Frequently Asked Questions

Pronounce it with a British accent. And think of the Q as a K.

or-kah-tah (you can also say or-kah-tuh)

These are incorrect:

• or-kwah-tah (There is only a "Q", not a "QU")
• or-kay-tah (TTS pronounces my name like this, but it's incorrect)
• or-kaa-tah (The American "a")

When I'm using Orqata as my V-Tube character (which is almost always the case), I do not use any voice changers. However, the accent is fake (acting).

For Reese Hearts (the male angel character) (rarely used), I use my real voice and accent.

For all other characters (extremely rare), I use a voice changer (usually Voicemod or Voice.ai).

It's more enjoyable/fun for me to use virtual characters than to use my boring and ugly IRL self. They are also more appealing to look at than me IRL. And they are far more interactive.

To clarify a couple of potential misconceptions:

• I don't use virtual characters to stay anonymous. You can learn a bit about me IRL by going to my business website.
• I don't use virtual characters for the sexual appeal. In fact, I rarely use female characters anymore. And even those are not designed to be obscene.

I don't get into a lot of the vampire mumbo jumbo that others do with Orqata. He was meant to be a fun Halloween character and nothing more. Most of the stereotypical (and sometimes disturbing) lore of other vampires does not necessarily apply to Orqata.

Here, I'll go over a some of the most common vampire tropes and explain if they apply to Orqata. (Red = contradicts traditional vampire lore, Yellow = slightly contradicts, Green = aligns with)

Feeding - Orqata eats human food. He does not feed on blood.

Undead? - No, Orqata can be killed. He is, however, 381 years old.

Reflection - Orqata can see himself; he is a living vampire.

Water Phobia - Orqata can cross streams and walk in the rain just fine. However, he can't swim and does not like being in large bodies of water.

Flying / Shapeshifting - Orqata can't fly or turn into a bat.

Garlic - Garlic is not poisonous to Orqata. In fact, he loves it!

The Sun - Orqata is sensitive to light, but the sun won't kill or burn him if he doesn't stay out in it for long periods of time.

Stakes - A stake to the heart will kill Orqata (like it will kill just about any being).

Religions/Cults - Orqata is Atheist and not involved in any religions or cults.

Religious Symbols - These have no effect on Orqata and will not harm him.

Magic - Orqata does not have any special powers or magic.

Spreading the Vampire - Orqata cannot turn others into vampires.

Accent - Orqata has a stereotypical vampire accent.

Clothing - Vampires are often depicted as wearing goth clothing and capes with black, red, and gold. Orqata also wears goth clothing and a cape. However, it does not have a large collar like most vampire capes do. Additionally, his cape is black, blue, and silver.

Cursed? - No, Orqata is not under any curse. He was born a vampire and always was a vampire. There is no tragic backstory explaining why he is a vampire. There is no way to "reverse the curse" or turn Orqata back into a human; there never was a curse, and Orqata never was a human.

Counting Obsession - Orqata does not have a counting obsession. However, he does sometimes mock or impersonate Count Dracula.

Romance - Sometimes, vampires are portrayed as romantic symbols. Orqata may develop crushes on others. However, he will never act on them. He has no interest in romance or love.

If you're into fun Halloween characters, then welcome to The Colony!

If cults, deep lore, religion, or the paranormal are your thing, then I may not be the V-Tuber for you, as I do not cover those. But you're more than welcome to check me out!

If, even after reading this, you are still prejudiced against me for having a vampire character, then it is probably best you find another streamer to watch. There are many to choose from.

You will see me use light mode for many programs on the stream (including Windows itself).

My eyes do not like dark mode; they prefer "book-like" reading (light mode but with the monitor brightness the same as my ambient lighting). Otherwise, I get headaches.

I use dark mode on this site and on most stream overlays for the aesthetic.

My streaming schedule is very inconsistent and shallow for a few reasons:

• I do not earn a livable income from streaming (right now, I don't earn anything). Therefore, anything that pays my bills (e.g., my job) will ALWAYS take priority over streaming. If work demands my attention, then I will cancel/reschedule streams to accommodate work.
• My life is unstable. Things change all the time. Life takes priority over streaming.
• My financial state is unstable and in flux. I will go on a streaming hiatus when my finances are in a critical state.

I am aware that the best way to grow is to be consistent. However, I literally cannot afford to be consistent right now.

If you enjoy my content, please consider making a donation; the financial support will afford me more time to stream!

