From The Desk of Nerd³ - October 2025 Edition
Added 2025-10-02 18:55:06 +0000 UTCWelcome to the suggestion box.
While setting up my new PC I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how I work. I have methods that I’ve always done, yet many aren’t exactly optimal. For example, I create a brand new project for every one of my videos. Why do I not just create a reuseable template that would save me a bunch of time? Also, there’s that awkward blank space at the start of videos before the Patreon names appear. Why not advertise the Patreon benefits there?
Then, I had an even better idea. Outsourcing. What do you think I should be doing differently? Should I have jokes as the titles of videos? Thumbnails without the logo in? A new logo? In the comments below, let me know. I’m not looking for video ideas, but I’m at the stage of new PC setup where implementing changes to the actual videos is much easier. I think we should all take advantage of that.
No wrong answers, go nuts. *
Daniel xx
*Apart from changing the logo. That’s a wrong answer.
Comments
Agreed! Although I dont think Hannah is part of the yogscast anymore. Hasn't been for years
Jango2106
2025-11-17 20:45:58 +0000 UTCMore jokey video titles are incredibly underrated and the few times that you have done it I have always enjoyed them. It sets the tone from the start and I think draws in viewers better than the classic Let's Play-esque titles. I can't statistically back that up at all but I know I like it lol
gogglebot
2025-11-12 16:29:38 +0000 UTCI would love to see you colaborate with the Yogscast. I think it'd be a joy to see you playing a game with any of them. Not to mention there is likely a huge overlap in audience as well as interests, so it'd be a great opportunity for reciprocal audience exposure! But ultimately I think you and Lewis, Duncan, Simon, Hannah, and others would get along great.
Eian Klock
2025-11-10 23:31:28 +0000 UTCI did this ( I doubt it)
ItsGwenActually
2025-11-07 20:50:44 +0000 UTCnot sure if you have seen but there's this new simpsons hit and run futurama mod that might make a fun video
ItsGwenActually
2025-10-31 05:35:45 +0000 UTCAs long as we're recommending games, may as well keep em in one place. I'm throwing "I Am Your Beast" and "Shady Knight" into the hat, both really fun combat and movement games
Dillonius
2025-10-21 11:08:49 +0000 UTCI know you're not necessarily looking for game suggestions, but I do think you'd get a lot out of Fallout London, perhaps recreating your favourite walk you used to do (and showed us in Watch Dogs: Legion), only this time fighting off Raiders and Supermutants (or the FL:London equivalent). I think you'd thoroughly enjoy building a settlement in Covent Garden or London Bridge, especially seeing as the mod is free, and you have history with both London and Fallout.
08robertsj
2025-10-17 22:20:17 +0000 UTCi absolutely agree with this, especially the idea of Dan sneaking jokes into the ends of his videos after the credits to encourage people to stay until the end
The Nixer
2025-10-13 13:08:17 +0000 UTCI want to see more of your animals on YouTube! I think sometimes pictures get shared on Discord, but I don't use Discord anymore so I feel like I'm missing out. I just think it would be lovely for more people to get to see them and the feeding and care that goes into it all.
Alex Archambault
2025-10-11 20:33:33 +0000 UTCI like the current format of your videos honestly. The up-front credits are always fun, and then talking over the last set of credits really encourages people to stay and look at them too. All I want to see really is you do something you think would be funny. For example, after the end credits end with a freeze frame of one of your animals being silly, or a meme you thought particularly funny that week. Just for a single frame, long enough to make people go back and rewatch the credits trying to pause it in that final second to see your joke.
Wynter
2025-10-10 02:38:08 +0000 UTCisn't it because he turns Ads off for the Patreon versions?
Wynter
2025-10-10 02:33:46 +0000 UTCI have two recommendations that aren’t business related but that I wanted to share anyway! It’s a guinea pig content recommendation and a soda recommendation. I know stuff is really tough for you guys right now, so maybe something lighthearted helps? The guinea pig content is a Youtube channel called "Cid Dwyer Outside". Basically this guy bought a house with a garden so his dog would have space to play, and then when he started moving in, he discovered that hidden in the shed were 80 (!) guinea pigs, dumped by the previous owners. However, being an especially kindhearted person, he apparently just went "... I guess my life is now about taking care of 80 guinea pigs". So he separated the boys from the girls, built them large enclosures, and now he constantly grows them fresh grass and vegetables to eat. His videos are mostly about trying out different seeds and veggies, and seeing which his piggies like best. I was surprised to learn how fast grass grows! I find his content really heartwarming and comforting to watch, to know the piggies were abandoned only for them to be found by someone that completely focused his life on them. So I thought you'd enjoy it too :). The other recommendation might sound even a bit more silly but I've been wanting to send it ever since, many podcasts ago, you two talked about wanting to find a replacement for Coca Cola/Fanta, due to ethical concerns. Now, feel free to laugh, in fact I'm hoping this will give you a laugh, because you deserve it: introducing...... Cockta! Yes, that is the name. Basically, this is a rose hip soda from Slovenia, which I became acquainted with while travelling Eastern Europe. It instantly became my favourite soft drink, I just really really like the taste, and it has no Nazi history. Plus, I'm sure we can all enjoy more "dick jokes", right? Anyway, lots of love and hoping things get easier for you and yours!
