Vicarious Gaming, or How long before someone bans video Let's Plays and such? - by Muzman
Muzman on 30/1/2011 at 12:29
Noticing lately that I don't really have the time, money or inclination to play lots of games lately but still wanting to keep up to date I've been watching increasing numbers of walkthroughs playthroughs and so on. They're hugely variable in quality and entertainment value, but they show the game well enough and they're getting increasingly easy to make.
It dawns on me after a while that this is terribly convenient and wonderfully cheap way to play games without really playing them. Particularly games I'm only marginally interested in but would like to know what everyone is talking about. Which means it's just a matter of time before someone decides it's costing them sales, at a guess.
As with music singles and movies, games probably rely as much on people who don't love them paying up front as anything else. Being able to experience, more or less, the whole thing could eliminate a lot of people on the fence. Or it could be great advertising. Warez "demo"-ing is similar. But to some developers it might even fall into that 'well, at least somone played it' area, and then there's vague ancillaries where piracy helps drive hardware and word of mouth sales.
Video may not help in either category. Or I can at least easily imagine someone thinking so and preferring to err on the side of content protection.
Dunno though, really. Anyone else finding an increase in LPs in their gaming life?
henke on 30/1/2011 at 12:41
I have a hard time enjoying them. Most of them are either filled with trite "humorous" commentary, or the person playing apears just to be playing the game to get though it rather than immerse themselves in the story and the gameworld. You know what I mean? Just rushing to the the next objective rather than slowing down, observing the environement and trying to get into character.
They're handy as walkthoughs or for getting a feel for what the gameplay might be like but I can't watch them just as "entertainment".
There are exceptions ofcourse, the (
http://www.youtube.com/show/freemansmind) Freeman's Mind ones were funny, for the first few episodes at least.
Malleus on 30/1/2011 at 13:06
I only watch them when I'm really interested in a game, but have no chance of playing it otherwise. Like with MGS4 (not having a PS3). Otherwise they aren't as good as actually playing the game obviously, and take about as much time. :) Also I hate the ones with commentaries, and those where the guy is like he's playing for the first time and doesn't know what he's doing.
icemann on 30/1/2011 at 14:44
I've only watched the "Lets play" videos on youtube (I'm assuming thats what your referring to in the thread title + 1st post) for 2 games so far: Fallout 1 & Star Ocean 2. The Fallout 1 videos were voiced by some little kid but were semi-humorous at times. In comparison the guy who voiced the Star Ocean 2 videos annoyed the fuck out of me. With mute in place it was much better. In both video cases I was watching them to figure out where to go, and so both were helpful in that respect.
Are the "Lets play" videos a recent thing? I never noticed them before on youtube.
And to the topic of this thread, I would always far rather play a game than just sit and watch. The same as if I was at a friends place. Sure its fine to watch them play for an hour or so, but after a while you get bored and want to play it yourself. You never truly experience a game unless you are playing it yourself, as watching is basically like watching a movie, not something you are participating in, so no immersion.
Zerker on 30/1/2011 at 14:54
I've only ever used them when stuck in some game that doesn't have a well-written walkthrough. For instance, I was playing Heretic and got stuck in a map in Episode 5. Turns out I missed another switch appearing somewhere completely random.
I can't see the point of watching someone play a game instead of playing it yourself. If it's not a game I'm only sort-of interested in, I'll play something that I AM interested in instead of watching someone else play.
icemann on 30/1/2011 at 18:05
Well to use your example of Heretic you could be playing a level and got stuck so look up a walkthrough which says "go down the left hallway, enter the 2nd room on your left and hit the switch", cept when you enter the room you see nothing which seems to resemble a switch and wonder if the walkthrough was wrong.
Times like that a video walkthrough is the better choice. Just be sure to close it once you've seen the bit your after. Had similar things happen to me in many games over the years.
june gloom on 30/1/2011 at 19:22
I mostly only watch LPs when the game is bad. The added humor value is solid gold.
WingedKagouti on 31/1/2011 at 00:04
Quote Posted by dethtoll
I mostly only watch LPs when the game is bad. The added humor value is solid gold.
It's indeed the only way to enjoy Sonic '06.
Yakoob on 31/1/2011 at 03:31
The problem with vast majority of humorous LP's is that they are not actually humorous at all.
Koki on 31/1/2011 at 06:41
Quote Posted by Muzman
It dawns on me after a while that this is terribly convenient and wonderfully cheap way to play games without really playing them.
To the same extent as someone telling you story of a movie is just like you watching that movie.
In other words, not at all.