You should check the "Schedule" page everyday as my schedule changes multiple times per month.

There are five main reasons:

• I am not an affiliate on Twitch; longer streams are detrimental to reaching that goal.
• Streaming does not pay my bills. It is nothing more than a hobby for me. Therefore, it is not economical for me at this time to do long streams.
• My voice starts to hurt after two hours.
• My focus also starts to deteriorate after two hours.
• Usually, I can only stream at night. And that leaves me with only a 2-hour available time window.

There are a few reasons I rarely stream gameplay:

• I have a classic seizure disorder triggered by photo stimulation; a lot of games, especially modern ones, are too flashy or have frequent and rapid scene changes.
• My financial situation does not allow me to purchase games regularly; any games I do play are usually limited to free ones.
• My interest in video games is quite low. I prefer more tabletop-oriented games.

While I almost always make VODs available on Twitch, Kick, and VPZone (for the duration they allow), I don't always make VODs available on YouTube. Furthermore, I may later delete a VOD from my YouTube that was previously available. Since videos are indefinite on YouTube, I do not want to keep videos on my channel that are not engaging.

A stream might not be published on my YouTube at all if any of these conditions apply:

• I did not make the stream available as a VOD on Twitch, Kick, or VPZone, which may happen for any of these reasons:
  • Something was exposed or said that should not have been
  • The stream was of very low quality or experienced major technical issues
  • More than a couple of minutes of the stream was flagged by Content ID
  • The stream violated the Terms of Service
• The stream was for subscribers only
• Barely anyone was interested in watching the stream live (sponsored streams are exempt)
• Licensing Agreements or Copyright
• Personal request by a guest on the stream

Additionally, a stream that I previously published on YouTube might later be taken down for any of these reasons:

• Delayed Content ID or Community Guidelines flag
• DMCA request, or a personal request by someone who was a guest on the stream or authored any of the content I used on that stream
• People are just not interested in it

Generally, the best way to catch me is to watch my streams when I am live.

(I do not ever make videos available as a VOD on Velora; they have the option to list YouTube VODs on your profile. I do that.)

Debut streams are something that many V-Tubers do. They are streams in which a V-Tuber either showcases a major change to their design, or they showcase a "grand opening" as a new V-Tuber.

I do not host debut streams. It makes no sense for me to do so as a tiny streamer. I'd rather make small and incremental changes over time to my design and my model than to hold them all off for a debut stream.

Usually, I don't announce changes except as a post on social media and a small mention on a stream. Unless the change is huge, I don't dedicate entire streams to new features or changes.

I cannot answer that question with confidence; I don't control how many people watch my streams. I can, however, give a hypothesis:

• I don't usually stream games. And when I do, they're usually niche. I have a seizure disorder. Most modern and popular games are too stimulating for me to play.
• I don't treat streaming like a job; it doesn't give me a worthwhile income. Therefore, I don't stream often, I don't post content regularly, and my streaming schedule changes frequently to accommodate work and life.
• I don't have a network of friends that I can promote to. I'm quite a solitary person.
• As of August 2026, I don't focus on Twitch as much. It's really not worth grinding for 50% payout when other platforms give higher payouts much sooner.

Be aware that it is against my channel rules to join my stream solely to discuss my viewership or affiliate status. If you are really that concerned, then I invite you to stay for the fun and help me grow! Otherwise, I ask that you kindly and silently find someone else to watch if I don't meet your viewership expectations.

Please consider following me so you get notified when I am live. Join my streams (and hang around for a while) when I am live. Join the NS-FW VTuber group Discord server to also get notified and to chat with me directly. And share me with your friends so they can join The Colony as well! All of these will help me grow my viewer numbers. Thank you for your support.

There are multiple reasons why I don't regularly make, edit, and post content outside of unedited VODs:

• I don't have the time to do so; I barely have the time to stream.
• I cannot justify hiring people to edit content for me; I'm too small of a streamer to get a good return on my investment.
• I don't have a trendy/viral persona.

Unlike every other platform that I stream to (which use U.S. Dollars), VPZone operates with Canadian Dollars.

While (for example) a sub on VPZone costs about the same number of dollars as other platforms ($5), they are in Canadian Dollars, which are worth about $0.72 U.S. dollars each.

If I receive 70%, then for every $1 CAD, I receive about $0.50 USD.

Therefore, I receive less monetary support from $5 CAD as I would $5 USD.

