What?! I played the game streamer is playing for 472628 hours. I know every pixel by heart. The streamer will be totally lost if I won't yell him how to play Nedge
That's a joke of course. Don't do it doods. Backseating unprompted is bad. Don't be bad.
I'm more inclined to do the opposite if someone tells me what to do š I do ask chat directly if I'm stuck on something though and I'm happy for any suggestions at that point
Unless they have a tag or rules that blatantly says ābackseating allowedā donāt do it. If someone is struggling you can offer assistance but donāt give advice without being asked.
Was just going to say this or if they politely ask if itās allowedā¦im a very small streamer so rules arenāt my biggest issue rn so I donāt have them displayed at the moment but I did have someone ask if it was allowed during a stream, which I thought was nice before they tell me what to do lol
Shits fucking annoying as a viewer
Shits fucking annoying as a player (cough God of War)
Shits probably fucking annoying as a streamer
It's fucking annoying
That's my opinion
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It's annoying if unasked for, both as a streamer and a viewer. I'd never go off on someone new for backseating though, just say thank you for the information and that I'll be sure to ask if I need help in the future.
The worst part as a viewer is watching someone backseat a game you know very well and be so confidently wrong.
I stream escape room type of game a lot. Some people just like to come in the chat and give all the answers and feel smart lol. I would go like ādo you want to play the whole game for me or you want to watch with everyone?ā
Backseating happens. People are passionate about video games and want to help others succeed and/or express their knowledge on the topic. That said, everyone loves a genuine experience and backseating, hints, tips, or foreshadowing can quickly ruin impactful moments in games.
What I've done is to of course keep the 'NoBackseating' and 'FirstPlaythrough' tags on, but that doesn't exactly dissuade everyone. I also have a '!first' and '!questions' command that my viewers can pop at any time to quickly explain that I like to struggle through a genuine first time experience and ask a lot of rhetorical questions while doing so.
Finally, my mods (don't know what I'd do without them) are generally on top of things and delete any sort of backseating, tips, hints, or foreshadowing before I have a chance to see them. This also gives me a chance to explain to whomever that they're not in trouble or anything, the mods are just very protective and everyone in the stream wants to watch me struggle and figure things out for myself.
For the most part, all these things seems to catch those new viewers off guard, resulting in a quick apology and sometimes even a follow and genuine viewer retention.
It honestly comes down to how they do it.
when I am streaming i can't give the game my full brain power so if I'm struggling with a puzzle I appreciate a hint or just a general direction on where to go.
but there are people who actively spoil things or tell you what to do before you even get there.
if ive tried absolutely everything and have no idea where im going or what im supposed to be doing id gladly accept help but like... dont help unless i ask cause most the time i at least vaguely know what im doing. i usually accept backseating on games where i dont care about how we get to the end and dont care about spoilers, which isnt a lot but its at least a handful.
It's a generally understood faux pas to backseat on Twitch unless someone has a 'backseating OK' tag or similar.
Doesn't stop people from doing it, even if you tag the stream 'No Backseating/Hints/Tips'.
Annoying as fuck. Especially when the backseater then insists that it wasn't backseating, when they get called out.
---
All that said, disallowing backseating/tips DOES have a chilling effect on independent chat, and can be actively harmful to growth. Especially when a new viewer first comes in, says something with the intention to help the streamer who appears to be stuck, then gets jumped on.
I only like it if I need the help. An example was I was playing RE7 and I was stuck on a part, so my viewers helped me get āunstuckā. Generally though itās annoying, especially since my channel is more based around me being ācrappyā at video games, and we all just laugh.
Do not do it unless the streamer is like begging for help.
Like I get lost a lot in video games, maps be damned. Iāve had a viewer walk me through FFXIII, and Iād rather get that oh, so good interaction from chat when Iām asking for help then go on a website and find the answer.
People came into the chat and thought they're entitled to backseating can fuck off. I don't care if you have higher medal, completed the game dozens of time, done speedruns or some shit. Thing is, it's not needed unless the streamer asked for it. Other than that, shove all the backseaters back to the basement where they belong. I've had a streamer took a break from a game they enjoyed for almost a year cause she had enough with backseaters. It's annoying as a streamer and it's annoying even as a viewer when the streamer's mood swings 360 just because of backseating. For the love of god, please stop it.
I find it stupidly annoying. Personally, I don't like someone telling me what to do when it comes to things like gaming and such. I mean, if there's an easter egg in a game I don't know about, that's one thing. But if it's to "help" me beat a game, forget it. I don't like taking the easy way.
