What is Actual Play?
Perhaps I should have started with this question in the previous article…that is if I were answering it in the more literal sense. And to clarify, I will. But I’m going to expand on it since you likely understand already that “actual play” is a genre of content not currently recognized by most entertainment platforms. However, this is changing with the success of shows like Critical Role, The Adventure Zone, and The Glass Cannon.
There is something very important to note in that last sentence. All of these are shows.
With that in mind, you can then assume that actual play (AP) refers to a type of entertainment. Of what? People actually playing something. And in the simple sense of the term they are playing a game, generally a tabletop roleplaying game (TTRPG). Perhaps a better term for this genre would be “Actual Roleplaying,” but I digress.
Forms of Production
If you’re thinking the previous section is pretty self-explanatory and pointless, that’s fine. I just wanted to make sure we’re all on the same page because I’m going to be diving into some things that aren’t usually discussed in this particular circle of content creators.
With actual plays we tend to see them produced in two main formats: podcast and live stream.
When someone talks about a podcast, they are generally referring to audio-based content. More recent definitions simply refer to podcasts as the distribution of digital media that individuals can download, which means videos are included. But “video podcasts” are not really podcasts. They are shows who also have a podcast counterpart.
In either case of video or audio, this style of production is usually recorded and edited before release. With live streaming, the content is performed actively in front of a digital audience. These distinctions are important because they will help determine how you produce your content.
Let’s go a bit deeper and explore the core of actual play.
Storytelling and Mechanics
Regardless of your production medium, the content of actual play requires a story to be told AND for players to interact with that story through mechanics such as dice rolling and roleplaying. Without players you’re just writing a book and without story you’re just interacting with non-descript mechanics and roleplay can’t occur.
Books and mechanics can be entertaining on their own in a mind-numbing sort of sense. But altogether they can create the absolute chaos you see at your table. And normally story and mechanics are equally present.
The great thing about actual play content creation is that you get to decide what mix of these elements you want to include. But changing the allotment of story and mechanics also begins to change the subcategory of actual play that you are creating.
In reality, these subcategories are either nonexistent or inconsistently used. For most people, actual play is actual play. But in my mind, by further categorizing the types you’ll be able to differentiate your show from the growing library of other actual play content which could potentially allow for easier discovery.
In general, most actual plays could fit into one of the following three subcategories: improvised play, produced play, and scripted play. It’s okay if the actual play you want to create dips into multiple subcategories, but it should be defined by the one that describes it best.
Improvised Play
As the name suggests, this subcategory includes actual plays that involve improvisation. It is probably the broadest group as it can lean heavily on either story or mechanics. Most live-streamed AP shows fall into this category. If it is a podcast or video, nearly all content is kept with minimal cuts made to the original audio except to remove “dead air.” The gamemaster (GM) may have music playing in the background to set the mood.
The host and cast can range from beginners to experts, along with the level of production quality. Most actual play shows start here and may progress to other subcategories as they grow and learn or hone their craft in this particular style.
The runtime of an improvised play varies widely from 1 – 6 hours.
Produced Play
The Produced AP begins to shy away from certain mechanics that slow down the storytelling, such as rules discussion or long tangents unrelated to story. Extensive cuts may be made to improve the flow of the story but most original audio is kept. Generally, you can expect 60 – 70% of content to focus on storytelling and the majority of mechanics involve roleplay.
Ambience and music are almost always present and sound effects may even be included. Bits of audio may be redone and more attention is given to the quality of audio. In this case, the host and cast are generally more experienced in this medium.
The runtime of a produced play is usually between 30 min – 1.5 hours.
Scripted Play
This subcategory begins to move away from being an actual play as the host and cast have scripted lines. In fact, in podcast terms it could be considered an audio drama. But what keeps this as a subcategory of actual play is the fact that the story has been determined through the use of mechanics and is being summarized through the use of scripting.
All unnecessary scenes are cut and dialogue is adjusted to better fit the characters. Cast members and the host tend to have equal involvement in the production of the script. Similar to an audio drama, this show has the works. There’s ambience, music, and sound effects.
This is probably the easiest content for a listener to consume and discover since the runtime tends to be anywhere from 10 – 30 minutes.
Platforms such as YouTube likes this. If your content is there, the algorithm will favor you.
The Truth Is...
There is nothing set in stone dictating how you get to do things. This is a relatively new genre and it’s your content. But there is something that you need to thoroughly consider.
In the previous article I mentioned that you needed to determine your purpose for creating an actual play podcast. Again, regardless of your production medium, you are producing content that is public. You are making something for others to consumer. You are making entertainment.
Whatever your goal ends up being, you have a reason for letting others listen to your game. It’s no longer personal. Anyone who takes the time to listen is investing in your world and the characters. You are not obligated to them but if your goal is to keep people listening then your content has to be entertaining. And even then, not everyone is going to like what you make. Heck, you might not have many listeners for years.
Some people will prefer improvised play while others might want a polished experience like scripted play. The same goes for the system you elect to use for your actual play. With Dungeons and Dragons 5e remaining the most popular TTRPG, it can be very difficult to entice new listeners to tune into a system they aren’t familiar with. This is not to dissuade you from creating the content you want, but you need to be aware that the tastes of the current market will likely dictate your success. You’ll have to work harder to get noticed and convince people that your content is worth listening to. And I suppose that leads me into the final topic of this article.
The Critical Point of Investment
Now surprisingly I’m not talking about pouring money into your content. That’s a given. A big part of investment also involves the host and casts motivation in creating this content. I will likely expand on this in future articles, but for now I’ll just cover the basics.
This is my own personal school of thought, but everyone involved in your project should be passionate about it. They should be willing to put in the effort to help produce good content. They should be invested in the success of the show. And the truth is most people aren’t willing to do that. I suppose that’s my way of saying be purposeful in who you allow to be a part of your project. You’ll have to come up with what you expect your cast to do outside of simply participating or if that’s all you require of them.
Creating actual play content is a lot of work if you want to garner a following, just like any other content creation. You’ll have to post to social media, engage with the community, write material, play the game, and make sure your equipment and software are functioning. And that list is just the bare minimum that you should do on top of everything else going on in your life. And this is why investment from everyone involved is important because you’ll be able to delegate these tasks to them when it inevitably becomes overwhelming.
Final Thoughts
In the end only you and your group are the only ones who know what your goal is. And at the very least, hopefully you have a better understanding of which subcategory your AP fits under best. You don’t have to categorize your content this way, but it will help you when you need to write out the short description of your show. And because the world of actual play is so niche, using terms like “improvised,” “produced,” and “scripted” may actually be beneficial to stimulating the curiosity of those unfamiliar with tabletop roleplaying.
But of course this isn’t the end of the discussion and I will continue to expand on this series in the future…when I have the time. I wish I could address every topic extensively, but I’m a GM, editor, and producer for MRPF, dagnabit! That’s why the last section is my biggest pet peeve. Don’t become me…delegate.
Also, feel free to leave a comment or suggestion for the next topic to be addressed in this series.
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