Quote from: honeydipperdavid on December 13, 2023, 09:33:05 PM
A better question is why do people like listening to professional voice actors, actors and youtube influencers playing D&D?

Because they are paid to be entertaining and its their job, that is why people like to watch them.

Except I can't watch that shit, because it's blatantly obvious to me that they're just mildly adlibbing a pre-determined script, and occasionally rolling dice that they pretend does something.

It's like watching porn, but the people are wearing clothes and moving up and down, and occasionally they make groaning noises.

Quote from: Grognard GM on December 13, 2023, 10:11:24 PM

Quote from: honeydipperdavid on December 13, 2023, 09:33:05 PM
A better question is why do people like listening to professional voice actors, actors and youtube influencers playing D&D?

Because they are paid to be entertaining and its their job, that is why people like to watch them.

Except I can't watch that shit, because it's blatantly obvious to me that they're just mildly adlibbing a pre-determined script, and occasionally rolling dice that they pretend does something.

It's like watching porn, but the people are wearing clothes and moving up and down, and occasionally they make groaning noises.

I've watched Mercer for his mini-set design and combat narration, he's decent at that and you can pick up some tricks.  I did see a screenshot of the red head and the mom dyking out to get ratings, I mean there was that.  But otherwise, I mean I think last time I've seen critical role was more than 5 years ago?  Same with the Penny Arcade guys, only then was when Morga Manjaw played a game.  Otherwise, yeah it tends to be cringe.

I normally don't really watch as that gets kinda boring, but at times I like to listen to others play while working or doing other things. Mostly because I really enjoy reading RPG rules and supplements, but I almost never play. I've played a few games of D&D and Call of Cthulhu since childhood (as a kid/young adult we played all of the major Swedish RPGs all the time), but there isn't really time, but since I still enjoy the rules system, it's a nice way to check how it plays. But it needs to be entertaining, with a good flow and preferably with people that stays on the right sight of "decent voice acting" if they try and make voices. 

I'm not sure I buy Critical Role as watching people play an rpg because I'm not at all convinced that this is even what they are doing.  Most actual play channels or podcasts are not like that anyway.  They don't have the professional voice actors and high production values.  They are actually regular people actually playing.  I just don't think rpgs lend themselves very well to be a spectator sport.  Sessions meander.  There's lots of irrelevant chatter.  They go on for hours.  I like playing rpgs but watching other people do it just bores me.  I can't imagine my own sessions would be interesting to people who aren't playing.

Quote from: Omega on December 13, 2023, 07:34:53 AM
Was thinking on this and it hit me that there are a few valid reasons.

The big one that dawned on me is that is akin to listening to a radio play.

Others probably like watching for the same reason people like any spectator sport. It is fun for them. Seeing how it all plays out.

And others probably lean to the more visually appealing ones like especially the animated ones.

Similar to how some people like reading play logs.

  So I have tried to watch a few game sessions of varying systems with varying casts (from the grognards with 40 views to the critical role crowd) and I really can't watch for long or care too much when I try.  I do however really enjoy reading summary of game sessions from other games.   I have no idea why this is.  Recommended reading btw https://dungeonfantastic.blogspot.com/p/my-df-campaign.html

I watched half an episode of critical role and got bored.
I watched a whole episode of box machine before I got bored.

The difference I felt was critical role felt like a rough draft.  The animated version of the same people's adventures at least felt finished. If you are actually playing you are part of the story and the dynamic is different.

No idea. I have zero desire to watch others play RPGs.

I can read someone's records of everything they  did in an RPG session and that is entertaining. Watching general play usually isn't. Maybe it could be in a campaign where the DM makes heavy use of miniatures and other visual aids because there would be something to watch, but that is rarely the case in the games people do watch.

substitute for actual play for some? i don't have a group, and don't think i'll have one any time soon, so i watch others play the game i'm interested in.  it's akin to watching porn - it's not the real thing, and you know it's not, but it does work as a substitute... somewhat >_>

I watched Critical Role years ago a couple of times out of curiosity when I first ran into them, partly to watch Vin Diesel play. But I just couldn't get into it. And I find watching regular people engaging in actual non-voice actory play even more boring.

I just don't get that feeling of vicarious second hand play from watching others play and there are WAY more entertaining and useful hours long content to listen to in the background. Even political debates are more interesting and informative, especially with Vivek Ramaswamy killing it and saying all the crap no other candidates have the balls to say.

I don't like watching sports either and feel almost the same way about it as watching others play TTRPGs. I don't even watch MMA despite loving martial arts, cuz I find it boring and don't like watching people beating each other up, unless it's a choreographed fight with a plot behind it. But at least I can get that some people may enjoy the thrill of competition while watching contests of skill, and perhaps bet on who/which team will win, etc. But watching people play TTRPGs online doesn't even have that element to it. Aside from briefly watching people play a game you haven't played before to get a feel for the system I don't get the point.

 Watching others play a TTRPG is like watching golf. What exactly is the point?

Quote from: Grognard GM on December 13, 2023, 10:11:24 PM

Quote from: honeydipperdavid on December 13, 2023, 09:33:05 PM
A better question is why do people like listening to professional voice actors, actors and youtube influencers playing D&D?

Because they are paid to be entertaining and its their job, that is why people like to watch them.

Except I can't watch that shit, because it's blatantly obvious to me that they're just mildly adlibbing a pre-determined script, and occasionally rolling dice that they pretend does something.

It's like watching porn, but the people are wearing clothes and moving up and down, and occasionally they make groaning noises.

Probably. For me is just usually is not as good as its hyped to be and yeah at times it feels a little scripted and that was just from trying to sit through some stuff. It feels too production level somehow. But I think part of that is because these are actors and they are used to speaking in certain ways so that may be coloring the experience.

Who knows.

Quote from: Exploderwizard on December 17, 2023, 09:28:37 AM
Watching others play a TTRPG is like watching golf. What exactly is the point?

At least with golf you are watching someone show off their skills. We got taught golf in Phys Ed class and so I actually have some respect for people who can actually get the damn ball to go where they want it.

I've been a follower of MechaGM's campaigns for years. Mercer not so much. I think this is a case that the mainstream product (Critical Role) has production values which are too high, and they become a bit distracting as a result. Having all that Voice Acting talent and the odd animation slapped on top distracts from the substance of the RPG experience the way gaudy CG can be distracting in a movie.

Done right, an Actual Play RPG session can come across like an audio drama, and work quite well for longer commutes. They are subtly different from actual play at a game table in that recorded sessions tend to have a touch less downtime within the session itself and better metagame communication between the players. It's more of a game mixed with a performance than a pure game. This kind of content doesn't fit everyone's lifestyle because you need a fair amount of travel downtime to make it work consistently. Even with such a travel downtime, most people will prefer a podcast or an audiobook. However, I think it's likely that if you "don't like" this kind of content, it's probably because you just haven't found an Actual Play streaming group who fits your tastes. 

One thing I have noticed with the (admittedly few) actual plays I have watched is that they spend so much time saying things that are obviously directed at the audience and trying to sound dramatic that they take forever to do anything.  The games move at glacial pace.  I think I would get bored if I was playing.  I watched one on Dragonbane since I am thinking about running it.  Character creation and setting explanation were in episode 0.  This was the first actual play session.  In two hours, they arrived at the pass where you start, fought a few goblins and then walked on to town.  That's it.  That's all that actually happened in 2 hours.  I shudder to think how long it is going to take them to finish at that rate,