Quote from: Alexander Kalinowski;1074020Or maybe he disagrees with you that it's all that different from a normal D&D session. The main differences being

• professional voice acting
• unnaturally constant cheeriness
• unnatural high attention span
• stylish gaming board and minis, I guess

Doesn't sound too different. If anyone has got something of substance to add, feel free to do so.

That's my impression too. Differences seem more in presentation than substance. And apart from the professional voice acting Mercer doesn't do anything a competent regular GM can't do.

The "Mercer effect" is players expressing dissatisfaction with their DM because he doesn't do things the way Mercer does. A corollary effect is players reluctant to take up DMing because, with examples like Mercer and Perkins of how DMs are supposed to run a game, the bar is set intimidatingly high.

I've seen this even within the circle of the dozen or so people I've played with in the last couple years. The much greater emphasis on PC backstories, on ongoing storylines, and on voice acting - the whole performative mastery of popular streams - has changed what a lot of players think D&D is about. It's not enough simply to master the rules. To present engaging encounters. To roll some dice. The players who have thought about DMing assume they have to devote hours and hours into crafting these theatrical story-driven sessions. And they're expecting other players to provide deep PC backstory, speak in character, etc.

So while the streaming fad has been a net positive for the hobby, it does have a drawback in the distorted expectations it sets among players. I started DMing when I was 10 years old by creating and running dungeons, and that wasn't at all uncommon back in the day. That mode of play was an ideal on-ramp to running an RPG campaign. Given the expectations around what a session or campaign of D&D should involve - something closer to writing and directing a local theater production - I'd wager precious few 10 year olds are taking up DMing today.

The hobby now definitely seems something 20 year olds take up at college, not something many 10 year olds are doing unless they learn from their parents.

Greetings!

Wait a minute, please. When did roleplaying your character, "speaking in character" become some kind of exceptionally rarefied geek theater thing? I as a DM have of course voiced NPC's and monsters for decades. Also, for decades--I have taught, and encouraged all players in my group to *speak in character*. No, it's not them telling me what their character says. Say what your character says! BE YOUR CHARACTER. It can take a few sessions, but with proper enthusiasm, most people eventually get into it quite well.

Oh, and what's with all the insistence on and praise for *boredom* during the game? My players are non-stop roleplaying, listening to other's conversations, jumping into fights, screaming and laughing. Nonstop fun for 6, 8, 10 hours. Hell, we only somewhat reluctantly are eager to call a break in the fun so that we can eat--because of course, we all get famished and need to eat, too. LOL. Then it's back to pouring the drinks, passing the munchies around, and lighting up the cigars as we get back into the game-world.

Doesn't everyone do it like this?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: SHARK;1074130Greetings!

Wait a minute, please. When did roleplaying your character, "speaking in character" become some kind of exceptionally rarefied geek theater thing? I as a DM have of course voiced NPC's and monsters for decades. Also, for decades--I have taught, and encouraged all players in my group to *speak in character*. No, it's not them telling me what their character says. Say what your character says! BE YOUR CHARACTER. It can take a few sessions, but with proper enthusiasm, most people eventually get into it quite well.

Oh, and what's with all the insistence on and praise for *boredom* during the game? My players are non-stop roleplaying, listening to other's conversations, jumping into fights, screaming and laughing. Nonstop fun for 6, 8, 10 hours. Hell, we only somewhat reluctantly are eager to call a break in the fun so that we can eat--because of course, we all get famished and need to eat, too. LOL. Then it's back to pouring the drinks, passing the munchies around, and lighting up the cigars as we get back into the game-world.

Doesn't everyone do it like this?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Well said SHARK!

This is why I am more with the pro Mercer side on this. I am not seeing much different in his games than in the stuff I run couple times a week. Speaking in character is something almost anyone can do, and it makes the game a lot more fun for everyone else round the table. And the game generally should be fun pretty much the whole time. Those are not signs of a fake game imo.

Quote from: SHARK;1074130Greetings!

Wait a minute, please. When did roleplaying your character, "speaking in character" become some kind of exceptionally rarefied geek theater thing? I as a DM have of course voiced NPC's and monsters for decades. Also, for decades--I have taught, and encouraged all players in my group to *speak in character*. No, it's not them telling me what their character says. Say what your character says! BE YOUR CHARACTER. It can take a few sessions, but with proper enthusiasm, most people eventually get into it quite well.

Oh, and what's with all the insistence on and praise for *boredom* during the game? My players are non-stop roleplaying, listening to other's conversations, jumping into fights, screaming and laughing. Nonstop fun for 6, 8, 10 hours. Hell, we only somewhat reluctantly are eager to call a break in the fun so that we can eat--because of course, we all get famished and need to eat, too. LOL. Then it's back to pouring the drinks, passing the munchies around, and lighting up the cigars as we get back into the game-world.

Doesn't everyone do it like this?

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Yes. Critical Role just does it really well so people who don't like it have turned being the opposite (boring, no roleplaying flavor) into an ideal in opposition.

I did have a slightly weird experience at the end of my last tabletop session, the second of my Primeval Thule campaign. It was just two noble ladies of House Vorzin having a conversation about retrieving some scrolls - I played Tyarna Vorzin a scholar courtier and a female player played Aeridnis Vorzin a wizard.

