Chapter 5 : Thorough preparation

After that, I tested several things.

Various talents that can be considered virtual national standards.

I tried singing and drawing.

I played popular dance videos and followed along, then played popular games.

After that, I had a rough estimate.

‘Is this just transferring all the abilities I had when I was a guy?’

Surprisingly, it was almost identical to the stats I had when I was a guy.

Singing [★★★★★]
Drawing [★☆☆☆☆]
Dance [★★★★★]
Games [★★★★★]

Everything felt familiar except for the gender change and appearance buffs.

“This is a good thing.”

Although my singing and voice were a bit lacking, having one clear weapon was still a win.

Especially, games may not have the same powerful impact as singing, but it was one of the most well-received talents in the virtual streaming world.

There is no better content for wasting time than games.

‘If I were a guy, my game skills might be mediocre, but as a woman, it’s different.’

To be recognized as a good gamer in the virtual world, men have to compete with former pro gamers.

But as a woman, simply being average earns applause.

Similarly, there was almost no competition in dance compared to singing.

If used properly, it was a talent with clear merit.

“Now, I’m starting to get an estimate.”

I visualize the elements I need to appeal to viewers on my first stream.

With flashy videos and a neatly prepared PPT, I could give a completely different vibe compared to the early virtual streamers who just came in haphazardly.

‘Above all, it’s important to seize various issues first.’

October this year was the time when Pangea TV’s virtual world really started to grow.

In other words, it was the easiest time to build a loyal fanbase.

If I missed this opportunity, I’d have to compete more fiercely with the wave of virtual “new girls” coming in later.

“I’m going to prepare thoroughly and make a big hit. Aja aja!”

The pride of being a 4-year amateur in the virtual streaming world flares up.

It took exactly a month and ten days.

That was the point when I barely passed my debut.

Who evaluated that?

It was my own self-assessment.

It might seem arrogant for someone like me, a mere keyboard warrior viewer, but I have information about the future.

The first area I reached out to was the avatar.

Since there was a lack of both time and money to create an original, I made a decision.

Based on the most popular avatar during the audition, I chose a custom avatar inspired by “Yume.”

I even asked a writer, one of the top three popular artists, BebeTtang, later known as “Kim Ibe,” to help.

• Original by Kim Choco.
• Facial by Lee Ji Yong.
• All-rounder by BebeTtang.

In three years, these famous names would be so booked up that getting in touch would be hard, but at this current point, when the virtual market hadn’t fully settled, if I paid enough, I could expect kind after-service.

‘Avatars are important. Really.’

Since 2023, virtual streaming began to gain real popularity, and there was a trend where everyone, new and old streamers alike, debuted as virtual characters.

Many existing streamers, even those with small following, completely revamped their broadcasts and re-debuted as virtual characters.

Because of this, it was common to see streamers using free avatars from the avatar booths, and whenever I saw them, the gallery would be filled with angry posts.

• Rainy debuted as a virtual.
• Took the same character from Maru. Ha ha, no conscience.
• L: They’re just in it for the one-shot virtual hit.
• N: No sense of professionalism. If you’re a full-time streamer, you should at least do some market research and invest. Just grabbing a free avatar and saying, “I’m virtual now?”
• N: An avatar is like store décor. Would you go into a shop with spider webs on the ceiling, dirty floors, and a rickety door? Broadcasting is the same.
• N: If your broadcast goal is clear, at least get a paid avatar, facial work, and debut properly. That’s professional.
• N: Hehe! Sweet men, please don’t get angry, donate candy to the virtual.

I had a similar view.

The ugly avatar that appeared on the thumbnail alone created a high entry barrier.

In fact, streamers using pretty avatars with matching facial features were quite popular, even if their singing skills were poor.

Because humans rely the most on sight out of all senses, in the virtual world, the avatar was definitely the priority element.

‘Next after the avatar is the equipment.’

A computer is a must, and facial recognition requires an iPhone, audio interfaces, microphones, etc.

I wanted to buy the best of everything, but my available funds were limited.

I decided to prioritize the computer and go for cost-effective products for the rest!

I even installed soundproof walls in my room.

‘Honestly, sound setup was more of a hell than buying equipment.’

I realized that there’s a reason the job of a sound engineer exists.

Come to think of it, there were several participants in the audition who caused issues with their sound settings.

For this issue, I threw out any half-baked stubbornness and paid to hire a professional.

When investing, I had to be sure.

Sound settings are such a sensitive issue in the streaming world that the phrase “sound settings are a skill” was common, so I made sure it was done perfectly.

After that, my bank balance quickly dropped to 18 million won.

Ugh…………… If I want to create an original avatar and buy a full tracker, I need money!

With zero income and only expenses piling up, my hands started to shake.

Next, I planned to go to a vocal academy.

I wasn’t going to say some dream-like words about building it up from the basics.

I was all about extreme efficiency!

I enrolled in a vocal academy with the goal of completing exactly two songs in two months.

