Poll: Do you enjoy watching video games being played?

[Tilller]

Ever since I was younger, I've always loved watching games as much as playing them. I remember watching my dad play NES/SNES games when I was younger, and as I got older I enjoyed watching my friends play games like Mario 64 or Starfox 64.

Maybe 5 or 6 years ago I remember discovering speed runs. Still to this day I LOVE watching speed runs of games, especially games that I have played.

So here I am, 20 years old now in college and I'm hanging out watching Super Metroid speed runs or watching my room mate play whatever he's playing. I've been watching a lot of Starcraft 2 streams lately too.

So, anyway..I'm curious what everyone here thinks of watching games. Do you find it boring/exciting/weird?

 

[Dethenger]

Let's Plays should be an option. I enjoy watching Let's Plays. Not so much walkthroughs, though. I do like watching my friends play, though, but that's more because we're having conversations during and the game offers a constant topic (similar to a Let's Play, really, but I'm sure you can differentiate between listening to a commentary and engaging in a conversation).

 

[Ekibiogami]

Yes, same room, But depends on the game type. Watching someone play, say a Adventure & logic puzzles game, will make me suicidal...

 

[Tartarga]

It depends on the game but I do enjoy watching every now and then. Though I only really enjoy it when they're messing around instead of playing seriously.

 

[Requiem191]

So long as the video is exciting to watch and keeps me interested, along with being well made, I'll watch anything really.

 

[LongAndShort]

To get real specific, I like watching my 11 year old brother play Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer, because while he's better than me (I am pretty shit), he still listens to me and accepts advise (eg. you should change to the sniper loadout, you should toss your semtex through that window, they're coming from the other direction...). It's also a bonding experience.

 

[AwkwardTurtle]

I don't know why, but I've developed a liking to watching people who are bad at games play games. Usually simply because they end up saying the most ridiculous things while being bad/lost in games.

 

[Endocrom]

I chose "Yes, but only normal walkthroughs" as it seems closest to a 'Let's play'
(Although currently I'm watching a 100% speed run of Metroid Fusion and playing along with it.)

but a lot of it depends on the player and their personality or voice (I can't stand LP's with kids who's voices haven't changed)

Captcha: anthro tarymor

 

[SonicKaos]

You need another option in there. I don't like watching other people play video games... with one exception. I love watching competitive Street Fighter matches (and sometimes other fighting games). Watching pros play fighting games with live comentary and whatnot can be a lot of fun. Other then that though, I don't want other play games at all because I find it boring and frustrating. If there was a "competitive gaming only" option, I'd pick that one.

 

[-Samurai-]

Not on the internet. The amount of stupid, pointless "lets play" videos makes me want to puke.

So, same room for me. And it depends on whos playing and what they're playing. One of my friends has a play style and though process that I can't even pretend to comprehend. His choices are often hastily made and always cause chaos, and his "strategy" always favors short-term gain with no regard for the future. His choices and actions are always for immediate gain, and he just kinda goes with the "wing it" strategy. His play style is pretty much the exact opposite of mine, and I always enjoy watching him play.

 

[Shakomaru]

I love LP's, but only if the person playing the game is funny.
Like when LK did DNF
400th post!

 

[Asuka Soryu]

Only if it's a Let's Play with a person who's fun to listen to.

 

[Fawful]

I greatly enjoyed watching pro starcraft games for awhile but after DC-ing from the net entirely for some time I haven't caught up and can't be bothered restarting. These days apart from the odd bit of pro gaming footy and demos for upcoming games I don't usually bother.

 

[LookingGlass]

I like to watch Let's Play style things where someone plays through the beginning of the game with commentary, so that I can see what the game experience is like for your average joe gamer. And it needs to be their first time playing it too.

I just bought Magicka in large part due to TotalBiscuit's impressions (then I played the demo and was completely sold):
Video[/youtube]

If I'm bored I'll watch the occasional Starcraft 2 game on MLG.

That's it for me.

 

[Vivace-Vivian]

I bloody hate it. I really hate it when the person is bad at them too, or if I've played the game and they are missing things. It makes me very, very angry. I'm a bit crazy that way.

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

Not really. The only time I enjoy watching people play is when my really jumpy friend plays some of my survival horror games. Otherwise, it bores me.

 

[Syphous]

Sure, as long as they are NOT in the same room. Otherwise I will want to be a backseat driver and get annoyed when they do something "blatantly stupid".

 

[draconiansundae]

I bloody hate it. I really hate it when the person is bad at them too, or if I've played the game and they are missing things. It makes me very, very angry. I'm a bit crazy that way.

Ugh this is exactly how my best friend is. He's the absolute worst back seat video game player I've ever met. He gets so frustrated with me and yells at me when I don't play exactly the way he wants me to.

OT: I usually quite like watching other people play games of any sort. My friends and I often play single player games together and take turns. This was especially when we played Fatal Frame II and Amnesia, as we're all huge vaginas. Actually, I think I like playing a single player game with someone else more than playing competitive multiplayer.