Over Half Of New D&D Players Got Into Game From Watching Online Play

I know this is really a small issue if any at all, but yet I find it mildly disturbing that so many people watch others play D&D instead of playing it themselves... it's kind of similar to the rise of "eSports" and their possible inclusion even in the olympics. And also my kids are starting to watch people play Minecraft on youtube instead of playing it themselves! It's ok to watch occasionally to get some inspiration, but if it's more often than the real thing then it raises some questions...

 

[Hussar]

We're not dry and calling out numbers and acting in third person, though. We just don't go to "fantasy costco" and other such things.

Yeah, I gotta admit that my group is pretty high on the comedy level as well. We've got one player who always plays oddball characters to great entertainment of the table (his war forged character Stove who was searching for his creator so he could keep him warm was particularly memorable). I sometimes lean on that side as well - the human thief who believed that he had sat down and had a pleasant meal of funny colored mushrooms with Kord and was now on a mission to build a chapel to Kord was a lot of fun.

Goofy and light hearted tends to rule far more than not at my table.

 

[Kite474]

On one hand, growth is awesome!

On the other hand more groups/people trying to be amateur comedians and trying to turn D&D into a comedy hour is... Unfortunate I guess

You know, I kind of wonder how the rest of the industry is doing actually? While its obvious that D&D is going to be the top dog I wonder of the encompassing exposure is causing the rest to kind of die out. Mainly because its not like new people get into other tabletops. They get into the D&D and usually stay there

 

[Parmandur]

On one hand, growth is awesome!

On the other hand more groups/people trying to be amateur comedians and trying to turn D&D into a comedy hour is... Unfortunate I guess

You know, I kind of wonder how the rest of the industry is doing actually? While its obvious that D&D is going to be the top dog I wonder of the encompassing exposure is causing the rest to kind of die out. Mainly because its not like new people get into other tabletops. They get into the D&D and usually stay there

My experience it tends to be 4-6 comedy hours.

 

[robus]

All I can say is a marketing campaign with a 50% success rate is incredible. What a way to evangelize the fun that is TTRPGs and D&D in particular.

 

[Hussar]

On one hand, growth is awesome!

On the other hand more groups/people trying to be amateur comedians and trying to turn D&D into a comedy hour is... Unfortunate I guess

You know, I kind of wonder how the rest of the industry is doing actually? While its obvious that D&D is going to be the top dog I wonder of the encompassing exposure is causing the rest to kind of die out. Mainly because its not like new people get into other tabletops. They get into the D&D and usually stay there

I think it's fair to say that rising tides float all boats and all that. The whole point of the D20 OGL was to open up the hobby to a broader audience and make it easier to enter.

The percentage of people that start with D&D and then try something else isn't something that really changes much IMO. There will always be a chunk of gamers who will drift into other games from D&D. The larger that baseline is, the better it is for the hobby as a whole. It's not like D&D has never really been the 600 pound gorilla in the hobby after all.

 

[schnee]

On the other hand more groups/people trying to be amateur comedians and trying to turn D&D into a comedy hour is... Unfortunate I guess

Yes, they should treat their elf dragon fantasy game with utmost seriousness

and rules mastery

and optimal, brutally efficient tactics

--

OTOH, the players in CR take different 'archetypes' in RP - The elves are emo/morose and classically dramatic, the cleric is sincere, the barbarian is dumb and violent, the bard is a wise-ass, the gunslinger is a foppish noble, and the druid is a shouju manga girl. Only the Bard and Barbarian play explicitly for laughs.

But, in our game, even the most serious character generates laughs via deadpan humor. Because when a bunch of friends get around, that kinda happens?

 

[Mallus]

Yes, they should treat their elf dragon fantasy game with utmost seriousness

and rules mastery

and optimal, brutally efficient tactics

I would totally watch a livestream of people playing D&D like that! I mean, I’d be laughing at them, but a view is a view, right? .

 

[Kite474]

Yes, they should treat their elf dragon fantasy game with utmost seriousness


and rules mastery


and optimal, brutally efficient tactics


--


OTOH, the players in CR take different 'archetypes' in RP - The elves are emo/morose and classically dramatic, the cleric is sincere, the barbarian is dumb and violent, the bard is a wise-ass, the gunslinger is a foppish noble, and the druid is a shouju manga girl. Only the Bard and Barbarian play explicitly for laughs.


But, in our game, even the most serious character generates laughs via deadpan humor. Because when a bunch of friends get around, that kinda happens?

Thats fair, I just feel its a waste in that thats ALL D&D and table top ever gets to be in peoples eyes. Not as a place where epic and interesting stories grow. Instead its just comedy hours that has been done millions of times before.

Im not saying comedy is bad. Its just I wish there could be something besides that.

Variety is the spice and all that

 

[Morrus]

Thats fair, I just feel its a waste in that thats ALL D&D and table top ever gets to be in peoples eyes. Not as a place where epic and interesting stories grow. Instead its just comedy hours that has been done millions of times before.

Im not saying comedy is bad. Its just I wish there could be something besides that.

Variety is the spice and all that

Give it time. Any medium develops variety in due course. It's still new.

 

[MarkB]

Thats fair, I just feel its a waste in that thats ALL D&D and table top ever gets to be in peoples eyes. Not as a place where epic and interesting stories grow. Instead its just comedy hours that has been done millions of times before.

Im not saying comedy is bad. Its just I wish there could be something besides that.

Variety is the spice and all that

If you don't think Critical Role has been telling an interesting and epic story, you weren't paying attention.