Newbie Let's Plays: Assault on Dragon Keep?

I've had an idea that just won't leave me be.

So, there's a video game called Borderlands 2. And it recently released its 4th campaign DLC called:


It's basically "Borderlands 2 does D&D." It's funny, it's nerdy, it's dark, and it even has a pony in it. Really.

I want to do a Let's Play of it.

I've always wanted to do a video Let's Play of something (right up there on my list of life goals just below "Make a moderately successful webcomic"), but I feared trying to do a really long game that I'd get burned out on eventually. Let's Playing a DLC is perfect in that regard.

But most importantly, I want to have guest commentators that are D&D players. (Or just tabletop RPG players in general.) I want to celebrate what is being parodied with guests who will really get the most kick out of the jokes and references in the DLC, and who might even share a few funny stories of their own in return. Between the Pony Tales forum and maybe some other readers from Friendship is Dragons, this just might be possible. This, I think, would be what sets the Let's Play apart and make it really entertaining.

However, it would be an undertaking, and I wouldn't be able to do it alone. I'd need people who would be interested and willing to dedicate some time into recording commentary, probably in a weekly rotation. It definitely wouldn't start until a week or two after Everfree Northwest, but from that point on I'd want to try and make it a weekly thing.

So... Would this be interesting to anyone?

I'D LOVE TO HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN WITH THIS!

I have some interest (I want to do Let's Plays as well, but I'm waiting for some of the stuff I've kickstarted to release), but there's a couple of things that I would like more info on...

How much experience in D&D are you looking for? Does PbP experience counts?
What level characters are you looking for? Will it be New Game +?
What kind of time period will we need to be awake for?

Paper Shadow wrote:I have some interest (I want to do Let's Plays as well, but I'm waiting for some of the stuff I've kickstarted to release), but there's a couple of things that I would like more info on...

How much experience in D&D are you looking for? Does PbP experience counts?
What level characters are you looking for? Will it be New Game +?
What kind of time period will we need to be awake for?

Are you using computer/PS3/Xbox360?

Actually, I was thinking of playing the game solo, recording just the gameplay, and doing post-commentary later.

I haven't really played Borderlands all that much, but I have friends and family that have, and I have watched them play. And I also have 20+ years of D&D and equivalent experience on both sides of the screen. I would love to help you with this. I would just need some coaching on how to record commentary and the like, since I have little experience riffing through the interwebs.

We can talk about this in Skype if you would like, since we game together.

I'm with Phil here. You need a few extra voices for riffing something tabletop RPG related? I'm in.

Me likey Let's play.
Me likey something that would get me and you to talk a bit more
Me likey D&D and such.

I'm in. If we can find time to do it.

I'd be interested. A little on the southside of the world, but interested if the schedules somehow sync.

So here's the plan in my head right now.

I plan on playing the game solo with Fraps. That'll make recording go pretty quick. It'll be done in about a day. Then I figure I've got most of a week to arrange a recording session (multiple takes might be necessary) with whatever guest is available and wants to that week. I have the most open schedule of just about anybody here, so I can work around whoever. We'd basically all watch the video on YouTube (as an unlisted video) and record our commentary over it. That leaves editing, which is just syncing the audio with the video. Hopefully, I'd be able to publish a video every... Monday, I think?

I'm still trying to figure out how exactly I'd get the audio from everybody. I think I'd probably end up going with some kind of Skype call recorder. They're not that great a quality of recording, but I can clean it up and enhance it well enough with Audacity. Another option would be to have everyone record their own audio with Audacity, and then send it to me for me to sync up. I'm still deciding on one or the other, but either way I'd want it to be a consistent process - not changing from week to week.

This is the working plan so far.

I may not have as much experience with D&D and other tabletop games as other people, but I know enough about it to get by, I do like a good Let's Play, and I am quite snarky. I'd be interested in doing this over Skype or something.

I would like to do it over Skype if I can, that way we can co-commentate.

I'm sorta curious about this - although I'm a bit shy about talking (mostly because, the way I hear it, my voice sounds a bit weird/silly) and lack any real D&D experience / stories (other than pony tales related, but I know about d&d well enough to "get by"), or Borderlands experience (don't have either games).  

Would also be interested in doing it over Skype.

I would be very happy to do this, I have experience with all of the editions of D&D (although i am a bit rusty with 4th) and I have, at least i think, a decent microphone. if you want to reach me, my email is Arkenbrony@gmail.com or you could just tell me here. this would be really cool to do

Well, I was going to offer my help as a lover of Let's Plays and snarky commentary in general, but it looks like you've already got plenty of offers from people with much more D&D experience than I, who just got into RPGs last year with Pony Tales. So, um, I guess if you ever end up in desperate need of someone you can consider me in reserve.

Zarhon wrote:although I'm a bit shy about talking (mostly because, the way I hear it, my voice sounds a bit weird/silly

I'm pretty sure everyone feels like that hearing themselves talk – at least I know I do.

Uh, I'd also be more then willing to assist, although it seems like you have more then enough people at this point in time. Never the less if you need me either way my email is the-anvil-of-doom@live.ca... or becuase it's abit well unwieldly my skype is the same as my user name (the greater aerie)
then again it would likely be wiser (wis 13+?) to choose a vet over me, while I have played 3.5e-4e, the old bioware games (and a tiny part of first edition i mean, really tiny not even 3 hours) i suppose i'm a bit green in these matters having only and on of 5 years of playing and Dming.

I'd be happy to do commentary. I've wanted to contribute to a let's play for a while now. However, looks like I'm a bit late to the party. =)

Well, Newbiespud hasn't really started yet. He is still putting his plans together.

In my ideal scenario, I have a steady rotation of guest commentators. So, hopefully, I'll get to use most if not all of you eventually.

Sounds neat.

A LET'S PLAY. A CHANCE TO LEAVE MY MARK.

...I'll just add my name to the list here, although mostly as an aspiring Let's Player and voice actor... with D&D experience, of course.

I'd love to help in whatever way I can, it sounds like a fun project.

I'm inexperienced with actually playing D&D, but I'm well acquainted with the rulebooks and would love to play it if given the chance. The group I used to play with, about two sessions total, ended up disbanded on account of the only person with experience leaving for college.

As for scheduling... unless everyone lives in a timezone in the perfect area for when I sleep we should be fine.

I've also played Borderlands extensively, but I haven't downloaded any of the DLC. I don't do aftermarket transactions, they just usually aren't worth it in my opinion.

Looks like we got a lot of people interested in helping out. I think it would be awesome to have like 2-3 commentators besides Newbiespud doing a roundtable type of deal for each video. With people rotating in and out as needed.

aye, be likely willing to pitch in to commentate, if you need it.

Sometime later this week, probably Friday, the introductory Video 0 of the Let's Play will be going up. It'll basically explain everything a new viewer needs to know about both Borderlands and D&D. (The second part isn't necessary for any of you guys here, but not everyone really gets D&D.) From that point on, we'll be off to the races. I hope to be making a new video every week, with one or two guest commentators each week if they're available. I can schedule around just about anybody who's available, and the recording sessions would take place anywhere between Sunday and Wednesday of a given week, giving me at least Thursday to edit it all, with the video coming out on Friday.

After the video goes up (starting this week), I'm going to need to get in contact with the guests for next week and work out a time for recording. It's all post-commentary, but we'll probably need to each set aside at least an hour for multiple passes, if necessary. It's going to be a bit of a time commitment.

Skype calls are going to be how the commentary gets recorded. I'm putting together a separate Skype group for the people who want to do guest commentary. Send me a message on there and let me know if you want in on it.