[generic] How much do we like Actual Play podcasts?
- Thread starter Vile Traveller
- Start date
@Guvnor In case you're interested in any of these rules sets, here are the ones I'm currently following, all solo actual play, all relatively short episodes (normally about 30 minutes).
Me, Myself and Die (YouTube): Season 1 - Savage Worlds Deluxe/Mythic. Season 2 - Ironsworn. Season 3 - Dominion/Mythic. Season 4 - Five Parsecs from Home. Currently there is a group game of Blade Runner on the same channel. The presenter is clearly having a lot of fun, which helps, and he is pretty good at explaining the rules as he goes. Weekly(ish) videos with gaps between seasons.
Tale of the Manticore (podcast): B/X D&D with some house rules. Unusual in that it doesn't bother with specific solo rules, the presenter just makes spot rulings as he goes along. This one has the least rules exposition of any of them.
The Lone Adventurer (podcast): Season 1 - D&D 5E/Mythic. Season 2 - Blades in the Dark. As far as rules go, this one focuses more on the solo rules than the RPG the presenter is using.
Me, Myself and Die (YouTube): Season 1 - Savage Worlds Deluxe/Mythic. Season 2 - Ironsworn. Season 3 - Dominion/Mythic. Season 4 - Five Parsecs from Home. Currently there is a group game of Blade Runner on the same channel. The presenter is clearly having a lot of fun, which helps, and he is pretty good at explaining the rules as he goes. Weekly(ish) videos with gaps between seasons.
Tale of the Manticore (podcast): B/X D&D with some house rules. Unusual in that it doesn't bother with specific solo rules, the presenter just makes spot rulings as he goes along. This one has the least rules exposition of any of them.
The Lone Adventurer (podcast): Season 1 - D&D 5E/Mythic. Season 2 - Blades in the Dark. As far as rules go, this one focuses more on the solo rules than the RPG the presenter is using.
I think these are the ones of which you speak
https://youtube.com/@MeMyselfandDieRPG
https://taleofthemanticore.podbean.com/
https://theloneadventurer.podbean.com/
https://youtube.com/@MeMyselfandDieRPG
https://taleofthemanticore.podbean.com/
https://theloneadventurer.podbean.com/
I have listened to a few involving one of my games, but that was more in the nature of research or playtesting. I tried listening to some when I first became aware of the 'performance play' style, starting with Critical Role, but... I just don't get it. I can't see the appeal.
@Guvnor raises an interesting point regarding the potential of these things recruiting new players to the hobby, I'd love to see some data on that. It's just the type of thing an aspiring indie publisher needs to fire their shot less blindly into the night. Unfortunately I just came away from reading a post by an academic lamenting the almost total lack of decent research in the RPG field, so I don't think we can really say one way or the other. I frequently bump up against things where I wish, vainly, that someone would dive into the untapped social science potential of RPGs and bang out a few papers or ten. At the danger of going off-topic on what is already an off-topic spinoff!
@Guvnor raises an interesting point regarding the potential of these things recruiting new players to the hobby, I'd love to see some data on that. It's just the type of thing an aspiring indie publisher needs to fire their shot less blindly into the night. Unfortunately I just came away from reading a post by an academic lamenting the almost total lack of decent research in the RPG field, so I don't think we can really say one way or the other. I frequently bump up against things where I wish, vainly, that someone would dive into the untapped social science potential of RPGs and bang out a few papers or ten. At the danger of going off-topic on what is already an off-topic spinoff!
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I've been listening to 'These Silent Secrets' - a Monsterhearts 2 AP. Nice, one hour chunks. Easy to digest and drop in and out of.
I think spoken word AP podcasts like this have a stronger hook (from my limited experience) with 20-30 somethings. They were, and continue to be, a 'thing' amongst the nerdier types. I think they touch upon that wider 'roleplaying experience' that we sometimes miss out on. You know, those 'kids' who have been playing and running freeform forum or discord games for years without really making a connection between what they do and what we do?
I think spoken word AP podcasts like this have a stronger hook (from my limited experience) with 20-30 somethings. They were, and continue to be, a 'thing' amongst the nerdier types. I think they touch upon that wider 'roleplaying experience' that we sometimes miss out on. You know, those 'kids' who have been playing and running freeform forum or discord games for years without really making a connection between what they do and what we do?
I find I have a hard 1-hour time limit for YouTube and the like. When I watch 2-hour documentaries I normally do so in two halves. I'm much more likely to click on reviews, podcasts, and the like if they're 30 minutes or less. Unfortunately most gaming-related videos seem to be 1.5 hours+ for some reason... do we like to talk that much? 
These days I listen to only one or two, but I used to listen to many more. Part of the problem is the rise in podcasts full of music and sound effects rather than just gaming: can't deal with them, as my brain struggles to separate the background music and the talking.
For the life of me I cannot understand the appeal of watching an actual play. Audio is fine.
My own AP has been pottering along since January 2007, which is a bit startling to realise. I don't recommend it 😁
For the life of me I cannot understand the appeal of watching an actual play. Audio is fine.
My own AP has been pottering along since January 2007, which is a bit startling to realise. I don't recommend it 😁
I've used AP podcasts a couple of times to work out how a new system is supposed to work. Didn't listen to all of the series in either case, and the first time I switched from watching it listening pretty quickly.
I was watching to see how a particular table mechanic worked (index cards), but switched off after seeing it once.
No, wait, i also listened to the Plot Points crew playing B1 with the Rules Cyclopaedia. 3 hours, and the most memorable bit was everyone being amazed at how few hit points they had and how hard descending armour classes were to use. And I was driving, so I had to keep listening...
I was watching to see how a particular table mechanic worked (index cards), but switched off after seeing it once.
No, wait, i also listened to the Plot Points crew playing B1 with the Rules Cyclopaedia. 3 hours, and the most memorable bit was everyone being amazed at how few hit points they had and how hard descending armour classes were to use. And I was driving, so I had to keep listening...
I suppose the only case would be where there is tactical combat using maps, or where the GM has prepared a lot of images to show the players. I've watched a few 4e D&D actual plays for that reason. Sometimes it's also useful to see the character sheets, although those are rarely shown properly.
But yeah where the video is just the faces of the participants, and the action is all theatre of the mind, I can't see why anyone would actually watch it.
But yeah where the video is just the faces of the participants, and the action is all theatre of the mind, I can't see why anyone would actually watch it.
I've watched a few to find out how the game system works. (Mainly when no-one has done a 10 minute "how these mechanics work" video). In those cases I'm often half listening while doing something else, and will have to leap across and re-wind when the useful bit comes up.
I watched/listened to a few where I actually got engaged enough to appreciate it as entertainment. In all those cases the game in question was SHORT (60 to 90 minutes) and the GM kept it focussed. But even in those cases I didn't find it engaging enough to tune into next week's episode.
I watched/listened to a few where I actually got engaged enough to appreciate it as entertainment. In all those cases the game in question was SHORT (60 to 90 minutes) and the GM kept it focussed. But even in those cases I didn't find it engaging enough to tune into next week's episode.