IamA Professional YouTuber & gamer, known as Drift0r, here to answer your questions about making a living playing games, YouTube, streaming, or anything else so AMA!

Do you even lift?

Not with any regularity. I have a tendency to lift for a week or two and then give up for a month. Repeat this for a few years and I never get into really great shape.

How is the dog :) and would you consider going back on pka?

My dog is getting fat. Like seriously. We are cutting back his food and increasing his exercise time.

I would go on PKA any time they want.

IF everyone on the internet uses adblock, do you still make money?

Not nearly as much.

Hey Brad,

I've been a follower and fan for a few years, and my favorite videos of yours are the ones where you talk about a non-gaming topic in depth. My personal favorite is the one you did on Hope, but recently I really enjoyed the one you did about dementia and the one about people who embrace stupidity.

Anyway, my question is whether we will see these videos more frequently? Have you considered a weekly/twice a month type series?

Unfortunately I can't do much more than one per week. These have a tendency to drive people away :/

Have you ever thought about making a second linked channel where you could post up more of your non-gaming videos without risking unsubs on your main from those who dont want it in their feeds? I'd definitely subscribe and by the sounds of it there are others who would too. Keep up the good work man :)

I very much so have.

On a scale of 1-10 what is your favorite color of the alphabet?

Sour

What is your favorite part about owning a doge, other than the looks?

I can take a crapload of meme-related pictures that Twitter loves. The doge is a constant source of laughter in the house. He gets lots of attention when I take him out in public. But most of all, he is a cool dog that likes to get petted while watching TV.

What's the legit name of that kind of dog?

Shiba Inu

You've spoken before about being a Christian, how did that all come about?

I didn't convert until I was 18. I was actually doing a lot of carpentry work and manual labor out in the heat. Probably a lot of Jesus. I had a lot of time on my hands to think about it so I decided to join. As for my beliefs, I answered that here:

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/28r177/iama_professional_youtuber_gamer_known_as_drift0r/cidlsqs

Hey Drift0r. First question is the most important one: Have you accepted Nicolas Cage as your God yet? /r/onetruegod

No.

Hey Driftor.

In your honest opinion, why do you think Ghosts never hit it off with the pub community and competitive community like Black Ops 2 did, and do you think AW will bring it back to the way it was on BO2 and kill it with things like League play and great competitive support in general?

Thanks.

Ghosts had a hard time off the bat. It had to launch on six different platforms along with being the one of the very first games on the the two new consoles. That is a logistical nightmare right there.

Launch problems aside, the spawns were bad. There were just very bad and while they have improved some, they are still not good spawns. The guns kill super fast; basically at MW2 TTKs. The public asked for this and then decided the didn't like it. Also, the maps were super cluttered. So many dark corners, weird areas, and camping holes. They had no flow or anything of the sort. I think the idea was to make it pub friendly but end the end it just got too messy. Also, most of the killstreaks are useless. Oh, almost forgot the instant death dogs and IEDs.

how often do you get recognized in public? is it awkward?

Once a month or two. Usually very friendly :)

Do you think Infinity Ward has learned from their mistakes in Ghosts (IEDs, high damage guns, MTAR silenced being stronger on LAN, no 3 lane maps, the list goes on)? And do you think that they now see the value in supporting competitive on a larger scale (i.e supporting it from day one with 3 lane maps, etc.)?

I think (and this is speculation) that Activision as a whole is seeing a lot of value in the competitive scene. You can see it in DOTA and League a lot. CoD competitive is growing and they are trying to encourage this organization wide. IW tried to support competitive but got bogged down in a million other issues related to launching on six different platforms. They did do a lot of fast gun patches though.

What do you want to do/achieve before you die? (Big fan)

Good question. A lot of people ask me what the end goal is and I don't truthfully know. This whole thing started on a whim and continued to exist through a series on improbable events. Just to be able to live a fun life, and retire normally would be great.

Live a normal life and retire to Iceland.

That would be nice.

You may have answered this in a video in the past, but why don't you do Battlefield In Depth?

Battlefield fans would not take advice from a CoD gamer no matter the basis of the tips. Also lots of hate for showing CoD gamers BF because they didn't want their game polluted.

