Over Half Of New D&D Players Got Into Game From Watching Online Play

I know this is really a small issue if any at all, but yet I find it mildly disturbing that so many people watch others play D&D instead of playing it themselves... it's kind of similar to the rise of "eSports" and their possible inclusion even in the olympics. And also my kids are starting to watch people play Minecraft on youtube instead of playing it themselves! It's ok to watch occasionally to get some inspiration, but if it's more often than the real thing then it raises some questions...

 

[Caliban]

I dunno man, Grog's improv with the sentient sword, and learning to read with Ashley are top-notch. And have you ever seen anything like Matt's powder merchant on any other stream? He kills it!

There's a reason they literally make a living doing this stuff. They're damn entertaining.

Edit: How can I forget Vex coming out of the tub? That killed me!

Exactly - they are professional entertainers, not professional D&D players - which is why the show is great to watch and listen too. For their personalities and improv skills, not so much their mastery of D&D.

Vox Machina is a group of overpowered bumbling idiots making bad decisions and succeeding in spite of themselves. And I love watching them do it, even as they get rules wrong, repeatedly forget the basic abilities of their characters, or try to do 5 things at once on their turn.

They are great at playing their characters, but less so at playing the game.

 

[Li Shenron]

"Why are you watching someone playing a game instead of doing the work of playing the game yourself?" is the 21st century equivalent to things like "Why are you watching that television show instead of doing the work of visualizing the story in your head as you listen to this radio program?"

Aha! So you see what's the problem? You just called it WORK.

So something that was created to be a game is now a job, or otherwise a competition?

It makes sense to watch something to get better at it. Still, isn't getting better supposed to still have the purpose of fun? I am not even a fan of lousy beer and pretzel and burpy gaming, I always wanted to play ANY game well, because it's rewarding for me, playing well is more fun for my tastes.

Nevertheless it doesn't fully convince me that watching someone else play without me is going to be nearly as beneficial as playing (which includes watching by the way). Yes I can tell that those guys are good (I watched half the first episode). But I don't see any point watching more. To get even better... and then what?

Maybe it's just a matter of time budget vs how much you're into the hobby, and maybe I am not enough into it.

 

[Caliban]

Aha! So you see what's the problem? You just called it WORK.

So something that was created to be a game is now a job, or otherwise a competition?

I don't know, ask a professional athlete. Most sports were originally games and are now jobs or competition.

It makes sense to watch something to get better at it. Still, isn't getting better supposed to still have the purpose of fun? I am not even a fan of lousy beer and pretzel and burpy gaming, I always wanted to play ANY game well, because it's rewarding for me, playing well is more fun for my tastes.

Watching people play D&D can be fun. If the people playing are inherently entertaining. That's really the main point, at least for the games that people watch week after week - it's more about watching the antics of the players than learning the mechanics of D&D. (HarmonQuest, Critical Role, etc.)

Nevertheless it doesn't fully convince me that watching someone else play without me is going to be nearly as beneficial as playing (which includes watching by the way). Yes I can tell that those guys are good (I watched half the first episode). But I don't see any point watching more. To get even better... and then what?

To be entertained, mostly. It's like a soap opera where the actors frequently break character to mock each other.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Aha! So you see what's the problem? You just called it WORK.

So something that was created to be a game is now a job, or otherwise a competition?

I suppose the fact that I also called imagining what is going on as you read a book "work" didn't clue you into how I was using the word "work" in this case?

Look, you can denigrate watching people play board games or video game all you want. But anyone who does has basically become their parents and grandparents complaining about that Atari system that keeps them from playing with other kids, or that TV set that takes away their need for imagination or that radio that keeps kids from reading. And if you've ever rolled your eyes at your parents over their outdated ideas on stuff like that... rest assured the kids of today are doing the exact same thing to you.