Monetary rewards are reflected in the amount of value in USD that your contributions provide.

Seiso

Generally, I recommend that you are a legal adult before watching my streams. This isn't due to my content being mostly mature. Rather, it's due to my lax moderation nature, and that my content may cover controversial and complex subject matters. I am going to go over the main categories of sensitive content and whether I have them on my stream (Red = Common, Yellow = Periodic, Green = Rare/Never):

• Religion, Politics, and Sensitive Social Issues - Sometimes, I will discuss these on my streams. Some topics may be very controversial or uncomfortable. I try to give a warning when I am going to be covering these (e.g., stream tags). I like discussing current events and debating things that are happening. I also like covering things that others are afraid to cover or may find offensive. I hosted talk shows in my past focused on this type of content.
• Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco - I do not engage in any of these IRL. Therefore, it is rare that any of these topics will come up on my stream. I may bring them up as part of a debate or current event.
• Gambling - I don't like gambling. It is very addictive. Scams often involve gambling. And in some ways, it can be seen as exploitation. Therefore, I do not engage in gambling on my streams. And I do not offer any gambling games in my bot.
• Profane or Vulgar Language - Periodically, you will hear me curse or say something mildly vulgar. However, I don't make that a regular thing.
• Sexually Explicit Content - Sometimes, I will discuss sensitive and controversial topics involving sexuality or sex crimes. I do my best to keep these topics serious and educational. Sparingly, I will make innuendos. And I allow the chat to make mild innuendos as well. However, I am not a "Lewdtuber". I will not entertain the sex industry or people's prurient interests. There are plenty of other streamers who do that.
• Violence - I do not depict graphic violence. I do not encourage violence. And I do not play violent video games. It is not my style.

Moderation

Remember that my community is not a "safe space". While I welcome everyone of all walks of life to check me out, there should be no expectation that I will censor certain content that others might find offensive or uncomfortable (be aware that "offensive" is not the same thing as "harmful").

I don't like the hyper-censorship direction that we have gone in on social media. Also, I am strongly against AI issuing moderation discipline automatically. As long as you follow my chat rules (and are respectful of others outside of my channel), you will be good. If you don't, then I will usually time you out the first time or two.

With that being said, I still have to use a moderate level of automatic moderation. Chat messages are displayed on my stream (and in my VOD videos posted to YouTube). As much as I'd like to limit how much automatic moderation that I use, I have to maintain my channels' integrities so I don't get in trouble.

Additionally, I use Sery bot (on Twitch) to protect against spam content and follower bots. I regularly remove followers who are probably bots. This includes accounts with no profile and very few (if any) followers. Please make sure that, at minimum, you have profile information on your Twitch account before following me.

I have a few reasons:

• I prefer more thoughtful messages in my chat opposed to rapidly sending multiple short messages.
• This gives me (and any moderators that I have) more time to react if necessary; I usually do not limit the chat to followers or subscribers
• It keeps the chat from scrolling at warp speed
• It deters people from farming for Ducats (every chat message earns Ducats for redeem commands)

I keep the Slow Mode time at a reasonable level (usually 10 to 30 seconds).

I allow them, but I don't treat them as raids (no raid alarms or rewards). Instead, I treat it as any other person tuning in normally.

There are two reasons for this:

• By definition, a raid involves two or more people, so I don't consider a single person a "raid".
• A streamer tuned in to their own stream (e.g., stream manager, which is frequently the case when starting a raid from Twitch) can technically solo-raid and therefore abuse the raid system.

I have more control over Ducats than I do channel points. Additionally, YouTube does not have a redeem system; Ducats allow YouTube members (when I stream to YouTube) to also use redeems and rewards.

For example:

• I cannot control how many channel points are awarded for different actions; I can do that for Ducats
• I cannot manually award channel points (e.g., donations, funny/helpful messages, stream games); I can do that for Ducats
• If someone gets timed out or banned for violating the rules, then I can also penalize some of their Ducats; I can't do that with channel points

The stream boss is intentionally difficult to defeat; I want it to be something that is exciting when it happens and not routine.

The stream boss is currently designed around encouraging these things; these are the easiest ways to defeat the boss at this time:

• Kick Subscriptions and KICKs
• Velora Subscriptions and Volts
• VPZone Subscriptions and Pixels
• Donations
• Interactivity during my live streams

(Twitch Bits/Subs do not currently deal damage because I am not a Twitch affiliate and do not get payouts)

For more information, check out the "Boss" page on the menu.

