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Author Topic: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?  (Read 1456 times)

quigon

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It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« on: December 12, 2016, 02:48:24 pm »

Hello,

i guess it is, since i saw a few of those already. What i'm really wondering about is: I cannot see any thread, nor board in here for People to Show the let's Play they made. Is it just me beeing stupid to use the search function, or is this not allowed, or just did no one else think of it until now?
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Dozebôm Lolumzalìs

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2016, 02:50:12 pm »

1. I'd ask this in DF Gendisc. Err, General Discussion.
2. Try here.
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quigon

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2016, 02:52:47 pm »

Hey Dozebôm,

sorry, did i use the wrong board? i thought i was in "General disc" O_o? I'm a bit confused now.

Thanks for the link, i thought its only for written Storys and Pictures, at least i only saw those yet.
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Tiruin

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2016, 02:58:39 pm »

You're looking for this board. The board this is originally in, is for general, non-DF discussion :P

There's a button on the lower left of your thread that allows moving the topic.
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quigon

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2016, 03:01:03 pm »

Thanks, didn't notice that it was a "non DF" board. Sorry
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Nahere

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2016, 09:31:42 pm »

As for your original question, the DF Community Games & Stories board is where DF related let's plays go.
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Melting Sky

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2016, 03:58:12 am »

This is a question for which only Toady can really provide a definitive answer, but as far as I know Toady has never had any issue with people making let's plays out of Dwarf Fortress.
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Grimlocke

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2016, 04:42:09 pm »

Let's plays, community games and player writing up stories are some of the bigger reasons this game is being made, of Toady's latest interview is to be believed!

I can't honestly see why any developer would have an issue with Let's Plays. I guess this question came up due to companies like Nintendo cracking down on any and all of their material showing up on Youtube? Thankfully, Toady isn't afflicted with any of the marketing and legal departments that are usually responsible for the kind on nonsense Nintendo is up to with let's plays.
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Gwolfski

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2016, 06:25:46 pm »

I recall the forum guidelines mentioning lets plays were ok and encouraged.
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Jairl

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2016, 07:29:59 pm »

I can't honestly see why any developer would have an issue with Let's Plays.

Well, especially with point/click adventure games, even if there is branching, you can easily turn the game into a "watch your own adventure" thing. There are other games that have relatively weak gameplay with a strong story that can easily suffer from a let's play. Games that exist "as a work of art" suffer, even if they have okay gameplay, since they're more visually driven than player interaction driven.

Also, do remember, Google has decided (with questionable legality) to pay people for uploading "popular" content. The instant someone profits from the upload of a video containing any copyrighted material (such as let's plays) it becomes much easier to show that fair-use is not a valid defense.
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Nahere

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2016, 08:34:40 pm »

The thing to remember is that DF is a free game with a high focus on procedural content and player based storytelling that has mostly spread through word of mouth (consider how many people have been drawn in by stories like Boatmurdered). Tarn and Zach don't just approve of let's plays, they encourage them.
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Grimlocke

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Re: It's allowed to make a let's play out of DF, isn't it?
« Reply #11 on: December 15, 2016, 02:12:49 pm »

I can't honestly see why any developer would have an issue with Let's Plays.

Well, especially with point/click adventure games, even if there is branching, you can easily turn the game into a "watch your own adventure" thing. There are other games that have relatively weak gameplay with a strong story that can easily suffer from a let's play. Games that exist "as a work of art" suffer, even if they have okay gameplay, since they're more visually driven than player interaction driven.

Also, do remember, Google has decided (with questionable legality) to pay people for uploading "popular" content. The instant someone profits from the upload of a video containing any copyrighted material (such as let's plays) it becomes much easier to show that fair-use is not a valid defense.

Let's Plays of horror/jumpscare games has been somewhat of a driving force behind the sales of a lot of these games, even though I have never seen the point since they spoil what scary thing happens when. Also the feigned-girly-scream men give me a headache.

I'm not sure how strongly that is the case for 'interactive story, aka walking simulator' games. I recall The Stanley Parable faring reasonably well mostly from word-of-mouth advertisement, but haven't really played any linear, interactive stories.

Youtube videos do make money, quite a lot even for some people. This has obviously led to some shady practices like 'reaction videos' where a whole episode of some show (or other youtuber) is played from start to finish with someone making stupid faces next to it. The reaction video maker gets all the ad money, and viewers are not going to be too tempted to see the original because they already saw the whole thing.

But games are kind of a different beast. They are interactive and seeing someone play a game can be a lot like that time you were a kid seeing another kid playing with a cool toy. It suddenly makes you want one of those for yourself to play with. Sure, there will be people who watch the Lets Plays but do not buy the game, but those people likely would not have bought the game at all. They still cost you no money, and for each of them there will be some who might try the game even though they would not have considered it otherwise. I know for instance that a lot of DF players picked up the game from reading/watching Lets Plays.

I feel that all got a bit rambley...

Anyway, I will amend that first quote to 'Unless your game has little interaction and branching storylines, Lets Plays will be a net win for you as developer and might even replace traditional advertisement.'
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