D&D General Critical Role: Overrated, Underrated, or Goldilocks?

[jgsugden]

This thread just makes me sad that so many people don't believe you can have an immersive game at home. That is all most of us are saying when we say we have games similar to Critical Role at home - that people are really role playing and into the story aspects of the game.

 

[Charlaquin]

This thread just makes me sad that so many people don't believe you can have an immersive game at home.

I don’t think anyone here believes that.

That is all most of us are saying when we say we have games similar to Critical Role at home - that people are really role playing and into the story aspects of the game.

If that’s all you’re saying, you should have no objection to the statement that what the Critical Role cast does is impacted by the fact that they have an audience.

 

[Iry]

Does it make a difference if the way they behave, while being watched, is similar to the way your own table behaves, while not being watched?

 

[Charlaquin]

Does it make a difference if the way they behave, while being watched, is similar to the way your own table behaves, while not being watched?

Similar to =/= the same as. And, again, these are people who went to grad school to learn to put on an entertaining performance while making it look natural. Saying what they do while performing is significantly similar to what you do while not performing is... Well it's a bit like believing the stage magician actually just pulled a rabbit out of his hat. It sure does look like he did.

 

[Bolares]

This thread just makes me sad that so many people don't believe you can have an immersive game at home.

either you don't want to understand what we are saying or you are just gaslighting us by this point. We've never said that....

 

[wicked cool]

the great thing about critical role is that its not hard to imagine any of us being at that game table. You cant compare that to the indy 500, the soccer match or even the world tour of poker. Many of us know the rules better than some of them.

Now critical role isnt the only stream and what i have seen is some guest appearances by non voice actors on the show (chris Perkins is one that comes to mind) and some of these guest speakers have been on other streams as well (Realmsmith is a growing channel)

Covid has allowed me to watch this show and some of these players are very good at actually playing the game. Marisha has played a monk and druid better than ive seen others play it and the audience is truly impacted by character deaths.

What many of them do really well is roleplay and i think that frustrates some here. I've seen people (myself included) come to gaming night . They have got their dice and their character etc but then when it comes to interacting with the party/npc its a little tough. Many of us are social introverts so the conversation with the npc at the tavern is in some cases not as polished as Sam's is . their conversations come of as real conversations instead of my character asks the bartender for an ale while Sam has more polish "Veth throws down 2 coppers and says give me the ale from that dirty mug your holding " or something like that

 

[Oofta]

Similar to =/= the same as. And, again, these are people who went to grad school to learn to put on an entertaining performance while making it look natural. Saying what they do while performing is significantly similar to what you do while not performing is... Well it's a bit like believing the stage magician actually just pulled a rabbit out of his hat. It sure does look like he did.

No two games are alike. If I won a contest and got dwarven forge bits for life, it would not change my game significantly. It doesn't matter if I play in my friend's bedroom, the kitchen table or Buckingham Palace. They are amazing voice actors, but the voices any DM does (or does not do) doesn't really change the content of the game it just changes the cosmetics.

What you seem to imply is that CR is to home games is the same as WWE is to "amateur" wrestling. That even though a big part of the fun for me is getting reactions or making other players laugh by performing my character, my roleplaying is inferior. I don't think it is. I think it's just called playing an immersive game.

They have more bling, more charisma. But to say that just because is very, very good at DMing Matt is unique puts him up on a pedestal. A pedestal he does not want, and one that says to other DMs "don't even bother trying to be this good".

It also implies that they have predetermined beats and story arcs that they have planning sessions for and discussions about. They claim they do not. The one interview show I watched had Travis say that a critical turning point for his PC was done in the moment because it's what Fjord would do.

Yes, they have an audience. I'm sure it feels a bit different. Just like it feels a bit different to play at my kitchen table versus playing in our living room (sadly, we've never gotten an invitation to the palace). I can only imagine what it would feel like ... but for me? I would just be performing and roleplaying for my fellow players like I always have. Maybe I make minor adjustments now and then .... just like I do now.

But I know this is pointless and the response will just be "Actors!" "Paid!" "Audience!". Because somehow that makes it totally different.

