Critical Role Do you Critical Role?
BlackSeed_Vash
Explorer
I tried watching the first season. Got about 10 episodes in before I got too frustrated with basically jumping to the middle of a story.
So I started watching second season. Around episode 20 I was completely board with the show. Everybody was fun and the story thus far was interesting, but I couldn't summon up the will to watch another episode.
I've tried watching/listening to other similar shows and I've come to the conclusion that I don't want to watch/listen to someone else play DnD, Pathfinder, etc. I want to play myself.
So I started watching second season. Around episode 20 I was completely board with the show. Everybody was fun and the story thus far was interesting, but I couldn't summon up the will to watch another episode.
I've tried watching/listening to other similar shows and I've come to the conclusion that I don't want to watch/listen to someone else play DnD, Pathfinder, etc. I want to play myself.
Not my cup of tea.
It just doesn’t represent a style of play that I enjoy. I have the same problem with Dice Camera Action or the D&D Beyond one (heroes of the vale?)
I watch live plays mostly to see how someone else does things (I almost always DM and don’t have a lot of opportunity to see someone else handle the game first hand).
Too much talking and not enough action or game-play. They feel too much like a show than a RPG game to me.
It just doesn’t represent a style of play that I enjoy. I have the same problem with Dice Camera Action or the D&D Beyond one (heroes of the vale?)
I watch live plays mostly to see how someone else does things (I almost always DM and don’t have a lot of opportunity to see someone else handle the game first hand).
Too much talking and not enough action or game-play. They feel too much like a show than a RPG game to me.
Last edited:
ParanoydStyle
Peace Among Worlds
surprised to see myself tied for majority with an answer of "I've never watched a single episode"
akr71
Hero
I voted 'Regular Viewer.' I almost voted for the last option, but I don't watch the Handbook-er thing cuz I already know how to play and it was obvious that the target was people who wanted to learn how to play and create characters.
The reality is that, even though I consider myself a regular viewer, I am usually a week or two behind. I just don't watch that much TV - it takes me nearly a whole week to get through 1 episode of CR.
The reality is that, even though I consider myself a regular viewer, I am usually a week or two behind. I just don't watch that much TV - it takes me nearly a whole week to get through 1 episode of CR.
Henry
Autoexreginated
In late 2017, I would have said, “not my cup of tea.” However, not long after campaign 2 started, I went to, “yes, and talks machina, etc.” The amateurish production values of the early shows, and them still finding their stride, was really off-putting to me, but when I started watching the second campaign, the quality they were investing in it really drew me in. The earliest shows are still unwatchable to me, except through YouTube clips, but since then i’ve gone back to watch about episodes 75 onward of campaign 1, and catch up.
They took something that, when people have tried in the past, was as dry as dust, and really breathed life into it. Four years ago, I would have said that there was no way D&D would ever be a spectator sport, but these guys and Glass Cannon Podcast (and now Relics and Rarities) showed what is possible, and set a bar.
They took something that, when people have tried in the past, was as dry as dust, and really breathed life into it. Four years ago, I would have said that there was no way D&D would ever be a spectator sport, but these guys and Glass Cannon Podcast (and now Relics and Rarities) showed what is possible, and set a bar.
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
Honestly, until I saw about their Kickstarter I had never even heard of them. From watching their video, doesn't seem like something I would enjoy, but I can see how others might.
I've been a loyal watcher since the beginning of Season 1 on YouTube, as I put it up while I'm at work and listen/watch it in the background. Through most of Season 1 I was "on time" with my viewing, and only on occasion did I get two to four episodes behind (but would then cram a bunch to get back on track.)
With Season 2 I have fallen continually behind and right now am only on Episode 41 (out of 54). Mainly I think its because I haven't found the new characters as compelling as Season 1, and that the whole "pirate adventure" section right now that I'm in has been a bit of a slog (even with skipping ahead through many of the combat, which I've become less and less willing to sit through.) But on top of that I'm also a huge fan of Matt Colville... and he and MCDM has upped their amount of streaming and production (including now starting their game) and thus I've found myself more compelled to watch their stuff "on time". His World-Building streams as he fleshes out his setting's major city I've really enjoyed.
I think part of that is Colville is closer to my age (and actually is slightly older I believe) and thus a lot of his communication about the game that he's experienced over his lifetime has more impact on me because his frame of reference is similar to mine. Whereas most of the Critical Role cast is about a decade or so younger than I am, and thus what is important or influential to them isn't so much to me.
I will say though that its definitely BECAUSE the Critical Role cast are actors that I was willing to watch it in the first place. Every other stream that has been put out that has just "regular people" playing does absolutely nothing for me. Most of them are just casuals being led around the nose by the DM, not actually going after what they want. That's why I tried to watch Dice, Camera, Action when it first came out and could never get into it... because Anna Prosser was the only player who had a PC actually being an active participant in the story... the other three players all dragged their feet and had to be yanked by the hair by Perkins to actually care or do anything. And that frustrated the hell out of me. Three players all trying to cockblock the one other player actually making active choices in the game and pushing the story forward.
Actors at least know how and why to go after what they want in a scene and always have an objective to strive for. Which in turns actually pushes the story forward and makes the drama compelling. Most of these other streams have just regular people listen to a DM narrate what's going on for 2 minutes and then respond with stuff like "I open the door." Not exactly the most interesting thing to listen to in the world.
With Season 2 I have fallen continually behind and right now am only on Episode 41 (out of 54). Mainly I think its because I haven't found the new characters as compelling as Season 1, and that the whole "pirate adventure" section right now that I'm in has been a bit of a slog (even with skipping ahead through many of the combat, which I've become less and less willing to sit through.) But on top of that I'm also a huge fan of Matt Colville... and he and MCDM has upped their amount of streaming and production (including now starting their game) and thus I've found myself more compelled to watch their stuff "on time". His World-Building streams as he fleshes out his setting's major city I've really enjoyed.
I think part of that is Colville is closer to my age (and actually is slightly older I believe) and thus a lot of his communication about the game that he's experienced over his lifetime has more impact on me because his frame of reference is similar to mine. Whereas most of the Critical Role cast is about a decade or so younger than I am, and thus what is important or influential to them isn't so much to me.
I will say though that its definitely BECAUSE the Critical Role cast are actors that I was willing to watch it in the first place. Every other stream that has been put out that has just "regular people" playing does absolutely nothing for me. Most of them are just casuals being led around the nose by the DM, not actually going after what they want. That's why I tried to watch Dice, Camera, Action when it first came out and could never get into it... because Anna Prosser was the only player who had a PC actually being an active participant in the story... the other three players all dragged their feet and had to be yanked by the hair by Perkins to actually care or do anything. And that frustrated the hell out of me. Three players all trying to cockblock the one other player actually making active choices in the game and pushing the story forward.
Actors at least know how and why to go after what they want in a scene and always have an objective to strive for. Which in turns actually pushes the story forward and makes the drama compelling. Most of these other streams have just regular people listen to a DM narrate what's going on for 2 minutes and then respond with stuff like "I open the door." Not exactly the most interesting thing to listen to in the world.
Last edited:
