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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Feb 2022 : 00:37:43
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| I love Critical Role, and Vox Machina was where it all started. I'm not sure how I feel about the animated series yet, but for now, I'll keep watching. The first 2 episodes were a bit rough, but episode 3 begins one of the most famous arcs in Campaign One, so I'm excited to see how they do it. I'm not a huge fan of the animation style (reminds me of 80s/90s superhero cartoon), but as a Critter, I'll support it, unless I really do end up disliking it. |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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PattPlays
Senior Scribe
469 Posts |
Posted - 03 Feb 2022 : 03:04:13
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quote:
Originally posted by CorellonsDevout
I love Critical Role, and Vox Machina was where it all started. I'm not sure how I feel about the animated series yet, but for now, I'll keep watching. The first 2 episodes were a bit rough, but episode 3 begins one of the most famous arcs in Campaign One, so I'm excited to see how they do it. I'm not a huge fan of the animation style (reminds me of 80s/90s superhero cartoon), but as a Critter, I'll support it, unless I really do end up disliking it.
quote:
Originally posted by CorellonsDevout
I love Critical Role, and Vox Machina was where it all started. I'm not sure how I feel about the animated series yet, but for now, I'll keep watching. The first 2 episodes were a bit rough, but episode 3 begins one of the most famous arcs in Campaign One, so I'm excited to see how they do it. I'm not a huge fan of the animation style (reminds me of 80s/90s superhero cartoon), but as a Critter, I'll support it, unless I really do end up disliking it.
Wait.. they're already into actual aired content? No more pre-stream?
SPOILER
You're telling me...they skipped Grog's near death, the Phylactery he had in him, Pike's Death, the Dread Emperor? The kid kyleth killed and regretted hundreds of episodes into the stream? The wand of tongues and the Clasp under Emon and Vex's deal with them and that whole body horror plotline with the theive's guild? Did they really throw out all that good stuff?! What the heck did they bother animating if not the highlights of pre-stream? The possession of the Soveriegn Uriel's family? Becoming heroes of the realm? Meeting the council? The first destruction of Allura's tower and the Magic Carpet?! Pike joining some freaking PIRATES and switching from a peaceful cleric to a War domain 5e cleric??? |
:The world's greatest OOTA fan/critic: :"Powder kegs within powder kegs!": :Meta-Dimensional Cheese: :Why is the Wand of Orcus just back?: :We still don't know the nature of Souls and the Positive Energy Plane: :PC on profile, Aldritch Elpyptrat Maxinfield: :Helljumpers, Bungie.net: :Rock Hard Gladiator, RIP Fluidanim, Long Live Pluto: :IRC lives:
https://thisisstorytelling.wordpress.com
T_P_T |
Edited by - PattPlays on 03 Feb 2022 05:35:57 |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 08 Feb 2022 : 19:29:50
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The pre-stream home game was played in Pathfinder 1e. When they started streaming, they switched to D&D 5e, with some house rules (like around casting spells and drinking potions). But it's been 5e mechanically for as long as it's been online.
And yes, Patt, the first two episodes of this season deal with General Krieg, which was pre-stream. The rest of the season is doing the Briarwood arc. None of the other pre-stream or pre-Briarwood (i.e. Kraghammer and the first visit to Vassalheim) stories are currently being adapted. Though there are references, like Grog killing a bullette or Keylith throwing a duergar into lava. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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PattPlays
Senior Scribe
469 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2022 : 02:58:50
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quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
The pre-stream home game was played in Pathfinder 1e. When they started streaming, they switched to D&D 5e, with some house rules (like around casting spells and drinking potions). But it's been 5e mechanically for as long as it's been online.
And yes, Patt, the first two episodes of this season deal with General Krieg, which was pre-stream. The rest of the season is doing the Briarwood arc. None of the other pre-stream or pre-Briarwood (i.e. Kraghammer and the first visit to Vassalheim) stories are currently being adapted. Though there are references, like Grog killing a bullette or Keylith throwing a duergar into lava.
Travis sure is taking Grog's time with the Dryad to his actual grave then huh. Man, are people going to be surprised when they go to watch the actual show for the first time and meet Tiberius.
Vax's late-game story always makes me forget that before they had access to Regenerate, he had a burnt-up toe problem from stepping in lava at the end of craghammer. |
:The world's greatest OOTA fan/critic: :"Powder kegs within powder kegs!": :Meta-Dimensional Cheese: :Why is the Wand of Orcus just back?: :We still don't know the nature of Souls and the Positive Energy Plane: :PC on profile, Aldritch Elpyptrat Maxinfield: :Helljumpers, Bungie.net: :Rock Hard Gladiator, RIP Fluidanim, Long Live Pluto: :IRC lives:
https://thisisstorytelling.wordpress.com
T_P_T |
Edited by - PattPlays on 09 Feb 2022 03:01:23 |
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3240 Posts |
Posted - 09 Feb 2022 : 13:15:45
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quote:
Originally posted by PattPlaysI don't think pathfinder would have had any restriction on spells in a turn.
Pathfinder 1st edition was same as 3.5, one spell a round. 2nd Edition has it that spells cost actions, the number of actions depending (mostly) on the number of components for the spell. Most are somatic/verbal, so they take two actions out of your three action total (Haste grants an extra Move or Strike action). There are spells that are one action (Heal can be one to three actions, depending on ho you cast it) and spells that are even reactions (Feather Fall, so you can cast it even when it isn't your turn). If the spell has less than two actions, you can cast multiple spells in a round.
For instance, the witch in my game has a single action spell to do cold damage, so she'll usually cast the big spell and then that one as a follow-up if she doesn't feel the need to move. |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11703 Posts |
Posted - 10 Feb 2022 : 14:07:23
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| I got past the first 2 episodes, and I will say I'm glad they got over the childish references MOSTLY, and its starting to sound more like a D&D campaign converted to a cartoon (i.e. not like a story adapted to a cartoon, but reflecting spontaneous play). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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PattPlays
Senior Scribe
469 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2022 : 02:54:09
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
I got past the first 2 episodes, and I will say I'm glad they got over the childish references MOSTLY, and its starting to sound more like a D&D campaign converted to a cartoon (i.e. not like a story adapted to a cartoon, but reflecting spontaneous play).
Consider the attitudes of the players. As soon as you get to the Briarwoods you are now in the Stream era. There was THREE YEARS of campaigning between Liam and Sam's first ever session almost entirely as a joke to being heroes of the realm.
They quite literally have 'done a dungeons and dragons' between one episode starting and the next episode ending if I understand the episodes right and the Briarwoods are episode three.
They have stake in characters like Allura (who we see in the stream during the off-camera Quest Into The Underdark quest's wrap-up) and Gilmore and all these NPCs and their backstories in a way they didn't have before. To people who just got into D&D say, three years ago when Campaign 2 was starting, they would probably understand that feeling a lot if they themselves have completed a campaign at least once since they first heard of D&D/CR.
They WERE goofballs and amateurs when they started. "The Shits" as the party called themselves before 'saving the realm' were likely being dumbasses most of the time when not struggling desperately to not die. And as we can see from Liam recording a few videos of the pre-stream era (there are a few Vines) he is EXCITED and giddy during almost anything. He probably did all of Vax's edgy dark rogue stuff with a stupid grin on his face fighting giggles.
Three more years of D&D and three more years of Professional Voice Acting and they all have gotten the nervous shakes out of their system and they can ham it up as the professionals they are, while balancing the stupidity. It was the perfect time to stream their game.
One more thought. If the delivery of lines and the dialogue chosen in the first episode seemed restrained or caricatured or trope-heavy or blatantly referencing something, that's probably because that's what some people new to D&D might do and that's actually what they all did. Extremely basic character concepts can form into wondrous struggling flawed characters with time and effort, C1 is a by the books example of that- albeit the whole party is made up of professional voice actors which is to be remembered. |
:The world's greatest OOTA fan/critic: :"Powder kegs within powder kegs!": :Meta-Dimensional Cheese: :Why is the Wand of Orcus just back?: :We still don't know the nature of Souls and the Positive Energy Plane: :PC on profile, Aldritch Elpyptrat Maxinfield: :Helljumpers, Bungie.net: :Rock Hard Gladiator, RIP Fluidanim, Long Live Pluto: :IRC lives:
https://thisisstorytelling.wordpress.com
T_P_T |
Edited by - PattPlays on 11 Feb 2022 03:04:22 |
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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1296 Posts |
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HighOne
Learned Scribe
214 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2022 : 16:08:41
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| I couldn't even make it through the trailer. It was like Adult Swim with an extra side of crass juvenility. |
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Ashe Ravenheart
Great Reader
USA
3240 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2022 : 16:13:26
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| That's a shame, some of the best animation came out of Adult Swim. But if it's not your taste, then that's fine. |
I actually DO know everything. I just have a very poor index of my knowledge.
Ashe's Character Sheet
Alphabetized Index of Realms NPCs |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11703 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2022 : 23:55:05
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quote:
Originally posted by HighOne
I couldn't even make it through the trailer. It was like Adult Swim with an extra side of crass juvenility.
Kind of funny, adult swim is exactly what came to my mind as I watched it. I literally hate the gnome bard as they think he's funny and its such juvenile drivel. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Scots Dragon
Seeker
United Kingdom
86 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2022 : 01:49:17
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| The series itself is thankfully a whole lot better than the trailer hinted at. |
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Azar
Master of Realmslore
1296 Posts |
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PattPlays
Senior Scribe
469 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2022 : 03:02:49
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Again..
the 4th level party there is primarily fresh new people, two of which have a very specific angle coming into this and one of those two is that bard.
Liam O'Brien and Sam Riegel had a podcast where they tried strange new things together each episode, and one of them was that first session of D&D. As in, they would go play D&D and then come on the podcast together, Sam and Liam, and talk about it. Instead of continuing their podcast, they decided to just play D&D with Matt and everyone every night. Thus meaning- they were stuck with their characters for the next five to seven years and beyond as unintentional mascots.
Vax and Scanlan were made up by completely fresh faces who actively engaged in the fact that they had no idea what they were doing. Sam specifically asked Matt what the worst character he could possibly play was, and Matt said "Gnome Bard". Sam playing this complete non-starter of a character was intentional as a thing among friends.
Years later they started streaming it and years later they finish the campaign and raise money to hopefully leave Geek & Sundry to make their own company. Then the fans fundraiser'd a stretch goal none of them expected to hit and they have to make an animated series about the great Vox Machina.
By the time the campaign ended, the tone of the game was dire and dramatic and played out like a soap opera. That was from almost a decade of them developing these characters. But when you're contractually obligated by fundraiser money to make an origin story you're going to have to show off these characters from before they were dramatic individuals and weer in fact total dumbasses played mostly by nervous and new players.
The show's obviously going to develop and change the characters and by the end of the show you're going to have that dire dramatic soap opera stuff that the fans of the late period of the campaign enjoyed. What show starts off with its cast fully developed? What low level adventurer has it all figured out?
They're not using any animations from the later part of the campaign in the advertising because it hasn't been animated yet. Goofball cast is the only cast animated and voiced currently, because the show is still being animated. They're not going to spend time animating spoilers just to convince an audience that the characters are going to get serious later on.
Were any of your first tables of D&D not ridiculous and potentially cringeworthy to outside viewers? Well, I know a hell of a lot of you probably have pretty insane old-skool first-table stories, and others were professionally inclined to literature and character building from the jump.
PS: this being said I have literally not watched any frames of the show or its advertising. However, I am actively watching their Third Campaign streams/vods each week. |
:The world's greatest OOTA fan/critic: :"Powder kegs within powder kegs!": :Meta-Dimensional Cheese: :Why is the Wand of Orcus just back?: :We still don't know the nature of Souls and the Positive Energy Plane: :PC on profile, Aldritch Elpyptrat Maxinfield: :Helljumpers, Bungie.net: :Rock Hard Gladiator, RIP Fluidanim, Long Live Pluto: :IRC lives:
https://thisisstorytelling.wordpress.com
T_P_T |
Edited by - PattPlays on 12 Feb 2022 03:16:03 |
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Irennan
Great Reader
Italy
3802 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2022 : 03:17:58
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I don't think people here are railing against the actors who created the characters, more that they're saying that including those things in a story creates a barrier that makes it hard for a lot of people to get into the story.
Yes, contractual obligations are understandable, and they can't be blamed on the actors or the DM, but the point remains that what we have now is far from quality storytelling.
With that said, I tried to watch the show again, and the part where they resolve conflicts from Percy's backstory seems a change in the right direction, if still kinda stereotypical. Regardless, I enjoyed the last couple episodes a bit (even though I admit that might very well be because I'm missing DMing TTRPGs, and seeing the group stick together to help one of its members with a personal problem gives me a good feeling). |
Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things. |
Edited by - Irennan on 12 Feb 2022 03:22:38 |
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PattPlays
Senior Scribe
469 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2022 : 03:28:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
I don't think people here are railing against the actors who created the characters, more that they're saying that including those things in a story creates a barrier that makes it hard for a lot of people to get into the story.
Yes, contractual obligations are understandable, and they can't be blamed on the actors or the DM, but the point remains that what we have now is far from quality storytelling.
With that said, I tried to watch the show again, and the part where they resolve conflicts from Percy's backstory seems a change in the right direction, if still kinda stereotypical. Regardless, I enjoyed the last couple episodes a bit (even though I admit that might very well be because I'm missing DMing TTRPGs, and seeing the group stick together to help one of its members with a personal problem gives me a good feeling).
Psst. Go look up "no mercy percy" and see how that finishing scene outside where they first meet the Briarwoods played out live on twitch (I think with chat shown on stream at that point too?) at the table. It's fun to see the rest of the table react to Percy interrogating the carraige-boy.
Also, I don't know if Pike is shown during the Briarwood arc in the show, but if she does show up and it seems strange that's because of Ashley having to shoot a TV show for almost the entire history of CR as a stream and her appearances are as awkward as her disappearances due to the job in real life. |
:The world's greatest OOTA fan/critic: :"Powder kegs within powder kegs!": :Meta-Dimensional Cheese: :Why is the Wand of Orcus just back?: :We still don't know the nature of Souls and the Positive Energy Plane: :PC on profile, Aldritch Elpyptrat Maxinfield: :Helljumpers, Bungie.net: :Rock Hard Gladiator, RIP Fluidanim, Long Live Pluto: :IRC lives:
https://thisisstorytelling.wordpress.com
T_P_T |
Edited by - PattPlays on 12 Feb 2022 03:31:23 |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11703 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2022 : 15:02:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Irennan
I don't think people here are railing against the actors who created the characters, more that they're saying that including those things in a story creates a barrier that makes it hard for a lot of people to get into the story.
Yes, contractual obligations are understandable, and they can't be blamed on the actors or the DM, but the point remains that what we have now is far from quality storytelling.
With that said, I tried to watch the show again, and the part where they resolve conflicts from Percy's backstory seems a change in the right direction, if still kinda stereotypical. Regardless, I enjoyed the last couple episodes a bit (even though I admit that might very well be because I'm missing DMing TTRPGs, and seeing the group stick together to help one of its members with a personal problem gives me a good feeling).
Nailed it. I'm not interested in the live stream. I'm interested in the animated version, but that interest wanes every time they make some stupid out of character reference. Admittedly, its different when you're PLAYING with friends and they make some silly reference like that, because you are seeing your friend play at being a character. Its somewhat similar, when I play a foot tall kercpa squirrel wizard that's jumping onto the party half-orc barbarian's head to visibly threaten the lich that's talking about tearing the barbarian apart.... and I'm talking in a little squeaky voice about "You leave her alone! You don't want to provoke me! I will end you!"... people can't help but laugh. And later, when I tell said half-orc barbarian in an innocent way that I love her (as a friend) and will always protect her and someone makes a joke about a half orc and a squirrel, it will generate a laugh.... but that joke likely wouldn't actually happen in character. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Scots Dragon
Seeker
United Kingdom
86 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2022 : 20:03:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by PattPlays
Also.... it's a pathfinder campaign. They weren't even playing D&D.
Pathfinder 1E is basically D&D 3.75. IIRC, it was even advertised as such, originally.
Given the alternative when Pathfinder released, it's very easy to argue that Pathfinder was more D&D than the actual then-current edition of D&D. I think some people might have memory-holed just how radically different 4th Edition actually was.
Our own LordOfBones also statted out some characters like Khelben and Manshoon and Larloch under Pathfinder 1st Edition rules. |
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PattPlays
Senior Scribe
469 Posts |
Posted - 12 Feb 2022 : 21:30:36
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I've started to watch it, and I'm surprised that they started in Emon with none of the southern lower level stuff. I have no idea what level they would have been when bumming around Emon, but it's still well pre-stream.
Very neat. Gonna edit this post if I have any opinions as it goes. |
:The world's greatest OOTA fan/critic: :"Powder kegs within powder kegs!": :Meta-Dimensional Cheese: :Why is the Wand of Orcus just back?: :We still don't know the nature of Souls and the Positive Energy Plane: :PC on profile, Aldritch Elpyptrat Maxinfield: :Helljumpers, Bungie.net: :Rock Hard Gladiator, RIP Fluidanim, Long Live Pluto: :IRC lives:
https://thisisstorytelling.wordpress.com
T_P_T |
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The Legend of Vox Machina
