RPG session videos

[RogerBW]

This is a spin-off from the Raise a Million for GURPS thread.

Originally Posted by johndallman

I believe you, but a few examples of reasonable - not brilliant, not sloppy - gaming session videos would help a lot.

If you can stomach Wil Wheaton, then I'd recommend the TableTop play of Dread (part 1, part 2) and the gallimaufry setting Titansgrave (multiple parts). This is obviously a fairly high-end approach (multiple cameras, overlay graphics in the case of Titansgrave) though they still get things wrong to my mind (e.g. the distracting background in Titansgrave).

On the other hand I tried watching Critical Role and found it completely uninteresting. And I'm someone who listens to RPGMP3 and YSDC session recordings, so it's not just a lack of patience, though for something that's going to take hours at a time I tend to prefer an audio-only format.

If I were to produce an RPG-session video show on the cheap (i.e. no production crew), I think I'd want one camera permanently on the GM and one on the group as a whole (as John suggests, round one side of a table), and I'd certainly consider significant editing. If I had more cameras I'd put one on each player, but I'd still want one on the group as a whole. There would be cutaways for maps and handouts. That said, I have no experience making video.

Does anyone else have recommendations for interesting RPG session videos, or tips on producing them?

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by RogerBW

Does anyone else have recommendations for interesting RPG session videos, or tips on producing them?

Thinking of what I like to watch onYouTube that's somewhat similar to this (coop multiplayer with - at least - fairly smart people who's learning Factorio, rather than having already mastered the game), gave me this idea to suggest to you:

Arrange for player-to-player teaching to be likely to happen.



An ideal number of players might be four, with these traits:

Anette knows the rules system used (e.g. GURPS or Sagatafl) but is quite unfamiliar with the world in which the campaign takes places (e.g. Banestorm's Yrth setting, or my Ärth setting), or else she's just unfamiliar with the concept of a high-historicity medieval world (e.g. Yrth or Ärth, or Ars Magica's Mythic Europe) instead being used to the much more common D&D Land-type worlds and so needing to learn (and unlearn!) a lot.

Boris knows the world well, but is unfamiliar with the rules system.

Cecilie and Dennis knows both the world and the system.

This means that there'll be some mentoring going on on camera. Cecilie and Dennis will spend a bit of their time (with Boris occasionally chiming in - and of course the GM) helping Anette to better understand the world ("no, there is no general shoppe"), and likewise Cecilie and Dennis (with occasional input from Anette and the GM) will spend a bit of time teaching Boris the rules system.

The audience can then watch this, and learn along with Anette and Boris.

Physically, you don't want Anette and Boris to sit next to each other; you want them each to sit next to one of Cecilie and Dennis. Or both next to the GM, if the GM will be doing most of the teaching. That also allows for three cameras, if you have budget issues: One camera on the GM, one on Anette and Dennis sitting next to each other, and one on Boris and Cecilie also sitting next to each other.

[Skarg]

Originally Posted by RogerBW

Does anyone else have recommendations for interesting RPG session videos, or tips on producing them?

The most visually-striking and unique things about GURPS is the tactical combat. It offers and visualizes a type of play that many/most RPG players have no concept of, and seeing it in action would seem to me the most immediately effective thing that could be done, if run by an expert and fast GM, and if it showed the things GURPS does well that other games don't even attempt. I'd say it's best at medieval combat with varied weapons and tactics, and several figures on the map at once doing different types of things (using formations and flanking, reach, thrown weapons, weapon counters, body part hits effects, knockdown, disarming attempts, grappling, flying tackles), making the terrain matter, etc.

Then perhaps another video with a higher-tech shootout situation showing people taking cover etc.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Skarg

The most visually-striking and unique things about GURPS is the tactical combat

You seriously need a close-up camera for that.

Having been sampling some of these videos off YouTube, I think I've understood something. They aren't primarily tools for teaching the details of a game. They're about showing people that people like them do this and have fun: essentially a validation of the RPG experience for people who haven't done it, or didn't have fun in a brief experience.

Plus, of course, something that isn't on video can't possibly be important these days.

[RogerBW]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Having been sampling some of these videos off YouTube, I think I've understood something. They aren't primarily tools for teaching the details of a game. They're about showing people that people like them do this and have fun: essentially a validation of the RPG experience for people who haven't done it, or didn't have fun in a brief experience.

Plus, of course, something that isn't on video can't possibly be important these days.

Yes, I think that makes sense. (Some of the point of doing TableTop the way it was done, with minor celebrities who happen to game, was to show that "normal people" (at least by TV standards) play boardgames.) On the other hand the audio-only recordings from RPGMP3 and YSDC are much more "we played a game, you might enjoy listening to it".

On the other hand I think that what was being suggested in the original thread was not "here is how to play GURPS" but "here are people playing GURPS and have a good time".

[Shostak]

It would take a great deal of editing down to make an RPG session anywhere near interesting, even for people already interested in RPGs. I'm afraid that they'd have more potential to turn people off rather than excite their interest.

[philosophyguy]

Originally Posted by Shostak

It would take a great deal of editing down to make an RPG session anywhere near interesting, even for people already interested in RPGs. I'm afraid that they'd have more potential to turn people off rather than excite their interest.

Watch the PAX Acquisitions Inc games. Live play by celebrities with an amazing GM, Chris Perkins. It's true that they have a live audience, but they didn't do any video editing until the last couple of seasons.

[trooper6]

Originally Posted by Shostak

It would take a great deal of editing down to make an RPG session anywhere near interesting, even for people already interested in RPGs. I'm afraid that they'd have more potential to turn people off rather than excite their interest.

On the other hand, I'm a regular watcher of Critical Role, which I love. That is 3-5 hour sessions once a week of a group of voice actors playing D&D on video. And it is very successful indeed. It is the most watched Twitch stream for Geek and Sundry and generally has 15k+ people watching each session live (no idea the stats for people who watch it later on rebroadcast or on the website/youtube later). This community also creates fan art, gives gifts to the players/GM, donates to charity, and generally are very invested in watching this unedited RPG as a spectator sport. I'd also like to point out this is even a really large party--originally 8 players, now 7 players. And that is logistically tricky. But nonetheless people are very invested in watching this game as entertainment. And unlike Titansgrave, it isn't edited. This game just finished its 34th episode. So they are clearly doing something that is resonating with a viewing fanbase.

[Stormcrow]

I've tried watching videos of or listening to podcasts of groups playing RPGs. My number one complaint is always that I couldn't understand them most of the time; the sound quality was awful. Anyone who tries to produce a GURPS promotional series needs to get some good microphones. Of lesser import is video quality, but please get some good lighting! Most actual-play videos look like they were recorded in caves.

Players in these projects also tend to try to ignore the recording devices and just play as usual. This means they're using private jokes that I don't get, laughing their rather awful laughs (I find that RPG-players tend to have embarrassing laughs, and especially like to laugh at their own jokes), and speaking too much in jargon. A good production would have to remind players to speak clearly, to try not to talk over each other, not to use private jokes or jargon, and to generally remember that they're being watched.

For heaven's sake don't use pretentious or aggressive heavy metal as your opening theme! Don't try to make your voice sound impressive and cool when announcing your video. Charm me with normalcy and humor.

Maybe the participants should sit one of their moms behind the camera, and everyone should try to get mom to follow along, without actually addressing her.

Episodes should be no longer than half an hour. More than that and viewers won't stay interested.

[whswhs]

Originally Posted by Owen Smith

People keep talking about Wil Wheaton as if he's someone I should have heard of. I've only ever heard him mentioned on the SJ Games site, usually in "Woot! Wil Wheaton!" and other reverential or enthusiastic terms.

I take it you didn't watch Star Trek: The Next Generation? His performance there as Wesley Crusher brought him a lot of attention—often negative attention from people who disliked the role he played.