So, about Let's Plays of Visual Novels...

[kyrt]

Let's plays of visual novels should be encouraged so long as they are commentating or analytical in nature. Visual Novels are a hard enough medium as it is to get new people into let's plays broaden the horizon. Now that said I do think it also hurts the industry as well as helps it. It helps the industry as a whole but hurts the sales of the particular vn someone is reading. It would be a lot smarter for companies to give youtubers or streamers the right to play one route of their choosing.  Visual Novels require a full playthrough of at least one route to show what they are capable but they also need to keep some stuff back to give people an incentive to purchase/read it on their own. 

[kenibatz]

1) If the "Let's Play" video was limited to only a few minutes of the VN, I'd watch it. The critic could summarize what he/she enjoyed about the game without revealing any major story points.

2) "Let's Play" videos can be informative. I feel they are best suited for multiplayer and "e-sport" games since they won't spoil any story-based information for the viewer.

[Okarin]

7 hours ago, Forgetful Frank said:

But to actually add to the topic, I really like the idea of a live VN reading compared to a VN LP. It sounds like fun! And full of laughs.

Sorry, but what's the difference?

@kenibatz A LP is not a review. It's not putting some minutes of the novel, then giving a critique. As the name says, it's watching someone fully play the game (without repeating content, obviously) and giving their comments. The fun is, precisely, how each "letsplayer" addresses the game and adds their personal comments. I've seen boring people doing LPs, granted. So, using some kind of humour really spices the whole thing up, if not you might as well play it yourself and make your own laughs and facepalms, right?

Edited December 16, 2016 by Okarin

[wyldstrykr]

a let's play of vn is nice if the "youtuber" is saying the unvoiced line matching the voiced line language.............
 

thats why the only lp ive watch is a fully voiced one..... (and i already read it, just watching him react to that)

[Forgetful Frank]

6 hours ago, Okarin said:

Sorry, but what's the difference?

I guess I should've been more specific, as reading back on it, you probably thought of watching a live-stream or something. I was picturing Hikari reading a non-translated VN to me live through Skype or whatever. It'd be more personal and intimate rather than watching a pre-recorded video, which is why I'm sure it would be hilarious.

[onorub]

From a moral standpoint, i'd say lpers should only play one route of the VN for the viewers to get a feel for the story. I remember reading a screentext lp of Kara no Shoujo where the guy got one ending and said on spoilers all the things that could've happened and it made me want to play the whole thing. On VNs with only one route, i don't have a set opinion on.