Critical Role To Critical Role or not...That is the question

[Yaarel]

For the poll, I am assuming Critical Roll doesnt include the Vox Machina animation.

I am neutral toward the stream play.

I love the Vox animation.

 

[Parmandur]

For the poll, I am assuming Critical Roll doesnt include the Vox Machina animation.

I am neutral toward the stream play.

I love the Vox animation.

It's more accessible, that's for sure: the same story in the stream is many, many times longer in screen time.

 

[Seramus]

I occasionally make the mistake of narrating shopkeepers and shopping trips, mostly if it's for unusual magical items. But, since I like to ham it up even for something I find intrinsically boring like shopping, next thing I know everybody wants to go shopping. I'm beginning to think I should go out of my way to make the shopping trips the equivalent of going to the DMV.

I had this problem with animal companions! I started off narrating every familiar / pet / plucky animal thing the party owned, and it was well received. Too well. Pretty soon the entire party had a familiar or pet of some kind, sometimes multiples. I love making an enjoyable experience for my players, but I ain't got time for that! Strict "RP your own pets" policy now, unless the narrative really calls for me to step in.

 

[Blue]

I game with an older crowd, and none of them have started playing 5e due to Critical Role. But I do know it's helped grow the hobby as a whole and D&D specifically, and I know a number of the voice actors from other work they have done -- I'm positive toward Critical Role. I've tried to watch it twice and failed both time not completing the first episode. But that was a long shot - I can't stand podcasts or videos or audiobooks of any nature because talking is ridiculously slow compared to reading (for me), and it doesn't hold my attention. Yes, I speed it up, but even then it's not my jam. I have pointed people at CR, I know that speed issue is a me-thing. I have recently watched the Vox Machina series and enjoyed it, but that's much more concentrated on things happening per wall clock time. My biggest two complaints about CR are (a) popularizing the minor cliche of some high-Charisma characters as romantic Players into the Horny Bard trope, and (b) seeing new players holding new DMs up to Matt Mercer and being disappointed. And the second one isn't their fault. But oh, Scanlan, oh.,

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Offline, it doesn't have the widespread fame that many seem to indicate it does online.

I’m not so sure about this, actually.

I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s general popularity is comparable to D&D in terms of viewers compared to active players.

 

[Guest 7034872]

I’m not so sure about this, actually.

I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s general popularity is comparable to D&D in terms of viewers compared to active players.

Several of my nieces and nephews only recently got into D&D, and Critical Role was a big part of what got them started. I suspect Mercer & Co. have contributed a lot to it's increasing popularity.

 

[Parmandur]

Several of my nieces and nephews only recently got into D&D, and Critical Role was a big part of what got them started. I suspect Mercer & Co. have contributed a lot to it's increasing popularity.

They sure haven't hurt: but they are far from the only or largest factor.

 

[Guest 7034872]

They sure haven't hurt: but they are far from the only or largest factor.

What would you say is/are the biggest?

 

[SteveC]

I don't think EN World is really a reliable place to answer this question, since most of the members are experienced players who've been in the hobby for some time. (At this point, I must add that I have had to be away from the site for a few years now since I was working a job with limited internet access, so ... feel free to school me if I'm wrong here).

The question is: how many people are coming into the hobby because of Critical Role? I don't think you can really understate this enough. I know many people who have kept up with running and playing AP adventures for the last few years, and they have consistently told me that new players talk about it very frequently, largely because they had an interest where they came across one of the actors in CR for voice work and then found out about the show.

The forums I frequent bring up the issue of new players expecting "the Critical Role experience" all the time, usually as a complaint.

So I suspect it has a very strong influence, but it also isn't an influence on me or the people I play with, since they were already here.

 

[Parmandur]

What would you say is/are the biggest?

The two big factors go together, in my mind: the design of 5E going back to a looser, less formal and fast-paced style of play similar to 80's iterations, and the overall rise of streaming. I know for a fact that WotC wasn't thinking of the streaming breakout when they made 5E, but the design they chose really played to streaming as a medium much more than a 3.x or 4E style game would have. Combine that with a generational trend towards being open to geeky fantasy stuff, and you have a perfect storm.

Now, Critical Role is the largest single streaming group, but they aren't the only ones making a living off of that scene: they are on the pointy end of the spear, but they aren't the whole story. Adventurer Zone and Acquisitions Incorporated are also huge, and there are a multitude of people putting stuff out there, and were doing so even before Critical Role broke out big. It's a whole scene, not just CR. Though I suspect for people who don't get into stremed games, CR is sort of a condensed symbol for the entire scene?