Why do people stream when they suck at the game?

[JirinPanthosa]

A lot of gaming streams come up on my Facebook feed. When it's a game I like I stop and think great, a nostalgic distraction.

Sometimes, they are skilled players who are good at the game. Other times, they are absolutely terrible. And even use save states every five seconds because they are so bad at the game that's how long it takes them to die. When I managed to get through the game when I was 7 having to go back to the start of the level when I died like a normal person, they are fully grown adults who can't last more than a few seconds playing the game fairly.

I totally get, when a person is either a really entertaining personality or really good at the game, why people would publicly stream their gaming and other people would want to watch it. But why would anyone in a million years want to watch a person play a game they are so bad at they can't win without aggressively cheating? How does it not hurt their brain and bring dishonor to themselves and their families to cheat so much and so publicly?!

Git gud first, THEN show it to the world.

 

[fireproof78]

Honestly, with games I know, I find it highly amusing. I guess I haven't seen anyone aggressively bad as you are describing, but I recently watched one with a game that I love and am just amazed at how difficult of a time they are having.

I don't think a person should get good and then show it. I don't mind seeing the struggles.

 

[Kelthaz]

I don't mind watching someone learn a game either, but when they pull out the saves states that's when they lose me. Exception being save state practice for a speedrun of course.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

You are asking the wrong question.

It shouldn’t be why would someone watch this?

It should be does the streamer have fun streaming (despite how bad or good they are)?
If you can answer the second question with yes, the. The answer to the first doesn’t matter at all.
the streamer will enjoy sharing their gaming experience with 1000, 100 or 5 or maybe even no viewers.
If you don’t enjoy watching them, just don’t.

 

[Owain Taggart]

The worst are when videos are labeled as walkthroughs when it's clear someone is playing through it for the first time and doesn't quite know what to do or where to go and you're watching someone flail around rather than being direct and to the point. This is why I prefer text walkthroughs if I get stuck. Videos tend to be redundant and tend to just waste time.

 

[BillJ]

Are they entertaining?

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Are they entertaining?

If they're reloading save states every five seconds and not actually gitting gud, no.

Especially if it's a game I got gud at when I was 7, the hard way, without save states.

 

[fireproof78]

Especially if it's a game I got gud at when I was 7, the hard way, without save states.

Playing a game at 7 is completely different than even ten years later. My brother was 5 and whooped my rear end at Mario Kart at the first try.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Playing a game at 7 is completely different than even ten years later. My brother was 5 and whooped my rear end at Mario Kart at the first try.

My video game talent probably peaked at 20, and I’m definitely better now than I was at 7. My diminished reflexes are balanced by better planning and visual skills.

But if I wasn’t good at a game I wouldn’t think anyone would want to watch me lose it.

 

[fireproof78]

But if I wasn’t good at a game I wouldn’t think anyone would want to watch me lose it.

You would be surprise at what people like to watch.

 

[SPCTRE]

A lot of gaming streams come up on my Facebook feed. When it's a game I like I stop and think great, a nostalgic distraction.

Sometimes, they are skilled players who are good at the game. Other times, they are absolutely terrible. And even use save states every five seconds because they are so bad at the game that's how long it takes them to die. When I managed to get through the game when I was 7 having to go back to the start of the level when I died like a normal person, they are fully grown adults who can't last more than a few seconds playing the game fairly.

I totally get, when a person is either a really entertaining personality or really good at the game, why people would publicly stream their gaming and other people would want to watch it. But why would anyone in a million years want to watch a person play a game they are so bad at they can't win without aggressively cheating? How does it not hurt their brain and bring dishonor to themselves and their families to cheat so much and so publicly?!

Git gud first, THEN show it to the world.

this is a very bad take, circa 2012 has called, they want their bad take back

don't be a gatekeeper trying to keep people from having fun

it's easy

 

[JirinPanthosa]

this is a very bad take, circa 2012 has called, they want their bad take back

don't be a gatekeeper trying to keep people from having fun

it's easy

1999 called, they want their “This year called” jokes back.

