Shadowing Practice: Practical Advice for Creative Projects - Extra Credits Gaming - Learn English Speaking with Video
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So, when I first met James, I remember asking him how he knew a game idea was a good one, and how one even comes up with a good game idea in the first place.
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Turns out those were two questions he got asked a lot, and boy, was he ready to answer them.
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And honestly, those answers have stuck with me for a long time now, as just some really clear and practical advice for anyone before they start making a video game, or really any creative endeavor,
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in order to have them end up with the best possible thing at the end.
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So, today, I thought it'd be nice if we shared them with all of you.
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Thanks so much to Trade Coffee for being the best creative fuel us caffeinated beings could ask for.
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Okay, let's start with the question of how do I come up with a game idea?
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Because that one's kind of easy, right?
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You probably have dozens.
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So to start, write down ten of them.
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Make them short, of course, a paragraph or less, like an elevator pitch for a publisher kind of thing.
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Next, I want you to write down ten more.
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Got them?
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Okay.
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And lastly, one last batch of ten.
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Now you're getting to the weird stuff, right?
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The stuff that's probably truly original, because you've run out of the things you've seen before, and at this point you're really stretching.
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And it's in this place of originality and weirdness that inspiration often does come.
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Also, do not worry about these ideas being good yet.
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I mean, Ayn Rand underwater shooter, a hedgehog but really fast, or a fantasy adventure where you shout, These are not really good ideas.
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Heck, they're only slightly less insane than an Italian stereotype who takes mushrooms and jumps on turtles.
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And the fact that they're not good ideas is totally okay, because in truth, it's execution, not the idea itself, that ends up making a good game.
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So the real answer to the question of how do I know if my game idea is good is actually another question, can you execute on it in an interesting way?
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And that right there, friends, James can give you real practical advice on.
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First, take each of your ideas and ask yourself, what's the unique selling point?
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What can this game offer that no other games do?
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What can you present the players that they haven't seen before?
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And any idea that you wrote down that doesn't have a clear answer to those questions can be crossed off your list.
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Next, envision a snapshot of the game.
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Does it have something visually unique for the player?
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A character they'll love, an art style that they'll recognize from a mile away?
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Maybe an area that will just sweep them off their feet?
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If you can't envision at least one incredible visual for a game idea, cross it off the list.
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Now try to think of the first five minutes of your game.
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How do you see them playing out?
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Can you show the player what's interesting about your game in those five minutes?
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Will it grab them?
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Or is it so complex that you'd have to play for 10 hours before you really get to the good bits?
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If there's nothing you can make compelling in the first five minutes, you guessed it, cross it off that list.
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Next, I want you to look around you at the people that will be making the game with you.
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And that could be metaphorically if you're working remotely.
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What are the skills of your team, even if that team is only you?
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What's everyone good at, right?
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Does your game idea highlight those skills?
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Because if you're telling me your game idea is something like werewolves in zero gravity, and you've got no one who has any idea how to do something like fur physics,
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then you should possibly cross that idea off the list too.
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Or maybe you have an amazing art team, but only one engineer.
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Well, then the idea you choose should probably showcase the art and not be too programming intensive. And anything
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that doesn't fit the bill of your team skills can really
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be just moved into your games to be made in the future bucket.
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Along those similar lines, you should be thinking about your timeline and budget.
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Think about your idea, right?
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Does it require a lot of content for the player to enjoy?
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Or is it really more about replayability and mechanics?
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If you've got a smaller budget or a tight schedule, at this point you can cross off all of the open -world games and all of the MMOs from the list.
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But it actually does go deeper than just those things.
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Because imagine your game idea.
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Does it need a ton of levels and enemies for the player to really enjoy it?
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Well, if so, then that's not what you want to be making with a small team on a restricted schedule.
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Now try to think about the end of your game.
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The denouement, if you will.
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Can you think of a truly memorable way for the player's experience with your game to end?
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Will the final bit of the narrative stay with your player forever?
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Will it make them weep?
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Will the end be so epic they can't help but spoil it for all of their friends?
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Will it pose a question that makes the player think about existence in a new way?
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If you can't come up with a good ending for an idea, then at this point, it's probably not the right one.
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So cross it off the list.
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Next, ask yourself, who is my audience?
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The more specific you can get here, the better.
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Is it grade school children at recess?
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45 -year -old man on bike rides?
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FPS players who like puzzles or puzzle gamers who just really like to shoot stuff?
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And hey, sometimes the audience is just you.
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And that's okay.
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But at this point, if any of your ideas don't have an audience jumping out to you, something's probably off.
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So if you're stumbling here, this is also a good time to cross some ideas off the list.
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After that, let's take a detour back to budget land for a moment, kinda.
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Because now it's time to ask yourself what your game is worth.
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What do you think a reasonable price point is for any of your ideas that are left?
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This of course is a bit harder for free -to -play or ad -supported games, but in those cases, just ask yourself, how much do you expect the median player to pay?
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Does that number make sense with your budget?
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Does this idea sound like a one -hour walking simulator, but it also needs to be so visually stimulating that you need a $10 million budget?
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Are you really getting a million people to pay $10?
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Are your Steam reviews going to be filled with people saying, $10 for an hour of playtime?
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What a ripoff!
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So, would you really then need to sell 10 million units for something like a dollar?
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Does that seem realistic?
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If not, or if the clarity just isn't there, it's also back to the drawing board.
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Oh, and I should probably mention here, remember that your publisher and your platform holders are also going to take their cut as well.
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Finally, try and sketch out the moment where all of this comes together.
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Create for yourself one example of play that gathers everything that's unique and interesting about your game that we've determined above, and really sells the player on why this is great.