P.S. I don't know about the entire cast, but Marisha at least has no formal acting education. She did [EDIT: I said this wrong. My point was that she didn't go past training while in high school; my understanding is that she went from high school to street performer. Or maybe I'm just not awake and people don't literally mean "Graduate Degree".] high school level theater and had jobs like street performer.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

P.S. I don't know about the entire cast, but Marisha at least has no formal acting education. She did high school level theater and had jobs like street performer.

One last time- do you have any idea how denigrating that can be to someone's talents?

She's not a real actor? A real performer? Really?

"Really though, I have always been a fan of discovering characters through body and movement. I have a strong dance background, and was performing at the Actors Theater of Lousiville by the time I was twelve" Source

Her official bio states that she "got her start in theater on the east coast, working and training at companies such as the Actors Theatre of Louisville, American Academy of the Dramatic Arts, Point Park University Conservatory of Performing Arts, and the Governor’s School for the Arts." Source.

That's ... kind of a thing. More than just "high school theater."

She's not an actor? She's not a professional performer? The fact that she was busking for audiences for a while on Hollywood Blvd. makes her less of a professional performer? That she was supporting herself by performing while trying to break into the industry makes her less of a performer? This is weird to me.

"I started dabbling with producing more in college, and when I first moved to LA. I really enjoy writing, and the building process, and decided I didn't want to loose that. The summer of 2008 is when I moved to LA... right in the thick of the writer's strike. After a frustrating few years of barely any auditions, I realized that it didn't have to stop me from creating. However, acting was always a focus." Source.

She has imdb credits dating back to 2004. Source. Maybe not the most expansive of any performer out there, but she's clearly been plugging away for a long time. Like a lot of people in the Business.

I will keep reiterating this- it is bizarre to me that people keep tearing down these talented people.

If this was so easy, then everyone would be doing Critical Role. The fact that Critical Role is so special and beloved means that ... they might just be doing things better than other people can (in terms of D&D as streamed performance).

 

[Oofta]

One last time- do you have any idea how denigrating that can be to someone's talents?

She's not a real actor? A real performer? Really?

"Really though, I have always been a fan of discovering characters through body and movement. I have a strong dance background, and was performing at the Actors Theater of Lousiville by the time I was twelve" Source

Her official bio states that she "got her start in theater on the east coast, working and training at companies such as the Actors Theatre of Louisville, American Academy of the Dramatic Arts, Point Park University Conservatory of Performing Arts, and the Governor’s School for the Arts." Source.

That's ... kind of a thing. More than just "high school theater."

She's not an actor? She's not a professional performer? The fact that she was busking for audiences for a while on Hollywood Blvd. makes her less of a professional performer?

"I started dabbling with producing more in college, and when I first moved to LA. I really enjoy writing, and the building process, and decided I didn't want to loose that. The summer of 2008 is when I moved to LA... right in the thick of the writer's strike. After a frustrating few years of barely any auditions, I realized that it didn't have to stop me from creating. However, acting was always a focus." Source.

She has imdb credits dating back to 2004. Source. Maybe not the most expansive of any performer out there, but she's clearly been plugging away for a long time. Like a lot of people in the Business.

I will keep reiterating this- it is bizarre to me that people keep tearing down these talented people.

If this was so easy, then everyone would be doing Critical Role. The fact that Critical Role is so special and beloved means that ... they might just be doing things better than other people can (in terms of D&D as streamed performance).

It says nothing about her talents. From everything I've heard she's incredibly hard working and driven. The fact that she is where she is is not denigrating, it's a testament to her drive and savvy.

I never said what they do is easy. There's a ton of work outside of the game itself that makes CR what it is. That has never, ever, been the issue I have.

 

[Iry]

Similar to =/= the same as. And, again, these are people who went to grad school to learn to put on an entertaining performance while making it look natural. Saying what they do while performing is significantly similar to what you do while not performing is... Well it's a bit like believing the stage magician actually just pulled a rabbit out of his hat. It sure does look like he did.

I genuinely don't see them on a pedestal. Certainly they are charismatic people, leveraging their professional skills to improve the performances they put on. But outside of Matt doing Michael Winslow level stuff, and a huge Dwarven Forge budget, I see most of the other players as... definitely above average but not astounding? Liam is the only one I would rate as astounding.

So they are 8/10s for me. And when someone says other players can't be like them, I think back to all the outstanding players I've had the honor of knowing. In some ways, I like the CR team more because they are fallible. They are not godly roleplayers. They are just like the friends I hang out with every week.