What's makes a good Let's Play good?

[triggrhappy94]

Some friends and I are putting together our own LP series. So far, we've had decent successes, but we can't seem to carry a full length LP without running out of things to say.

None of us have Swedish accents. And we get a long well, so no one's yelling at each other.
We're also not sure which games to play either.

EDIT:
The Swedish accent thing was an attempt to make a joke about LPers like Robbaz and Pewdiepie.
EDITEDIT:
(Shax, I'm using you to expand my OP)

As a disclaimer, I'm going to be honest and say that I've never done LP's myself. These tips are based on what I, as a frequent viewer of LP's, would find myself drawn to when searching for a new one.

That's 100% OK. I didn't expect that many people on here to actually have their own LPs.

What's your primary objective with your LP?

Entertainment. We're going to make fun of each other, make jokes, and fuck up trying to play the game.

Spoiler: What games we're considering

Game Dev Tycoon (actually already in progress)
Fallout 1, 2 and/or Tactics
Fallout 3 and/or NV (I know an ungodly amount of stuff about these games)
GTA Vice City (or some of the other GTAs)
Mother 3 (we'd play the unpatch, Japanese version on an emulator)
Pokémon Emerald (in Japanese, we'd have to edit it heavily)
A couple different RTS, including Empire Earth 2 and Company of Heroes.
Max Payne 3
System Shock 2 (this is a big maybe)
XCOM
Dead Island
Hatofull Boyfriend (the pigeon dating game)
The Bioshock games

 

[Muspelheim]

One way to circumvent the problem of running out of things to say is to shorten the videos, to break before that happens and pick it up later.

As for accents, Nordic ones in particular, we're really the only ones who can't stand them, most people seem to be fine with it, as long as they can make out what you're saying.

As for games, I'd say a game with a good length and many layers is a better choice than a rollercoaster-type game. S.T.A.L.K.E.R., for instance, would make a better LP than some taped Call of Duty matches. What sort of games do you like, first of all?

 

[omega 616]

You have to realize that LP's are just so saturated, youtube is full of LPers. If you type "play through" in youtube it comes back with nearly 24 million videos.

You have just about every kind of LPer so it will be hard to get a following. Not even sure that doing minecraft could work at this point.

The only way I could see you maybe getting any traction is have a gang of guys and gals that know about gaming, not basic stuff but real in depth stuff. Then market yourselves as the hardcore gamers lets players, like the opposite of pewdiepie who just screams and wails ... you would have to follow that up with SERIOUS exploration, which could turn things boring but as long as you talk about interesting stuff it should be ok.

Think of it like a podcast but instead of staring at a couple of dudes with headsets on and big mics in front of them, you have gameplay.

That is about the only type of lets play I haven't seen.

As for games, you can jump on the next band wagon ... the current one is "last of us", I think the next one will be watch dogs.

 

[Realitycrash]

For me? Humor and a British accent.
And no, I can't stand any of the Nordics.

 

[Dangit2019]

1. If you're not doing "blind" let's plays, make sure that you do some research on the games background and creators. This is especially important with older and/or indie games.

2. Don't just talk about your random day-to-day shit. People came to watch you play and comment on a video game, not discuss why your trip to the grocery store was slighty interesting. It's okay to tell a funny story if it's somewhat related to the game, but just talking over the game about completely unrelated things isn't very captivating to say the least.

3. Play interesting games, or games that not many people have played before. For example, you probably don't want to make yet ANOTHER Let's Play of:

Happy Wheels
Surgeon Simulator
Slender
Dark Souls
SCP
Amnesia

and so on and so on. When in doubt, either go to indie town, or shitty town.

4. Take breaks if you can't carry a full let's play. Yahtzee and Gabe go straight through every game they do, but that's definitely not for everyone. Sometimes dividing it up into 10-15 minutes sessions is best and is less intimidating than a 90 minute video.

5. You might not even want to do Let's Plays. Honestly, if you feel like you're just not the type who naturally has fun commenting on a game with your mates, that's okay, not everyone can be the Game Grumps (who have recently been breaking rule #2 lately). Hell, it's not even that dignified of a thing to do, considering that the guy who rules the genre is fucking PewDiePie. So maybe try something else.

 

[Muspelheim]

For me? Humor and a British accent.
And no, I can't stand any of the Nordics.

Yes, it's rather strange, we're all in agreement that our own accents are shite, but no one else seems to bother. It's like the opposite of that shrieking, horrid Hollywood Housewife-accent slowly engulfing the world.

(Thankfully, it's all up to practice. All english courses should record your voice and then make you listen to it. )

You have to realize that LP's are just so saturated, youtube is full of LPers. If you type "play through" in youtube it comes back with nearly 24 million videos.

You have just about every kind of LPer so it will be hard to get a following. Not even sure that doing minecraft could work at this point.

The only way I could see you maybe getting any traction is have a gang of guys and gals that know about gaming, not basic stuff but real in depth stuff. Then market yourselves as the hardcore gamers lets players, like the opposite of pewdiepie who just screams and wails ... you would have to follow that up with SERIOUS exploration, which could turn things boring but as long as you talk about interesting stuff it should be ok.

Think of it like a podcast but instead of staring at a couple of dudes with headsets on and big mics in front of them, you have gameplay.

That is about the only type of lets play I haven't seen.

As for games, you can jump on the next band wagon ... the current one is "last of us", I think the next one will be watch dogs.

However, bandwagoning has quite a few problems on their own, doesn't it? Unless you're really interested in it yourself, I'd advice against going for a game on the merits of being brand new alone.

And another thing; a persona can't really be built, it needs to be grown. You can start out with a certain attitude and persona, but it needs to ripen and mature as you continue Let's Playing. The main reason that makes bad LP'ers bad is that they choose a formula or a persona that seems to be popular and then mimics it. With the end result being rather flat.
You can't really program an online persona right from the start, it's better lot let it grow organically over time.

 

[triggrhappy94]

Snip

Alright, breaks seem like a good idea. We had done about a three hour run on one game and that was getting really boring.
And the Nordic joke was a dig at Robaz and Pewdiepie.

 

[triggrhappy94]

Yes, it's rather strange, we're all in agreement that our own accents are shite, but no one else seems to bother. It's like the opposite of that shrieking, horrid Hollywood Housewife-accent slowly engulfing the world.

What do you mean by that. I'm just curious, because I'm from California.

 

[Realitycrash]

For me? Humor and a British accent.
And no, I can't stand any of the Nordics.

Yes, it's rather strange, we're all in agreement that our own accents are shite, but no one else seems to bother. It's like the opposite of that shrieking, horrid Hollywood Housewife-accent slowly engulfing the world.

(Thankfully, it's all up to practice. All english courses should record your voice and then make you listen to it. )

I think it's because we have been exposed to English since childhood, and in such a broad spectrum of ways. We know what sounds 'right' and how something is 'properly pronounced', and honestly, no-one wants to sound like they are pronouncing things like the Swedish semi-illiterate baby-boom generation.
I'm quite happy that I purged almost all resemblance to a Swedish accent back in high-school. Most people mistake me for some sort of northern English breed.

 

[Realitycrash]

Yes, it's rather strange, we're all in agreement that our own accents are shite, but no one else seems to bother. It's like the opposite of that shrieking, horrid Hollywood Housewife-accent slowly engulfing the world.

What do you mean by that. I'm just curious, because I'm from California.

He assumed that you were from Sweden because you said 'none of us have Swedish accents'. Honestly, so did I..Why else would you specify it?

 

[Muspelheim]

Alright, breaks seem like a good idea. We had done about a three hour run on one game and that was getting really boring.
And the Nordic joke was a dig at Robaz and Pewdiepie.

Ah, I see! Well, in Pewdiepie's case, it's hard to hear over the whailing. Yes, regular breaks is a good idea, when you start running on fumes, it's not going to be very fun to watch, either.

Yes, it's rather strange, we're all in agreement that our own accents are shite, but no one else seems to bother. It's like the opposite of that shrieking, horrid Hollywood Housewife-accent slowly engulfing the world.

What do you mean by that. I'm just curious, because I'm from California.

I don't mean the regular U.S. west coast accent, that one's perfectly fine. I meant a dig at the shrill, whooping, whiny variant that the kind of spoiled, vaccuous people who ends up on Hollywood Housewife-styled programmes tend to have. It's horrible to anyone but themselves, yet it spreads like a TV-transmitted cyst of some description.
The regular accent is perfectly alright, though. No need to worry!

I think it's because we have been exposed to English since childhood, and in such a broad spectrum of ways. We know what sounds 'right' and how something is 'properly pronounced', and honestly, no-one wants to sound like they are pronouncing things like the Swedish semi-illiterate baby-boom generation.
I'm quite happy that I purged almost all resemblance to a Swedish accent back in high-school. Most people mistake me for some sort of northern English breed.

Yes, that does sound right. It's always such a cringefest whenever some high ranking minister or other goes on air for a serious interview sounding like a kidnapped turnip farmer from Ödeshög. Or some villa dwelling brat-prat trying to be cosmopolitan.

 

[omega 616]

However, bandwagoning has quite a few problems on their own, doesn't it? Unless you're really interested in it yourself, I'd advice against going for a game on the merits of being brand new alone.

And another thing; a persona can't really be built, it needs to be grown. You can start out with a certain attitude and persona, but it needs to ripen and mature as you continue Let's Playing. The main reason that makes bad LP'ers bad is that they choose a formula or a persona that seems to be popular and then mimics it. With the end result being rather flat.
You can't really program an online persona right from the start, it's better lot let it grow organically over time.

No 'cos people will search "watch dogs lets play/play through" and watch it. People wont be saying "*insert off beat, barely heard of, underground indie game* lets play/play through".

Many, MANY people think "I'll just buy a recording device, some editing software, a mic and just say random shit while playing, upload to youtube and blam". Those channels just wilt 'cos there is a million monotone ramblers out there.

At the start you could get away with maturing 'cos I'm sure pewdiepie didn't start off how he is now but with this saturation you have to put some thought in.

 

[sanquin]

My advice on let's plays is: Don't. There's so many of them already that you probably won't get very far, if at all.

But if you insist: Have something that differentiates you from the others. The way you speak, how you play the game, who you play it with, what games you play...something at least.

Take a person that a lot of people like to use as an example: TotalBiscuit. His let's play of terraria with Jesse Cox worked because of the dynamic between him and Jesse. One a sarcastic serious guy, and the other an incompetent joker. One shows the playing of the game (TB) while the other provides comedy.

 

[Muspelheim]

However, bandwagoning has quite a few problems on their own, doesn't it? Unless you're really interested in it yourself, I'd advice against going for a game on the merits of being brand new alone.

And another thing; a persona can't really be built, it needs to be grown. You can start out with a certain attitude and persona, but it needs to ripen and mature as you continue Let's Playing. The main reason that makes bad LP'ers bad is that they choose a formula or a persona that seems to be popular and then mimics it. With the end result being rather flat.
You can't really program an online persona right from the start, it's better lot let it grow organically over time.

No 'cos people will search "watch dogs lets play/play through" and watch it. People wont be saying "*insert off beat, barely heard of, underground indie game* lets play/play through".

Many, MANY people think "I'll just buy a recording device, some editing software, a mic and just say random shit while playing, upload to youtube and blam". Those channels just wilt 'cos there is a million monotone ramblers out there.

At the start you could get away with maturing 'cos I'm sure pewdiepie didn't start off how he is now but with this saturation you have to put some thought in.

Yes, but if you're going to treat it like a business, what's the point? If it's not about playing games you like or find interesting, then there must be less bothersome ways to become an internet celebrity. Furthermore, exposing underground indie titles is one of the ways to make sure some people do hear about them. It's less of a safe card, but if you can do it well, it will still stand out.

But then again, it does come down to a choice, doesn't it? Strategic marketing choices to ensure maximum page views is one way, doing whichever game interests you at lose or gain for its own sake is another.

 

[A-06]

For me? Humor and a British accent.
And no, I can't stand any of the Nordics.

Seconded.

Until a month ago I wasn't too much into LPs, then I discovered this cool guy, who fits in that descrption. Really good quality.

 

[The Wykydtron]

I gotta say quality. There's a reason why Cry is my favourite LPer of all time. EVERYTHING he makes has a ridiculously high production value. He speeds up the smallest corridor walk, edits things amazingly, adds some words into the background and each video has a unique intro and outro.

I loved his Corpse Party playthrough, it helped that Corpse Party always looked interesting but I could find no other LPer doing it and I don't have a PSP where I think it was released on. The ENDING man! Never has a simple mobile phone beep been so emotionally charged.

Oh and maybe add some LoL content... That shit is HUGE. Oh but if you take League up seriously, people will most likely not care about any non-League stuff you throw up. Just do it for fun I think. My main 5 man group recorded one of our games and stuck it on Youtube. It's kind of sitting there gathering fuck all views but I think (might be biased since i'm in it) is actually funny. It was one of those crazy games where things just happen. The introductions get cut short by an invade and everything.

Spoiler

"Eowyn don't you DARE!"

*Facecheck*

"OH SHI-"

 

[rob_simple]

One thing I value above everything else in LP's is knowledge. I think when the LP'er shows how much they know about a game, it shows how passionate they are about what they're doing and that genuine enjoyment passes on to the viewer (one of the best examples of this I can think of is Chip and Ironicus' Metal Gear LP's. It's crazy how much Chip knows about MGS.)

It also helps if you're naturally funny/good at talking. All the LP'er's I can think of that I watch --The Restupurae gang, LtMkilla, Chip and Ironicus, Egoraptor-- all come across as completely natural when they're speaking; meaning none of the gags sound forced and like they're playing shit up just for faux-entertainment value like Pewdiepie.

I think the latter is something you can definitely work at, though: my flatmate and I tried to get into Youtube videos last year and, even though we're normally really good at riffing off each other, as soon as the camera was on it became incredibly awkward and stunted because we were both conscious of the fact we had to try and be funny. In the end, the best I managed to cobble together was a five minute video out of two hours of footage and it's still pretty hard to watch.

TL;DR: Know what you're talking about, and just keep working at it.

 

[triggrhappy94]

I gotta say quality. There's a reason why Cry is my favourite LPer of all time. EVERYTHING he makes has a ridiculously high production value. He speeds up the smallest corridor walk, edits things amazingly, adds some words into the background and each video has a unique intro and outro.

Really?
I know a lot of people give Game Grumps more points because they have Barry editing everything, but I didn't think it was a big deal.
Our set-up is actually one of the most jury-rigged things ever. Not counting games, we've spent a total of $5.
I've been considering what the best way to do an intro was too.

I don't think we'll do LoL, but we're looking into playing some RTS's, like Company of Heroes 2.

 

[Jolly Co-operator]

Some friends and I are putting together our own LP series. So far, we've had decent successes, but we can't seem to carry a full length LP without running out of things to say.

None of us have Swedish accents. And we get a long well, so no one's yelling at each other.
We're also not sure which games to play either.

EDIT:
The Swedish accent thing was an attempt to make a joke about LPers like Robbaz and Pewdiepie.

As a disclaimer, I'm going to be honest and say that I've never done LP's myself. These tips are based on what I, as a frequent viewer of LP's, would find myself drawn to when searching for a new one.

What's your primary objective with your LP? Is it a more professional showcase of the game, or is it done primarily for entertainment value?
If it's done primarily for entertainment value, that gives you more flexible options.

Try to find a creative way to play the game, something to make you distinct. For example, a friend of mine and I once played through Killzone 3 using nothing but the pistol. Obviously, that wouldn't be very fun for an audience, but it's a very basic example. It's all about making yourself stand out from the crowd, because that crowd is HUGE.

Get to know the game, and its noteworthy moments. Keep a mental list of those moments coming up so you have commentary ready, and maybe write some comedic material for them beforehand.

Make yourself familiar with interesting trivia about the game you're playing, so you can bring it up at appropriate times.

Do you have any slightly older games that were under-appreciated in their own time, but gathered cult followings years later? Those could be a good option, as fans of under-appreciated games tend to become rather protective of them, and are often drawn to LP'ers who share that interest.

These aren't exactly LP's, but posting footage of multi-player matches might be good, after your LP's have gotten popular, and people have gotten attached to your persona. Multi-player matches are less predictable than scripted single-player campaigns, so it can keep things from getting too stale. And if people are attached to your persona, then you won't have to take the time to get good at the game on a competitive level, therefore broadening the scope of multi-player games you could feasibly post footage of.

More advice for when your LP's have gotten more popular: After you've built up a sizeable fanbase, people will be entering your name in the search bar, rather than entering the name of a game they want to see, and then clicking the first one they find. Once you've got this fanbase, try LP'ing some lesser known games; again, it's all about standing out from the crowd.

 

[Xdeser2]

To me, theres alot of ways to make a lets play good, and most of them are subjective as hell

First, it has to be a game I'm interested in, Second, I have to like the personality, as long as they have the first two down, I don't mind if its a completely informed LP where they're serious and informative about it, a blind LP where its a person figuring things out for the first time, or just one for humor.

So, yup. there you go. Just be a personality I like and play something I'm interested in.

[HEADING=3]No helpful advice whatsoever [/HEADING]

OT: No but seriously, You can't please everyone, so just find a style you like and play to your strengths. Also, find a nice balance between the Audio/Visual quality of your work and the speed at which you upload it. (dont want the audience being bored with it) Ya know, basic stuff.

Also, try to set the tone early on in the LP, is it going to be the previously said informative LP, or is it going to be fun and goofy? Also, you might want to set clear goals if your playing a non-linear game so the LP doesn't end abruptly.

Also, if you get comment hate, DO NOT respond to vitriol with more vitriol, that has started more than a few internet beefs...