Gaming Session Videos

[Saterus]

Ok, after reading the Attracting new people to gaming -- ideas and strategies thread about how to bring people into the game, I really liked the idea of a gaming session dvd. Now, in that thread, they are focusing more on the recruiting/advertising aspect of this, but it got me thinking of why not have people videotape their game sessions to show people what their session is like. There are plenty of p2p programs and such out there that distribution isnt a problem, its actually what those programs were made for. I for one would be very interested in seeing something like this. I'm trying to start a new tabletop game with a couple of friends from school, but none of us have ever played a game before and seeing some vets play a great game would be pretty cool. It would really help me, since I've taken on the task of being DM. They mentioned something about expensive special effects and other things to draw new people into the game, but this would be more of a 'preaching to the choir' type of thing that wouldnt need a ton of special effects.

Has anyone ever videotaped one of their gaming sessions? Would anyone be willing to do so? I'd be interested in watching something like this just so I could get a feeling of how the game should flow.

Any other thoughts?

 

[Crothian]

If I ever did it, it would be a hidden camera. people act differently in front a comera

 

[Sieobahn]

There would have to be a lot of editting if you taped one of our sessions. This sort of thing would work best if you scripted the session out, and kept it short and to the point.

As a demo film, the Gamers movie is excellent. If you cleaned it up and removed some of the in jokes that newbies wouldn't understand, that style of film would serve well showing what happens at the table, and what they are imagining is happening.

 

[shilsen]

If I ever did it, it would be a hidden camera. people act differently in front a comera

What he said. And frankly I can't see a videotape of a gaming session being particularly enjoyable, even for other gamers. D&D really isn't a spectator sport. I remember a month or so ago someone posted on a related subject that he had thoroughly enjoyed being a guest player for a great session in Piratecat's game, but he thought that it would have been quite boring to watch from the outside.

 

[Umbran]

Note that a typical gaming session is probably three to six hours long. If you aren't engaged in playing, attention will wander. It is hard enough to get folks to sit through a 2 hour movie that isn't action-packed.

So, you need to edit. That will eliminate most of the information on pacing and flow, unfortunately. The best way to get that is to sit and play sessions, rather than sit and watch. Even the most intense D&D combats look like a bunch of guys doing boring dice-rolling to those who aren't part of the action.

Better would be to play sessions with a veteran DM, while keeping your mind on the DM's technique.

 

[Rel]

I think that as a recruiting tool, a videotaped session would be a poor tool. And if you're looking to hone your GMing skills, playing in a regular campaign run by a good GM is far superior to watching such a thing on tape.

HOWEVER, I've long said that I think that people would jump at the chance to watch a session or two with a great GM. My example has always been Piratecat. And now that I've gotten to play with him, I STILL think this would be a valuable tool. I know I picked up a thing or two from him in terms of how adaptable his style is to keep the flow of the game moving. Even having already played in that session, I'd enjoy the chance to watch it again because you don't always catch the subtle things on the first pass. And sometimes you're just too focused on playing your character and having fun to turn it into a learning experience in the moment.

That said, I agree with others who say that it would be difficult to get past the "we're being taped!" issue. Rather than a "hidden camera", I'd probably go with a "desensitivity" approach where you set up the camera and turned it on session after session. And maybe it had tape in it and maybe it didn't.

I may try this one day myself, just for the fun of it and see how it turns out.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

I think that as a recruiting tool, a videotaped session would be a poor tool. And if you're looking to hone your GMing skills, playing in a regular campaign run by a good GM is far superior to watching such a thing on tape.

HOWEVER, I've long said that I think that people would jump at the chance to watch a session or two with a great GM. My example has always been Piratecat. And now that I've gotten to play with him, I STILL think this would be a valuable tool. I know I picked up a thing or two from him in terms of how adaptable his style is to keep the flow of the game moving. Even having already played in that session, I'd enjoy the chance to watch it again because you don't always catch the subtle things on the first pass. And sometimes you're just too focused on playing your character and having fun to turn it into a learning experience in the moment.

That said, I agree with others who say that it would be difficult to get past the "we're being taped!" issue. Rather than a "hidden camera", I'd probably go with a "desensitivity" approach where you set up the camera and turned it on session after session. And maybe it had tape in it and maybe it didn't.

I may try this one day myself, just for the fun of it and see how it turns out.

As someone who Has watched a piratecat game from the outside, I can tell you it can be quite entertaining.

At Kahunacon (Gameday at Kahuna Burger's house) the game I was in finished on time, so we went to see what other people were doing. Piratecat's game was running long (I get the impression that this is not unusual). I got to watch the climatic last 20 minutes of a Piratecat run Spaceship Zero game. When he uses his Maniacal Space Alien Voice you can picture the alien.

However as entertaining as it was to watch, you just end up wishing you were IN that particular game. So watching people play is a poor second to actually playing.

 

[reveal]

I don't think I could ever watch anyone's video recordings of their sessions. I don't like watching other peoples home videos.

 

[Bloodsparrow]

While a DVD in general may not be a bad idea per sae, you have to trust me on this when I tell you that filming a game session and showing it to people, edited or not, who are either a) not into the game or even b) not in your group, is not the way to impress people.

That being said, if there was ever a Piratecat gameplay video, I'd probably get it and watch it incramentally. But I don't think it would be that interesting to somebody who doesn't play.

Stills on the other hand can be quite fun and effective if you have a moderately competent photographer at your disposal.

The only exception to this, of course, is The Gamers.

 

[DanielSchenstrom]

http://www.dungeonmajesty.com/home.html

Look and weep.