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I really hate how toxicity is reinforced as cool in League.

Been following your gaming videos for a few years now. Awesome stuff!

What's your educational background? How did you make a living before youtube?

Edit: I can't read.

I got my first job at 18. Before then I just lived cheap. I saved my money from that job doing roofing work, went to school, and lived on the excess grant money. When the grants ran out my grandparents helped for a while. When that ran I was already well on my way with YouTube! Also had some financial help from my wife in dark times. It has been a rocky road but I paid my debts to family and friends; and kept my head above water the whole way.

What is the true on average view to profit ratio?

A single view is almost too small to count so we talk in terms of thousands of views. I'm contractually forbidden from discussing my true CPM but I can talk in generalities. FPS content usually makes between $1.5 to $2.5 per 1000 views. Minecraft is double that for some reason.

Hey Drift0r! Big fan! I really enjoy the philosophical/your life "in depth" videos that you've done recently What brought these about? If you don't mind me asking, and will we see more in the future?

Probably not. those cause mass unsubscriptions. I have do them sparingly.

That's kind of depressing to hear. I haven't seen your videos yet but I'll check them out.

Might be a bit late for a reply but what do you think the reason for this is and do you think a lot of these people eventually re subscribe or do you gain enough new viewers on a regular basis that it balances out?

Most people subscribe for CoD tips. They don't want to hear anything about determinism or entropy. Since YouTube is a free medium, people come and go all the time. It only takes one off content video to get people to unsubscribe. It does not balance out over time.

Would you rather play at a high level because of your knowledge of the game (Rambo), or play stupid, but really talented (Scump)?
Also, I'm 80% sure my friend only talks to me because he's a huge fan of you and I remind him of you. Frankly, I don't see it but others tell me I look like you. Ignore the half mustache, it's a scar from pasta sauce.

At high level due to knowledge. Knowing spawn rotations, gun weaknesses, player routes, and more wins games. Why does CoL/EG win so much? Because they have a master document with plans for every single team. They know what routes the enemies will run, what they will most likely open with, and what to counter with. The only lose when playing relatively unknown teams without well planned tactics.

But they also have tremendous amounts of skill. They blance the two, that's why they are so dominant. I agree though, I would rather be smart than skilled.

Well, obviously both would be best :P

What is your favorite Youtube related Expirence?

When my mother lost her mind and got lost in Dallas. I was on the other side of the country but I was able to make a video with info and a subscriber picked her up. She lived because of YouTube.

If your wife didn't want a Shiba Inu or any dog for that matter, would you have still gotten a dog or just be dog-less?

I would be dog-less. While my Shiba is an awesome dog now, h was the worst puppy I've ever raised. I've raised a lot of dogs and this Shiba was harder than all of the rest of them put together. It took over a year to train him properly.

What was your "life plan" before Youtube?
As in, the plan you came up with that would set up what you'd do for the next 60-100 years of your life.

Get a job, and become a CEO through my dual degree.

As most people think about the bad things that ghosts had, what do you think are some of the good things it had?

Excellent radar, best hit detection, excellent weapon customization options, dedicated servers, best DLC, and rapid balancing patches.

Can we get a noob vs. pro extinction live stream? I really enjoyed the blops2 zombies livestreams.

Maybe, but I've really fallen off the wagon with Noob vs. Pro.

Could you really not eat the banana without almost throwing up? Love the vids!

It was very hard. I had my stomach pretty well under control but it was not an easy control.

What hardships have you went through in terms of being a youtuber/gamer? How did they change the way you live your normal life?

Well, I got denied all kinds of loans, credit, mortages, and even rentals because I don't have a real job. I got turned down $50 credit at the spanish furniture store for a chair. Kind of depressing. Also, my taxes are a nightmare every year. There are plenty of stalkers and hackers but I have them mostly under control now.

Did you ever play Counter-Strike? Have you ever met swiftor?

I used to play a lot back in the day. I have net met Swiftor.

What made you start recording videos?

The ability to tell stories.

Hey Driftor, huge fan! What is the hardest part about maintaining your YouTube channel?

When I had $200 left in the bank, I was stuck with a network paying $dick for money, had bills to pay, all the while telling my wife everything was fine and that I would buy her a new house in six months. It was not easy to get a house in timeframe.

