So over on this blog, a dude did something very interesting. He did a survey of nearly 2700 people who watch D&D livestreams, in the style of Critical Role and such.  And the results were very interesting, and confirm what I've been saying for some time.


[video=youtube_share;Jld0Yi2PBZ4]https://youtu.be/Jld0Yi2PBZ4[/youtube]

The study covers a number of different points, but the essence of what has to do with vindicating my arguments is this: over 83% of the people who answered the survey said that the main reason they watch the show is because they like the cast members (that is to say, the ACTORS who perform on the show).

They're watching these shows as a Soap Opera or TV Drama, not as a game in action. And the reaction I talked about in the video I linked above, to when the RULES caused a character to die created a backlash, is evidence of that.  There are certainly people who play D&D who also watch these livestreams, and people who didn't play D&D that started playing it because of these livestreams, but a very significant number of viewers do NOT watch these livestreams to see D&D being played. They watch them the way other people would watch a drama on the CW or a Reality Show on Fox.

Other important points:




Note how the vast majority of viewers don't give a crap about die rolls.




See that virtually NONE of the viewers (0.4%) want to see actual published adventures being played. And 40% are fine with the stuff being done on the show being stuff that will never be published.


So yeah, the data is backing what I'd already surmised months back.

And again, it's fine that there's a whole new hobby of watching people do D&D-based Improv Theater. But those people have nothing to do with the D&D Hobby I'm a part of.


RPGPundit

Currently Smoking: Lorenzetti Quiete + Gawith's Commonwealth

That is a bit potentially misleading as many will read "Pre-created adventures" as meaning "Modules" which for whatever reason many seem to dislike. Gronan for example would probably squarely fall into the "entirely original" slice of the pie as hes stated many a time how much he dislikes modules.

Same with the technical elements. Just because someone doesnt want to see the rolls for everything doesnt exactly mean they arent interested in the mechanics. Its akin to how some complain about RPG novels that they think the combats are cleaving too close to the mechanics. It could also just mean that they dont want the video to keep zooming in on the rolls or something.

The questions are worded such that the answers might skew in certain directions based on just how someone is reading the questions and the results may be pointing to a different answer than the article leads on.

YMMV but thats how its looking to me. That and I just can not ever trust online surveys or surveys at all.

And...?  It doesn't mean it won't sell books.

It sounds to me like sour grapes because it's working better than any other method of selling books.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1054717The study covers a number of different points, but the essence of what has to do with vindicating my arguments is this: over 83% of the people who answered the survey said that the main reason they watch the show is because they like the cast members (that is to say, the ACTORS who perform on the show).

They're watching these shows as a Soap Opera or TV Drama, not as a game in action. And the reaction I talked about in the video I linked above, to when the RULES caused a character to die created a backlash, is evidence of that.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1054717Note how the vast majority of viewers don't give a crap about die rolls.

I don't watch the shows and don't have any opinion right now about who watches them and/or for what reasons. However, I would point out that there are a lot of people who play actual RPGs more for *who* they are playing with than because of the dice rolls or the rules. To put it another way, they would rather play whatever game with their friends rather than their favorite game with strangers.

Eh? According to this survey, a massive majority of players (80%-ish) enjoy game mechanics playing a part in the shows, 5% or less prefer freeform RP that leaves out the mechanics. If they were watching it as any other drama or soap opera and not a game in action, it's pretty strange that they would want the game elements. If they were watching it as a game, then it would make perfect sense.

WTH does not wanting to watch people play published adventures have to do with anything? Players have (IME) never preferred published adventures to the real thing, why would this be any different.

That was a nicely done survey. There's rich data there to be mined and extrapolated.

What jumped out to me was 39.6% watched initially to learn about the game.

And 10% want more character death!!

Also, huge interest in non-D&D YT events.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1054717The study covers a number of different points, but the essence of what has to do with vindicating my arguments is this: over 83% of the people who answered the survey said that the main reason they watch the show is because they like the cast members (that is to say, the ACTORS who perform on the show).

They like the Wesley Crushers that are out there.