Some streamers prohibit self-promotion of any kind. Some will even go as far as to prohibit mentioning other streamers without them bring it up first. Other streamers are open about self-promotion and will allow their viewers (within reason) to promote their social media and projects.

I can see the benefits (and the cons) of both approaches. By restricting self-promotion, you keep your chat focused and on-topic with what you are doing (in the end, the stream is the streamer's, not the chat's). However, you might also shut out opportunities for you (and your viewers) to connect with other streamers.

I take a position in my community that falls somewhere in the middle of these two positions. I call it the "scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours" position. While I do prohibit self-promotion in my streams as a default (but I do not prohibit discussing other streamers so long as it's not to solely advertise them), the privilege to self-promote can be easily earned. This can be done in several ways: earn Ducats and trigger a relevant redeem for promotion or advertising (See "Redeems" on the top menu), or regularly participate in my projects (as a contributor) or my collaboration streams to get repeat free promotion.

I really wish I could be in favor of lurkers (on Twitch). However, Twitch has made that impossible (especially as a streamer who has not yet reached affiliate status).

Twitch drops viewers who do not interact with the streamer (or who watch more than 2 streams at the same time, or who use third-party tools to watch people). They also drop anyone they think is viewbotting.

Therefore, right now, I am against lurking (on Twitch). I encourage everyone who watches my streams to send a message in the chat periodically. That way, Twitch counts you as a viewer. And that will help me reach affiliate status. You'll also get Ducats (for redeems) when you chat.

Once I reach affiliate status, I will be more supportive of lurkers. I don't have a strong desire to aim for Twitch Partner. Therefore, after I become an affiliate, it won't be as detrimental to me if Twitch doesn't count a few people as viewers because they are lurking. I still prefer that people chat because it adds more interactivity to the stream.

Hardware

CPU - Intel I7-12700K

GPU - PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT

RAM - G.SKILL 32GB DDR4 3200MT/s CL16

PSU - CORSAIR RM750X FM 80+G ATX 2021

Motherboard - ASUS TUF GAMING Z690PLUS WF D4

Primary SSD - IPSG 2TB PERFORM NVME SSD W/O

Secondary SSD - TEAM T253 512GB

Secondary HDD - WDC WD10EZEX-00BN5A0 (1TB)

Case - LIANLI LANCOOL II MESH C MT PERF

Cooling - DEEPCOOL AK620 CPU COOLER

Primary Monitor - Predator 4K

Secondary Monitor - AOC 1080p

Keyboard and Mouse - Just a basic wired Logitech set

Microphone - Blue Yeti

Primary Camera (tracking) - CZUR Halo

Secondary Camera ("desk cam") - Logitech 2017 Brio 4K

Software

Streaming - OBS Studio with the Aitum StreamSuite plugin

Streaming Automation - Mix It Up

V-Tuber Rendering - Warudo

Audio Processing - Elgato Wave Link

Motion Tracking - Warudo or XR Animator

V-Tuber Model - VRoid Studio with custom and purchased assets

Desktop Mate - Mate Engine

Website - I wrote it myself (using PHP/HTML/JavaScript, Bootstrap 5, and Animate.CSS); some AI guidance was used (see the AI FAQ)

I don't use high-quality tracking equipment or an iPhone. I just use webcams. This is by choice. In my current financial state and my tiny online presence, I cannot justify spending money on tracking equipment.

As such, I experience the following limitations:

• I don't have good (if any) expression tracking.
• My mouth doesn't always react to when I'm speaking.
• If I have hand tracking enabled, then sometimes my arms will randomly jerk around. I think this is because the webcam is picking up on shadows (or my headphone cord).
• My eyes sometimes close or twitch at inappropriate times. IRL, I wear glasses. And when the frame gets between my eyes and the camera, the software thinks I have closed that eye.

It is a simple VRoid model with a custom outfit that I purchased through BOOTH. I made some small modifications.

I am not in the V-Tubing scene to showcase my skills in art; I am not an artist. I stream to showcase my skills in web development. And currently, I cannot justify spending a lot of time or money on a V-Tube model that wows the few people who tune in.

Meanwhile, I do try to improve the quality of the model by using post-processing in Warudo (e.g., LUT, shadowing, lighting, and depth of field).

Because DougDoug.

