive by over 80%!
Imagine that!
However, this experience combined with other reflections has caused me to think about what it is that I actually want from my time creating content online.
And that brings me neatly to my next section.......
Rebrand:
Those who have been long-time viewers of my content may know that I started making videos on YouTube all the way back in 2010, with regular videos since 2013. That's now 15 YEARS of content creation! Over this time, you've seen me play various different games and simulators.
I always try to be entertaining and informative during my streams, but one thing I truly love is worldbuilding. Back in the days of my GTA 4 & 5 streams, you'll have seen me create a fictional universe in which my videos take place, with lore and organisations and artwork - and this is really where my true passion lies.
I love storytelling! And video games are such a wonderful medium to tell stories, both in the way they were intended AND using them as a platform to tell your own story - something I've found a source of great pleasure over the past few years.
Separately, as much as I've loved making video content, I've also loved creating amazing video game screenshots and using them to tell stories.
With all that in mind, we arrive at the title of this section: the rebrand!
I'm now rebranding myself as a video-game capture artist and storyteller, passionate about sharing great screenshots and telling unique stories!
Don't get me wrong, I still love streaming, and 2024 has seen me rise from the ashes and grow a small, but very dedicated audience on Twitch. It truly warms my heart the support they have given me last year! I remain committed to continuing with livestreaming and video content creation, but I do want to focus on storytelling and my screenshot work. This may mean I take absences from streaming to focus on other projects - but rest assured I will be back in time!
I've made a new landing page for people who are interested in my screenshot work! You can see this landing page along with my screenshots over in the Gallery!
New Story:
One thing I have been working away on in the background is a new text-based story, and I'm pleased to say the first 3 chapters have been uploaded now!
The story follows Thomas Sutherland, a young Second Lieutenant in the US Army Air Force in WW2 as he overcomes a traumatic start to his career while facing the prospect of his first encounter with the enemy, taking command of his B-17 bomber and new crew going up against the Germans.
You can read Thomas' story here: Diary of Thomas Sutherland
New Page:
Not so much a new story as such, more a story I've told several years ago that I've finally got round to uploading to my website!
The Britannic was the sister ship of the ill-fated RMS Titanic, and was destined to be the most luxurious of the Olympic-class ocean liners. Sadly, the arrival of WW1 meant the Britannic was converted mid-construction into a hospital ship and pressed into service.
She sank in 1916 after striking a German sea mine. Her story, with the lessons learned from the sinking of the Titanic just 4 years before, is worth sharing!
You can read about the HMHS Britannic, about her sinking - and what she could have been - on the new, dedicated page: Britannic: Patroness of the Mediterranean.
New Screenshots December 2024:
