Let's (watch someone else) Play!

[Juno]

The concept of "Let's Plays" is kind of strange when you think about it, isn't it? It's difficult to explain the appeal of watching someone else play a game, but it's something I frequently do. I know some people watch for more practical reasons, like just checking out a game before buying it, which I do too, but I have to admit there's just something about watching someone else experience games you like that's really entertaining to me.

What about you guys? Do you like watching LPs, or would you rather just play the game yourself? What are some of your favorite LPers, if you have any?

 

[Firebolt]

I, for the life of me, can't stand watching someone else play. It's just really boring watching someone else have fun, but not being a part of it. When I watch a video of someone playing a game, I almost always ask myself "Why am I watching them play when I can do it myself?" before I switch the video off and do just that. The only exemption of this for me is watching a guide on how to do something, especially if I am particularly frustrated with being unable to complete a certain section of a game.

 

[Bay]

There are several reasons why I watch Let's Plays. Sometimes it is to see if I would be interested in the games and/or how a person would play it and their commentary. Other times though it might be a game I don't have it for a console/not exactly interested in playing but still curious like what is the game's story and characters (I do that with a lot of horror games haha).

 

[Arsenic]

It's a fad I just don't understand. It's like a kid watching his friend play with a toy he wants but can't have himself, and enjoying it...

Maybe it's because a lot of games are like a movie today anyways...

I dunno...

 

[Aquacorde]

I watch for the personalities, not for the games. Well, I tend to watch LPs of games I like/am interested in/seem fun(ny). But I watch for the people playing, who are entertaining. If the Let's Player is boring or I dislike them, I won't watch them no matter how interesting or well-done their video is. I dunno, I've never minded being the one sitting out on playing Smash or Mario Kart either- I had just as much fun watching everyone else.

I also don't watch story games, or people that include all their grinding and silent moments. Nah. It's still entertainment and I'm here to be entertained. And story games I'd rather do myself because I don't trust the player to show me everything. idk. I like LPs overall. Not that I watch much besides Achievement Hunter lmao

 

[thedestinedblade]

I suspect that watching Let's Plays would probably diminishes my desire to play games, so I generally don't watch them. Gameplay is part of the experience, if you aren't playing you aren't getting the full experience, I feel. But more power to you, if you do like them. I wouldn't be against watching a let's play of games like Heavy Rain or Life is Strange, lol.

 

[Aquacorde]

Oh I think the thing is really for me- I watch LPs of open world/sandbox games, mostly. So whatever they set up or are trying to do, I can also do and set up but I probably wouldn't because they play differently than I do. They do things I find fun to watch, but not as fun to play.

 

[Satoshi Ookami]

Like I said in a different thread. I don't see ANY appeal in watching someone else playing the game when I can spend time playing something myself.

However, in a way, I do watch LPs. And that is when I start someone's playthrough of some game in Japanese to have proper voices in a dubbed only game.

 

[machomuu]

Since this probably stems from the talk in the DCC, other than what I said there, I think LPs are a pretty solid way to see practical gameplay footage. Which, as a gamer, is important for me, because watching 10-15 seconds of actual gameplay generally tells me more than a thousand pictures could. A game is, after all, meant to be experienced in motion, and when a demo isn't present then videos are the next best way, so it stands to reason that seeing average joes interacting with the game (and actually being able to differentiate shit play from shit gameplay) can be a great way to get a feel for a game that you otherwise can't.

As for LPs as a whole, I was a bit annoyed by the whole thing in the beginning but its importance to the industry is astronomical. Hell, I don't think the indie scene would have gotten to nearly the place it has if it wasn't for Let's Plays, and more than that, we wouldn't see nearly the interest in previously niche genres that we have in recent years. Two things which, as I've mentioned before, I'm very glad about as they gave rise to more free form ideas being implemented in games (indie and, thanks to response, published/triple A studios) and generally just made the medium wider, so to speak. It's certainly something that I enjoy and it's a pretty solid way for games to get exposure, especially when they can't advertise or have to compete with the hundreds of thousands of games appearing in this competitive market.

So yeah, regardless of my feelings of LPs overall, I quite enjoy a good deal of the effect they've had on the industry.

 

[JJ Styles]

My favorite lets plays or the kinds of lets plays that I usually enjoy watching are those done by more than one person. Fine examples are the "Two Best Friends play" and my personal favorite channel SpicyWaffle. These lets plays done by more than one personality really remind me of the good ole days when we actually went to our friend's houses and played video games or at least watched them play video games and we laughed and even commented along, then waited for our turn to play and then the other guys get to laugh and talk sh*t and other fun stuff.

There's that strange yet funny feeling that I can't name but its really just there.