PurpleManners
2025-10-09 14:34:49 +0000 UTCI know that you do get some money from youtube, but my understanding is that it's not that much anymore, and the Patreon is really the thing that keeps you going? If that's the case, then I would love to see your content on PeerTube. I don't think there's a monetization model there directly, because there's no ads, but if nothing else, you won't have to worry about an algorithm burying your content because you said "killed" instead of "unalived" or whatever fresh bs Google decides to serve up... *cough*hypepoints*cough Truth is, I'm sick of YouTube from a user perspective, and I KNOW you're sick of it from a creator perspective. If Patreon is what keeps you afloat, then offering the videos themselves for free on a less shit platform is just advertising for the patreon, no?
Nate
2025-10-08 22:37:51 +0000 UTCHey! Maybe there's a good youtube-algorithm related reason I dont know, but I've always wondered why you make the early Patreon videos a different video upload. Doesn't this split your view counts and make youtube the algorithm angrier? What would happen if you just uploaded it once and made it unlisted for patreons for 24 hours
Dantasticle
2025-10-06 15:20:41 +0000 UTCI'd love slightly longer plays videos. I think 25-30+ are perfect for me to get relaxed and have a proper laugh with them. I also think what someone else said would be good, looking at how RTGame names things, cause I think you two have a similar vibe in some ways. I'd also be super interested in you trying semi-scripted content. I noticed with your (obviously very sad) book video, that you did really well and were hilarious with that little bit of structure. Not saying for the Plays videos, but maybe for games you wanna talk about or topics, etc.
AStupidID
2025-10-06 12:18:25 +0000 UTCTo add to this, maybe a clip of the animals and the start or end of videos, maybe behind patreon names?
MrDuckie
2025-10-06 11:16:51 +0000 UTCHonestly I think your thumbnails are excellent, they're eye-catching and fun and distinctive in a brand identity sort of a way. But yeah, in the modern youtube landscape, it does seem like joke-y titles that don't imply that there's some sort of series people need to be in-advance caught up on, seem to work really well. Someone like @RTGame is probably good to look at to see what kinds of titles do well in the gaming space. He seems to do "Game name: silly short blurb" a lot, like uh "Salamander TV: A game made entirely with stock photos". I think it gives someone a bit of a hook to the video from the title abt what might be interesting in the game, even if they've not heard of the game
MarmaladeSparrow
2025-10-06 07:17:15 +0000 UTCMy suggestion is that there should be more cute photos of your animals on the Patreon
Narmatonia
2025-10-05 16:55:30 +0000 UTCas long as you don’t unironically do clickbait, it’s all good lol i always liked the “this video brought to you by patreon. patreon: surely dan can come up with dozens more of these for future videos.” that was around for a while. one interesting idea is to do like old films and put the entire “end credits” at the beginning of the video. you could give the synopsis/intro (which you’d normally do on the title menu screen) while hundreds of names scroll the screen. the callout tier folks could go between the credits/synopsis and game content. or maybe before the credits, but that doesn’t solve the awkward-dead-air problem… OH! you could combine the two! open with the full long “end credits”, do the game, and then end with “this video was brought to you by adam gill et al and other patreons like you. patreon: seriously, i LOVED when these taglines were the video intros.” gives plenty of joke opportunities but doesn’t force you into it days when it’s hard to brain; calls out the special tier guys, gals, and pals; and allows you have meaningful audio while the long patron list scrolls past. i would also like to contribute to the sentiment of “all music is taken from the game we’re playing.” and i think it’s a good idea to always put the game title in the video title, even if you put a joke at the front of the video title. for search reasons. also outtakes are a thing that people always enjoy. i personally love the logo-integration-into-a-game-screenshot thumbnail; if you wanna stylize the logo that’s fine, but keep it present and integrated. okay that’s enough for now lmao.
