What Makes a RollPlay Show Fun to Watch?

[AthleonGaming]

For me it’s the same things that make a good RPG group in general:

• Players feeling comfortable with each other. Being able to both pass and accept the spotlight and playing to each others strengths (or sometimes weaknesses ). RollPlay casts have been pretty good at this in general but if I had to pick a standout it would be Mirrorshades.

• Everyone is on the same page in regards to what the game is about AND what the group wants to get out of it. Prominent example here would be Balance of Power.

• The players are not only engaged with the premise and narrative of the game, but also with the mechanisms through which those things manifest. Yesterdays one-shot is a perfect example of that. Everyone quickly adopted the conflict resolution mechanism and used it effectively to inquire the fiction, drive forward the narrative, and develop their character.

[Coruva]

A cast that communicates well together and can allow each other to take the spotlight. Also, a cast that feels that they would actually get around a table and play a game together. I know some people hate the 30 minutes at the beginning of some episodes (Geoff!) where they talk about random happenings, but for me it gives the show some intimacy and makes the viewer feel like they are at the table as well.

[TwitchSurgeon (Twitch: LiveSpace)]

No that would be a different topic. But do feel free to create that topic if you want to.

[GCADeme]

The most important thing is definitely cast/acting/investment. I think you can always tell when the cast is really into the game, be it their character, the world, the other players, etc.
So setting and system (and tech) to me are mostly important in that they support or encourage the joy and RP among the cast and GM.
I just love when the players, GM, characters and setting meld into moments of hilarity, suspense or awesome storytelling.

[Deastin (Twitch: arielleej)]

Cast, and how that cast interacts with the world is by far the most important thing to me.

Secondarily the players understanding how the system works beforehand is also helpful since that allows more of (1) above.

One of the things that made Swan Song so good was understanding how the world was evolving around the characters and having an idea of what the big picture was in terms of the various factions. Getting the framed scenes at the start of each episode featuring NPCs making a decision or putting something in motion as a result of the faction turn (which was then informed by the episodes of the show) was really cool and reinforced (1) above.

As we’ve gone through the various shows it feels like the plan has been to pick the system first and then come up with an idea of what the show is going to be like. I feel like it should go in reverse which sounds like what the plan is for the “new sci-fi show” is going to be.

[SlaveZeroO]

As a person that has never played RollPlay (but God knows I want to). And I watched I think almost every RollPlay stream or yt video from JP’s channel, I can say that cast and story is the most important for me to have fun watching. If you put players like Geoff, Wheat, Kaitlyn you know that you are in some funny and unusual stuff. System does contribute a little, but when you dive into imaginary world that GM is story telling about, it doesn’t matter that much.
P.S. One of the best parts of RollPlay shows for me is the pre-game chat. It’s always fun to laugh at your jokes and stories.

[Scaridium]

Beyond the specifics, I think the game needs to be narratively focused, but with significant consequences tied to that narrative. Hence the hyper mechanical nature of D&D feeling awkward and counter-productive. Similarly, I think the characters need to be tied into the larger events of the world from early on. When the characters are disconnected from the world at large, the games are aimless and the narrative less engaging. The best shows on Rollplay all did this from very early on in the game (Pi with Swan Song, Butt-touching with Mirrorshades, Evil Wizard Friend in original rollplay, god-baby in solum, and all the best west marches arcs were tied directly to big setting elements such as the serpents.)

DM: Very few DMs out there are capable of being super engaging while also managing the group smoothly during a very narratively focused game. You are one of them Adam, John is another, but there’s not a ton of these people out there. But, I don’t think this is a concern going forward, any new DMs are going to be held to your standards and will be good accordingly. Both of you are also good about making consequences fitting to the fiction in a fair manner, which is key.

Cast: The cast has to be comfortable getting into character quickly, and comfortable making the more interesting choices as opposed to the more optimal ones. Related: they need to be people with complementary styles. You need to avoid having four people who are more reserved and logical in their play, and in a similar way avoid having four people who like being silly and chaotic. Keeping that balance and having there be 4 people who play off each other is the hardest part. Sidenote: who the specific people are isn’t important, keeping someone off because there’s vocal people who hate kaitlyn is super dumb, make the group that gets along well as a group, and viewers follow.

Tech: The only thing I’d prefer to see is the inclusion of more audio work, possibly with a new theme song for every show (drumurboy pls <3333). Action music and more thematic backing tracks for certain things would be huge. Audio quality issues from people’s mics is already being fixed, so I don’t think it needs to be gone into.

System: You need to be using systems that support the above gameplay and interactions. D&D has no tools for interesting characters or interaction with the narrative, and similarly stars without numbers was very sparse in it’s help. Systems that support and facilitate this narrative and fiction-first focus will go a long way.

[TrueGibonGra]

I find that having too much combat makes a show boring. A good climactic battle like Sicarian vs Titan is great, but if the players are just fighting generic kobolds or something I get bored. Story and character development is what I like, with some crazy antics and high stakes fights thrown in.

[SlinkingGibbon]

Before anything else if audio is shit I will immediately stop watching. Never a problem on Rollplay shows, thanks JP! Chemistry of the cast including the DM) is the only other thing which affects my enjoyment as no matter what system is being used if the cast are working well together (or against each other!) the show is always entertaining. I also enjoy the chaos elements that are introduced usually by JP or Kaitlyn.

[Rubxcubedude]

Two things make a rollplay show for me…the cast and the system. You need a cast thats fun and doesn’t game the system too much. You need a system that doesn’t punish the cast for doing interesting things.

For example, in court of swords since the entire cast is super aware that 5e can have death wipes rather easily at level 1 they played super careful and the story lost a lot of narrative focus. Whenever the characters happened upon an NPC they always assumed ambush and it made every thing about court of swords feel very linear and bland. Its going from one fight to another.

I’ve noticed in some of the dungeon world style games that are more narratively focused the characters are more likely to make the interesting thing happen bc they are less afraid of death.

[ScratchNSn1ff]

I think it’s largely a combination of cast and DM chemistry, a world that everyone gets invested in and really dives into, adds to and explore Narratively.

I also think the cast taking the time to learn the system mechanics really helps keeping things moving and is just good to see in general like Dan for instance knowing what his character’s abilities are and mechanically work is a prime example of that, but for one shots like dogs its definitely understandable if the cast doesn’t know the system especially if its an odd one.

[Cmcdonald22]

In order Cast ( I include GM in this separately because the way the gm interacts on a person level matters), GM, Setting/system.

Cast trumps all. I think DnD specifically is boring to watch, but every week people I liked were on the west marches I was in, I was enthralled I loved it. Shadowrun really great setting not at all my idea of a entertaining system to watch people struggle through and play but MirrorShades cast brought me back every week. Even the specific interactions and pairings are honestly way more important than even I thought they would be when I started watching. I started Rollplay with Mirrorshades and didn’t get Kaitlyn or what she was doing at all, and I still think she’s a difficult cast member to pair up with others properly but when that show hit its stride and everyone fell in as a real group it didn’t matter about the individual annoyances and quirks it was just totally enjoyable. I went back and tried to watch other rollplay stuff and was convinced Geoff was a player I would forever hate and would never tolerate watching. Got into Swan Song and Geoff with that crew in that world just works. Same with JP and Higgs, that worked. Whereas last night I didn’t think JP fit in with that crew at all, and I thought it kind of showed with how quiet and passive he was. I think dogs would have been stronger with a more cohesive 4th. I’m really interested to see how Blades goes because I felt JP would thrive in that setting with Geoff and a Wheat. And I think the GM really should be considered with cast chemistry. Some GM’s work better with keeping stuff structured and “parenting” the cast. BoP light side had this thing for me where I felt like that group didn’t wholly click and especially compared to how naturally experienced and in sync the dark side was the light side needed more authoritarian guidance between the players. Someone to help spell out “okay this is how X cast member plays, you play differently but it’s important to understand it” and maybe that did happen background but there were a few episodes I’d watch where it was really difficult to see 4 players all with the same end goal just getting frustrated because of how the others played their characters to get there.

Kind of live by the cast die by the cast for me.