Also, as mentioned before, a lot of indie and commercial games have actually benefited from the medium. The funny thing is that given youtube's rather f**ked up system of copyright tags, game developers CAN have the power to shut down lets play videos because of copyright, but obviously most game devs and studios do know the appeal of the medium so they usually don't bother with it. Of course not the same thing can be said with certain other companies like Nintendo though.

 

[Lusus]

I mainly watch for personalities and entertainment. I don't really watch it because I want to watch the game most of the time. I don't really care much about Minecraft but man Achievement Hunter's first 150 or so let's plays of Minecraft are pure comedy gold.

It's also a good way to see if the game looks enjoyable. You can see all the cool trailers and screenshots but in the end the gameplay can still be "mash A to win" where all the enemy mooks look the same or similar and have the same health and damage and where your character only has 1 sword swinging animation.

Now on very rare occasion I watch really good players look at the game because I want to see how they play, what their strategy is and use that to personally get better at the game. Also helps if I can't get past a certain level or boss or w/e in the game.

I really dislike watching lets plays for games I'm really good at though.

 

[Mawa]

I don't do this often, but if I m reall curious about a game hat I can't own (reasons for money or console/pc), I'll watch someone play the game.
Maybe because I am the third child born in a time when we could only play 2 players, I grew up watching my brothers play some games. For example, I saw the 3 fables but never played once. Watching someone play isn't that strange for me.

 

[Sir Codin]

Again, I'm going to post this.

Maddox did an excellent video on this:



1. Watch someone better than you play
2. Listen to fun personalities
3. Awareness of obscure games


I don't know why it boggles people when plenty of us have probably had no qualms watching other people sing, play instruments, play sports, cook, or other stuff that - like video games - you can do yourself.

 

[Megan]

Funny, actually. Even back in the day I really enjoyed watching others play, sometimes even more than playing the game myself. Suppose there's something magical about seeing a game unfold that way. Kinda like your parents told you bedtime stories and stuff.

At the same time, I kinda consider myself lucky having started actively watching LPs in 2010, which I somewhat consider the final part of the golden era of LPs. Had I started later, I might have become one of those pewdieplyer peeps, who don't know shit about quality LPs. {XD}

 

[Yukari]

I love the affect that Lets Plays have had on video games but I really don't have the attention span to watch them most of the time. I do enjoy watching Markiplier from time to time if only because I think he's hot but not really, for the most part.

I get the appeal of them though.

 

[zakisrage]

Depends. Usually I do it for games that I've played but never bothered to finish, but yeah, sometimes they get a little repetitive. The best ones are the ones for lesser-known games.

I prefer the ones where the person playing doesn't talk. It helps to focus more on what's going on in the game. I also prefer to see ones by regular people instead of Internet celebrities so I don't have to deal with fangirls/fanboys.

 

[Florges]

I can only watch Video Games Awesome simply because it's friends arguing with each other on how to play the game. That's about it. Other than that, I can't really stand watching Let's Plays unless I am stuck in a certain area of a game.

 

[Dter ic]

I often watch LP's of games that I've played before to see how other people do. Some of them because they're really good at it and others for how they react to a difficult part of the game or a interesting plot point. I pick LP's based on whether I like person's character or sense of humor.

 

[gimmepie]

I don't know why it boggles people when plenty of us have probably had no qualms watching other people sing, play instruments, play sports, cook, or other stuff that - like video games - you can do yourself.

Thank you.

I myself have no interest in lets plays but I have never been able to comprehend the total confusion some people have over them.

 

[JJ Styles]

I just realized something:

Whenever i see someone doing a blind play on a game that I have completed already, whenever i see that certain player miss out on particular secrets or other things, I get really pissed at him. I get this feeling of saying to the player "HEY DUMMASE, YOU KNOW YOU CAN GET THOSE ITEMS IF YOU FIGURED OUT HOW THE GAME WORKS oVo!" Whoever has that feeling as well when watching let's plays can share my sentiments. This can get pretty hectic on livestreams where chat can suddenly be filled with a lot of salt and bleach. I definitely know this feeling since I was part of that chat who kept spamming "YOU CAN GRAB THOSE! D:<"

This is even worse when i get to see someone completely messing up in a game because they don't understand the mechanics or basics. This pretty much happens to everyone who did BLIND lets plays of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance where certain people didn't know how the game worked.

This kinda makes me realize that people who do lets plays should definitely do some personal practice runs before doing a lets play episode. Sure it kinda ruins the whole "Blind play" sort of thing, but at least it makes it entertaining for the viewers, especially those who have played the game before, a lot less pissed off and be entertained with those "AHA!" or "EUREKA!" moments.