lastjjune
2025-10-05 06:19:47 +0000 UTCI know this is a little detail but I loved the “all music is in-game music.” And then a little joke relating to the game
AtticSalt
2025-10-04 08:27:31 +0000 UTCI would love to see the links to the games come back
Josh Harding
2025-10-04 01:26:26 +0000 UTCI would love if you brought back the old style thumbnails of your logo and the game logo in the thumbnails. Also the poll for your autism diagnosis you mentioned in the podcast is really funny idea and the I think the Sims 4 Saudi video would be really funny and help highlight the buyout to many people who probably have no idea
AtticSalt
2025-10-03 22:27:34 +0000 UTCMaybe this isn't necessarily with the theme of your post. But I really like the podcats with you, Matt and John, I'd love that to make a return
Adam Braybrook
2025-10-03 17:41:05 +0000 UTCi think jokes in the video titles like you did for a brief time around i think 2017 would be great
jerk_arthr
2025-10-03 16:51:30 +0000 UTCI really liked the edited twitch stream videos, I try and catch streams but I often can’t and it being an edited video is easier to watch and rewatch in future
Daddy Driffill
2025-10-03 14:58:36 +0000 UTCI'd love more Rebecca on the channel (only if they wanted to of course!) but your co-op stuff is always the best <3
Snizzbut
2025-10-03 13:37:44 +0000 UTCWould you consider selling any/all of the art prints digitaly?
Lewis Corby
2025-10-03 12:57:26 +0000 UTCMACHINIMA INTRO!!!!!
Ross Stewart
2025-10-03 12:48:54 +0000 UTCBring back the livestream highlights videos you were doing a little bit ago. Also, I hope HighlightsCubed is doing well.
Ethan PT7
2025-10-03 10:33:52 +0000 UTCI love whatever you do Dan but adding jokes at the start would be really good and someone said in the comments about loving the IRL footage and camera work in the opening to Umamusume Pretty Derby, I loved that too and would love to see something like that again in future videos.
Emma Goodall
2025-10-03 09:37:43 +0000 UTCCan we have a bloopers or outtakes video every do often. But I'm here for your Dan. The way you create jokes and have a laugh is what brings me back 8 years later. Just be you.
Dave's Venture Studios
2025-10-03 06:15:01 +0000 UTCAlso more collaborations!
Jack (Chat Cast) Bantock
2025-10-03 05:48:23 +0000 UTCI think bring back a survival Minecraft series like the old days, that would be pretty cool. Definitely think jokes in the titles would be funny too
Jack (Chat Cast) Bantock
2025-10-03 05:47:40 +0000 UTCCause yes generic footage from the video is nice and all, BUT FLOOFERS!!
T-Fyre
2025-10-03 05:37:37 +0000 UTCUse videos of the pets as the backer names backgrounds for the outros! I'd love to see little Matilda running around or cuddling comfy, or the chickies being curious little raptors!
T-Fyre
2025-10-03 05:37:07 +0000 UTCNot video related, but: I always really enjoy your podcasts, I've listened through PodCats (RIP) like 4 times, it's the main reason why I became a patreon member in the first place. So I'd personally like to see them more regularly. I really enjoyed the first episode of Cube & Rectangle and can't wait for ep. 2.
Cédrick
2025-10-03 02:05:32 +0000 UTCI wonder if you have looked into something like Nebula as an alternative to YouTube given its, well, everything. Unsure what it’s like creator side, but as a user it’s much nicer to use than YouTube.
Thomas N Wyndham
2025-10-02 23:59:46 +0000 UTCSomething I’ve been really enjoying watching and rewatching Peacemaker are the puns in the titles, so that could be fun to go at the start
Texta 217
2025-10-02 23:41:33 +0000 UTCDan Bull intro music again? I miss that.
Edward Anchak
2025-10-02 23:09:05 +0000 UTCI used to love the bricking it series etc of you showing off your lego sets that would be nice to have back if possible. Understand probably with the moving etc it might not be possible but thought id ask. Glad to hear things are going a little better for you guys too!!
Leon Allen
2025-10-02 23:03:10 +0000 UTCPlease carry on with the Hitman permadeath and another series of RTX Minecraft!!!
Tom Scrimshire
2025-10-02 22:42:08 +0000 UTCgenuine suggestion can you bring back the "month of" series ? i really enjoyed it back in the day
Alyssa Gordon
2025-10-02 22:12:08 +0000 UTCjokes in the title is a great idea !
Alyssa Gordon
2025-10-02 22:11:13 +0000 UTCwe'd be there for decades
Alyssa Gordon
2025-10-02 22:09:25 +0000 UTCYour completes series used to have a joke or a reference in the title. Nothing too spectacular, just a joke/reference/funny moment from the video (my favourite is Fallout 4 gone sexual)
Jonathan Rowe
2025-10-02 21:34:13 +0000 UTCTo be clear I think you work better with someone who is the straight man to your wacky personality.