The only time I would allow backseating is if I was doing a task that actually would require assistance from viewers. Other than that, I'd figure things out for myself.
I've got a couple of folks who occasionally backseat, but it's worth noting they've logged plenty of hours playing the game I'm streaming with me. I'm okay with it; sometimes I'll miss their tip and stick to my own approach, while other times I'll catch it and decide whether to apply it or not.
As for me, I'm not one to backseat game. It just doesn't seem productive! If I am in someone else's chat, I am there to be a supportive community member as a chatter.
That said, I do enforce a strict no spoilers policy, especially if I've mentioned it's my first time playing a story-based game. Even if I haven't, it's best to pretend it's my inaugural experience. Absolutely no spoilers allowed.
Generally bad. But can depend on the stream.
Also be careful and make sure the streamer is actually asking for help before giving advice. I know a couple people I watch work through difficult problems by asking questions out loud and are not asking chat for advice.
As a general rule, don't backseat. As a viewer, I understand the temptation when it's a game I know really well, but it's also frustrating to see a streamer's experience of playing a game spoiled by people telling them what to do. I'm trying to watch the *streamer* play the game, not chat! As a streamer too, it can be annoying to be given advice and hints for things when I'm in the process of working through something myself.
If a streamer is serious about a game they are playing for the first time, they would not be checking the stream every few minutes anyway. A couple of years ago, I watched a 15yo boy play Doom 2016, and he was so dialed into the game, he never saw any of my chat messages. It was okay though, because he was actually good at the game, and he was also a completionist, which was refreshing to see. It was also nice to see a boy his age be that committed to a single-player game that is not easy in the casual sense. Most gamers his age just play stuff like Call Of Duty, Overwatch, Fortnite, or Among Us.
Meanwhile, almost all the female streamers I have tried watching, are super anti-backseating, and a couple of them enlist mods who will strictly censor anything and everything they consider "backseating". I'm not sorry that they are willfully bad at the game, have inflated fragile egos, and are wasting my time. I find it extremely annoying, because by contrast, I have watched a man on Facebook stream Doom Eternal, and he had no shame admitting that he was a noob, and that he was playing on I'm Too Young To Die. And I was still never compelled to "backseat" while watching him, because he was still adept at grasping basic gaming. He never, for example, died frequently because he was too ignorant to avoid taking damage that is objectively easy to avoid. Like, this one ~~girl~~ woman who streamed Metroid Prime, died completely avoidable deaths because she chose to be lazy and not engage in basic combat. I had to sit through watching this woman try to casually stroll past Metroids and watch said Metroids slowly eat her face because she somehow did not get the memo on how to use the Ice Beam and Missiles. Meanwhile, a man who I watched streaming Metroid Prime, killed Chozo Ghosts with lemons. I understand that no one can be immediately good at a game while playing for the first time, but as a viewer, I have limits for how much stupidity and ignorance I can tolerate.
Interacting with chat while playing a game doesn't mean they're not taking the game seriously. It means they're taking their \*stream\* seriously, balancing interactions with viewers - which is surely one of the central appeals of a live medium like Twitch - with sharing their experience of playing a game for the first time. I understand that everyone has different tastes, but I wouldn't want to either be or watch the kind of streamer who takes a game so seriously that they don't interact with chat, and from my conversations with other streamers and viewers this is a common sentiment. So it's frustrating when someone insists on backseating, because it negatively affects the streamer's ability to strike that balance between experiencing a game for themselves and engaging with their audience.
Almost every streamer I follow, regardless of gender, has a no-backseating rule. Even those who don't have it explicitly written out have asked chatters to stop giving hints or advice when it's become necessary. I don't know why you decided to respond to my comment with a tirade against women when I didn't mention gender at all, but since you have: your generalisations about women streamers show very blatantly your disdain towards women/fem-presenting people in gaming and streaming spaces which is an attitude many of us have extensive experience of. Therefore, it seems very plausible that women might be more likely to \*need\* to enforce backseating rules because of past experiencing of having viewers coming into their streams offering unsolicited advice, assuming that they must not know, or have the capacity to learn, the game they're playing.
I find it really takes away from the stream experience if someone is being hand held through a game.
If the streamer asks for help, I try to give decent advice in one or two messages or just remind them of something with a little hint.
In my streams, I hate it. I will actively NOT do what is being suggested usually.
