I'm not sure if I should put it here, gaming, or culture. But if I have misplaced it, then the mods may move it.
Also, to make this clear, I do not intend for this thread to be solely for the discussion of a Let's Player. Only may one be brought up as a citation or reference as per the subject of this threat, and not to be done for plug purposes. So, in that regard:
While browsing through my YouTube feed I have found that Retsupurea had recently (as of this morning I believe) uploaded their latest Retsutalk. Wherein, they talk with Let's Player, friend, and fellow SA goon ProtonJon a number of topics. About around the they turn from Jon's recent experience with being tricked into play a Super Mario Romhack into the latest Let's Playing trends, and discuss the current state and to make predictions on the coarse of Let's Play as seasoned LP veterans (Slowbeef, Retsupureaer #1 being the man responsible to the VLP as we know today). And I think they make some interesting observations.
In their discussion they make reference to the trends of many popular Let's Players (Toby Games and PewDie being the referenced LP'ers) to play and make a hundred episodes of one of three games. These being Minecraft, Happy Wheels, or Amnesia. The topic was raised by Slowbeef or brings up how Toby Games has just released is 178th episode of Happy Wheels, which to them begs the question of: just how creatively viable are LP'ing?
Now it's also worth noting that earlier they talked heavily on the fact LP'ers DO NOT own the games they are playing, and if anything their commentary is the only thing they own, and therefore it is the commentary could be interpreted as the only creative outlet in LP'ing. And bringing up people like PewDiePie and Toby Games and other LP'ers who overuse their jokes and only rotate to three how apparently creative can LP get?
AND, if people are monetizing their channels and actually making a daily living off of LP, how commercially viable is Let's Play going to be?
Looking at the Let's Play "community" I see it has rapidly growing with a lot of people going in to try and emulate their LP heroes and to scoop popularity. Perchance pursuing monetization to make a living. And when the LP bubble pops, how many people will this destroy?
It'd also appear that with people overplaying so many of these games, and doing the exact same kind of commentary has the original purpose of Let's Play been lost? Has it now become "Let's Scream like an Idiot over a Video Game"? As opposed to being a sort of critic pointing out the elements of the games, providing information on the game and what's going on screen within the commentary.
Don't know how organized this is coming out. But in any case... Discuss? Some stimulating thoughts for anyone who cares about LP.
People who are doing Let's Plays fall into two categories:
1. Reviewers, critiquers, and people who are explaining how a game works and plays.
2. People who are entertaining, or trying to entertain, with a video as the structure of that.
Now it's also worth noting that earlier they talked heavily on the fact LP'ers DO NOT own the games they are playing, and if anything their commentary is the only thing they own, and therefore it is the commentary could be interpreted as the only creative outlet in LP'ing. And bringing up people like PewDiePie and Toby Games and other LP'ers who overuse their jokes and only rotate to three how apparently creative can LP get?
I don't know anything about the other two games you mentioned. But while I may not own the Minecraft engine, I could make a claim to own my creations within Minecraft.
And that is a critical distinction. If there are several thousand things that you can build with Lego blocks, is there no creativity, or lots of creativity, in Lego blocks?
Minecraft is fundamentally Legos, with the change that you have to earn the blocks you place. (Survival minecraft, anyways). A server with "mixed" play -- some creative mode, some survival mode -- can actually have "pure lego" -- where the question is what you can create and design -- and "survival lego" -- where the question is what you can earn, and what you can do with what you earn.
Do I make reference to what has come before me -- Etho, Vechs, and lots of things that pre-date Minecraft that I grew up with? Yes. Does that stifle my creativity? No.
Looking at the Let's Play "community" I see it has rapidly growing with a lot of people going in to try and emulate their LP heroes and to scoop popularity. Perchance pursuing monetization to make a living. And when the LP bubble pops, how many people will this destroy?
What makes you think that the bubble will pop?
Perhaps a better question: What do you mean by the bubble popping?
Will lots and lots of people trying to do stand-up comedy bust the bubble for comedians? Does that mean that no real creative and funny comedian can show up and make it? Does that mean that all comedians will be destroyed?
Just as the bar for comedians change over time -- what worked in the days of Vaudeville is not going to work today, what was "funny enough" in the original days of the "Not ready for prime time players" is not necessarily "funny enough" today -- so too what will be "entertaining enough" for "Entertainment Let's Play" will change over time.
And that's the key observation:
"Entertainment Let's Play" is not the same as "Informative Let's Play".
Can the same person do both? Sure. Look at mod spotlights. Look at things like "Introduction to Terra-Firma-Craft" (just an extreme example). Look at DireWolf's current series -- it's more "How to use Buildcraft, Forestry and bees, and Industrial craft" than anything else.
Those are "Informative Let's Play". Entirely separate from "Entertainment Let's Play". Some people mix both, or attempt to mix both, seamlessly -- EthosLab, MoneyFarm, Vechs, etc.
It'd also appear that with people overplaying so many of these games, and doing the exact same kind of commentary has the original purpose of Let's Play been lost? Has it now become "Let's Scream like an Idiot over a Video Game"? As opposed to being a sort of critic pointing out the elements of the games, providing information on the game and what's going on screen within the commentary.
