Here and there I watch'em. I'm not a fan of Pewdiepie(is that how you say it?) but I liked the Donkey Kong "documentary" and have on occasion watched videos by Markiplier.
It's odd... I love watching the guys on Node do the LAN party videos, but Twitch and the like.... not so much. Probably because the Node videos edit it down to funny/good parts and add their own humor, whereas streaming is just gameplay. Don't even get me started on eSports.
Absolutely never! How horrifically boring when I could be playing instead! Ugh, I'd rather just sit and stare at the wall in silence. Sitting and staring at the wall in silence is pretty damned nice, actually. Unfocused brain-wandering is the shiiiiit. Conversely, admittedly, making kids watch me play made for the best babysitting activity when my cousins were little.
The only ones I've ever really watched were Goat Simulator youtubes... I can't explain why. But when I was 10 I read a lot of walk-throughs in Nintendo Power telling me how to get through the Legend of Zelda and Shadowgate. That's kind of the same, isn't it?
This is kinda the cultural tipping point that makes me realize I'm old. I will never understand the popularity of people watching other people play video games on YouTube or Twitch or whatever the kids are doing these days.
@christinerenee I mostly do it for games that I would not have a cjance to play myself (ex: console exlusives or hard to find) and banter wben it is actually good.
@christinerenee I'm more interested in the commentary on top of whatever game they're playing. I'm in it for the comedy, less for the instructional value.
I have teenagers. I had to watch some to be able to talk to them. Sometimes I will try to figure out what is going on in a game, but I can only handle so much of most of them. Also my offspring get annoyed trying to explain them to me.
The one with the portals is the least annoying to watch. It's almost entertainment.
Well, it was revealed that Red Dwarf was nothing but a video game so I guess I've watched it once a week for many, many seasons (and still refer to it from time to time on DVD)
Hated the idea of watching the others at first. I started watching to find out what games were actually like before dropping 65 bucks on one that I didn't like. I tend to watch people for strategic input in my own gaming. I like to learn how to improve my own gaming by watching others win/fail. On the other side, watching the entertaining ones is like listening to the radio.
John Gruber came to the realization that watching other people play video games is essentially the same as watching other people play games like baseball.
I can't stop. I have minecraft let's plays running, like, all the time. And not just the good ones, like etho and B dub. I have my cousin. And some kid from maybe Bulgaria or Latveria or the Balkans. How should I know? It's not like I understand him. He just sounds like a cross between the Swedish chef and Dracula. And he dies a lot, leading to rants in whatever language it is. Why can't I stop?!
I will watch a game before I buy. I check out the HUD and basic game play. I do not want to accidentally buy a game that plays like Halo when I wanted a game that played like COD. Else I agree with @goldenthorn "Absolutely never! How horrifically boring when I could be playing instead! Ugh, I'd rather just sit and stare at the wall in silence." AKA watching someone play a video game is only slightly better than watching sports. (at least in video games there are not insane amounts of timeouts, penalties, and commercials.)
I watch Robbaz's videos for the humor in conjunction with games I can't play. And when I have played it, it's interesting to see how someone else dealt with the same scenarios, like in ZombiU. I don't see the appeal in watching speed-runs.
I like watching my gf play video games, but it is often frustrating.
I'll watch Twitch to see if a game is good or not. Either that or looking for different strategy on games I play. Not that often though, it gets boring quick.
I don't game due to the fact I'm terrible at it. I download games onto my phone for my grandson to play when he visits. Recently I downloaded Tiny Thief and he and I sat up past midnight, huddled together, over the phone, him playing, me watching and trying to offer ideas. It was a blast. Games like that are fun to watch. Especially when the gamer is a clever 12 year old.
I've always watched a lot of fairly decent quality video game commentary and review on Youtube for years, but not so much of Twitch play or Let's Plays. On one hand, you have people like Campster, Super Bunnyhop, and Totalbiscuit (to name a few) offering insights on games coming out or various game-related topics, and on the other hand you have PewDiePie and Markiplier, being loud and always having a face cam. Can't say I'm a fan of speedrunning either. There are rare exceptions for LPers that play strange stuff like Raocow (mostly Super Mario World romhacks) and pro Dota 2 streamers sometimes, but that's it for me.
I guess I've gotten to a point in life where I don't watch other people play any kind of game. No video games or sports.
But I will watch videos on scrapbooking techniques for hours on end. Like I just learned how to make my own enamel dots using kids' perler beads (which will save a bunch of money in the long run).
I play mostly FP shooters online multiplayer. My flatmate will sit there and watch for hours. He says it's just as entertaining as watching an action movie on TV.
For me... I get bored watching. I will glance an occasional YouTube vid for hints or tips, but beyond that... why watch when I can play?
I grew up playing video games and I've loved them ever since I could hold a controller. I love watching people play games, but I can understand why a lot of people don't "get it".
I've played games my entire life so I'm familiar with the language of games and the rules that most all games follow. I can appreciate a lot of aspects of a game, from the music/graphics and art design to the game design and systems. I also don't have as much time to play games these days so sometimes I'll watch to get my fix.