Iain Christie
2025-10-02 21:28:45 +0000 UTC1. I find that the YouTube channel "@IsThisAStep" has some enjoyably informal and humurous titles for their videos - What is funny / eye-catching / creative to you? Take inspiration from that and run with it. 2. The bit of IRL footage and camera work in the opening to "Umamusume: Pretty Derby" was excellent - I'm a sucker for 4th wall breaks - more of that, please - setup a camera on a tripod ahead of time so that if inspiration sparks you already have the equipment basically setup up to make it happen? 3. You've mentioned you do a Windows re-install quite regularly to keep your PC being fresh. Try to automate as much of that as you can (re-installing software / settings, etc.). 4. Generally, embody a mise-en-place / "eliminate toil" / "automate" attitude. The Google SRE (Site Reliability Engineering, a software dev thing) book has a good definition of "toil" https://sre.google/sre-book/eliminating-toil/ - anything that fits the definition, just automate it away so you can focus on creative bits and life. I/we don't really know your workflow(s) but... I would imagine things like: Script (computer script not writing script) or create shortcuts for performing regular tasks; automate rendering pipelines; prep cameras and games ahead of time; create an RSS feed of game-related articles and posts that you can just look to gain inspiration for what next game to play/video to make; Make the work of going live on Twitch/YT, as simple as running a script or two.
Harmelodic
2025-10-02 21:11:52 +0000 UTCadd star wipes
Harry Gilson
2025-10-02 20:59:41 +0000 UTCI quite liked the Nerd3 Challenge videos when they were a thing, it'd be nice to see something similar to that because I genuinely found them absolutely hilarious. Plus it could be a nice way to add some diversity too whilst still being in a let's play format, you could also take challenge suggestions from the Patreon as well! Or idk, add more horses to the videos
Charlie Brown
2025-10-02 20:32:28 +0000 UTCVideo idea: Nerd3 Plays Burnout 3: Takedown until they make a remaster in the style of THPS 1+2 (with the original soundtrack)
Tom Spencer
2025-10-02 20:04:14 +0000 UTCI would love more Q&As on Patreon :)
xjxsephxinsanityx
2025-10-02 19:53:58 +0000 UTCBring back more collaborations with other YouTubers (it benefits you, the other YouTuber and your views) also can you do more scripted conten like the VR interviews friend thing and also Bring back more 3 games Fridays. Little and cubed was so funny, in my opinion your comedy works better with a "straight man" partnership.
Iain Christie
2025-10-02 19:51:24 +0000 UTCI know its probably a little out of your control but it'd be cool if the Podcast with mike was on a consistent schedule
Beans123
2025-10-02 19:46:56 +0000 UTCMystery Videos were quite fun, bringing those back might be interesting
ALLAN
2025-10-02 19:41:06 +0000 UTCI think doing a joke in the video title is the way to go as it sticks in the audience's mind more (I love "Drowning a Sonic Mascot" for example). I personally wouldn't change how the logo is displayed on the thumbnail because that feels like too much of a divergence. I also miss the "All other music is in game music. It makes me want to xyz" A stupid idea is to do something like spell out "Nerd³ is on Patreon" in chicken feed and then have that as a video opener (if you want to be fancy play it in reverse so the message appears from the chickens)
Fionnuala Munro-Legg
2025-10-02 19:36:24 +0000 UTCI massively miss your on topic announcements when playing airport Sims. I'd love a tannoy announcement based on the upcoming video. Always gets a laugh from me
Amy Ravenwood
2025-10-02 19:35:03 +0000 UTCYes! Exactly what I was saying too! :D
Sophie Wyllie
2025-10-02 19:35:03 +0000 UTC100% on 'uncut' Nerd³ Plays Just Cause 2 'Uncut' anyone recall?
FreedomUK482
2025-10-02 19:24:23 +0000 UTCBring back nerdcubed flushed!
Daddy Driffill
2025-10-02 19:22:04 +0000 UTCChange the logo
Kyrja
2025-10-02 19:17:44 +0000 UTCWhile you're setting up a template for your typical videos, you should also set up a 9:16 one for TikTok/YouTube shorts. Aside from making those Countdown/Whodle shorts breezy to make, you could advertise a video by taking a joke/clip from the weekly video and tossing it into the 9:16 template with a bumper at the end to point folk to the channel!
