Smogon's Let's Play Central

Jimera0

Jimera0

is a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnus
Hello fellow Smogonites, I've noticed the distinct lack of Let's Play on our forums and decided that I'd make us a nice big topic for all of us that enjoy watching, discussing and even making Let's Plays.

"But hey now," some of you are thinking, "what on earth is a Let's Play?"
Well hello there nooby one, let me fill you in. Actually, I'll let Slowbeef, the originator of the modern Let's Play, fill you in.

Slowbeef said:
"[...] 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 decided to just comment on what he thought watching the movie would be like. Well, that's kinda like what we are doing here now."
Click to expand...

A Let's Play is, at it's core, someone documenting their experience and thoughts as they play a video game. This documentation can be done in written form (with or without the aid of screenshots) or in video form (with live commentary or commentary added after the fact). Let's Plays can be informative, humorous or both, and can be done alone or with a whole bunch of people working together. It might sound somewhat boring to the unitiated, but there's a reason the Let's Play has blossomed into a full on internet sub-genre over the past couple years.

"So exactly what is the purpose of this thread then?" the naive among you might ask. Why, it is to discuss, share and create Let's Plays. Find a Let's Play you really enjoy? Post it and others can enjoy it with you! Looking for help getting started making your own let's plays, or want to discuss techniques and styles used by various Let's Players? Ask it here! Want to share your own Let's Plays that you've painstakingly made but have been unable to find an audience for? Well now you've got your place! Essentially, this thread is for everything Let's Play related. And remember, it doesn't have to be Pokemon related at all; this is in the "A FORVM" (or whatever it's called at the moment) for a reason. If you want to have an LP you recommend to be added to the list in the below post, make sure you link to the location of the Let's Play you're recommending!

"So this Let's Play I have on Youtube with like 4 views total, I can post that here?"
EXACTLY my good man! Just, please, don't embed any videos here. Link instead. We don't want this to get too cluttered. Also, try to use Hide tags to keep any long screenshot / written Let's Plays from taking up the whole page if you can. We want this to be neat and orderly you know. Oh, and when you post your Let's Play, make sure you put a decent description of what it is along with your link. And whatever you do, don't intentionally mislead people as to the content of your videos. That shit just isn't appreciated around here, you know? OH, one more thing. As per the forum rules, make sure you LINK, don't embed or hide, anything that might be considered NSFW and make sure to put a warning in your description. We don't want any infractions being handed out here, or worse, for this topic to get shut down.

"I'm still confused about this whole "Let's Play" thing, where can I find some examples?"
I was hoping you'd ask, oh ignorant one! For your convenience, here's a few helpful links to some of the more prominent Let's Players and Let's Play databases:
The TVTropes Let's Play page Contains a more detailed explanation of what a Let's Play is, as well as links to several databases and exceptional Let's Plays
The Somethign Awful Let's Play Archive The largest Let's Play database on the web, consisting of hundreds of Let's Plays by Something Awful members.
Slowbeef's Let's Plays An archive of Let's Plays from the man that started it all.
Chuggaaconroy's Youtube Channel Chuggaaconroy is the most popular Let's Player on Youtube and a major contributor to the explosion of the Let's Play genre. He also has let's played several Pokemon games!
ProtonJon's Youtube Channel Chuggaaconroy's inspiration and one of my personal favorites. One of the first and most successful Youtube Let's Players.
The Runaway Guys' Youtube Channel Chuggaaconroy, ProtonJon and NintendoCapriSun join forces for the most popular collaborative Let's Play channel around. Perfect example of how collaborative Let's Plays work.

FAQ's Section:
Under development!

So without further ado, let's get this party started! Let the Let's Playing, begin!
 
Archive Of Smogon Let's Plays!

**IMPORTANT** If you want your let's plays listed on this list, make sure you consolidate them in a single post so I can link to it easily!

Let's Plays by Smogon Members
Jimera0's Archive Post
 Bluecaptain's Shadow of the Colossus Let's Play
Steeler's Archive Post (kinda)
NiGHtsBeta09's Archive Post
Adell's Archive Post
Deinosaur's Emerald Let's Play (screenshot, in the OI subforum)
Fisdunction's Archive post (kinda)

Recommended Non-Smogon Let's Plays
The Spoony Experiment's Let's Plays (scroll down the video list, there's a section for them)
Let's Play Sonic 2006 (speedrun)
raocow's Youtube Channel
theRadBad's Youtube Channel
Retsupurae: Where bad LP's go to die (Slowbeef and Diabeetus riff on bad LPs)
Helloween4545's Youtube Channel
HCBailly's Youtube Channel
Chip and Ironicus' Website
Super Mario Sunshine Versus
ClementJ642's Youtube Channel
RoahmMythril's Youtube Channel
BikdipOnABus's Youtube Channel
Snowflake's Youtube Channel (and Pokemon Metagamer!)
BrainScratch Commentaries Youtube Channel
 
my *personal* archive

Some of you may be aware of this, but I have dabbled in making Let's Plays myself, and admittedly getting those Let's Plays some exposure was part of the reason I made this topic. So without further ado, here's a small archive of my own Let's Plays, that will hopefully grow big and popular with time! Maybe. If you guys actually like them >.> <.<

My Youtube Channel

Active Let's Plays:
Halo CE Legendary Let's Play (Youtube Playlist)

Inactive Let's Plays:
Minecraft (unofficial) Hardcore Mode Let's Play (Rounds 1 & 2)

Completed Let's Plays:
None atm

Personal Recommendations:
All the ones in the OP, more to come.
 
i'm someone who thoroughly enjoys watching video games being played, but to this day i have not found a let's play that didn't make me wish it was sans commentary

are there any you can think of that would soften my heart of stone?
 
Glen said:
i'm someone who thoroughly enjoys watching video games being played, but to this day i have not found a let's play that didn't make me wish it was sans commentary

are there any you can think of that would soften my heart of stone?
Click to expand...

I'd highly recommend The Runaway Guys, as the whole group dynamic of the three of them playing together turns it from simple commentary into a full on comedy routine. I mean seriously, they're hilarious to watch. Proton Jon also does some pretty funny solo stuff, in particular his Super Mario World Rom-Hack let's plays, which often include impotent rage! And what's more fun than watching people rage? I wouldn't recommend Chuggaaconroy if you don't care for commentary much though, as though he does inject a fair amount of humor his Let's Plays are more informative than intentionally hilarious.

I would of course also suggest my own, in particular my Halo Let's play because it focuses more on being silly than being informative. And you get to watch me screw up, and what's more fun than that? But of course, I'm obviously biased here so feel free to completely ignore this paragraph :P
 
I am of the general opinion that LP's are best when they are awful games that you probably don't want to play, The Spoony Experiment has some fantastic LP's in Phantasmagoria, Ripper, and Swat 4, I have watched all of Phantasmagoria and some parts of the other two over again because there is way too much funny content in them.

I also consider the Sonic 2006 speedrun a crowning achievement because they conquered all three stories in one gigantic session as a group.

I think if I were to do a speedrun I'd need a partner because having someone to work with always makes the product better, I just need to find a decent game.
 
Currently following theRadBrad, who focuses mostly on the action and horror genres. He's commentary is very organic and easy to listen to, and he knows to shut up whenever the game starts talking, so I recommend it if you're into the sort of game that he plays.
 
whatever you do don't watch the Brawl LP from RunawayGuys. NCS is just not meant to play that game, and it's painful @_@

The1stChubasa did a 4-player LP of Kirby's Return to Dreamland that I've really enjoyed, and it finally finished.

I also really like skorch82 as an LPer. Good commentary, and he usually knows enough about the gameplay/story/design to make for interesting commentary imo. Arkham Asylum was particularly good.
 
Helloween4545.

He mainly does LPs of horror games. He's British and incredibly sassy and he doesn't get startled very easily, so it's none of the annoying fake stuff that pewdiepie and others like him tend to show. His Amnesia:TDD LP is particularly famous, and he's done LPs of games like Dead Space 1/2, Silent Hill, The Suffering, etc, etc. Right now he's doing Cry of Fear, which he's not really enjoying, but he's sticking through just for the viewers. Plus we get to hear him rage.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7nGqSjEqS4#t=08m20s
^Particularly good example of him raging at game mechanics.

He also frequently breaks out into He-Man/Skeletor voice-overs.
 
HCBailly is probably my favorite LPer.

He does RPGs, usually Square-Enix games. He's done FF1-9, Tactics, DQ1-3 working on 4DS, Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, and a lot more. The reason I love his LPs is because he does them in a walkthrough style, but still does commentary on the game as if he's just playing it. He researches the games that he plays and does multiple testruns before actually LPing it. He uploads on a regular schedule, and his commentary is actually bearable.
 
I likey.
I have been an avid Let's Play viewer ever since I watched Marilland around 3 years ago. Watching his Platinum Let's Play I also stumbled upon watching Chuggaconroy's Platinum "Let's Play" and moving on to HCBailly, NCS, ProtonJon, JoshJepson, Grandpyromania, Stephen Georg, etc.(Yeah, I have no life XD)
Anyways, I have been thinking to start a Let's Play(I have some videos on Minecraft, including TRYING to start a let's play which I will probably redo), but I have no recording option. I was originally using Quicktime, but then I was watching Stephen's Vlog and was strongly pushed away from it, as well as the fact that I moved computers.
Any suggestions?(I know about Fraps, I just have no money)
 
Glen said:
i'm someone who thoroughly enjoys watching video games being played, but to this day i have not found a let's play that didn't make me wish it was sans commentary

are there any you can think of that would soften my heart of stone?
Click to expand...

Try Roosterteeth's (the guy's who made Red versus Blue) playthrough of minecraft (episode 1 and 2).

Worth watching even if you hate/haven't played minecraft.

Spoiler

Not many let's plays end with the temp tackling and pinning his coworker to the floor so that he doesn't get the achievement.
 
It is at this point I realize I watch way, way, WAY too many let's plays (I'm subscribed to no fewer than 17 Let's Play channels on YouTube). As for recommendations, Super Mario Sunshine Versus and the Battletoads 4 Player Race were both very enjoyable. There have recently been many such related multiplayer races, and most of them are entertaining.

I've recently been oddly intrigued by BikdipOnABus (schoolwork can be extremely boring at times). He tends to be less informative and more fool-around-ish. If you can deal with his dull tone of voice, his Kaizo Mario 64 and Majora's Mask playthroughs might be worth checking out. He has awesome chemistry with Brynna, but the rest of his videos are hit-and-miss.
 
Holy crap, if I actually fill in the recommendation list it's going to be ridiculously long. I *think* I'm just going to omit that part of the archive post because othwise I'd be spending a lot of time adding a lot of let's plays to the list that no one is actually going to watch (Let's plays are rather time consuming to watch I know).

I have to back up everyone who suggested The Runaway Guys: They are absolutely amazingly hilarious, and there is never a dull moment in their Let's Plays. Actually, I'd recommend anything Proton Jon does with other people; his solo let's plays are funny and great to watch by themselves, but when he does it with other people it just brings out his comedic best. He has several multiplayer games of Brawl/Melee and Mario Kart on his channel that just BEG to be watched, and the aforementioned 4 Player Battletoad race is ridiculously entertaining.

Finally, I'm going to just go out and say it; if anyone has the time, I'd REALLY like some feedback on my own let's plays, especially the Halo CE one. I've had very little feedback so far and I really just want to know how I'm doing. Anyone who has read my scramble updates will probably like the frequently sarcastic tone I take.

Speaking of which, I should get up another episode of that early tomorrow morning. I have it all recorded and edited, but finding the time to upload it is tricky because it takes several hours and slows my internet to a crawl at the same time - for me AND for my entire family. As such I have to upload it late at night or early in the morning, which is made more difficult due to the time I work and... well it's just challenging :P. Hopefully I should be able to get it up soon.
 
i have a question

i enjoy lpers who are bad at the game they are lping, but are also funny whilst doing it

any recommendations??
 
Rodan said:
i have a question

i enjoy lpers who are bad at the game they are lping, but are also funny whilst doing it

any recommendations??
Click to expand...

Slowbeef's Metroid Prime LPs, full stop. I have a link to his Archive in the OP so it shouldn't be hard for you to find. He has the worst sense of direction I've ever seen, fails on NORMAL on METROID PRIME, and is f***ing hilarious while he does it. Helps that he always has guest commentators with him while he does it, so he gets to bounce jokes off them and vice versa.

Honestly, I find LPers that are bad at the games they're playing annoying... IF it's a game I play because the whole time I'm like, "HOW COULD YOU MISS THAT?????". Made the Metroid Prime LP actually a little hard for me to watch honestly XD but it's worth it if you like the failure.
 
my friends and i have a mario party channel here: www.youtube.com/user/MarioPartyTV

always 4 players (and we have two LPs with 8!?) and always someone getting really angry. for example...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpSzrWaPHzs&list=PL9EC8CEEF89301963&index=71&feature=plpp_video

i have never been that angry in my life.

here is a playlist of all our videos in case there is a particular map or game you wanna see.

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9EC8CEEF89301963

finally, i do my own LP of a nuzlocke run thru a hard hack of blue. full of bullshit and rage. i also tried two other nuzlockes, but they failed in spectacular fashion.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ElSteeler/videos
 
If I can get decent recording software, I intend to do LPs of Persona 3: FES, Persona 4 and probably at least some of the Ratchet and Clank series in the future. My brother owns a Dazzle, so that shouldn't be a problem...
 
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