Are you a fan of Let's Plays? If so, which ones do you usually watch?
I used to watch them a lot more often when I wasn't on boards and IRC as much (before September 2009). I definitely prefer the video format over some of those with text and screenshots, but some of the latter are entertaining too (like Syd Lexia doing Mystery House. Usually, I'll only watch LPs of games I've already beaten. I've watched a lot for Zelda games (often stuff like swordless quests) and adventure games like King's Quest. Currently, I'm watching Let's Play Loom by CeilingNinja. No, not Doom, Loom. The obscure-ish adventure game from the 1990s.
I used to like them, and then I saw this and now my standards are too high
or, really I just stopped but it sounds better to compliment someone
Zero One
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I used to watch video Let's Plays somewhat frequently, but I stopped pretty much entirely some time ago. I found that there were only very few people who were good at that sort of thing, and even those select few can only be interesting for so long.
There was also some sort of nonsense going on that promoted conflict between the YouTube Let's Players that also drove me away from them, but I don't really remember much about that.
Despite all that, I'll still watch the occasional retsuprae video, though.
Anyway, I find that I actually enjoy Let's Plays that involve reading more than the typical Let's Play. Examples of this include Xkeeper's "Let's Watch" videos, that particular Animal Crossing Let's Play, and that particular Dwarf Fortress let's play.
Why do I like these better? My best guess is that in such formats, Let's Plays can be well planned out so they can avoid suffering from any of the "lows" that improvisation inevitably generates on occasion, resulting in something consistently interesting. This can also add things that would otherwise be incredibly difficult to do in a typical Let's Play, such as the technical explanations in Let's Watch Link's Awakening and the injection of a unique interpretation of the game's story in that particular Animal Crossing Let's Play, making it much more intriguing than some improvised rambling...
Next time, I'll delve into the mystery of how I like my Let's Plays well planned out as opposed to improvised, yet I prefer the typical Whose Line Is It Anyway? sketch to even the most renowned comedy routines.
I used to be really into humorous LP's, not so much now.
Some favorites off of the top of my head:
Out of this World 1 & 2 by Thello (video + audio commentary)
Animal Crossing and Oregon Trail by Chewbot (screenshot)
Anything by Diabetus (video + audio commentary)
Star Fox 64 by Concordat (video + captions)
Shadowgate by Look Polish (screenshot)
Uninvited by Psychodude (screenshot)
Ghouls n Ghosts by Wolfshirt (video). He did another great LP of Hybrid Heaven but I can't find it.
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Zero One
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Posted on 07-16-10 01:13:28 AM (last edited by Zero One at 07-15-10 10:13 PM)
I like a lot of LP's, though I prefer text/screenshot ones. Mostly because people making bad jokes over gameplay seem to be the most annoying sound--right after nails on blackboard.
I really do recommend Nakar's play-through of the ultima games to anyone though. He takes the role of a female avatar, and completely bends the game to his will. (And still ends up with good karma!) It gives a voice to the mostly voiceless main character, and shows plenty of informative information about the games.
Ultima 4, 5 and 6 - 6 is really funny and sets up jokes for later LPs.
Martian Dreams - Takes place after 6, makes a few references to 4/5.
Ultima 7 - The poor game never knew what hit it.
Ultima 7 Part II - The Avatar gets banished, and a whole new place does not know what hit it.
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nensondubois
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Posted on 07-16-10 01:52:51 AM (last edited by nensondubois at 07-15-10 10:53 PM)
I don't usually watch them because I really don't want to listen to filler information that is obviously on the fly and trying to buy time. I like my Let's Plays a little more organized. Therefore, when I start doing them, I'm going to do a sound overlay on them using my Skype mic and recording the dialogue myself.
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Zero One
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I can watch Eppy's LPs, and that's pretty much it. Most of the "usual" people doing it just aren't too interesting or are really annoying.
I wasn't exactly going to be doing one, so much as just recording gameplay videos without narration. Gave up since CamStudio is a piece of shit that can't record decent-looking videos without sound, though.
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Zero One
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Originally posted by TerraIt was a problem with the sound, I had to use that Stereo thing, which wreaks havoc on the sound output (I get this echo effect sometimes).
I find that turning the speakers off and using headphones to listen to the audio while speaking into the mic works perfectly.
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Never seen any of them but it does interest me. Maybe one of these days I'll try to watch one.
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