Actual Play podcasts

[timmy2383]

There are good points being made all around. I may have muddied the waters a bit when I asked what could make my podcast better when the very answer to that is highly subjective.

 

[MostlyDm]

Nobody is asserting that they should?

Then I misunderstood this:

I wonder how my sessions would be edited. Except for occasional 3-5 minute breaks for nature, it's go-go-go from start to finish. If a gaming session could have a third edited out, one wonders if that time is being used wisely.

Particularly the last sentence.

 

[iserith]

Aren't most of your games online? Where by definition there is no need for visible side conversation because that can be done through a hidden medium?

About half online and half in-person. The result is the same. When we're at the table, we're moving the game forward at all times.

As far as there being no "rules discussions" to edit out of your games... That's debatable. Heck, podcasts sometimes edit out things like *attack rolls* half the time to speed up the flow for the listener. But I'm betting you still have your players make attack rolls on occasion.

I wouldn't see a need to edit that out as long as resolution is fast.

Even "nonstop play" is not always going to be a draw for a podcast.

I am personally not interested in listening to a group's side conversations or rules discussions.

Personally, I love interacting with minor characters in low stakes exchanges. I love it when the DM lets me haggle with a blacksmith over the price of crossbow bolts. I find that really fun. I find stuff like that adds to the feel of realism in the world, rather than it seeming like a nonstop high octane action movie.

I'm okay with low stakes - something can still be won or lost. I'm not okay with no stakes. I even endeavor to make expository stuff revealed via challenge than info-dump. In my most recent session, basic information on the quest was imparted via a social interaction scene, but the challenge was in acquiring additional useful information and/or bartering a better deal. (The players succeeded in both.)

But... A lot of people hate that stuff. A podcast might reasonably choose to edit it out.

Agreed. And yet many don't, sadly. I listen to a ton of AP podcasts or watch Twitch games. Very few make the cut for me.

 

[iserith]

Then I misunderstood this:


Particularly the last sentence.

In other words, I'd consider it a waste if a third of my gaming session time was spent on something other than moving the game forward.

 

[SilverBulletKY]

Not to hijack, but what about non-actual play podcasts? I tried searching for some the other day and failed, besides the official podcast.

 

[timmy2383]

Not to hijack, but what about non-actual play podcasts? I tried searching for some the other day and failed, besides the official podcast.

What do you mean? Like podcasts talking about D&D, but not playing it?

 

[SilverBulletKY]

What do you mean? Like podcasts talking about D&D, but not playing it?

Yep.

 

[timmy2383]

Yea, I haven't heard of any either (but I also haven't tried too hard to find any). We tried to get some of that in our own podcast, spending time to discussing the WotC material at end of sessions or campaign itself, but most of it is playing (goofing off?).

 

[Ristamar]

Not to hijack, but what about non-actual play podcasts? I tried searching for some the other day and failed, besides the official podcast.

There are quite a few podcasts out there that discuss D&D and other role playing games.

I don't have the time to list them right now, but I'll come back later and link to a bunch of them, assuming someone doesn't beat me to the punch.

 

[iserith]

I've never really listened to podcasts that weren't actual play. My real interest is in seeing how other people play and keeping up with the latest dick and fart jokes.