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Which is worse: Watching a game instead of playing it or listening to an audio book?

Which is worse?

  • Watching people play games instead of playing it yourself.

    Votes: 494 60.6%

  • Hearing people read you a book instead of reading it yourself.

    Votes: 73 9.0%

  • Eating In-N-Out instead of Shake Shack.

    Votes: 248 30.4%
  • Total voters
    815
Bard

Bard

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
12,418
This is a weird thread, if people enjoy doing this then there is no problem.

I recently watched through the playthrough of an older game because it's stupid expensive and there's no digital copy of it making getting it easier. Am I supposed to just never experience it in any way because of the abhorrently absurd current price? Fuck that.

Audiobooks is something that I just can't do though. I feel like I'll probably space out during them and just never actually listen to the story.
 
Rackham

Rackham

Member
Oct 25, 2017
8,529
Like him or hate him but Orson Scott Card said the definitive version of his novel Ender's Game is the audiobook. I love both.
 
Van Bur3n

Van Bur3n

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
26,089
Nothing wrong with either, as people can do what they like. Although the comparison makes no sense.

That said, critique of a game based off of only watching is not good critique. In this specific case, it sounds like there opinion on the game was already made up before playing.
 
Windu

Windu

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,616
None?

I love audiobooks and some games are very entertaining to watch.

Perhaps users shouldn't have the ability to make polls...

And speaking of forum changes. The ignore thread button really needs to be on the root page, shouldn't have to enter a thread to ignore it.
 
Strangelove_77

Strangelove_77

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
13,392
Watching others play games is literally my fucking nightmare. I'll never understand watching someone on YouTube play through an entire game. There are better ways to spend time.
The only thing more boring is literally staring at a wall.
 
1.21Gigawatts

1.21Gigawatts

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,278
Munich
I don't see how the two are comparable.

By watching a game you miss out on the gameplay mechanics, which are a pretty integral part of the experience.
By listing to an audiobook you don't miss an integral part of the experience of reading a book.

Watching games instead of playing them is more comparable to watching sports instead of doing them yourself.
 
Pirateluigi

Pirateluigi

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,860
Where's the poll option for "complaining about how other people choose to consume media"? Because that's the worst.
 
MrLandmaster

MrLandmaster

Member
Jan 21, 2018
77
Which is "worse", huh.

This is some Grade A gatekeeping right here, a real two-for-the-price-of-one. What a piece of work.
 

Deleted member 47843

User Requested Account Closure
Banned
Sep 16, 2018
2,501
I don't do either as I like reading and playing games--and game stories aren't good enough (and take too long to consume) for me to watch. I'm not into competitive gaming so watching that, or speed runs and other "skilled" things does nothing for me.

I still voted watching games as worse though as it's just something I'll never do. I could see doing audio books if I every had long commutes when driving, but I just never have as I've always prioritized being no further than 15-20 minutes from work.
 
Eumi

Eumi

Member
Nov 3, 2017
3,518
Why do we have to frame either of these as bad?

You can just let people do what they want, you know?
 
Brotherhood93

Brotherhood93

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,774
I feel like more is lost from not interacting with an interactive medium rather than listening to words instead of reading them. That is not to say that there's no value in watching a game but it's not a substitute for actually playing one, in my opinion.
 
Mantrox

Mantrox

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,907
Both are great options for various reasons.
This is the weekly thread of am i wrong, no it's the children who are wrong.
 
RetroMG

RetroMG

Community Resettler
Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
6,721
I don't have a problem with watching someone play a game, but purely for the purpose of the discussion, watching a game is worse than listening to an audiobook. The interactive element is what makes a game a game. Books (generally) have no such interactive element that can't be retained in an audiobook.

Again, I have no problem with watching a game be played.
 
Jonscrambler

Jonscrambler

Member
Nov 13, 2017
706
Torrance,CA
some games like Dark Souls would be a very different experience watching vs playing, but Kingdom Hearts 3? the game is easy and linear and you're just mashing buttons and watch cut scenes, watching someone play isn't all that different than playing yourself
 
logash

logash

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,706
I read and listened to all the Song of Ice and Fire series and I guarantee that there is no better way to experience them than listening to Roy Dotrice read it to you. Seriously, look up the tower of joy scene read by him.
 
FlintSpace

FlintSpace

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
2,817
I went with audiobooks.
I love watching games. I remember watching one of my adult friend playing NFSUG2 and GRID (when I was 12?). Some of the best times I had (sad I know), but he was extremely good at racing games. And I still love watching SC2 GSL Tournaments.

But I also looove reading. And Audiobooks always are either too fast or too slow. Tried multiple times, just never worked.
 
jph139

jph139

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,365
For people saying reading and listening to audiobooks are the same: not really the case. It's not really relevant for casual consumption, but if you're trying to retain information, learn things, or just working with something more complex than average, reading on the page is the best way to do it.

