If runspeedrun is going to be more than just me sweating in my basement while my family wonders why I’m yelling at a TV, I need a plan. I need to turn my basement into a broadcast studio.
If I am going to suffer, I want it to look crisp in 4K.
The PC
I have to start with the brains. I have been building PCs since my Junior year of college. I managed to explain to my Dad how much cheaper it would be if I bought all the parts and assembled it myself. I think he was so impressed by my spirit that he agreed to pay for it even though he already bought me one my Freshman year.
I do have a fairly powerful PC already, but the storage was lacking and the speed of editing 4K videos wasn’t great. I started looking at new builds and managed to find myself stuck in the middle of soaring RAM prices.
I also love RAM. For my Freshman year Gateway PC I upgraded to 192 MB. I remember the Gateway rep asking on the phone why I would need that much RAM.
The Visuals
I need viewers to see the pain. One webcam isn’t enough.
- Camera A (The Agony): A high-quality mirrorless camera focused on my face and chest. Capture the intensity and pain in my eyes.
- Camera B (The Context): A side-view action camera. This proves I am actually running and not just bouncing up and down in front of a green screen.
- Camera C (The Proof): A dedicated camera pointed at the treadmill console. Integrity is everything in the speedrunning community.
The Data
Watching a guy run is boring. Watching a guy run while his heart rate creeps toward 180 BPM during a boss fight is drama.
I need telemetry. I have a Garmin Instinct Esports Edition. Why? Because it can broadcast heart rate data directly to OBS. I want an overlay on the screen that shows exactly how stressed I am. When I am one hit away from death in Hades, I want the audience to know that my heart is trying to escape my chest.
The Audio Problem
Treadmills are loud. Heavy breathing is gross.
If I use a standard desk mic, the stream will sound like a jet engine taking off. I need a wireless lav mic clipped to my chest. Something like the DJI Mic that can isolate my voice while I’m gasping for air. I’ll need aggressive noise suppression filters in OBS to make sure you hear my commentary, not my footsteps.
Next Steps
I have the shopping list. I have the space in the basement. Now I just have to assemble it, configure the software, and physically prepare myself to run a 10K while fighting Mike Tyson.
What could go wrong?