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Keep it brief, like describing five or ten minutes of gameplay.
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But do describe it for yourself in detail.
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Why it's amazing.
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Why it will leave them odd.
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Can you do that?
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Because if you can, you might just have your winner.
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Because really, anything can be an idea for a game.
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The difficult part is actually separating the ones that made it through your ideas list gauntlet, and the ones that got crossed off along the way.
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And that's done by thinking not about just the idea itself, but the execution.
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All of the things that determine what it's going to be like when it's brought to life.
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If you've gone through all of the above steps, you should not only have an idea that you're confident in, but one that you've really kicked the tires on.
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One where you've found the flaws and contradictions that require a little bit closer inspection.
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But more importantly, you should now be practically ready to pitch it to anyone.
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You know why this is good.
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You know who it's for you know what the budget needs to be.
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You know this idea is good, so go turn it into a reality.
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Though if you are feeling a little bit mentally pooped from this episode's creative exercise, might I suggest a pick -me -up from our friends over at Trade Coffee?
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We love working with Trade because the EC crew drinks a lot of coffee.
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They're this awesome subscription service
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that delivers fresh curated -for -you coffee from local roasters right to your door when and how you want it.
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And they use their expertise to map your specific taste against hundreds of different coffee flavor profiles, which is to say they help you find the perfect roast and grind just every single time.
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Case in point, Trade just matched me with a great blend from a local
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NYC roaster with a historically named reference on the front and everything.
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And not only did they grind it perfectly for my French press, but it showed up at my door fast.
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And I know that Jeff has been having a great time trying out all of Trade's dark, dark espresso beans because he totally doesn't have a problem.
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So if you'd like to join us in upgrading your morning routine with just way better beans, Right now, Trade is offering one free bag of coffee with any subscription.
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If you use our link, drinktrade .com slash extra credits.
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This is not a drill, people!
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Free coffee!
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You can sign up for Trade right here, you're gonna love it!
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And once you're fully caffeinated, check out another of our videos here.
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Once upon a time, Michael Hoggett, Koya Koi, Joseph Blaine, IzzyCoin, Dominic Valenciana, Arcalite Games, Angelo Valencian, and Ahmed Ziad Turk were the best legendary patrons!
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That time is now.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Practical Advice for Creative Projects - Extra Credits Gaming”. This video has 125 sentences and 1760 words to shadow. The speech runs for 8:08. The speaker talks fast, about 216 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 41 of its 125 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| caffeinated adjective | /ˈkafɪneɪtɪd/ | Containing caffeine naturally (e.g., coffee, tea, and cacao) or as an additive (e.g., soft drinks, sports drinks, or energy drinks). |
| envision verb | /ɪnˈvɪʒn̩/ | To conceive or see something within one's mind. To imagine. |
| roaster noun | Someone who roasts coffee beans; a company or place of business that does so. | |
| visually adverb | /ˈvɪzju.əli/ | By means of sight. |
| grind verb | /ˈɡɹaɪnd/ | To reduce to smaller pieces by crushing with lateral motion. |
| puzzle noun | /ˈpʌzəl/ | The state of feeling confused or mystified because one cannot understand a complicated matter, a problem, etc.; bewilderment, confusion; (countable) often in… |
| bean noun | /ˈbi(ː)n/ | Any plant of several genera of the taxonomic family Fabaceae that produces large edible seeds or edible seedpods. |
| subscription noun | /səbˈskɹɪpʃən/ | Access to a resource for a period of time, generally for payment. |
| publisher noun | /ˈpʌblɪʃɚ/ | A person or (especially) a company who publishes, especially books. |
| compel verb | /kəmˈpɛl/ | To overpower; to subdue. |
| contradiction noun | /ˌkɑːntɹəˈdɪkʃən/ | The act of contradicting. |
| curate noun | /ˈkjʊɹɪt/ | An assistant rector or vicar. |
| dénouement noun | /ˌdeɪ.nuˈmɑnt/ | The conclusion or resolution of a plot; unravelling. |
| detour noun | /ˈdi.toɹ/ | A diversion or deviation from one's original route. |
| espresso noun | /ɛˈspɹɛsoʊ/ | A concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come up with verb | To manage to produce, deliver, or present (something) by inventing, creating, thinking of, or obtaining it. | |
| cross off verb | To strike out; to cross out; to draw a line through. | |
| write down verb | To produce or set (something) down in writing; to record something. | |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). | |
| come together verb | /ˈkʌm tʊˈɡɛðɚ/ | To assemble; to congregate; to combine. |
| end up verb | To bring to a conclusion. | |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. | |
| look around verb | To inspect a building or area. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What can you present the players that they haven't seen before?
- How do you see them playing out?
- Does your game idea highlight those skills?
- Next, ask yourself, who is my audience?
- Does that number make sense with your budget?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have stuck · you've run · haven't seen |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | can be crossed · be just moved · are left |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | people that will · one who has · profiles, which is |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 35 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, you've, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: envision /ɪnˈvɪʒn̩/, subscription /səbˈskɹɪpʃən/, publisher /ˈpʌblɪʃɚ/, contradiction /ˌkɑːntɹəˈdɪkʃən/, snapshot /ˈsnæpʃɒt/
- Long words — get the stress right: caffeinated /ˈkafɪneɪtɪd/, visually /ˈvɪzju.əli/, contradiction /ˌkɑːntɹəˈdɪkʃən/, originality /əˌɹɪd͡ʒɪˈnælɪti/, stereotype /ˈstɛ.ɹi.əˌtaɪp/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like caffeinated, envision, roaster.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.