At the end we became aware the three male players were watching us agog. They proceded to congratulate us and gush over our "fantastic roleplaying" - I was a bit taken aback. We weren't doing anything unusual imo, though the player (a newbie) had certainly handled the discussion very well and got an agreement she would get to study the scrolls rather than hand them over right away to the Grand Vizier who Tyarna is courting.

It's not like I put on some exotic Quodethi accent or did more than sketch the scene. I did have a clear view of Tyarna's personality and goals and Daphne the player had the same for Aeridnis, which was admittedly quite impressive since Aeridnis had only been rolled up 4 hours previously.

Quote from: mAcular Chaotic;1074153Yes. Critical Role just does it really well so people who don't like it have turned being the opposite (boring, no roleplaying flavor) into an ideal in opposition.

Greetings!

Heya Chaotic! That made me laugh! I have to ask though--these people that *don't like" Mercer's CR game--minus the professional voice actors, and the divine goddess Laura Bailey, divine singer and employed by wow/Blizzard Entertainment: https://www.bing.com/search?q=wow+daughter+of+the+sea&FORM=QSRE1 Laura Bailey is the lead vocalist for this awesome song, part of WOW's soundtrack for their latest expansion, Battle For Azeroth. Anyways, these people that *don't like* CR, I have to ask, if they aren't doing what CR is doing, at the foundation--what the hell ARE THEY DOING?

Does that make sense? LOL. I'm kind of boggled how any gamer wouldn't think everything, for the most part, that CR does, is what everyone does at home or in their restaurants, clubs, or pubs, for S'mon. LOL.

PS: As good as Laura Bailey is, this singer, SHARM, nails "Daughter of the Sea" even better. SHARM, I believe this girl is Irish, too. Divine voice for sure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVQjyzoPH0E

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: S'mon;1074151Well said SHARK!

This is why I am more with the pro Mercer side on this. I am not seeing much different in his games than in the stuff I run couple times a week. Speaking in character is something almost anyone can do, and it makes the game a lot more fun for everyone else round the table. And the game generally should be fun pretty much the whole time. Those are not signs of a fake game imo.

Greetings!

Outstanding, S'mon! Thank you! How the hell is anyone's game--or "most" game sessions have lots of periods of being *Boring*? HUH? You know? Hell, if not for need of sleep, all of my players--all adults--just like when we played as kids and teenagers on the weekends--we would prefer to fuck it, keep playing on and on, you know? Watching movies, jerking off to your cell phone--forget that shit! I put some appropriate music on, and they're like dayum! Lets get the dice going, and get back to the game!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Surely do I speak in the voice of a given character. Do I do it all the time? Nah, most certainly not. It's hard to remember that, for example, when putting together clues to solve a mystery. Also sometimes you're lazy or not feeling as engaged. It also depends on if you have someone play with in a given group. But I have to give kudos in particular Matt Mercer who can seemingly effortlessly switch accents and intonations and is pretty entertaining with his facial expressions as well. I am not good as him in that regard, no doubt. It's not even a contest. But then again my focus is on providing mood by different means.

And if we look at young, entry-level gamers being intimidated - well, it was always bound to happen to some degree. You cannot expect them to have the same experience as those of us who have been at it for 30+ years. So there's more of an intimidation factor than in the 80s, pretty sure of that. I wouldn't call it the Mercer effect but if you insist on affixing it to his face, sure, alright. Why not.

For the record, I consider this guy to be a better GM than Mercer and if I was a freshman gamer, he would not be any less intimidating to me:

[video=youtube;AW_ASUL0k-Q]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW_ASUL0k-Q[/youtube]

His opening monologue is an object lesson in how to get the players immediately into your story (and forget about Critical Role entirely).

For the record, I intend to refer to it as the 'Guthrie Effect' from now on, to confuse and mock all of you.

Quote from: SHARK;1074159if they aren't doing what CR is doing, at the foundation--what the hell ARE THEY DOING?

For me, I'm working a day job, rather than being paid to act in a pre-scripted, predetermined-outcome D&D campaign.

As such, unfortunately, I only really have time to play a real game.  No time leftover to learn the script, run lines, etc.

Quote from: kythri;1074201For me, I'm working a day job, rather than being paid to act in a pre-scripted, predetermined-outcome D&D campaign.

As such, unfortunately, I only really have time to play a real game.  No time leftover to learn the script, run lines, etc.

Which beyond a select lucky few pretty much describes most people  imo.

Quote from: kythri;1074201For me, I'm working a day job, rather than being paid to act in a pre-scripted, predetermined-outcome D&D campaign.

As such, unfortunately, I only really have time to play a real game.  No time leftover to learn the script, run lines, etc.

It's actually more work to make a four hour script and memorize it than just play a game. Where are you pulling out this "it's scripted" thing from?

Quote from: mAcular Chaotic;1074213It's actually more work to make a four hour script and memorize it than just play a game. Where are you pulling out this "it's scripted" thing from?

His ass, like most of his comments.  Until there's evidence, it's all hot air.