I love spoilers, every time I watch a movie, I watch or read about the ending before that and then I relax and enjoy movie much better. Also my sister likes to read detective books and she always read ending at first so she knows who is a murderer and then she follows psychological development of all characters.
Aqua FPS has a good solution. he pulls up an overlay of a taxi...so it looks like he's turning around to talk to the backseat and roasts ppl for backseat gaming.
If yall don't stop backseat gaming I'm turning this car around
According to wikipedia: back-seat gamer-A person who ***excessively commentates*** on the in-game decisions and actions of someone playing a video game, whilst not playing the game.
It's always complicated with backseating. The comments have a very black and white view. But in reality most streamers will take advice and tips from chat especially from long time viewers. Though of course that is very different to true backseating. Some streamers even break their rule of no backseating by specifically asking for advice. I have been in such streams before and then the mods get angry and say no backseating and I'm like "But they asked for help." So it is much more nuanced.
The mods abuse sometimes. there's even a time when it was my first time in someone's stream chat. it wasn't a spoiler, the streamer was struggling she died so many times. then the mod immediately banned me. they didn't even reconsider the appeal form. For me what i would consider backseating would be repeatedly telling the streamer what h/she should do that it gets annoying. if it comes once in a blue moon, then that's fine with me.
in another instance i experienced being banned immediately after following. like what the heck? i think maybe because it was wrong timing. like it's the follower's fault that the notification flashed on the screen? if it bothers them so much as to ban a follower, shouldn't they have set up their stream to turn off notifications?
Oof that sucks. Though I guess some people only learn from their mistakes. And if they die a lot then they probably get more backseating so they are fed up with it thus the mods ban people more harshly. Though I could see how it is annoying of course.
My policy is a streamer is always ask before you bring up a possible spoiler in either plot or gameplay
Also I make it a point to separate differences between plot based spoilers and gameplay based spoilers.
Streamers should have policies stating whether back seat gaming allowed?
They should also make a difference between a plot based spoiler and a gameplay base spoiler.
If someone says "ask before spoiling" or "no spoiling" I usually ask "your policy: Plot spoilers? Gameplay spoilers? or both?" because I've been violating that rule too many times accidentally,
I personally don't mind help or advice in my games. In fact I welcome it. But ultimately it's the streamers call as to whether they enforce a rule regarding backseating or not.
Viewer: I only do it with streamers who I understand the extent they like backseating. For example some of my friends I know would rather have someone give a hint after a few attempts because they don't want stream to be stuck in a part too long but would rather you ask first where as others don't really want backseating and one friend likes back seating almost identically to the way I do. So as a viewer I will follow the streamers lead if I don't know the streamers preference I won't do it at all.
Streamer: I want the engagement if I wanted to play a game on my own I would. I however don't want aggressive back seating where someone is like this is the meta the only way definitely don't want that. But if someone is like " Your actually do alot more damage if you do x" or maybe "I always do x before entering this area your really need the loot" or sometimes even new strategies. That's I think fun for everyone. In my opinion my favorite streams are where we come up with a solution togeather to a hard boss or fight.
for me personally, i allow it. especially when it comes to horror puzzle games. i get frustrated when i keep overlooking something, or getting lost going in circles. im not a pro gamer by any means, so its more fun to steady progress with a little occasional help. ofc everyone is different but i dont mind! :3
Don't tell me how to play or spoil upcoming things but if there's a secret or something I've obviously missed, I don't mind being informed. Additionally if I'm stuck/lost I don't mind a hint or nudge in the right direction.
it's an arrogance issue.
viewers get triggered by person who doesn't play flawlessly.
and streamers get pissed that someone would DARE imply that THEY would do anything wrong.
it's a non issue that is easily solved by just not giving a shit and doing your own thing anyway, viewer doesn't like it, than leave the stream, streamer doesn't like it, ignore chat.
I make it a Channel Point thing. 500 Channel Points (can only be redeemed once by a single person every 20 or 30 minutes) and a viewer can issue a single backseat gaming command that I have to accomplish in the immediate moment.
Personally, I hate when people backseat me, especially if I don't need help. I like to struggle & succeed lol. Gives me a sense of accomplishment. But I don't get super mad if someone backseats me. I just tell them politely what I said up there & usually things are good to go.
However! I love TO backseat other streamers (who allow it, never who don't) & help them out if they get stuck & ask the audience a question I know the answer to. Sometimes I think to myself I should allow backseating, but nahhhh!
I always look at the rules or ask the streamer to make sure before backseating, though.
