Exaltwitch

[Ekorren]

Since there isn't a thread for it but I've noticed that there are people from this forum who follow it, I think it deserves a thread to give it some promotion.

- removed link because it was broken -

I think most roleplayers think about Critical Role when they hear about tabletop rpgs being streamed over Twitch. Though not as big and popular as Critical Role, Exaltwitch is about Exalted which to me is much more fun than D&D. It's storytold by Jon Verrall from Geek and Sundry's LARPs. The three Solar Exalted PCs are played by Elizabeth Neale (also from LARPs), Scott Humphrey (LARPs yet again) and Kate whom I don't know the surname of (a stage manager who also worked with LARPs but behind the scenes).

I personally enjoy Exaltwitch because I'm an ST and it gives me a fresh perspective to see how another group approaches the game. The sessions are about three hours long and can all be found on the website above. You can also catch the show live on https://www.twitch.tv/jonverrall where you can interact with the chat and the players. The chat is always friendly and Onyx Path people pop in every stream.

So if you watch Exaltwitch, what do you like about it? What do you dislike about it? Anything in general you want to say about it? If you don't watch it, you have the link above. I say give it an episode or two. If it's not your thing it's not your thing. Maybe you thought it wasn't your thing but it turns out to be.

[Andrew D]

I'll tune in when I can, because I love that they're doing this and I want to show some support. I did kind of lose interest in the campaign itself around.. part 10 or so, though.

[Ekorren]

I'll tune in when I can, because I love that they're doing this and I want to show some support. I did kind of lose interest in the campaign itself around.. part 10 or so, though.

My main gripe is that I think there is an Exalted overload from time to time. I think there are maybe a few too many Exalts in the campaign which can detract from how awesome the main PCs are supposed to be. But this is a very personal gripe and nothing that would keep me from enjoying the show.

[Andrew D]

My main gripe is that I think there is an Exalted overload from time to time. I think there are maybe a few too many Exalts in the campaign which can detract from how awesome the main PCs are supposed to be. But this is a very personal gripe and nothing that would keep me from enjoying the show.

Yeah, that was kind of what turned me off from it. Half the exalts in Creation would take turns popping in to talk shit to the PCs, but there was nothing really.. going on in the bigger picture.

I still think it's a pretty great series for other reasons, though. I genuinely like everyone involved, and it's a blast to watch them all play their characters. It was particularly fun watching them early on when they didn't know their own power as new players to Exalted (I don't know if they still do this, but I always get a kick out of players agonizing over whether they should add 1 die, or "splurge" for 3 :P).

[ChristopherZacher]

If you guys want to check out more White Wolf game play media and subject matter media check out https://www.facebook.com/groups/862703457198327/. We've been sharing the Exalted Twitch videos on there too.

[Growls]

I'm a regular over there, and I'm pretty much loving the experience.
The people, the characters, the banter! Hell, even the community itself is worth checking out.

Only criticism?
Jon is a great actor, a slightly worse storyteller. I'm lacking a cohesive narrative, and it's been 30 sessions atm where I've tried to make heads and tails of the main plot, which seems solely to facilitate the players and their character acting. It's good for a lot of things, but I'm kinda slipping into falling off the wagon from time to time.

[Touch_of_Sepia]

I've tried to make heads and tails of the main plot, which seems solely to facilitate the players and their character acting.

So much that, I just listened to the last ep. after I was directed there by a fellow ST. Everything was a cop-out to allow the players actions to make sense. There was no narrative weight or risk at any point. The only suspense of disbelief was the end when Jon claimed he was prepared to kill PC's and the Players agreed. Naw, you can't have all three threats off *themselves* and say that. Everything was just setting pieces to make the PCs heroes regardless of the caliber of their acting. In regards to that, very off topic, laughing and singing. I mean 58 session in and still not in character, just saying what the characters are going.

I expected so much more with the hype.

[NovaP]

So much that, I just listened to the last ep. after I was directed there by a fellow ST. Everything was a cop-out to allow the players actions to make sense. There was no narrative weight or risk at any point. The only suspense of disbelief was the end when Jon claimed he was prepared to kill PC's and the Players agreed. Naw, you can't have all three threats off *themselves* and say that. Everything was just setting pieces to make the PCs heroes regardless of the caliber of their acting. In regards to that, very off topic, laughing and singing. I mean 58 session in and still not in character, just saying what the characters are going.

I expected so much more with the hype.

I don't really see why that's a problem? If the entire point of the game is to play heroic characters and have fun playing a game, then why not set up the game to showcase the player's strengths? They are all actors, so why is it a problem if they focus on the moment to moment acting. Most of my group are artists, so I like to think up cool or interesting looking characters that they might like to draw. That sounds really awkward, but if my players are having a good time then it really doesn't matter. I like creating situations that allow them to enjoy themselves and use really obvious dramatic twists because that's the kind of narrative we like. It's all preferences.

In my recent game, we had a solar and abyssal fight and the solar main character lost their eye (rather than being killed, as the rules would've wanted). Considering they made a combat character, they felt really bad about the whole situation and it ruins their motivation to get involved. But I still would rather have that then just kill their character in a fight that was about exposing the abyssal's true nature rather than defeating them. Sometimes it's just easier not to hurt people's feelings and let them be the heroes, even if killing their characters is an option.

[Growls]

Don't get me wrong, I loved ExalTwitch, all the way to the end, and there was absolutely a sense of player empowerment all through the show.

But, the plot was quite awkwardly put together, and I even though I liked it, it remains my sole critique of the show. And it's a matter of apples and oranges.
Good example was the whole debacle of who Rey's mother was. The whole plot with the false mother and the return to Nexus was a bit of an odd duck.
And it did seem that there was a plot all the way through, but one that shifted and mutated a great deal (which it is supposed to) but still kept the players on plot, never really giving them a chance to establish anything.

BUT!
It was awesome. And I'm still watching the group playing Changeling.

[MoroseMorgan]

Apparently there is a new Exalted game from the Exaltwitch crew and nobody told me until just now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyl8jAL4tBk

[Tytalus]

Apparently there is a new Exalted game from the Exaltwitch crew and nobody told me until just now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyl8jAL4tBk

Well that's good because the old link goes to "Beige Solid Slim Fit Polo, Cotton..." style clothing page.

[MoroseMorgan]

Well that's good because the old link goes to "Beige Solid Slim Fit Polo, Cotton..." style clothing page.

hahahaha, their other website is, although the new show is strangely absent. Possibly because Kate does the website IIRC, and I don't see her in the new show.
http://www.rpgclinic.com/exaltwitch:home

[Ekorren]

Necro? :P I removed the broken link. I've seen the new show as well. It's called Full Party and I've been enjoying it so far. Would love to see more Exalted streams out there. I can't really get into the podcast format and prefer to see the players.

[MoroseMorgan]

Yeah, sorry for the necro, just wanted to bump the most relevant thread, and this was the first one I found. I could have sworn there was a post not too long ago where someone asked for Actual Play recommendations, but I couldn't find it.

edit: to add some more content to this post, I too have a harder time getting into the Podcast APs. There is (usually) a much steeper curve of getting to know your ST and players that it can make it more difficult to follow/enjoy.