How did you get involved with Team EnVyUs?

iForePlayy recruited me to work for the Envy YouTube channel a long time ago. I initially turned him down saying I didn't want to join a kiddie clan. He was kind of enough to explain it was not a random clan and what they were. So I joined them and made content for the channel. They set me up with a lot of sponsorships in return. I kept working on the channel and supporting them even when money and sponsorships ran out. After a while when the team formalized my loyalty was rewarded with a percentage ownership.

As a leader in the CoD community, what do you think is a good solution to the quickscoping "controversy?"

Honestly, I do not have a clear answer. The best choice seems to be just make maps sniper friendly so that QS isn't needed to be a good sniper.

What do you love about your job the most?

I wake up at the crack of noon, rarely need pants, and have a ton of freedom with my schedule. Also, a lot of video game playing.

how do you get things like 'health care' and other perks that are provided in a standard job?

I have to pay for all of them out of pocket. Thankfully it is tax deductible. When my wife worked I was under her plan.

Livestreaming tips?

Always talk to your chat or about something. Ignoring them is a quick way to lose interest.

A little late but ill ask anyway!

As a current stay at home dad that would love to make money gaming and staying with my son all day, Where would you suggest i try and start? I own a pc and laptop... and what games are people actually watching?

Minecraft is huge. CoD, BF, and League for more PvP stuff. Let's Plays usually are newer games like Assassin's Creed. Funny stuff in GTA is good too.

Do you think it's wierd that I read all the questions in Ozzie's voice from that noob vs pro series and all the answers in your voice?

Not at all.

Do u have any advice for up and coming YouTubers?

Be patient. Make the best videos you can. Have fun making your videos. And remember that growth snowballs. Of course it will start out slow!

Hey Drift0r, so glad this is finally happening. Now I know that you primarily play CoD and LoL, but are there any other games you particularly enjoy playing in your free time? Games that are time consuming like Skyrim, or Dark Souls.

I love Halo single player and Mirrors Edge games. Planning a Mass Effect binge weekend some time soon.

Do you like Halo multi-player?

Oh yes. I loved Halo 3 multilayer and Halo 2.

Will you be doing any Halo 5 coverage (if it turns out to be a good game)?

Mist definitely!

What did that "Door Demon" show you in that episode of Ghost Stories?

I'll never tell.

Biggest fear?

Falling into a pit of acid.

What is your favorite CoD installment, weapon, and map?

CoD4, BO1 Akimbo Skoprions, BO1 Summit

Why do public players think that competitive support is a bad thing, in your opinion?

They see competitive as a dry and boring game

Have you ever considered joining Reddits top community Call of Duty community /r/redditblack? Also have you ever had any "Wow that was so wrong I can't believe I put that in one of my videos" type of moment?

I don't think I am good enough or tryhard enough. I do read through on occasion though.

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It is going to be much faster paced.

Where did the PO box series go???

I skipped an episode that 25 minutes long and have been behind since then.

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Not well. They overlap a lot. One of the things that helped was making a few videos ahead of time so that I can take a few days off. Also travel with my wife has a helped a lot.

What is your favorite weapon and map I'm CoD Ghosts and why?

BO1 Dual SKoprions and Summit.

drift0r do you remember me from twitter? K A V I?

Yes, I do.

When did you first get the idea to try and make a living out of gaming? and when did you find out that was even possible?

I had it as a money making hobby for a while but then I got desperate for more income and worked it as hard as possible. I had a wedding to pay for!

Will you be playing any Halo Master Chief collection when it comes out and/or make Youtube videos for it or stream it?

I do not currently plan to. Just waiting for Halo 5.

How long did it take for youtube to be a viable option as a career after you started to really put work into it? IE When was your "This is what I'm going to do" moment.

About 3 years.

What is your best tip for a starting gaming youtuber?

To have fun and do not expect instant success.

SERIOUS question, how did you get into this all, did you start just making videos for fun and found people enjoyed them? when did you realise that you were starting to get popular? 5 subs? 10 subs? 100 subs? 1000? if i were to start making videos and streaming what is the best advice you could give me? THANKS!

