Watch Chris Perkins' First Episode of DICE, CAMERA, ACTION

WotC has just launched an official Dungeons & Dragons web show called Dice, Camera, Action. It stars Chris Perkins running a game for Holly Conrad, Jared Knabenbauer, Anna Prosser Robinson, and Nathan Sharp. They are playing Curse of Strahd, so only watch it if you don't mind major spoilers. The video is nearly two-hours long. Enjoy!

[video=youtube;a1ZbgywIF6Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1ZbgywIF6Y[/video]​

 

[Tiles]

It takes time to find a grove, at worst some players border chaotic good. Most outwardly have good intentions. I still have hope. Wizards could use a partnership with Geek and Sundry. 13 episodes with atmosphere, role players and focus.

 

[Tiles]

The robot chicken episodes were close to perfect. More of that.

 

[Nemio]

The robot chicken episodes were close to perfect. More of that.

Indeed, loved his DM commentary version of that as a new DM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA92_Hp04Sk

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

I know there were other reasons cited, but if you watch the couple of episodes before Orion Acaba left Critical Role he spent the entire time shopping. The other players were visibly irritated, even vocally so.

Call me a cynic but I get the feeling that this (along with his increasingly min maxy style of play, which was at odds wit the character led approach of the others) must have contributed to a parting of the ways. Much as I loved his character I found the game aspects (as opposed to the story) getting more and more intrusive. The show is better for his departure, I'm sad to say.

I think this underlines the comparative failure to engage that DCA has. Too much game, not enough story.

There's a balance to be had, for sure, but what others have said about needing people prepared to engage with the story first over the rules/game, is I think true. It would certainly make for better viewing; better viewing leads to greater interest in the game from its official source; leads to more players: and from WOTC's perspective more ownership of D&D as a phenomenon rather than watching G&S walk away with bragging rights.

 

[mattcolville]

There's a balance to be had, for sure, but what others have said about needing people prepared to engage with the story first over the rules/game, is I think true. It would certainly make for better viewing; better viewing leads to greater interest in the game from its official source; leads to more players: and from WOTC's perspective more ownership of D&D as a phenomenon rather than watching G&S walk away with bragging rights.

I think Critical Role has done more to sell D&D books that literally anything WotC has done, prior to Curse of Strahd. They are promoting WotC's product, better than WotC ever could, for free.

Furthermore, I think WotC knows this! I think they're probably perfectly happy with CriticalRole leading, but they also probably correctly suspect that there's a lot of potential there and more is better. I don't think they're trying to beat CR, I think they're hoping to show it was not a fluke.

 

[mattcolville]

The thing about Critical Role is that they're not playing for an audience. That's really what they're like when the cameras are off. I mean, there's less tabletalk? They're more conscious of the audience? But apart from pacing (and there have been episodes where they spent 90 minutes arguing about what to do next) they are just playing D&D and there happens to be an audience.

In fact the folks at G&S try and get them to do more stuff to make the game more audience friendly, and they're like "Look this is the product. It's us playing D&D. As soon as it stops being that, we're out."

There's no way WotC can beat those guys, there's no way ANYONE can beat them because no one else has that unique combination of folks who love D&D and get it and are also professionally charming people and all friends outside the game!

You could assemble a group of actors, but unless they all hang out outside the game and were friends before it started, it won't feel like Critical Role. CR isn't "D&D played by these folks" it's "this thing these folks do." It's the unique combination of personalities involved that make it work.

 

[wedgeski]

You could assemble a group of actors, but unless they all hang out outside the game and were friends before it started, it won't feel like Critical Role. CR isn't "D&D played by these folks" it's "this thing these folks do." It's the unique combination of personalities involved that make it work.

I'm not sure I agree with your previous "done more than anything WotC has done", but in all other respects I'm in complete accord.

It was a condition of these guys playing in front of the cameras that the game simply continued in the same way they had already been playing it. They strike me as a perfect storm for live D&D, and the show is an ongoing highlight of my week.

 

[Tiles]

I don't think Wotc is trying to compete directly with CR- I think they are showcasing how YOU at home can do this too! Just like this! We can't all be voice actors in the same room. Watching Chris rangle cats while masterfully running CoS is the real treat. (For me)

 

[Celtavian]

The girls in this game are funny.

 

[Tiles]

Any DM considering running CoS can now watch a top notch storyteller handle this classic tale. Both enjoyable and informative it helps sell the flavor and content. I just finished this weeks episode and felt the players really held their focus and let their characters push the story forward in a positive way. I'm enjoying this more and more.