3 Hacks to Turn Your Board Game Night Into an Exciting Live Stream Event

In a tech-dominated culture, where triple-A games on stream run the gaming world, turning the spotlight away from your usual rotation offers a breath of fresh air, especially for the Twitch community. Don’t call it a comeback, but sitting down for some good, old-fashioned, fun with board games and tabletop roleplaying games is taking the industry by storm as people crave for a more tactile feel to their game nights. 

Seeing as people love to play with an audience, it’s no surprise that the mainstream resurgence of tabletop gaming opens up an opportunity to combine the best of both worlds: introducing the classics to modern pursuits by leveling up your board game night to a live streaming event. 

Setting up for a live board game stream (and note this is for in-person gaming rather than digital board games, if you want to go digital you should pick up the wonderful Tabletop Simulator) isn’t as straightforward as it might seem, since you need to spice up your game to make for an entertaining show. With that in mind, the tips below should help you take analogue board games on the digital map: 

Tip #1: Preparing the Set-Up For a Live Board Game or Tabletop Role Playing Stream 

Before anything else, you need to choose to go forward with the stream with one of two routes: the first is your classic way of tackling board game sessions, wherein you need two cameras. One should capture a wide shot of your players, the other a close up on the board or battlemat to let streamers see the action as it happens.

This is the usual set-up for YouTube videos, but for streaming platforms, you can make do with one camera angle to capture the view straight down the tabletop. This is the best approach for those who are highlighting the game, but putting the players at the forefront of your screen is better if you’re expecting plenty of discussion and interaction. 

Tip #2: Pay Attention to the Lighting and Audio 

There’s nothing more frustrating than watching a stream where it’s virtually impossible to keep up due to poor lighting and bad audio quality. Even with a high-resolution video, compromising the auditory aesthetic and lighting can keep people from immersing themselves in your live stream. 

Audio, in particular, holds more impact and importance than visuals as it can affect the viewers’ perception of your work. With that in mind, it helps to invest in a proper mic. Beyond ensuring that your voices are clear, some may prefer to use a soft cloth or dice tray to dampen the sound of rolling dice, while others welcome the sound as it adds to the atmosphere, even adding in a dice tower for added drama. 

Tip #3: Be Sure to Bring the Viewers Into the Room to Make an Engaging Live Stream 

Live streaming your board game night will definitely not go the way it usually does when you’re playing with your friends without any cameras rolling. Seeing as you are playing with an audience, adding helpful commentary, banter, or even investing in your character in story-driven games are some of the ways to add life to your sessions. 

It helps to invite the audience into the room and make them feel as gripped as you do – from putting them at the edge of their seats with horror-based board games to ramping up the tension with murder mystery classics. 

The Bottom Line: Crossing Platforms to Maximize the Fun of Playing Board Games Online 

Board games are making a strong comeback in the gaming community as more people are looking to roll the dice and immerse themselves in the classics like Settlers of Catan and more. While board games can turn your boredom around, why not take it further by sharing the fun in a live stream event? 

Looking to level up your board game night? If you’re on the hunt for gaming hacks that can power up your sessions with friends, Coaching For Geeks offers an insider’s look into tried-and-true tips, news, and updates that can boost your experience.