Ultra.
Casperr is a leading developer in the Streamlabs app store. They have created several essential apps for streamers, including the popular Memeboard and Guess My Drawing w/ Chat.
They recently released a brand new app called DVD Screensaver, a be-right-back screen that bounces around the screen. It’s a fun app that keeps viewers engaged while the streamer takes a bathroom or food break.
Thousands of streamers use their apps worldwide, and they are constantly updating and improving their products. Today, we want to highlight their work and ask Casperr a few questions about their company and their apps.
What inspired you to start developing apps?
I’ve been a web developer in my day job for nearly ten years now, and I’ve enjoyed watching streams and gaming videos since they became a thing. So I’ve always taken opportunities to combine those two interests. Be it community gaming project websites (such as the Team Fortress 2 Copenhagen Games website https://lan.teamfortress2.com/), Twitch Extensions, or Streamlabs Desktop apps. As it stands, I still work a day job at an agency (which I do enjoy), but taking the leap and working full time on passion projects related to gaming is something I regularly think about.
In addition to the DVD screensaver app, what other Streamlabs apps have you developed?
DVD Screensaver is my latest of 5 published apps, the others being: Memeboard, Annotate and Draw!, 8-Ball — Predict the Future, Guess My Drawing w/ Chat.
I am currently planning a large update to Memeboard as this is my first and most popular app, so I know there are some areas I can improve on, which will be appreciated by many streamers who use and enjoy it. I also have a couple more app ideas planned, which I am excited to get started on… as soon as I can find the time!
Outside of app development, what else do you like to do?
I, of course, enjoy gaming, mainly playing PC games and first-party Nintendo stuff. It always helps when developing when you are legitimately interested in what you’re developing for, so I spend a little time streaming (https://twitch.tv/casperrtf) and have also been making YouTube videos mostly about Valve’s TF2 for a few years now (https://youtube.com/casperr).
Any words of wisdom for aspiring app developers?
Try and find a niche you enjoy (gaming and streaming in my case, but this could literally be anything!) and try to identify a problem you want to solve. If you see a streamer doing something cool or a stream that you think is missing *something*, ask yourself — how could that cool thing be even cooler? Or what is this stream missing? And think about how you would answer those questions with an app or extension or whatever it may be.
DVD Screensaver was the answer to the question, “how can I make BRB screens more interesting?” — sure, it’s just a logo bouncing around, but I always think back to that scene in The Office, and I’m sure there are streamer’s chats everywhere using this app excitedly waiting for their streamers logo to hit the corner of the screen *just right* and explode in a chain of PogChamps — and the streamer didn’t even have to do a thing.
What do you think is the most important thing for a successful app?
As I said in the last answer — try and build something that is solving a problem, filling a gap, or in some way enabling a streamer to do something that would otherwise be difficult, time-consuming, or even impossible to set up otherwise. One of the main strengths of Streamlabs Desktop apps is the fact that they are built into the streaming software. Sometimes plucking up the courage to click the “go live” button is a big roadblock to streamers, so every way you can make their life easier is an opportunity for a win.
If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self?
Don’t be put off by having your early projects fail or be poorly received — creating rubbish is part of growing as a developer or creator of any kind. Everything rubbish you make will ultimately teach you valuable lessons and will be worth the time and energy to make better things in the future.