Let's Play: Difference between revisions
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{{quote|''"[...] have you ever seen a DVD, you know, how they do director's commentary and stuff? Well, imagine if some jackass who was not involved with the creation of the movie at all [[Mystery Science Theater 3000|decided to just comment]] [[Riff Trax|on what he thought]] [[Alternate DVD Commentary|watching the movie would be like]]. Well, that's kinda like what we are here now."''|'''[[Slowbeef]]''', explaining what a Let's Play is.}} |
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| ⚫ | '''Let's Play''' is a [[Older Than They Think|relatively recent]] [[After Action Report|revival of an old concept]], which became mainstream (for a certain value of mainstream) due to the [[Something Awful]] forums, and has since branched out to independent players on [[YouTube]] as well as other forums. Essentially, it's a screenshot or video [[Walkthrough]] with entertaining commentary; The goal generally isn't to [[Speed Run]] through it, but to show off how the player [[After Action Report|plays the game normally]]. Mistakes and multiple deaths are often [[Left It In|left intact]], for sake of [[Rule of Funny|humor]], but better LPers will edit around un-funny screwups. The [[Performance Anxiety|Let's Play Curse]] leads to a large number of mistakes, often of the hilarious variety because of the stupidity of the mistakes. |
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| ⚫ | ''Let's Play'' is a [[Older Than They Think|relatively recent]] [[After Action Report|revival of an old concept]], which became mainstream ( |
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The tone and style will vary greatly with the nature of the game and those playing them. Some use screenshots and captions, whilst others use videos, or a mix of both. Some of those videos have voice commentary, and some use subtitles. And depending on the quality and style of the game, the LP may be in-character [[Fanfic]] of sort, or closer to a [[MST]], the latter especially common if there's multiple commentators involved. And often they have some degree of fan input; the viewers may submit their own side material, vote on a certain course of action to take, or offer suggestions. |
The tone and style will vary greatly with the nature of the game and those playing them. Some use screenshots and captions, whilst others use videos, or a mix of both. Some of those videos have voice commentary, and some use subtitles. And depending on the quality and style of the game, the LP may be in-character [[Fanfic]] of sort, or closer to a [[MST]], the latter especially common if there's multiple commentators involved. And often they have some degree of fan input; the viewers may submit their own side material, vote on a certain course of action to take, or offer suggestions. |
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[[Emulation]] and heavy use of save-states is often involved (though the latter is commonly discouraged), as most of the consoles and games able to be emulated currently don't have a save or password feature. For the most part, cheating is discouraged, though doing boring parts (like grinding for levels in RPGs) "off-camera" is encouraged. On the other hand, some LPs embrace cheats and hacks as their gimmick to mix things up. |
[[Emulation]] and heavy use of save-states is often involved (though the latter is commonly discouraged), as most of the consoles and games able to be emulated currently don't have a save or password feature. For the most part, cheating is discouraged, though doing boring parts (like grinding for levels in RPGs) "off-camera" is encouraged. On the other hand, some LPs embrace cheats and hacks as their gimmick to mix things up. |
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[[A.I. Is a Crapshoot|Computers love to attempt suicide by any means possible partway though.]] [[Sturgeon's Law]] is in effect, and many Let's Plays on forums won't last long if they're not gripping. (With some, of course, being [[Too Good to Last]]) |
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| ⚫ | Let's Plays have become ''extremely'' popular in the mid-2010s, with YouTube stars like [[ |
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| ⚫ | Let's Plays have become ''extremely'' popular in the mid-2010s, with YouTube stars like [[PewDiePie]], [[Markiplier]], [[Jacksepticeye]] and [[Game Grumps]] having subscription counts in the millions and receiving sponsorship opportunities. And with [[Twitch]] becoming a behemoth of a website and being bought by [[Amazon]], YouTube launched YouTube Gaming on August 2015<ref>[http://www.engadget.com/2015/06/12/youtube-gaming/ Engadget article]</ref>... which has been mocked in a sketch by [[Jimmy Kimmel Live!|Jimmy Kimmel]]. Fans [[Base Breaker|were split]] between [[Internet Counterattack|sending hate and insults to the sketch]]<ref>[http://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/jimmy-kimmel-youtube-gaming-angry-comments/ Digital Trends article]</ref> (which he then mocked ''on two seperate occasions'') and [[Did Not Do the Research|pointing out that Jimmy Kimmel missed the point.]]<ref>[http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/09/01/jimmy-kimmel-may-have-had-the-last-laugh-about-youtube-gaming-but-hes-missing-the-point/ The Next Web article]</ref> |
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* [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/lbs.php Live Blogginations], a section of [[TV Tropes]] which covers not only games, but TV shows, movies, and anime as well. |
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* [http://letsplay.wikia.com/wiki/Let%27s_Play_Wiki:Main_Page Let's Play Wikia] [http://letsplay.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_let%27s_players (List of let's players)] |