My Stance on Artificial Intelligence

TL;DR: I am neither pro-AI nor anti-AI. Anyone who takes a generalized stance without considering the nuances is doing it wrong.

I want to make it clear that not all AI is the same. There are good AIs and bad AIs. And a major factor in an AI's morality is how it is used and trained.

Am I against AI in general? No. AI can be a valuable tool for debugging code, coming up with ideas, synthesizing large amounts of data, discovering/flagging patterns, and performing tasks quickly. AI is also great for protein folding (and coming up with new vaccines/medicines) and helping doctors/surgeons.

Am I against generative AI? Yes (mostly). Generative AI is the primary culprit behind the loss of jobs, decrease in overall human creativity, and resource usage. Generative AI is also the big player in copyright infringement and plagiarism. With that being said, I would be lying if I said that I don't use (or never used) Generative AI:

I am getting rid of Generative AI from my projects. Also, I got rid of Generative AI from Orqata assets and streams (with a few exceptions; continue reading). However, outside of streaming, I use AI primarily for work. I have to. I work for an appraisal company. The appraisal industry heavily relies on AI tools in their workflow. The appraisal industry is an accountable one. We check and document everything that comes from AI. In my opinion, this is an example of AI and Generative AI done right. We don't blindly use/trust what the AI gives us. There are always humans in the workflow who make the final decisions. And AI is not taking over the jobs of appraisers. Personally, I still avoid using AI when I can. I turn to it when I am faced with a challenge that will take me too long to figure out on my own. Appraisals have deadlines.

Am I against using any form of AI to do the work for you? That depends. If it's a task that humans are fully capable of doing efficiently and quickly, then yes, I am against using AI to do the work for you. It's lazy, and you don't learn anything from it. However, there are some things that AI can do much more efficiently, quickly, and safely than humans (even if you are an expert). In those cases, I am fine with using AI to accomplish those tasks.

In any case, I have some strict moral principles regarding any use of AI:

• Do not use AI for illegal purposes (e.g., IP infringement, plagiarism, Deepfakes, malware) or for any purpose that would harm an individual or entity (e.g., revenge porn, misinformation, fake evidence)
• AI should never be used to replace the work of a human; it should supplement it. This is especially the case for moderation or management decisions (AI should never do more than flag things for humans to review).
• If you can afford to commission a human counterpart to do the same job, you should not use Generative AI for it, period, regardless of any other criteria here.
• If you use Generative AI, then any and all portions of your content utilizing AI should be free and non-commercial. Do not profit from AI because you are likely making a profit from stolen content (it is very hard to certify that AI has been fully trained on ethical sources that do not violate copyright regulations).
• The *only* thing you own from AI-generated content is the prompt you wrote (assuming you wrote the prompt yourself). Any and all content from the AI is not your intellectual property. This has been determined by several Courts, including the United States. There are no exceptions, even if the company's Terms of Service say you own it.
• Since you do not own AI-generated content, you are obligated to cite when you use it as if you are quoting content from another source. Otherwise, you are plagiarizing.
• If you train AI, then all content you use to train it should have been purchased in accordance with copyright regulations. Furthermore, you should get the permission of the author and pay all necessary royalties. If you cannot fully certify all of this, then at the very least, you have absolutely no right to offer your AI or its services for a profit.

AI Disclosure

Here is my disclaimer for where I currently use AI within the Orqata brand:

• Music: I don't knowingly use AI in music anymore. Usually, my music is from Tabletop Audio. I might also use StreamBeats or the Lo-fi generator.
• Channel Point redeem button images (Twitch): Imagen 4 or Nano Banana.
• The TGIF Show Headlines Challenge: Gemini Notebook helps me synthesize the latest news and come up with questions. I might also use it for synthesizing information used in topic discussions.
• Meditation and Harmony: I use Gemini Notebook to find and synthesize additional information about meditation to supplement my own knowledge and what I read from "The Meditation Bible" by Madonna Gauding.
• Saving Wallden: Imagen 4 and Nano Banana. However, I am in the process of replacing all AI assets with original assets from artists and musicians.
• Composr CMS: I'm the only active developer. And I do not get regular funding anymore for the project. Therefore, I have no choice but to sometimes use AI to help me debug or improve the code. I always review/test what the AI suggests (and make necessary changes).

Do my V-Tube models have any AI in them?