Jack Stratton
2025-10-02 19:16:49 +0000 UTCI know it's a stretch but prehaps on the subject of titles, Go less formal so instead of Nerd³ Plays(or whatever) just put the name of game, podcast or project followed by some some sort of 'mad sh*t'. I guess I am sort of describing your 'Have a joke as a title' but I've seen other channels(deffo don't go to extreme and very not you) take this more laid back approach. e.g I've seen titles with no capitals? or (prehaps this doesn't apply to your channel) but maybe the title could be a question? (What do you get when you mix a ... with ... ? Amazing?!) As for thumbnails I alredy am a MASSIVE fan of how you've been doing them since Train Sim 2012! I'm not personally a fan of leaving no thumbnail and it just being an image from the video. But as for the titles. GO MAD!! Then of course then theres the logos, ohh so many. I love it and it shouldn't change. (Changing the logos every 2-4 years I mean) It's essentialy 'Nerd³ Seasons' at this point. Keep up the hard work, Lots of Love to You, Rebecca & The Family. Xx
FreedomUK482
2025-10-02 19:16:32 +0000 UTCI always appreciate a good title joke or pun but I'd always keep the logo as a key part of the thumbnail because it's easy to know immediately that's a nerdcubed video and even what era based on the logo
Joel Esson
2025-10-02 19:13:42 +0000 UTCSuggesting that the audience could think about a new logo and also saying a new logo is out of the question in the same post is the kind of brand consistency you need to maintain In reality though, I think a happy medium between the N³ status quo and the shakeup that the YouTube gods demand is that both little jokes and puns in the titles is a good idea (and a piece of me always misses the "this game wants me to..." quips) as well as sacrilegiously moving from the big fuck off Nerd³ logo as the centre mass of thumbnails to creating a top-left corner indent that holds the new logo icon and the multi-coloured curving elements - this could let the elements of the game / video themselves take front and centre whilst maintaining the N³ branding charm Or, do none of this and start a bakery with logos burnt into the toast? Both are viable options
Sam Ph. (SalmonSun)
2025-10-02 19:10:46 +0000 UTCJokes in the title would make sense if you want to make a change (the old one I always remember is "Erections" for Project Highrise...) but I genuinely can't think of anything I'd want changed. (Also, once you're back to making videos, I'd love to see you play Jetrunner! Very Mirror's Edge-y.)
Etho Burrow
2025-10-02 19:08:18 +0000 UTCI enjoy the titles of some of older videos, "Nerd³ Attempts to Circumnavigate the Globe - FSX" or "Nerd³ takes Ashens to Hell" for example. It was fun and I think allowed for more of a showcase of your humour than just "Nerd³ Plays." But that's just my 2 pence!
Jack Robertson
2025-10-02 19:06:22 +0000 UTCGenuinely (aside from the optimising of processes) cant think of anything... but an 'uncut' version of plays videos as a patreon exclusive so we can get every single joke - if it hits or not definitely wouldnt go a miss. Also a new logo evey single video, cheers
FLUTE SALAD
2025-10-02 19:04:21 +0000 UTCWriting and jokes are you strength, so why not add a written joke at the start in that blank space, but in the style of a loading screen hint/fact from every video game ever?
Peter Barrett
2025-10-02 19:03:44 +0000 UTCI thought were about to suggest to theme the logo to the video, like what Warner Bros occasionally do to their logo at the beginning of their videos, like a metal gear solid nerdcubed logo or an umamusume nerdcubed logo.
Craig (CraigUntlNytTym) Penfold
2025-10-02 19:02:34 +0000 UTCI think an abstract at the beginning of videos would be very useful.
BreadThatIsBread
2025-10-02 19:01:13 +0000 UTCBecome Doctor Who show runner? Please… also another logo is not necessary Dan 😂
Ben Gregory
2025-10-02 19:01:04 +0000 UTCI think jokes in the title is a good idea and maybe when you are advertising the patron at the start have a joke some where sort of like the minecraft splash text
Josh Harding
2025-10-02 18:59:59 +0000 UTCI really really liked the old title format of "NerdCubed does xyz" or "NerdCubed is xyz", usually a little joke related to the video. They were fun and really distinctive.
Sophie Wyllie
2025-10-02 18:58:57 +0000 UTCMove to America and become our king! That'd make for some interesting videos. We have nowhere to go but up......I hope.
Eddie
2025-10-02 18:58:19 +0000 UTCRebrand to BirdCubed
𝙹𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚂𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚘𝚗
2025-10-02 18:58:01 +0000 UTCI agree changing the logo once is the wrong idea, what you should be doing is every month coming out with a new logo, getting progressively closer and closer to the original logo so within 6 months it’s just the original logo
Daddy Driffill
2025-10-02 18:57:48 +0000 UTC