Edit: worth mentioning at this point there isn’t a single person I wouldn’t watch that’s been on a rollplay show in the past if they were in the right cast. But there are definitely combinations of people I have less interest in.

[TwoToneTerran]

The GMs and players being capable of interjecting humor into the narrative. Whenever the cast is laughing is when I’m usually laughing and enjoying myself. Everyone loves and remembers Brumbpo Tungus for a reason, after all. Adam playing into the mythos of it with the poor front desk lady and El Gato Caliente’s courier stirring the pot is what established it as so great, after all.

Narratively, a large world outside the players that I can see develop and that I can personally postulate on. Swan Song obviously did this better than any, and West Marches was fun for the emergent narrative that popped up from Steven’s warped mind and the randomness of the game. I feel like Court of Swords could eventually get to the Swan Song level of an interesting bigger world (we’re just now getting into the geopolitical bullshit of the Swords vs Coins and I love that), but it does seem a bit slower at it – probably because of the medieval type setting and the slower early pace (Swan Song was 4 insane people doing insane things all the time rather than the more realistic characters in CoS). BoP and Shadowrun came with it attached to pre-established lore, which I find less interesting.

It’s too hard for me to pick and choose what I like about specific characters as it changes from person to person and character to character, so I don’t feel comfortable trying to input my opinion into something so hard to nail down. It’s more cast composition than anything, I suppose.

[DatDudeQthulu]

What makes it fun for me is the way the cast is encouraged and rewarded to play their characters rather than the system. Say like running gallantly through a panicked town(with no real reward in sight,unless you count exp) killing shadows born from a chest flower, or dispensing the will of their god on the wayward flock(Dogs in the Vineyard was fantastic).Also, when PCs react to the world around them as a living denizen of that reality rather than the player it makes Rollplay a beautiful thing to watch.

[KuP_]

I absolutely loved the world building in Swansong and having the sense of some sort of living universe with actors that exist beyond small glimpses we get via the PCs.

I find that having a sense of some sort of overarching narrative even if only alluded to, also really helps keep me interested. That being said, some of my fondest memories of mirrorshades are of the crew just screwing around with Gavin etc.

[MrSilentNight]

For the most part they are all entertaining as you generally cast very well, however i feel that the most critical issue in enjoying the rollplays is that of understanding. Will say in reguards to the most recent oneshot while the players themselves were good part of my enjoyment wasnt there as it took at least half the game to really understand the system. With any new system style of play i feel i would better enjoy it if how the system works was explained prior to the show like how you did with balance of power. If you did this for everysystem you could have a catalogue explaing each to those new to it. So when a new show starts you can say this will use this system and then the person can go watch that previously made video about how it works etc.

[Noelle808]

Pacing is a big one that hasn’t been brought up yet. If a whole 4 hour episode goes by and it doesn’t feel like much has been accomplished, that’s a pretty big problem. When I GM d&d, I end up basically doing everything in my power to make non-climactic fights go as quickly as possible since it’s so easy for mundane battles against skeletons eat up an entire session.

[witchking998]

I love the cast. It’s what breaks or makes the show. also when Jp does stupid stuff and chat explodes that makes it better too. Like when he kill Gassys character two weeks ago. One of the funniest moments for me. But like I said the cast makes it fun for me.

[LongdirtHarri]

I have to agree with all the others on the audio part. I watch/liten to RollPlay a lot and the quality adds a lot to the enjoyability. Beeing used to the audio of RollPlay shows, I have a really hard time watching other D&D shows where they use headset mics or have their audio levels all over the place.

Castwise I like it when the they like/are comfortable with their character and enjoy being them and act accordingly, even if that means not “playing optimal”. Another thing I like is when the castmembers say things like “I walk to…” “I swing my sword…” and so on instead of “[character’s name] walks to…” “my character swings his sword…”.
Also them being interested in the world and the NPCs around them, not being afraid of exploring and interacting is something I enjoy a lot. Which brings me to my next point.
A world that feels alive, filled with interesting stuff that doesnt just exist/happen for the sake of giving the PCs something to do. I really like Adam’s style of creating a living world that would happen no matter if the PCs show up or not.

[Kristviljan]

Probably the most important aspect of a fun Rollplay show to me is Geoff.