* [http://letsplay.wikia.com/wiki/Let%27s_Play_Wiki:Main_Page Let's Play Wikia] [http://letsplay.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_let%27s_players (List of let's players)] |
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* [http://letsplaylist.wikia.com/wiki/%22Let%27s_Play%22-friendly_developers_Wiki "Let's Play"-friendly developers Wiki] [http://www.wholetsplay.com/wiki/doku.php (Mirror)] |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160117024744/http://letsplaylist.wikia.com/wiki/%22Let%27s_Play%22-friendly_developers_Wiki "Let's Play"-friendly developers Wiki] [https://web.archive.org/web/20151221155339/http://www.wholetsplay.com/wiki/doku.php (Mirror)] |
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''Please'' try to keep the entries in alphabetical order by game in each section. |
''Please'' try to keep the entries in alphabetical order by game in each section. |
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{{examples|Some recommendations from the non SA-affiliated Let's Play Forum:}} |
{{examples|Some recommendations from the non SA-affiliated Let's Play Forum:}} |
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| ⚫ | ** On the plus side, he now has an [http://www.letsplayforum.com/showthread.php?3233-Devil-Survivor-War-is-Bel.-Let-s-Survive! ongoing LP]{{Dead link}} of ''[[Shin Megami Tensei]]: [[Devil Survivor]]'', which depicts Trielo and Atsuro as [[Medium Awareness|fully aware they're in a]] SMT game, and Yuzu as a completely oblivious [[Butt Monkey]]. [[Schedule Slip]] as always, but the writing makes up for it. |
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| ⚫ | * A recently started, and finished, LP of [https://web.archive.org/web/20101223103041/http://www.letsplayforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=3915 Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone] manages to be quite amusing despite being short (as it condenses the plot into the so-called important parts). It almost went incomplete due to the game being a glitchy mess, to everyone's apparent disappointment, but it managed to continue unimpeded anyway. |
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| ⚫ | ** And afterwards, the author in question started on [https://web.archive.org/web/20101223103319/http://www.letsplayforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=3933 Chamber of Secrets]. It has since been finished; now the author is playing [https://web.archive.org/web/20210318075200/https://www.afternic.com/forsale/letsplayforum.com?utm_source=TDFS&utm_medium=sn_affiliate_click&utm_campaign=TDFS_GoDaddy_DLS&traffic_type=TDFS&traffic_id=GoDaddy_DLS the third game]{{Dead link}}. |
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{{examples on subpages}} |
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| ⚫ | ** On the plus side, he now has an [http://www.letsplayforum.com/showthread.php?3233-Devil-Survivor-War-is-Bel.-Let-s-Survive! ongoing LP] of ''[[Shin Megami Tensei]]: [[Devil Survivor]]'', which depicts Trielo and Atsuro as [[Medium Awareness|fully aware they're in a]] SMT game, and Yuzu as a completely oblivious [[Butt Monkey]]. [[Schedule Slip]] as always, but the writing makes up for it. |
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| ⚫ | * A recently started, and finished, LP of [http://www.letsplayforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=3915 Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone] manages to be quite amusing despite being short (as it condenses the plot into the so-called important parts). It almost went incomplete due to the game being a glitchy mess, to everyone's apparent disappointment, but it managed to continue unimpeded anyway. |
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| ⚫ | ** And afterwards, the author in question started on [http://www.letsplayforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=3933 Chamber of Secrets]. It has since been finished; now the author is playing [ |
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{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
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[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]] |
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]] |
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[[Category:Fan |
[[Category:Fan Works]] |
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[[Category:Web Original]] |
[[Category:Web Original]] |
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[[Category:Videogame Culture]] |
[[Category:Videogame Culture]] |
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[[Category:Index]] |
[[Category:Index]] |
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[[Category:New Media]] |
[[Category:New Media]] |
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[[Category:Gaming Lore]] |
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Latest revision as of 01:46, 28 February 2024
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We play games so you don't have to. |
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Let's Play is a relatively recent revival of an old concept, which became mainstream (for a certain value of mainstream) due to the Something Awful forums, and has since branched out to independent players on YouTube as well as other forums. Essentially, it's a screenshot or video Walkthrough with entertaining commentary; The goal generally isn't to Speed Run through it, but to show off how the player plays the game normally. Mistakes and multiple deaths are often left intact, for sake of humor, but better LPers will edit around un-funny screwups. The Let's Play Curse leads to a large number of mistakes, often of the hilarious variety because of the stupidity of the mistakes.