I treat Dice Funk like my weekly radio show. Spin up Disgaea V to play on PS4 (run around the Item World levels) while I listen. That said, Dice Funk does not shy away from character death and actions have consequences and repercussions. Every dice roll gets announced with critical successes and failures really changing the narrative. Season 4 has been pretty amazing as they are running a cyberpunk campaign in a place called Valentine using the DnD 5e rules.

I just read a bizzarre tweet where someone felt bad because the new trend in the RPG community (streaming) was leaving them behind.

QuoteAnd again, it's fine that there's a whole new hobby of watching people do D&D-based Improv Theater. But those people have nothing to do with the D&D Hobby I'm a part of.

You have decided that it is an either / or, but of course none of this stuff happens in a vacuum (well maybe in Montevideo, I dunno).

Quote from: jhkimTo put it another way, they would rather play whatever game with their friends rather than their favorite game with strangers.

Exactly so. Friendships can and are built through shared interest in (say) Critical Role, and then someone in that circle offers to run a game, or then someone else introduces the circle to a game store gathering, etc. (Or that kind of thing in a different order of events).

It's not rocket science.

There's no membership quiz required.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1054717Note how the vast majority of viewers don't give a crap about die rolls.

No, they don't care about seeing the dice. If the GM says "roll" and the player says "I got a 7", I don't need to see a close up of the dice. Most of the time, I don't even care to know it's a "7". If the rules only have "miss", "hit", and "crit" as possible results, I don't care if you missed with a 2 or a 12. If the rules don't distinguish between them, why should I? A miss is a miss.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1054717See that virtually NONE of the viewers (0.4%) want to see actual published adventures being played. And 40% are fine with the stuff being done on the show being stuff that will never be published.

I think this implies that they are interested in playing in addition to watching. If they only wanted to watch, they wouldn't care about spoilers. If they plan to play those published adventures themselves, they don't want to see someone else play it and spoil the details for them. And why would they want to have a published version of the adventure they saw someone else play? They already saw it. Would you want to play an adventure that you've already read? If the GM makes up some cool monsters, NPCs, items, or something, I might be interested in a supplement that details those things so I can use them in new adventures, but I've already seen the adventure they were used in and don't want to repeat the same scenario.

I really enjoyed watching the "Lord of the Rings" films. If I played in a game based in Middle Earth, I don't want to go to Moria and face the "puzzle" of the locked door and act like I don't already know the password is "Mellon". I don't want to stand on the wall at Helm's Deep and shoot orcs, but I do want stats for orcs and bows so I can shoot them in new encounters that I haven't already seen or read about.

This might be a great study on the misuse of statistics.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1054717So over on this blog, a dude did something very interesting. He did a survey of nearly 2700 people who watch D&D livestreams, in the style of Critical Role and such.  And the results were very interesting, and confirm what I've been saying for some time.

Interesting and not unexpected.

People watch what they like to watch,  which is unsurprising. I've never watched a live stream of a RPG, but I have watched other people play when I have been too tired or wasn't interested in the game. It's like watching a drama series. You have players/actors, characters and situations. You want to see how the characters do in those situations.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1054717And again, it's fine that there's a whole new hobby of watching people do D&D-based Improv Theater. But those people have nothing to do with the D&D Hobby I'm a part of.

What, the people participating in the Livestream or the people watching it?

The people participating are playing D&D, so are definitely part of the hobby.

The people watching are watching D&D as if it is a drama, or fantasy series. Not necessarily part of a RPG hobby, but very connected to it. Pretty much everyone who plays FRPGs likes Fantasy TV Series and Films, I would expect. Nothing wrong with that.

One of my players is a big fan of livestreamed channels like Critical Role. Not coincidentally, he now wants improvisational in-character theatrics to be a big part of our game, when he didn't a couple years ago. So this stuff isn't just a passive entertainment; it has a  big influence on how people want to play D&D. I think we need to recognize that humans are social animals, and many feel powerful urges to adopt popular behaviours.

A lot of people don't actually play Football or Basketball, but prefer to watch the big leagues play on TV or in stadiums.

If Video Games and Table-top games become a spectator sport like physical sports, why is this a bad thing, or why do people seem to be against this general concept?