No. They are models from VRoid Studio. I edited the textures of their clothing in GIMP (I can do basic image manipulation, but that's about it). And I use Warudo for additional post-processing effects. The Orqata logo was constructed in Canva (I did not use any AI tools). The stream overlay was also made in Canva. The background videos/images on the overlays come from Pexels, Pixabay, or Canva. The flying birds/bats come from Vanta JS.

Do you use AI in the code for this website?

Not directly. I use libraries like Bootstrap and Animate.CSS for the styling and animations. And I found a JavaScript code example that I modified for the background stars. However, I coded everything else myself. I did use AI to help me with the Content Security Policy header and to help me with the page for checking your Ducats/stats (see Redeems, and click the link).

PDStig, LLC is my company. I use it to separate my business assets from personal ones when providing services (e.g., web development and hosting). I also use it to manage the finances and website of the Orqata "brand". Therefore, when you initiate a transaction (e.g., a donation, tip, or subscription), or if I commission you for something, you may see "PDStig, LLC" on the transaction.

PDStig, LLC is not a V-Tuber agency. It is a single-member LLC.

While I am happy for their success, I generally do not watch larger streamers on a regular basis. I gravitate towards smaller streamers. There are several reasons why:

• Larger streamers do not need my support. They already figured out the algorithms and are being shown in high-visibility areas of Twitch, Kick, Velora, VPZone, and YouTube. They are usually already partners, or at least affiliates close to partner status.
• Smaller streamers are much more likely to interact with their audience and their chat. Larger streamers usually limit their interactions to other larger creators and to those paying in bits/subs/etc.
• A smaller streamer will appreciate my presence a lot more than a larger streamer would. E.g., the difference between 19 and 20 viewers is much larger than 2,309 and 2,310 viewers.
• Larger streamers tend to only support and collaborate with other larger streamers; smaller streamers basically do not exist to them.
• Moderation in the chat of larger streamers is much stricter. Since many people are sending many messages quickly, moderators only have enough time to quickly see a message and issue a timeout or a ban if it is sus in any way.
• The content of smaller streamers is less likely to be influenced by corporate BS. Smaller streamers do not usually have sponsors. Therefore, their content is usually more genuine, authentic, and original.

I get it, some large V-Tubers and streamers are the exception. And I tip my hat in respect to the large creators who regularly support smaller creators out of their own free will and desire. However, I don't find this to be the majority of streamers. And there's a charm to smaller streamers that you can't get with larger ones (e.g., tighter communities).

The reality is that I cannot avoid getting doxxed. My personal information is publicly available online whether I want it to be or not (so you can't even dox me; it's already out there). That is because I operate an LLC company (PDStig, LLC). And "Orqata" is a project that falls under the company. Therefore, it is listed on my work portfolio website where you can easily discover my name and likeness (and if you search my company, you'll also find my address as well).

Sure, some evil sack of shit could find me and cause harm to me. But you are going to ruin your life by doing so. You will almost certainly get caught. There are cameras and eyes on you. At best, you will get away with your crimes in criminal Court. But you will be sued into oblivion to cover the damage and harm that you caused. At worst, you could get yourself killed when I defend myself.

Now, just because I'm not too concerned with my information being out there doesn't mean that you should follow my footsteps. Be very mindful about what you say and post on social media. You never know when someone wants to stalk you, Swat you, harass you, assault you, or even kill you. People can be cruel and diabolical. Stay safe out there!

Here is an overview of why I stream to each platform that I do (and the problems with each platform):

Why I stream to Twitch

Twitch is the "golden standard". Most streamers and viewers use Twitch. Additionally, I often cover pinball content. And the pinball communities to which I belong usually use Twitch.

But Twitch doesn't have a golden record despite being the "golden standard". They've allowed domestic violence and sexual assault to take place live on stream. Sometimes, they would do nothing (or just give a short suspension). Meanwhile, they target V-Tubers and other streamers they don't like with permanent bans for things they didn't do (e.g., the clothing rules are enforced more strictly against V-Tubers compared to IRL streamers). Their moderation is very inconsistent and biased. Someone can get permanently banned for a small mistake (or nothing at all). However, someone who commits a literal crime might get a suspension for a week.

Twitch also has a bad monetization program. I've been streaming since 2023. I'm still not an affiliate (which means I cannot cash out on any subscriptions or Bits). Additionally, when I do become an affiliate, Twitch will still take 50% of what I earn. I've NEVER heard of a platform taking that much! Asmongold has a short video where he reveals how much he earns on both Kick and Twitch. Despite having a much bigger following on Twitch, he earns nearly 3X as much on Kick.