The tone and style will vary greatly with the nature of the game and those playing them. Some use screenshots and captions, whilst others use videos, or a mix of both. Some of those videos have voice commentary, and some use subtitles. And depending on the quality and style of the game, the LP may be in-character Fanfic of sort, or closer to a MST, the latter especially common if there's multiple commentators involved. And often they have some degree of fan input; the viewers may submit their own side material, vote on a certain course of action to take, or offer suggestions.
Emulation and heavy use of save-states is often involved (though the latter is commonly discouraged), as most of the consoles and games able to be emulated currently don't have a save or password feature. For the most part, cheating is discouraged, though doing boring parts (like grinding for levels in RPGs) "off-camera" is encouraged. On the other hand, some LPs embrace cheats and hacks as their gimmick to mix things up.
Computers love to attempt suicide by any means possible partway though. Sturgeon's Law is in effect, and many Let's Plays on forums won't last long if they're not gripping. (With some, of course, being Too Good to Last)
Let's Plays have become extremely popular in the mid-2010s, with YouTube stars like PewDiePie, Markiplier, Jacksepticeye and Game Grumps having subscription counts in the millions and receiving sponsorship opportunities. And with Twitch becoming a behemoth of a website and being bought by Amazon, YouTube launched YouTube Gaming on August 2015[1]... which has been mocked in a sketch by Jimmy Kimmel. Fans were split between sending hate and insults to the sketch[2] (which he then mocked on two seperate occasions) and pointing out that Jimmy Kimmel missed the point.[3]
- The Let's Play Archive, featuring completed Something Awful LPs.
- The non-SA Let's Play Forum
- Let's Play Wikia (List of let's players)
- "Let's Play"-friendly developers Wiki (Mirror)
Please try to keep the entries in alphabetical order by game in each section.
- Recommendations from the LP Archive
- Other examples
- Specific Let's Players: See Category:Let's Players
Some recommendations from the non SA-affiliated Let's Play Forum:
- The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon LP, by Not Pigeon.
- He's currently put that on hiatus and had done an LP of Sonic Battle.
- Will you look at that...
- He also had an LP of Zeno Clash.
- On the plus side, he now has an ongoing LP [dead link] of Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor, which depicts Trielo and Atsuro as fully aware they're in a SMT game, and Yuzu as a completely oblivious Butt Monkey. Schedule Slip as always, but the writing makes up for it.
- He's currently put that on hiatus and had done an LP of Sonic Battle.
- In the same vein, the somewhat recent LP of Myth II, by FluffyTheHamster, is also an excellent read and is still currently on going.
- A recently started, and finished, LP of Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone manages to be quite amusing despite being short (as it condenses the plot into the so-called important parts). It almost went incomplete due to the game being a glitchy mess, to everyone's apparent disappointment, but it managed to continue unimpeded anyway.
- And afterwards, the author in question started on Chamber of Secrets. It has since been finished; now the author is playing the third game [dead link].
Examples of Let's Play are listed on these subpages: