I Hit It With My Axe: Episode Five: Blobs and Brain Switching

[BonsaiK]

This series is the best content The Escapist has ever had, it works for me on so many levels and it even has The Sword in it. I would have done something like this myself but damned if I can get any of the sex-industry girls that I know to give D&D a go.

 

[EchetusXe]

For the record I pronounce MMORPG as Mah-Mor-Pah-Gah.

I highly doubt it is accurate, but I say it that way because I am original and fun *cough*

 

[Void(null)]

I have to agree with the lack of imagination mentioned earlier.
To pull a Yahtzee, it feels like Im watching some exotic birds struggling painfully to breath in a cloud of the pollution tainted air over Beijing.
Only the pollution is 100% pure nerd agent. And the birds do anal.
Blah, Im getting off topic.

Suggestion, should you ever try this again:
Let em play themselves as level 20 'whatevers'.
And throw em into the City of Brass.
At least they'll know what to do when a bunch of ugly creeps try to turn them into sex slaves.
And it'll be alot more interesting than watching a group of chicks whose primary defense mechanism is 'roll onto back, spread legs' feebly trying to come up with combat strategies to defeat amorphous blobs and/or expressing their utter disinterest in something that isnt a sex organ.

One post, account made today with an amazingly familiar vocabulary and cadence to the writing style. Either that is the best Yahtzee impersonation I have ever seen, or that's Yahtzee on yet another throw away account making snarky comments.

Either way, I agree with you.

The problem with the show is that the focus is not the D&D, or on what the players are doing... but rather the point of focus is the players themselves.

Too much "Look, we have strippers" and not enough "playing D&D."

 

[Eyeshock]

Christ, I'm so tired of people writing it off simply because it has porn stars in it, and as such must be a devious plot by the shady escapist staff to get views through exploiting our sexual frustration.

I can't write off Buckley comics because he randomly puts miscarriages and depth attempts in? I can't write off Uwe Boll because he hires prostitutes instead of extras? Luckily all these examples are terrible anyway, but people decide against something on pure morals or disgust all the time. And there's nothing wrong with that. You've NEVER passed on something because the principle alone was insulting to you?

The plot WAS to use the porn stars to boost interest, devious or otherwise. They're not witty, smart people, or talented actresses: they are porn stars. That's why they are porn stats. They're in the show as a spectacle. While I don't watch these other DnD shows by PA and whoever these folks are linking, my assumption is the focus is the DnD game...not the spectacle.

As for this episode...I watched about thirty seconds. Mostly skipping around scene to scene. The DM remains in my opinion: ridiculously bad at his position.

If you really want success with this show, Escapist - get a good DM. Someone who will keep the flow of the video and conversations at a level that's ACTUALLY entertaining. You can leave the spectacle in, but don't keep it the focus.

 

[Need MOAR APPLES]

Wow that Robot Chicken DnD is vastly superior in almost every which way. The DM does a great job explaining everything. I want to start DMing like this guy.

 

[khaimera]

This series is the best content The Escapist has ever had, it works for me on so many levels and it even has The Sword in it. I would have done something like this myself but damned if I can get any of the sex-industry girls that I know to give D&D a go.

You know girls in the sex industry?

OT: I like this show because it what it represents rather than what is actually shown. It tries to show us what its like for non D&D fanatics to play this type of game. Its kind of intriguing. I also relate to Sasha Grey becuase her face seems like the same face I would have trying to get into this hobby. She wants to like it, but is bored. It also helps all of us realize that pornstars are people just like us, and its easy to forget that when watching their other work. Plus, Sasha is super cute. Its hard to think of her as a pornstar, and thats a compliment.

 

[BonsaiK]

This series is the best content The Escapist has ever had, it works for me on so many levels and it even has The Sword in it. I would have done something like this myself but damned if I can get any of the sex-industry girls that I know to give D&D a go.

You know girls in the sex industry?

OT: I like this show because it what it represents rather than what is actually shown. It tries to show us what its like for non D&D fanatics to play this type of game. Its kind of intriguing. I also relate to Sasha Grey becuase her face seems like the same face I would have trying to get into this hobby. She wants to like it, but is bored. It also helps all of us realize that pornstars are people just like us, and its easy to forget that when watching their other work. Plus, Sasha is super cute. Its hard to think of her as a pornstar, and thats a compliment.

I work in the music industry which is only a stone's throw away from the sex industry at the best of times. I know plenty of strippers, prostitutes, girls in adult films etc and I even dated one for a while. Wasn't the best relationship I've ever had to be honest... but yeah the person I relate to most in these episodes is the guy in the back reading comics...

Personally I think Frankie the hairdresser is the cute one, Sasha Grey kinda leaves me a bit cold.

 

[StriderShinryu]

Well, I have to say this episode was better than the others.. but not really by much. I still think the premise is an interesting one, and when the video actually gets to the ladies playing the actual game it isn't a terrible watch. Maybe this is a case where the show itself is being let down more by it's production (poor camera work, fast edits, edits that don't seem to add anything or even make sense, blaring volume issues, etc.) than it is a show that is failing on it's own merits or lack thereof. In short, the content is there but it's just not coming through the poor presentation.

 

[cardman2467]

I guess it's the best so far, but the annoying rapid editing is still there, as are the overloud music cuts. Some good play is exhibited by not approaching the 'blob' and attacking at distance but it seems the party gets to do way too many things without their foe getting to do anything. This is what I've meant in earlier thread posts by the DM being too soft with the PCs and not giving them a kicking when they dither and don't cooperate as a group.

 

[khaimera]

This series is the best content The Escapist has ever had, it works for me on so many levels and it even has The Sword in it. I would have done something like this myself but damned if I can get any of the sex-industry girls that I know to give D&D a go.

You know girls in the sex industry?

OT: I like this show because it what it represents rather than what is actually shown. It tries to show us what its like for non D&D fanatics to play this type of game. Its kind of intriguing. I also relate to Sasha Grey becuase her face seems like the same face I would have trying to get into this hobby. She wants to like it, but is bored. It also helps all of us realize that pornstars are people just like us, and its easy to forget that when watching their other work. Plus, Sasha is super cute. Its hard to think of her as a pornstar, and thats a compliment.

I work in the music industry which is only a stone's throw away from the sex industry at the best of times. I know plenty of strippers, prostitutes, girls in adult films etc and I even dated one for a while. Wasn't the best relationship I've ever had to be honest... but yeah the person I relate to most in these episodes is the guy in the back reading comics...

Personally I think Frankie the hairdresser is the cute one, Sasha Grey kinda leaves me a bit cold.

Thats interesting. I coudl see how teh music business woudl coincide with the adult world. I too once dated a stripper, she had quit right before meeting me though. That relationship was terrible. She had way more issues than my young brain could handle.

Also, I always laugh at the guy reading comics becease even he can't be bothered to be interested about the show and he gets to see it live.

 

[Thirdfain]

This show invites a lot of criticism, and for good reason: The camerawork is amateurish and sometimes nauseating, the premise reeks of exploitation, and at first glance, those involved are uninterested, which is in turn uninteresting.

That being said, I decided with this episode that this is a good show, and one which bears further examination.

When I first heard about this show, I was (after that first rush of titillation everything with testicles probably felt as well) intrigued. Tabletop roleplaying allows a sort of collective storytelling to take place the likes of which we simply don't find in day to day life. Anyone who has ever spent much time playing DnD or other similar games will tell you how much fun it can be to sit around a table, sharing the same absurd experience, imagining complex plots and working together to overcome obstacles. It's not something most people do for fun, but I think it's got a lot of merit, and not just as a form of entertainment.

However, we all know what reputation tabletop roleplaying has- it's the domain of neck-beared mouth-breathing permavirgins.

When I heard the premise for "I Hit It With My Axe," I thought it would be really cool to watch a bunch of people who were pretty much as far as it is possible to be from the aforementioned sweaty-palmed nerdboys involve themselves in the tabletop experience, learn how to play, and slowly and tenatively get dragged into the story.

At first, the show of course seemed like an utter failure. Our first four episodes are disjointed, with most of the ladies clearly totally out of their depth, uninterested, and uninvolved. But episode five shows a change in this trend. Watching our heroes concoct a crazy and sensible and kind of badass plan to interrogate an evil spider was totally cool. What clinched it was when they declined to go to lunch, because it would give the GM more time to plot against them!

We are watching people step way outside their comfort zone, and then thrive. That's cool, and I hope to see more of it in the future.

tldr;

The pornstars are starting to get better at DnD, and watching them get involved is cool.

 

[ucciolord1]

This show is entertaining. It's not hilarious, gripping, suspenseful or amazing in any way, but it's certainly not bad.

 

[Retodon8]

I agree with some of the above; This is the best episode yet.
The way it's cut is... not really annoying per se, but it makes it harder to watch.
The (timing of) "I'm gonna make some tea" made me smile. (around 02:50)

 

[Zuljeet]

"Sacrifice the horse!" best response ever to a blob attack. It won't do much, but gawDAMN would it be entertaining.

"the blob engulfs the horse and eats it"
*roll*
".. and it doubles in size; your turn.

 

[shlominus]

you said at episode 5 it would click. it did. very enjoyable indeed. i cannot think of anything i would like changed.

 

[Disembodied_Dave]

I think this show gets better with every episode.
The girl who likes to sneak (Frankie was it?) is adorable.

 

[Saxnot]

I have to agree with the lack of imagination mentioned earlier.
To pull a Yahtzee, it feels like Im watching some exotic birds struggling painfully to breath in a cloud of the pollution tainted air over Beijing.
Only the pollution is 100% pure nerd agent. And the birds do anal.
Blah, Im getting off topic.

Suggestion, should you ever try this again:
Let em play themselves as level 20 'whatevers'.
And throw em into the City of Brass.
At least they'll know what to do when a bunch of ugly creeps try to turn them into sex slaves.
And it'll be alot more interesting than watching a group of chicks whose primary defense mechanism is 'roll onto back, spread legs' feebly trying to come up with combat strategies to defeat amorphous blobs and/or expressing their utter disinterest in something that isnt a sex organ.

what? birds? pollution? are you high or something?

you are not yahtzee, and you are not funny. go eat a biscuit.

on topic: getting steadily better, will see the next one

 

[tamerman]

for the record: im still watching it. kinda wondering why you wanted to break off the spider-ladys legs when you coulduv just kept the spiders body though