I think they're both comparable as "inferior" experiences. If you want to enjoy a game, no problem with just watching videos or whatever - but if you're going to come in shit talking, you better have your homework done or you're gonna look like an ass.
 
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
59,940
Audio books are fine. This bias against them is wacky given than speaking and listening are way more primal and older than writing and reading. It's a wacky elitism. I say this as an avid reader too.
 
thenadamgoes

thenadamgoes

Member
Nov 17, 2017
105
I just want to point out that you can't compare in n out and shake shack 1 to 1. As a burger connoisseur, I've identified several categories of burgers. And both are actually the best in their respective category.

In n out and the best fast food burger.
And Shake Shack is the best Fast Casual burger.

(if you want to know the difference, Fast Food has a drive-through. Fast Casual does not.)
 
Guyute

Guyute

Member
Dec 21, 2017
17
I enjoy both audiobooks and watching others play games. Many nights I'm mentally exhausted when I get home from work (big law in SF), and simply can't muster the will to read more than I already have, or to learn new systems for a game. I guess I'll always prefer the real thing, so to speak, but I'm really happy streamers and audible exist because they allow me to experience media I'd otherwise miss.
 
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
59,940
jph139 said:
For people saying reading and listening to audiobooks are the same: not really the case. It's not really relevant for casual consumption, but if you're trying to retain information, learn things, or just working with something more complex than average, reading on the page is the best way to do it.

I think they're both comparable as "inferior" experiences. If you want to enjoy a game, no problem with just watching videos or whatever - but if you're going to come in shit talking, you better have your homework done or you're gonna look like an ass.
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I wonder If this is because listening is a skill itself and it is rarely developed with much labor as reading is in traditional schooling.

It took me a while to learn how to listen well with audiobooks. It's not an automatic thing. Plus we simply have more practice with reading due to school. Long conversations are a dying thing. And people rarely listen to lectures for fun.
 
Revolsin

Revolsin

Usage of alt-account.
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
4,373
Strangelove77 said:
Watching others play games is literally my fucking nightmare. I'll never understand watching someone on YouTube play through an entire game. There are better ways to spend time.
The only thing more boring is literally staring at a wall.
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it's an easy way to get the story experience of the game itself. I didn't play Until Dawn, but I sure as hell got the experience watching a playthrough and all the different route choices.

Otherwise there's also people who are just entertaining while they play stuff. I love game grumps. Most games they play I either haven't touched or haven't even heard of these days, but it's all a great time cause they're practically improv comedians making jokes on the fly.
 
Nazo

Nazo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,830
There is nothing wrong with either of those things. Especially audio books. I personally just don't have the time to stop and read a book properly anymore so I consume mostly audio books. I'd rather enjoy a book than not at all.

Really dumb thread.
 

FerryF1

Member
Feb 18, 2018
218
Voted for: Watching someone play instead of playing the game yourself.

I have never, and i will never understand why someone would want to watch a game being played. (a Youtube Playthrough for instance)
i'd rather play the game myself.

But, to each their own off course. People can do whatever they like
 
chrisypoo

chrisypoo

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,457
Woozies said:
This might be the most resetera thread ever.
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Yeah it really is. Christ, you guys attribute far too much thought and consideration to utterly vapid topics.

Both are fine in certain contexts OP, at least for making judgment calls on products, and your friend was absolutely right. You don't need to lay any hands on Kingdom Hearts 3 to know it's rancid, just watching the Jim Sterling video on it and the Dunkey video that had me audibly cringing at basically everything on screen let me know that it's just not a game for me.
 
Alastard

Alastard

Member
Nov 6, 2018
112
I don't see a problem with either of those.

I personally don't listen to audiobooks but I can absolutely see the appeal.
 

dumbo11

Member
Apr 29, 2018
224
As with lots of people on this thread - the entire concept of watching someone else play a story-based game confuses the hell out of me. You're taking a game with limited interactivity, and removing that interactivity? I don't get this - it becomes a bad movie.

But I do understand watching someone play a strategy game to learn how to do it well etc.
 
DJ_Lae

DJ_Lae

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,857
Edmonton
Games are an interactive medium so watching someone else play them is already one step removed. An audiobook just has someone else reading it for you - you lose nothing.
 
SpinierBlakeD

SpinierBlakeD

Attempted to circumvent ban with an alt account
Banned
Oct 28, 2018
1,353
Some games have stories I'm really interested in but have gameplay I have no interest in, in which case I'll just watch a let's play or a cutscene movie.
 
Darkstorne

Darkstorne

Member
Oct 26, 2017
6,811
England
Tough poll =/

I watch linear games on Youtube, especially when they're cut well to play more like a movie. I know that gives me zero information about how the game feels to play though, and how well the mechanics work. As for audio books, I can't bear them. One person voicing all the characters... My brain gets really into character voicing when I read myself, so audio books just don't work for me. But I completely understand why so many people adore them. I love podcasts.

Had to vote for the third option for balance, but I'm from the UK and I'm not really sure what it means =P
 
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