A friend asked me to join his "movie making clan". I did, and eclipsed the group so I joined another one called Euphorian Filmers. They started getting paid so I worked for extra spending money in college. I made videos before sub gain was the name of the game :P

If you started, I'd tell you to just have fun!

So i have not watched your videos before (will right after this post +1sub) but do you record purely off console or do you record pc gameplay as well? If you do record pc what program do you use and do you do one program for your audio and video or separate programs and use a synch que?

I mostly do console game play but about 5% of content is PC. For PC I use FRAPS most of the time. It makes big files and has few options but is the most stable and always works. For multiple audio tracks Dxtory is the way to go. It is amazing for live commentaries or multiple audios. Lastly, for anything with graphics and being live Xsplit is quite good.

Vector or Mtar?

MTAR for me.

How do you lucid dream?

Couldn't tell you. I do not lucid dream. I have semi-lucid dreams. I control myself and my body in the dream but almost never the situation around me.

Hey bro! Good to chat with you again. (We've met, doubt you remember me though.)

How does it feel to have a Cards Against Humanity card with your handle on it?

Keep doing great work, hope to chat with you face-to-face again soon, go EnVy!

Hard to remember you when I can't see your face :P

I find it quite funny when people show me how they used the card.

See you when I can.

:) Here's a selfie, then. (Mind you, it's almost nine months old and I've lost weight, but still....)

Hope to see you at an event soon. Planning on going to any?

Pax Prime?

Have you ever played an Ace Combat game?

Yes, but it was a long time ago.

Drift0r what r ur thoughts on destiny?

It should be a good casual game but I doubt it will be super competitive. Kind of like a space coop Boarderlands but with more emphasis on the coop.

Hey Drift0r! Long time fan here; What do you think of PKA? Good experience? Bad?

PKA was fun for me. I got to talk to other intelligent gamers and gained some subs from it. The chat comments though shudders

any opinions on the PKA drama recently?

Drama?

Wings getting kicked off the show. Woody claims Wings supported keemstar and also said something along the lines about raping Woodys wife and daughter.

Sounds like something I don't want to touch. I do know Wings despises Keem. Seems unlikely that they would work together.

What is your favorite video game of all time?

Silent Hill 2. Honestly, that game is amazing. You'll only really appreciate it on your second playthrough.

What is your approximate public KDRs for each CoD since CoD4?

Almost all of them are 1.15 KD. I spend 90% of my time doing weird classes or researching so my KD is not super impressive.

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4 hours

You said a long time ago that you might do a gay rights video, will you?

Maybe the next time I want to clean out 5,000 subscribers. Some videos are controversial on purpose to cull out racists and idiots.

I dont understand how someone can unsub because of something like this, do they really believe that their way is the only way to view the world and if you don't agree with hem you are wrong.

I live in the south and am personally agnostic, I don't care what you're beliefs are as long as you don't try to force them on me, but I cant even say this because people will alwyas go wtf dude what is wrong with you

^You just answered your own question. The Internet is no different.

Hey Drift0r, I was wondering what your opinion of Clan Wars is now that there have been quite a few, and if you believe clan wars should be in Advanced Warfare. Also, if you know, will it be in Advanced warfare?

At first clan wars seemed like a good idea, but then I saw the implications of it. Rewards are given for most wins. This means whoever pubstomps the most or wins fastest. No penalty for quitting and getting easier enemies. Also, full clans match up against randoms all the time. This makes it impossible to play solo during a clan war. Totally screws up public matchmaking.

PLEASE PLEASE Drift0r, next time you talk to someone who works with sledgehammer, pass this on to them! Clan Wars has ruined ghosts for me, and I sincerely hope they don't include it.

I will pass it on.

What are some of your favorite non video game YouTube channels and why do you like them?

BadgeofShame all the way. Joe's goes is hilarious. He deserves a million subs.

Just want to say that I really enjoy your vids. Keep em coming. Anyway, I want to know where did you get Ozy? My wife wants one now. Also, do you play fighting games? More specifically, Killer Instinct?

I got him from Spitfyre Shiba. You can look them up online.

I play Soul Caliber.

What is one of your guilty pleasures? Either with television or gaming.

Really trashy 80s movies.