 

[Gundark]

I know this is really a small issue if any at all, but yet I find it mildly disturbing that so many people watch others play D&D instead of playing it themselves... it's kind of similar to the rise of "eSports" and their possible inclusion even in the olympics. And also my kids are starting to watch people play Minecraft on youtube instead of playing it themselves! It's ok to watch occasionally to get some inspiration, but if it's more often than the real thing then it raises some questions...

I get that this isn't a big issue with you, and I do hear what you're saying. I think the idea is that watching people play increases the likelihood that they'll play themselves, which according to the article seems to be what's happening. I know personally speaking watching streams of a variety of games have increased me playing them more than I would have it I wasn't watching the streams.

 

[kenmarable]

it's more about watching the antics of the players than learning the mechanics of D&D. (HarmonQuest, Critical Role, etc.)

For all that is good in this world, I hope no one watches HarmonQuest to learn the mechanics of the game!! Yikes!!!

 

[Li Shenron]

Look, you can denigrate watching people play board games or video game all you want. But anyone who does has basically become their parents and grandparents complaining about that Atari system that keeps them from playing with other kids, or that TV set that takes away their need for imagination or that radio that keeps kids from reading. And if you've ever rolled your eyes at your parents over their outdated ideas on stuff like that... rest assured the kids of today are doing the exact same thing to you.

I don't want to denigrate. It's just the passivity trend that worries me a bit.

Of course there's nothing wrong in watching a D&D show rather than the latest TV series. At least if you have no choice between playing and watching. I am sure that most people who watch Critical Role do so between playing, and some other do so because they got no one to play with, so next best thing...

Eventually I understand less those who watch others play videogames, with some exception (like wanting to see how a specific game ends, for example).

As long as people still choose to play rather than watch when they can do both.

 

[pogre]

So, I will readily admit I am in the "get off my lawn" and "I don't get it" crowd. My kids watch videos of people playing video games and I tease them about it.

However, if I wanted to recommend a stream to a potential new player - what would you recommend? It seems like some of the popular ones are super long episodes - that may be too much of an investment of time to suggest to someone who is potentially interested.

I think it is great that this is a way to get new people involved BTW.

 

[Li Shenron]

I get that this isn't a big issue with you, and I do hear what you're saying. I think the idea is that watching people play increases the likelihood that they'll play themselves, which according to the article seems to be what's happening. I know personally speaking watching streams of a variety of games have increased me playing them more than I would have it I wasn't watching the streams.

Well to be honest it probably worked that way for me too. I watched maybe 40-50min of Critical Role the first time. Then I stopped but I can't say I disliked it. Maybe it worked so well that it prompted me to prepare adventures to DM again instead of keep watching it

 

[SuperTD]

I don't want to denigrate. It's just the passivity trend that worries me a bit.

Of course there's nothing wrong in watching a D&D show rather than the latest TV series. At least if you have no choice between playing and watching. I am sure that most people who watch Critical Role do so between playing, and some other do so because they got no one to play with, so next best thing...

Eventually I understand less those who watch others play videogames, with some exception (like wanting to see how a specific game ends, for example).

As long as people still choose to play rather than watch when they can do both.

I think a lot of it comes down to time and availability to play/people to play with. I play/run twice a week with two groups, but that's only 4 hours a week of my free time, which is extensive. I'd be quite happy to play in another game with people I know, but it can be hard enough to find a day everyone in a group can do. Watching people play only relies on when I have time. 45 minute walk to work and 45 back? That's 50% of a Critical Role episode if I watch or listen on my tablet. I can get through A LOT of D&D content - I'm currently up to date with Critical role (115 episodes), High Rollers (63 episodes), Dice Camera Action (67 episodes), and numerous other shorter shows or miniseries on the WotC twitch channel.

I watch far more D&D than regular TV, because it's more enjoyable for me, I can learn skills from the DMs I watch to put into practice in my own games, and it's easier to pick up and put down part way through episodes.

(As for watching video games, a lot of it is down to personality. The one gamer I watch consistently is clever, witty and funny. It would be like asking me "why do you like watching comedy shows?)