After all, two songs were enough for the audition.

‘There are too many talent-rich people in singing. I don’t have overwhelming skill, so it wouldn’t be efficient to keep focusing on singing.’

It was wiser to refine my broadcasting charm rather than just singing.

However, since I needed the material, I filmed and edited all the vocal lesson content.

Whew! The editor’s fee wasn’t cheap either.

Moreover, even during auditions, the expenses are no small matter.

All of this is an investment for the future.

With that thought, I soothed my aching stomach and worked hard to prepare for my debut broadcast.

I had already set up and decorated the broadcasting station.

“Everything’s good, but the promotion is lacking.”

September 2022.

PangaeaTV was still a barren land for virtual creators.

It was also the time when Star University was burning its final, brilliant flame.

Even the term ‘virtual streamer’ felt unfamiliar.

A few streamers occasionally played YouTube videos of famous virtual groups from RabbitTV on their broadcasts, but that was about it.

There wasn’t really a proper place to promote myself.

The Pangaea Gallery (Panbergal) didn’t exist yet, and it wasn’t like I could promote my PangaeaTV debut in the virtual gallery of RabbitTV.

“I have no choice. Let’s go to FMCommu.”

If the gallery was the dark side, FMCommu was the bright side of the streaming world.

Even though they’re both just communities, their scale is vastly different.

The view count for popular posts alone is dozens of times higher.

To explain further, FMCommu requires real names, so role-playing runs rampant, while galleries have no such restrictions, allowing for everything from R-rated content to harsh insults.

However, some galleries, like the Panbergal where I used to be active, were run with a sense of moderation depending on the admin’s disposition.

“Phew! It’s been a while since I wrote a promo post.”

What is this unfamiliar feeling?

Still, my fingers quickly started moving.

Just the promo posts I wrote after Lucy’s transfer could fill several pages.

Every time I did anything, I ran to FMCommu to write a promo post.

Naturally, I became incredibly skilled at attracting attention.

I had to be provocative to get even one more person to read my post.

“New streamer debuting tomorrow – all-in on PangaeaTV at the opening price!
Burying my bones in PangaeaTV.
The first and only pure virtual debut broadcast on PangaeaTV.
Don’t miss it.
☆☆☆ AM 08:55 ✩✩✩
https://play.pangeatv.com/272163625“

A short and intense clickbait title and content.

Currently, PangaeaTV’s stock price had been falling for five trading days, hitting new lows.

Investing my entire fortune at the opening price of such a stock?

Of course, it was bound to attract attention.

Within moments, the view count skyrocketed, and the likes and comments multiplied.

“I really pulled one off this time.”

Within a minute, my post was cemented as a popular post.

It felt like my three years of promotional writing had not gone to waste.

My skills are still sharp!

After reading through the sudden flood of comments, I realized it was time for Lucy’s live broadcast and quickly switched to RabbitTV.

I turned on my IP masking program and connected to Lucy’s stream.

“Hello, LucyFan! You’re early today, too.”

• Of course! Gotta clock in on time for my favorite streamer! But starting tomorrow, it might be a bit harder ㅠ

“Ah! Your debut is already tomorrow. Good luck! I’ll be cheering for you, too.”

For the past month, I had been religiously attending Lucy’s streams, gradually building a sense of familiarity.

What people often call ‘deep bonding.’

Normally, streamers should avoid this, but Lucy was still a rookie, just past her 100-day mark, and didn’t know any better.

The few viewers who knew I was a female aspiring streamer preparing for debut didn’t think much of it either.

Thanks to that, I quickly grew closer to her.

Of course, it was possible because I had spent three years watching her streams before my regression, understanding her personality and preferences inside out.

Getting close to Lucy, who is so shy, was no small feat.

After much effort, I even managed to exchange casual messages with her on Discord recently.

“Debuting on PangaeaTV, huh? That’s a shame. If it were on RabbitTV, we could do collabs and become streaming friends.”

• Hey~ We’re still friends even if we’re on different platforms! And you never know what the future holds! Lucy might even switch platforms one day?!
• Huh?! But PangaeaTV is a bit…
• I heard you can only do Star content there.
• They say if you don’t use a camera, you’ll get cursed at and shunned.
• I heard some people even pour soy sauce on themselves and do weird streams. The reputation isn’t great.
• Yeah, the top streamers there have been in scandals and stuff.

As soon as I mentioned PangaeaTV, the chat erupted.

It was quite a reaction for just 10 viewers, showing how deeply ingrained the negative perception of PangaeaTV was among RabbitTV fans.

This was only natural, given that RabbitTV’s growth was driven by streamers and viewers who had left PangaeaTV in the first place.

“It’s not going to be easy. Still, if Lucy ended up switching platforms early next year before my regression, it’s not impossible to convince her. But to do that, I need to earn her trust.”

If my debut on PangaeaTV succeeds, convincing Lucy to join would be much easier.

That’s why tomorrow’s debut broadcast is so crucial.

For me.

And for Lucy.