Why I stream to Kick

Kick has far superior monetization conditions than any other platform. I've only been on Kick since 2025. Already, I can start caching out on Subscriptions and KICKs. And Kick gives me 95% of what I earn.

Additionally, Twitch staff have a history of being biased against VTubers (and admitting to it). Granted, I don't know about Kick. However, I haven't heard of anything similar on Kick.

But Kick has been known for some controversial things. They did nothing when a streamer was abused by their friends live on their stream. They allow gambling, crypto, and NFT content (some of them being scams and extortion). And some extremists get away with saying hateful and threatening things on the platform. They also have a viewbotting problem (Twitch is cracking down on theirs) (personally, I haven't had a problem since I changed my settings to disallow messages/follows from accounts younger than one month). And their moderation is lenient.

Why I stream to Velora

Velora tries to take the best of both Twitch and Kick while avoiding the bad things. Unlike Twitch and Kick, Velora is (currently) not run by a big company or funded by billionaires. It is a platform run by a small company and passionate creators. Velora also has more customization (profiles/redeems) than Twitch and Kick. And you can start monetizing from your very first stream (at 70%). Many other V-Tubers have also migrated to Velora. They're also the only platform with a streaming protocol (VELoQ) that allows viewers to control the volume of individual channels (e.g., a streamer's game but not their voice).

While Velora is still young, they still are not without some issues. The site can be quite buggy sometimes. And the staff members are not always known for having a professional image on social media. They frequently get into drama with others on the official X account and do not handle the drama in a mature way. There have been controversies of the staff members lying to, and backstabbing, potential partners (e.g., read up on the Velora.bot incident).

And they use AI in their Discord server (and indirectly on Velora). Granted, I don't have a big issue with the AI (some V-Tubers on Bluesky cry and scream like Karens over it). The AI isn't used directly on Velora or its content. She is only used (at the time of this writing) to manage the game categories and to alert the CEO of issues. Additionally, the AI is run locally on the CEO's hardware. My main issue is that the staff members don't want people to refer to the AI as an AI. However, she is literally the definition of an AI: Artificial (human-created) Intelligence (capable of learning and being trained).

Why I stream to VPZone

VPZone is somewhat similar to Velora (except based in Canada). Their focus is on exposure of small creators. And as a small creator, it would be a disservice to give them a try. They are also run by a small company opposed to big tech or billionaires. And like Velora, you can start monetizing at 70% immediately. However, they have the ability to increase that share as you grow.

VPZone currently suffers from frequent major outages. I never know when the site will work or not. Hopefully, they'll be able to figure that out and stabilize the site soon.

VPZone is also largely developed using AI technology. And they state on their site that they embrace it. For many, this may put them off. However, none of the platforms that I use are completely free of AI. And VPZone has the decency to fully disclose their use of AI in the development of their website. None of the other platforms do that. I respect that a lot. I would still much prefer a human-developed site. But when you use AI, it is ethical to disclose that.

Why I DO NOT stream to YouTube (but I upload VODs)

YouTube is the golden standard for video sharing. They have very large limits for uploading videos. And your videos are available indefinitely (basically). They are the easiest platform for hosting VODs of past streams.

However, I rarely stream to YouTube. My reason is simple: out of the many times that I streamed, I've only ever had a few viewers for a short period of time. YouTube is not a streamer-first community. They are a video-first community.

Additionally, YouTube has problems of their own. They don't support small creators AT ALL. Their bar for monetization is set so high that 99.99% of people on YouTube stand no chance (and I'm not even exaggerating). Additionally, once you do reach the bar, YouTube will find every possible excuse to demonetize your content. Did you say a bad word within the first 8 seconds? Demonetized. Are you talking about a controversial topic? Demonetized. Did you show a gun (or even mention guns)? Demonetized.

And don't get me started on their "Content ID" copyright system. I'll save you from my long rant with this one simple experience that I had that sums it up. YouTube's Content ID flagged one of my videos in the past for using (in the background of a meditation stream) NATURE SOUNDS generated from a (non-AI) program called "Atmosphere Deluxe". Why? Another video (also not affiliated with Atmosphere Deluxe) had similar sounds in it.

Fuck Content ID.

