D&D 5E D&D Live: Kate Welch returns with Jack Black, Reggie Watts and others!

During WotC's 'D&D Live' events in mid-July this year, there will be a live game called The Lost Odyssey: Last Light, featuring a dragons, krakens, and giant sea queens. WotC's Kate Welch will be the DM and celebrity guests Jack Black, Reggie Watts, Lauren Lapkus, Kevin Smith, and Jason Mewes will be the players -- plus one other guest they have not yet announced.

 

[SkidAce]

That sounds horrid
Welch is fine. Tried to watch celebrities play in one of the 2020 streams and it was abysmal. Poor web camera, bad mikes and weak characters
They're famous but you're still watching a bunch of awkward newbs play. Might as well set up cameras at the local game store

I have no problem with that. Might learn something from the way they play, might not.

 

[Disgruntled Hobbit]

Yet people will say streamed games don't reflect how D&D is played on regular tables...

Streamed games with improv trained voice actors familiar with DnD doesn't reflect regular tables
And that's OK. It's entertaining and aspirational
It's watching professional golfers filmed on TV cameras

This is a celebrity golf tournament with players who've only have played a couple holes recorded on someone's smartphone

 

[Gradine]

I wasn't aware nerd cred was a zero sum game, Joe.

 

[Marc Radle]

Streamed games with improv trained voice actors familiar with DnD doesn't reflect regular tables
And that's OK. It's entertaining and aspirational
It's watching professional golfers filmed on TV cameras

This is a celebrity golf tournament with players who've only have played a couple holes recorded on someone's smartphone

Why on a smart phone?
Is there some reason you think this will not be recorded using professional equipment?

 

[Disgruntled Hobbit]

Why on a smart phone?
Is there some reason you think this will not be recorded using professional equipment?

Referencing the crap webcams seen in the 2020 live game
They didn't get the performers into a studio. Just called them up on Zoom

Same thing will happen now. The quality is reliant on Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith and Jack Black having HD webcams, streaming quality mikes, and fast internet

 

[thom_likes_gaming]

more like celebs pretending to like playing D&D to get easy money and attention is very mainstream now

Why the negativity? Have any of those people shown a tendency to fake their gaming enthusiasm in the past?

Edit: and, as was pointed out, even if, so what? It doesn't hurt anyone, it promotes the game we (most of us) love in some form or another...

 

[lkj]

I will agree that sometimes he seems like the Worst of Us - amateur psychoanalyzing him, I'd say it's a kind of overcompensation maybe from being the jock in school and the nerds gatekept him out of the hobby?

On his comments about Vin Diesel, not that it matters but I would believe he played before (isn't his witch hunter movie based on his 30th level character he talked about on Conan O'Brien I think it was?) but Joe isn't the only person I've heard say they don't know anyone gaming with Vin Diesel. You don't see anywhere talking about 'Hey! Vin Diesel came down to the gaming shop today for dice and just hung out ten minutes! It was awesome!'. As a multimillionaire, I'm not thinking he's sitting down with us proles. And as far as how connected the gaming community among celebs/entertainers/etc, my only inference is based on a video I saw of Matt Mercer talking about being approached to bring Critical Role to streaming...

The link is from a video Liam O'Brien took when they were approached about the game being brought to stream. The story Matt tells is about people saying they want to play with Ashley Johnson - "oh yeah, she's in my game too." I know it's anecdotal but again... I've never seen anyone lay claim to gaming with Vin Diesel or pictures from his home campaign on the Socials. Video:
Again, all conjecture.

TMDR - I will agree that Joe definitely puts off the 'not-best traits of gamerhood'.

I don't know that I agree. I didn't know about the Vin Diesel comment. But, honestly, every time I've seen Joe talk about the game, he is enthusiastic, encouraging, and seems to want everyone to play. In other words, a really good ambassador. None of us are perfect, but I hope we don't always characterize someone by their worst comment-- especially against a lot of other very good mojo.

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[Weiley31]

What if Jason Mewnes plays the Bard, instead of Jack, and then seduces himself with his CHA score?

 

[Seramus]

I have a theory about Vin.

I think he did play, absolutely. But when you listen to him talk about his character, the cool powers, and how he played... I think he was "That Guy." Or at the very least, some kind of mild munchkin. Heck, I know I was pretty cringe when I was young. And I get the impression he was too. Either way, he's probably not "That Guy" anymore.

 

[bedir than]

Referencing the crap webcams seen in the 2020 live game
They didn't get the performers into a studio. Just called them up on Zoom

During the global pandemic an event that had to be re-planned as the entire world shutdown just two months prior to the event?