Am I the only one who doesn't get the sudden rise in Twitch/YouTube Actual Plays?

Dumarest · July 12, 2017, 10:56:49 PM

I don't care if it's good or bad for the hobby. It's not as if I'm being strapped down and forced to watch YouTube Clockwork Orange- style.

I have such limited free time, watching other people play a game is about the past thing I'd use it for. Too many books to read, time with kids, squeezing in a game here and there, etc.

Voros · July 12, 2017, 11:14:26 PM

For sure. But it does bring new people into the hobby. Friends who have never played D&D post about CR on FB and get involved. It's all good even if it's not my thing.

Justin Alexander · July 13, 2017, 03:30:29 AM

The person running this website is a racist who publicly advocates genocidal practices.

I am deleting my content.

I recommend you do the same.

AsenRG · July 13, 2017, 01:09:20 PM

Quote from: Justin Alexander;975114When I was 12 most of my gaming group was made up of people one year older than me. They graduated into middle school and I was left behind in elementary school and I lost the ability to play D&D for awhile. During this dark-ish period, I was incredibly thirsty for anything that could fill that void. I was particularly enamored of any book that contained lengthy "transcripts" of play; it let me vicariously experience the "next best thing" to actually playing.

I feel that a lot of the appeal for actual play videos is being born from those who aren't getting to play as much as they would like, and are therefore seeking to satiate themselves with the best available substitutes. (A lot of people who read adventure modules for pleasure are doing the same thing.)

So... I get it. I empathize with the appeal. But they do virtually nothing for me and, like OP, I have yet to find one which features a play style that I would consider tolerable during an actual game. It's like the difference between porn and actual sex.

There's not really a distinction in my games, but: Yes. The most memorable moments from gaming are virtually never the things the GM planned for. It's almost always the shit that happened at the table, spontaneously and in the moment.

Then what about the non-gamers that post about them?

Simlasa · July 13, 2017, 01:16:26 PM

Quote from: Voros;975078For sure. But it does bring new people into the hobby. Friends who have never played D&D post about CR on FB and get involved.

Do they end up playing or just continuing to watch?

Ulairi · July 13, 2017, 02:28:44 PM

Quote from: Simlasa;975255Do they end up playing or just continuing to watch?

That's my biggest question. I know people that watch some of these things but they spend their play time playing computer or xbox games. I offer to run D&D for them and they haven't made the leap to wanting to play. I'm sure some have started playing. But, I bet for the bulk of the viewers it is folks that would to play but don't have a GM to play with.

Steven Mitchell · July 13, 2017, 03:15:58 PM

Quote from: Ulairi;975285That's my biggest question. I know people that watch some of these things but they spend their play time playing computer or xbox games. I offer to run D&D for them and they haven't made the leap to wanting to play. I'm sure some have started playing. But, I bet for the bulk of the viewers it is folks that would to play but don't have a GM to play with.

Anecdote != data, and all that, but of the people I let watch a game, about half played. Some jumped in mid-session. Of those that played, a little short of half stuck with it for any length of time. Overall, probably about a 20% hit rate. I think that's not too shabby for a group of people self-selected as interested enough to at least watch, but not so enamored that they want to jump right in. Out of that 20%, I'd say most of them were simply shy.

Edit: All of that information was recorded, because I used to track such things. But I haven't in some time, and I've lost the numbers. It was all done before cell phones were a thing. That may skew it compared to today.

Voros · July 13, 2017, 09:05:07 PM

Quote from: Justin Alexander;975114It's like the difference between porn and actual sex.

You mean they're both awesome but one is more awesome??

Voros · July 13, 2017, 09:06:53 PM

Quote from: Simlasa;975255Do they end up playing or just continuing to watch?

Most try out playing. How many stick is up in the air.

Psikerlord · July 14, 2017, 12:36:10 AM

I can sometimes watch it in small bursts, like 1/2 hr. If there was an edited, just the highlights video of about 1/2 hr, I'd be happy enough to watch that on a regular basis. But they typically go for a few hours, far too long and slow for me. I'd rather be doing something else.

RPGPundit · July 17, 2017, 02:09:02 AM

I don't get it at all.

Justin Alexander · July 17, 2017, 02:10:14 AM

The person running this website is a racist who publicly advocates genocidal practices.

I am deleting my content.

I recommend you do the same.

AsenRG · July 17, 2017, 04:41:09 AM

Quote from: Justin Alexander;976126What about them?

Does your theory account for them, and how?

Justin Alexander · July 17, 2017, 06:47:14 PM

The person running this website is a racist who publicly advocates genocidal practices.

I am deleting my content.

I recommend you do the same.

AsenRG · July 18, 2017, 04:33:06 PM

Quote from: Justin Alexander;976278Well, if we follow my original metaphor of "the difference between porn and actual sex", you appear to be asking me why teenage virgins like looking at porn.

That's only if we presume that RPGs are just as naturally interesting to people as sex is to virgin teenagers;).