I also enjoy watching people play competitive games at a super high level because I know I don't have the time or skill to ever be as good as they are and I like seeing a coordinated team of people do something that they're very good at. This one seems the most relatable to me, most people will never be Marshawn Lynch but they still like watching him play. Once you learn the rules and strategies of these games (which I admit can be really daunting) it's exciting to watch people play them at a professional level.
I'm right at the 50/50 line of "Things I watch played" and "Actual time I get to game." My husband and I watch a lot of Rooster Teeth stuff on YouTube.
I watch Let's Plays and Twitch streams for two (more or less) reasons: I like the game I like the LPer/streamer (and so will watch nearly anything from them) Good LPers add an extra element/dimension to the content- humor, watching someone flail about/fail, sharing the misery of a shitty game together, or just great commentary. Some great people you should watch: Leigh Alexander: Lo-Fi Let's Plays:
My son will sit and watch YouTube personalities play Minecraft and treat them with the same reverence which I gave rock -stars of my early youth (this was before MTV, mind you). I don't get it, but he seems to enjoy it, so more power to him. Plus I now know how to build shit with Redstone and I know a few of the parody songs and I know who iBallisticSquid and Stampy are - so I gain boatloads of cred with his classmates at school parties.
Kappa
@Mofongo SuperVinlin
I follow way too many LP'ers
It is my greatest shame
@WilhelmScreamer Life must be okay if you're most ashamed about that
It's not a spectator sport.
I enjoy like… drinking and watching my actual friends play games… and the occasional speed run on YouTube… but that's about it, really.
Here and there I watch'em. I'm not a fan of Pewdiepie(is that how you say it?) but I liked the Donkey Kong "documentary" and have on occasion watched videos by Markiplier.
I'm watching someone play Metroid Prime right now. The stream acts as kind of a podcast. It's not always about the game.
I would rather watch in person than play.
It's odd... I love watching the guys on Node do the LAN party videos, but Twitch and the like.... not so much. Probably because the Node videos edit it down to funny/good parts and add their own humor, whereas streaming is just gameplay. Don't even get me started on eSports.
does watching red vs blue count?
I like purple.
Absolutely never! How horrifically boring when I could be playing instead! Ugh, I'd rather just sit and stare at the wall in silence. Sitting and staring at the wall in silence is pretty damned nice, actually. Unfocused brain-wandering is the shiiiiit.
Conversely, admittedly, making kids watch me play made for the best babysitting activity when my cousins were little.
The only ones I've ever really watched were Goat Simulator youtubes... I can't explain why. But when I was 10 I read a lot of walk-throughs in Nintendo Power telling me how to get through the Legend of Zelda and Shadowgate. That's kind of the same, isn't it?
@belowi So is THAT the appeal? You watch it to learn how to get through the levels yourself? I guess that makes some sense.
@christinerenee That's my one friend's excuse, but i don't see how watching people play a game will improve your own skill.
This is kinda the cultural tipping point that makes me realize I'm old. I will never understand the popularity of people watching other people play video games on YouTube or Twitch or whatever the kids are doing these days.
@christinerenee I mostly do it for games that I would not have a cjance to play myself (ex: console exlusives or hard to find) and banter wben it is actually good.
@WilhelmScreamer hmm...I guess that makes sense.
@christinerenee it is also how I am often introduced to new games
@WilhelmScreamer See, that makes sense.
@christinerenee I'm more interested in the commentary on top of whatever game they're playing. I'm in it for the comedy, less for the instructional value.
I have teenagers. I had to watch some to be able to talk to them. Sometimes I will try to figure out what is going on in a game, but I can only handle so much of most of them. Also my offspring get annoyed trying to explain them to me.
The one with the portals is the least annoying to watch. It's almost entertainment.
I like watching Northernlion's let's plays. I enjoy his self deprecating sense of humor since its so similar to my own.
Well, it was revealed that Red Dwarf was nothing but a video game so I guess I've watched it once a week for many, many seasons (and still refer to it from time to time on DVD)
I love purple.
There's this great LP host at https://www.youtube.com/user/ManyATrueNerd
He's English, but let's forgive him anyway because he's a lot of fun to listen to.
@brumagem Very entertaining. Thank you.
Hated the idea of watching the others at first. I started watching to find out what games were actually like before dropping 65 bucks on one that I didn't like. I tend to watch people for strategic input in my own gaming. I like to learn how to improve my own gaming by watching others win/fail. On the other side, watching the entertaining ones is like listening to the radio.
DOTA 2, 'nough said.
John Gruber came to the realization that watching other people play video games is essentially the same as watching other people play games like baseball.
I only watch reviews of games I'm considering buying if I can't pick them up used and try them for myself. Which is to say it almost never happens.
I can't stop. I have minecraft let's plays running, like, all the time. And not just the good ones, like etho and B dub. I have my cousin. And some kid from maybe Bulgaria or Latveria or the Balkans. How should I know? It's not like I understand him. He just sounds like a cross between the Swedish chef and Dracula. And he dies a lot, leading to rants in whatever language it is. Why can't I stop?!