The Takeaway

My point is this: every streaming platform has its problems. If I'm going to put my Karen Activist hat on and not stream to (insert platform), then I also have to leave every other platform by that same logic. I'm a small streamer. My goal is to get out there. The best way to do that is to stream to multiple platforms even if they contradict my personal values. I don't have the luxury to pick and choose. That would be detrimental to my goal.

If you don't like that I stream on (insert platform here), then don't watch me on that platform. Watch me on another platform. That's all there is to it.

I appreciate the amazing art/merchandise that the community makes for V-Tubers. If you would like to make art r merchandise of Orqata, then I have some guidelines that I would like you to follow:

• Follow all applicable laws and platform Terms. This includes not scamming people.
• You are allowed to charge money and make a profit for Orqata fan art/merchandise. However, I expect you to follow these guidelines in full when doing so.
• Do not use Artificial Intelligence to generate or edit any portion of the fan art/merchandise without fully disclosing how AI was used. Additionally, you may not sell/charge money for any Orqata art/merchandise where AI was used in its process (unless the AI was fully trained on your own personal artwork and data); you must openly distribute it for free.
• You may not claim that Orqata officially endorses you. Orqata does not officially endorse any artist/company at this time.
• You must share links to my social media (at minimum my website URL) and disclose that you do not own Orqata.
• If your art/merchandise will include any of the following, then you must first get written permission from me ([email protected]) and, when applicable, the talents of all other depicted characters, before you may make said art/merchandise:
• Orqata in any sexualized or pornographic scene
• Orqata shipped with any other character (even if it's not sexual; I don't want unsolicited ship art as it makes people uncomfortable)
• Orqata depicted in any degrading way
• Orqata feeding on blood, engaged in religion/cults, or doing anything that contradicts what is outlined in the vampire lore section of the FAQ
• Orqata in any excessively violent or graphic scenes
• Please consider tagging #OrqataFA if you post the art online publicly.

I greatly appreciate you for following my wishes/guidelines!

Introduction

Your feelings are valid! We are all human. And we have emotions. What I said might have made you uncomfortable. And it's good that you can recognize and identify that. However, it is important to recognize the difference between something that offended you and something that was actually harmful.

If you are feeling emotional right now, then I encourage you to step away; do not continue reading this until you can approach it with a stable mind. Take some deep breaths. Do a 10-minute meditation. Drink your favorite beverage. Listen to your favorite song. Go for a walk.

The Difference Between Offensive and Harmful

Before I continue, we need to establish the difference between something that offended you and something that is actually harmful:

Now, here are some examples of each:

Why I Don't Apologize if You Are Offended

Now that I have established the difference between something that is offensive and something that is harmful, I want to repeat myself by saying that I will not apologize for saying things that offend you. If you're offended, then the responsibility is on you to react appropriately. Anyone can choose to be offended by anything. It is not my responsibility to ensure I never offend anyone. That's unrealistic (and dangerous). However, if I say something that is actually harmful, then the responsibility falls on me to apologize, make amends, and pay restitution.

If we fall into the trap of ensuring comfort for everyone, then we also fall into the trap of confirmation bias, the bandwagon fallacy, and misinformation.

Why was I offended?

I challenged something that you believe. Maybe it's time to explore what that is. Maybe it's time to consider whether you should open up to learning about opposing views. Maybe I triggered internal trauma, and it's time to discuss that with a professional. Whatever it is, please be proactive about it. Even if I did apologize and change my content to align with your values, there are 8 billion other people on this planet. You are going to find opposing messages everywhere. The world is not a safe space! Therefore, isn't it easier to build up a tolerance to hearing opposing views than to try converting billions of people to align with you (at the cost of their individuality)?

Conclusion

I hope that I can shed some light for you on my stance. I am not going to change who I am to make everyone feel comfortable. If I bend over for a few, then I will have to bend over for a few more at a later time. And this domino effect will continue until I've lost all sense of identity on this platform.

If you sincerely believe that what I said was actually harmful, and I did not take accountability for it, then you have three choices:

• Email me at [email protected] and explain to me, respectfully, how I've caused harm to you/others by what I said. Help me understand. Maybe I did do something wrong, and I'm subject to my own bias (e.g., I don't see it).
• Tolerate the situation, and continue enjoying my content. Please don't do this if it's going to result in you repressing emotions.
• Move on from me, and watch other streamers instead. If this is something that you genuinely cannot let go, and you don't want to talk with me about it (or can't do so respectfully), then I will have more respect for you if you simply move on instead of throwing a tantrum. There are millions of streamers out there. I'm just one of them.