I’m not trying to be a gatekeeper. I’m legitimately asking why people enjoy watching someone lose at the same place 100 times in a row and cheat with save states. Do you enjoy it? I’d be interested in hearing why.

For team games and social games I totally get it, but for one player level driven games like Mario, It just gets repetitive. They’re not even getting better at the game cause they’re winning by reloading save states until they win through luck.

I’m not saying they shouldn’t stream, I’m just baffled. It’s like watching your favorite sports team lose the same play on a ten second loop.

 

[Kelthaz]

People who stream like that are not popular, so this is an odd thing to complain about. Go open up the Super Mario World category on Twitch right now and anyone with a decent viewer count is playing Kaizo hacks without save states or speedrunning the game.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

Maybe the problem is that you're just bad at choosing which streamers to watch.

 

[FPAlpha]

Why do people enter singing competitions even if they can't even hold a tone much less actually sing?

The whole Karaoke concept is built around people humiliating themselves.

 

[Jax]

I normally avoid Twitch, YouTube, FB streamers because it's full of heavily manufactured clones all doing same thing busking for strangers to pay for their hobby IMO. I did watch one last night as a few friends were talking about it in our group messenger chat so we all jumped on Discord and watched it.

It was fun even though he wasn't great at the game (FMV horror game called "At Dead of Night"). A small streamer with not that many viewers probably helped the experience and we all had a good laugh. It never felt like he was acting for the audience. The guy even invited us on his Discord after and we all had a night of RB6 Siege, which was a blast. It definitely improved my opinion of Twitch/Streamers but I can't see myself becoming hooked to the genre.

 

[Kelthaz]

I normally avoid Twitch, YouTube, FB streamers because it's full of heavily manufactured clones all doing same thing busking for strangers to pay for their hobby IMO.

It depends on who you watch. The popular, professional streamers are a bunch of loudmouths who play Fortnite and scream at the camera. They appeal to kids and teens. You couldn't pay me to watch someone like Ninja. With that said, that's just a small slice of Twitch. It's no different than YouTube; nobody clicks the "Trending" tab on YouTube unless you want to suffer. You have a selection of smaller, quality channels that you subscribe to and you watch their content while ignoring everything else.

I follow the Retro Speedrunning community on Twitch. There's a few professional streamers (although they're nothing like Ninja), but mostly hobbyists who speedrun for fun. Nobody screams or rages for the lulz and nobody acts like they're the star of a reality show.

 

[Doom Shepherd]

I suppose that what kind of gaming streams appeal to you depends on whether you want to watch people playing games, or you want to watch people playing games.

I don't usually watch people livestream, so this won't entirely apply, but in my case, I lean towards the latter. Knowing that my skill limitations mean I will never be good at modern games means I can watch people fail or fuck around without being bothered by it.

So the stuff I watch tends to be more along the lines of people who narrate their learning curve (while editing out most of the long boring bits where they fail continually - you have to leave in the occasional "I died stupidly" bits because it is funny). For example, The Mighty Jingles's playthrough of Subnautica or old Media Cows playthroughs.

Also I mostly watch group plays, like Achievement Hunter, where it's at LEAST as much about the personalities and group dynamics as it is about the game. So, watching them play something like Rainbow Six: Siege repeatedly, trying to "git gud" and up their standings (usually led by AlfredoPlays, who actually is a pro gamer), isn't that tedious.

 

[fireproof78]

I’m not trying to be a gatekeeper. I’m legitimately asking why people enjoy watching someone lose at the same place 100 times in a row and cheat with save states. Do you enjoy it? I’d be interested in hearing why.

Sure, if the person is entertaining. It's all in the personality.

 

[Malicia]

I can see the point because if I'm looking for help I prefer it to be straight to the point and not have to sit through ten minutes of someone talking about anything but why I'm there. Their cat going missing, problems with audio, spilling some soup, going for a walk and then finally they start showing the subject of the video and sometimes it doesn't even help. 10 minute video with a few minutes of useless game footage. The number of thumbs down votes comes in useful here.