I pay half-attention when my husband is playing a Halo game. I like the story.
@katylava I watched my husband play through the Mass Effect trilogy.
I will watch a game before I buy. I check out the HUD and basic game play. I do not want to accidentally buy a game that plays like Halo when I wanted a game that played like COD.
Else I agree with @goldenthorn
"Absolutely never! How horrifically boring when I could be playing instead! Ugh, I'd rather just sit and stare at the wall in silence."
AKA watching someone play a video game is only slightly better than watching sports. (at least in video games there are not insane amounts of timeouts, penalties, and commercials.)
I watch Robbaz's videos for the humor in conjunction with games I can't play. And when I have played it, it's interesting to see how someone else dealt with the same scenarios, like in ZombiU. I don't see the appeal in watching speed-runs.
I like watching my gf play video games, but it is often frustrating.
I'll watch Twitch to see if a game is good or not. Either that or looking for different strategy on games I play.
Not that often though, it gets boring quick.
I have too high of an IQ to play video games, much less watch someone else play them.
@tightwad Hey I found your horse:
I don't game due to the fact I'm terrible at it. I download games onto my phone for my grandson to play when he visits. Recently I downloaded Tiny Thief and he and I sat up past midnight, huddled together, over the phone, him playing, me watching and trying to offer ideas. It was a blast.
Games like that are fun to watch. Especially when the gamer is a clever 12 year old.
I've always watched a lot of fairly decent quality video game commentary and review on Youtube for years, but not so much of Twitch play or Let's Plays. On one hand, you have people like Campster, Super Bunnyhop, and Totalbiscuit (to name a few) offering insights on games coming out or various game-related topics, and on the other hand you have PewDiePie and Markiplier, being loud and always having a face cam. Can't say I'm a fan of speedrunning either. There are rare exceptions for LPers that play strange stuff like Raocow (mostly Super Mario World romhacks) and pro Dota 2 streamers sometimes, but that's it for me.
Some other answer you'll in the forum-
I watch long enough to figure out what I am doing wrong to get past some point in the game ;)
I guess I've gotten to a point in life where I don't watch other people play any kind of game. No video games or sports.
But I will watch videos on scrapbooking techniques for hours on end. Like I just learned how to make my own enamel dots using kids' perler beads (which will save a bunch of money in the long run).
1 All the time. He's my son and won't let me play.
2 King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters was awesome.
I play mostly FP shooters online multiplayer. My flatmate will sit there and watch for hours. He says it's just as entertaining as watching an action movie on TV.
For me... I get bored watching. I will glance an occasional YouTube vid for hints or tips, but beyond that... why watch when I can play?
I grew up playing video games and I've loved them ever since I could hold a controller. I love watching people play games, but I can understand why a lot of people don't "get it".
I've played games my entire life so I'm familiar with the language of games and the rules that most all games follow. I can appreciate a lot of aspects of a game, from the music/graphics and art design to the game design and systems. I also don't have as much time to play games these days so sometimes I'll watch to get my fix.
I also enjoy watching people play competitive games at a super high level because I know I don't have the time or skill to ever be as good as they are and I like seeing a coordinated team of people do something that they're very good at. This one seems the most relatable to me, most people will never be Marshawn Lynch but they still like watching him play. Once you learn the rules and strategies of these games (which I admit can be really daunting) it's exciting to watch people play them at a professional level.
Does anyone actually like PewDiePie though? He's the worst right?
@Moose he is the worst.
I'm right at the 50/50 line of "Things I watch played" and "Actual time I get to game." My husband and I watch a lot of Rooster Teeth stuff on YouTube.
My husband LOVES watching speed runs. I'd rather watch golf, grass grow, dogs fart, or that weird spot on the wall.
Gimme the controller!
I watch Let's Plays and Twitch streams for two (more or less) reasons:
I like the game
I like the LPer/streamer (and so will watch nearly anything from them)
Good LPers add an extra element/dimension to the content- humor, watching someone flail about/fail, sharing the misery of a shitty game together, or just great commentary.
Some great people you should watch:
Leigh Alexander:
Lo-Fi Let's Plays:
Jim Sterling- Fierce consumer advocate and player of games (mostly shitty ones from Steam and/or Steam Greenlight).
https://www.youtube.com/user/JimSterling
Greatest hits:
The Slaughtering Grounds
Air Control
PushingUpRoses:
PushingUpRoses
Actually I watch others about as long as it takes for the microware to ding in the breakroom
Watching someone play video games ranks right up there with watching overpaid athletes throw a ball around on TV. Meh to both.
the only game videos i watch are the ones where they've cut together all the cutscenes (videos between the playable levels) into a "movie"
That depends. Is she naked?
My son will sit and watch YouTube personalities play Minecraft and treat them with the same reverence which I gave rock -stars of my early youth (this was before MTV, mind you). I don't get it, but he seems to enjoy it, so more power to him. Plus I now know how to build shit with Redstone and I know a few of the parody songs and I know who iBallisticSquid and Stampy are - so I gain boatloads of cred with his classmates at school parties.