Again: as far as I can tell, Let's Plays have expanded from just "Educational" to "entertainment".
(In regard to a mod that gives realistic animal genetics):
Would you really rather have bees that make diamonds and oil with magical genetic blocks?
... did I really ask that?
Also, to make this clear, I do not intend for this thread to be solely for the discussion of a Let's Player. Only may one be brought up as a citation or reference as per the subject of this threat, and not to be done for plug purposes. So, in that regard:
While browsing through my YouTube feed I have found that Retsupurea had recently (as of this morning I believe) uploaded their latest Retsutalk. Wherein, they talk with Let's Player, friend, and fellow SA goon ProtonJon a number of topics. About around the they turn from Jon's recent experience with being tricked into play a Super Mario Romhack into the latest Let's Playing trends, and discuss the current state and to make predictions on the coarse of Let's Play as seasoned LP veterans (Slowbeef, Retsupureaer #1 being the man responsible to the VLP as we know today). And I think they make some interesting observations.
In their discussion they make reference to the trends of many popular Let's Players (Toby Games and PewDie being the referenced LP'ers) to play and make a hundred episodes of one of three games. These being Minecraft, Happy Wheels, or Amnesia. The topic was raised by Slowbeef or brings up how Toby Games has just released is 178th episode of Happy Wheels, which to them begs the question of: just how creatively viable are LP'ing?
Now it's also worth noting that earlier they talked heavily on the fact LP'ers DO NOT own the games they are playing, and if anything their commentary is the only thing they own, and therefore it is the commentary could be interpreted as the only creative outlet in LP'ing. And bringing up people like PewDiePie and Toby Games and other LP'ers who overuse their jokes and only rotate to three how apparently creative can LP get?
AND, if people are monetizing their channels and actually making a daily living off of LP, how commercially viable is Let's Play going to be?
Looking at the Let's Play "community" I see it has rapidly growing with a lot of people going in to try and emulate their LP heroes and to scoop popularity. Perchance pursuing monetization to make a living. And when the LP bubble pops, how many people will this destroy?
It'd also appear that with people overplaying so many of these games, and doing the exact same kind of commentary has the original purpose of Let's Play been lost? Has it now become "Let's Scream like an Idiot over a Video Game"? As opposed to being a sort of critic pointing out the elements of the games, providing information on the game and what's going on screen within the commentary.
Don't know how organized this is coming out. But in any case... Discuss? Some stimulating thoughts for anyone who cares about LP.
My DeviantArt, so sexy
Here is my take:
People who are doing Let's Plays fall into two categories:
1. Reviewers, critiquers, and people who are explaining how a game works and plays.
2. People who are entertaining, or trying to entertain, with a video as the structure of that.
I don't know anything about the other two games you mentioned. But while I may not own the Minecraft engine, I could make a claim to own my creations within Minecraft.
And that is a critical distinction. If there are several thousand things that you can build with Lego blocks, is there no creativity, or lots of creativity, in Lego blocks?
Minecraft is fundamentally Legos, with the change that you have to earn the blocks you place. (Survival minecraft, anyways). A server with "mixed" play -- some creative mode, some survival mode -- can actually have "pure lego" -- where the question is what you can create and design -- and "survival lego" -- where the question is what you can earn, and what you can do with what you earn.
Do I make reference to what has come before me -- Etho, Vechs, and lots of things that pre-date Minecraft that I grew up with? Yes. Does that stifle my creativity? No.
What makes you think that the bubble will pop?
Perhaps a better question: What do you mean by the bubble popping?
Will lots and lots of people trying to do stand-up comedy bust the bubble for comedians? Does that mean that no real creative and funny comedian can show up and make it? Does that mean that all comedians will be destroyed?
Just as the bar for comedians change over time -- what worked in the days of Vaudeville is not going to work today, what was "funny enough" in the original days of the "Not ready for prime time players" is not necessarily "funny enough" today -- so too what will be "entertaining enough" for "Entertainment Let's Play" will change over time.
And that's the key observation:
"Entertainment Let's Play" is not the same as "Informative Let's Play".
Can the same person do both? Sure. Look at mod spotlights. Look at things like "Introduction to Terra-Firma-Craft" (just an extreme example). Look at DireWolf's current series -- it's more "How to use Buildcraft, Forestry and bees, and Industrial craft" than anything else.
Those are "Informative Let's Play". Entirely separate from "Entertainment Let's Play". Some people mix both, or attempt to mix both, seamlessly -- EthosLab, MoneyFarm, Vechs, etc.
Again: as far as I can tell, Let's Plays have expanded from just "Educational" to "entertainment".
"Edutainment", perhaps?
* Promoting this week: Captive Minecraft 4, Winter Realm. Aka: Vertical Vanilla Viewing. Clicky!
* My channel with Mystcraft, and general Minecraft Let's Plays: http://www.youtube.com/user/Keybounce.
* See all my video series: http://www.minecraftforum.net/forums/minecraft-editions/minecraft-editions-show-your/2865421-keybounces-list-of-creation-threads
(In regard to a mod that gives realistic animal genetics):
Would you really rather have bees that make diamonds and oil with magical genetic blocks?
... did I really ask that?