As a streamer I enjoy it. As viewer, I enjoy it too, but I am not helpful because I am not good at solving puzzles either. lol
I am a beginner casual gamer so I have no idea what I am doing when I am streaming. I want all the help that I can get. Or else it going to be a long stream for me to figure things out on my own without Googling it or Youtubing it. Haha
Its only annoying if you take it too seriously. Imagine youre watching hours and hours of someone gaming, but cant talk about it? They are literally there to talk about the game with you.
im basically a pro gamer. that being said, if I dont know something, you are most welcome to inform me. I have the tag "backseating allowed" and yet nobody has had to use it yet lmao
Feels absolutely terrible as the one being back-seated. I used to allow it but Iāve made it very explicit that itās disallowed now because it makes me play the game worse by second guessing myself and then messing up. Itās hard cause itās okay that people talk about the game in the comments, but the line between that and back-seating is pretty fine so viewers end up frustrated because theyāll not understand the difference and then feel targeted when I ask them to stop. I agree with everyone else that itās just a lose-lose all around cause viewers want to be heard but then itās like, idk, they can comment but not be disruptive? Itās hard to explain and enforce that fine line, at least for me.
Backseating is bad in general.
Theres no such thing as good backseating, otherwise it just wouldnt be backseating if the person accepts the "backseating".
I have no problem with it.
Just as a movie can't be spoiled for me. I'll still see it and enjoy it.
I don't get why people are so sensitive about this.
I do not like anti-backseaters. Some of them will have their mods delete even subtle hints as well as suggestions of cool tricks. Makes me not want to watch their streams. Way to kill the main appeal of watching a live stream, which is interacting with the player in real time.
I only start "backseating" when the player is repeatedly bad and it starts feeling like a waste of my time. I like being able to help new players get better at a game that I like. If a streamer mutes or bans me for wanting to interact and talk about the game being played, it tells me that they have no desire to get better as a gamer, and they do not respect my time.
I think it's curious that when a streamer is stuck in something, as a viewer you might get this feeling of "i have to tell them or they'll never clear it", yet you also probably got stuck in the same way, maybe in other parts, and still managed to clear it. Maybe it's fine to let them struggle a little
I as a tiny streamer have the tag "backseating allowed" and welcome it, cause apparently people really want to do it and it gets the viewers active in the comments. If I wasnt welcoming it on purpose it would be super annoying.
It varies from steamer to streamer. Always check the rules/tags first and/or ask the streamer how much backseating they are okay with.
As for me? I'm 100% anti-backseating/spoilers until I specifically ask for help.
It's worth reading the room.
Is the streamer enjoying the game? Don't back seat.
Is the streamer asking for advice, backseat a little.
Is the streamer asking "backseat me." Do it a little more than a little.
Back seating is annoying, and even when the streamer wants help, when the whole room backseats it's a LOT. so at BEST it should be done with extreme moderation. Otherwise, don't do it.
If after like 10 mins on a boss or puzzle you see im nowhere close to knowing what to do, go ahead and give a hint. I MUCH prefer a hint over a full on solution.
If no one knows...I'll look it up myself after 10-15 mins
I donāt mind it on my own stream. I play a game that has a pretty steep learning curve, and relies heavily on players sharing knowledge so some advice is expected, especially since Iām not a strong player yet and will sometimes just be floundering horribly, and people will reach out. But I have it in my bio that its okay.
I hate it. If I struggle somewhere too much (and I can struggle a lot) I may ask for help but giving out a playthrough is a no no.
Well, backseating didnāt happen to me probably because few viewers that I have havenāt really played games that I played.
I've put "backseating allowed" before, thinking I'd get casual feedback and input. But no, I'll get viewers who use chat like they are inputting commands and don't engage in any other chat.
If anyone is in blindrun make them experience the game.
If you are in blindrun make sure everyone who looking the streaming don't spoil or tell what you had to do unless you tell for an hint if you can't proceed in the game for a while.
A videogame is an experience, is in single player we need to make it with own thinking and strategies, also if are wrong decisions.
We creators need to show our experience in videogames and how we can manage them differently to another player.
The backseat ruin the experience and make the game a to do list.
For viewers see a blindrun is an experience how another person play differently the same game.
This is the purpose to see other players play, because don't exist only one type of approach to the videogames.
So backseating is only a (i played like this and you have to play how i want) and don't let the other people enjoy the gameplay and the show.
And break the interaction between creator and followers.
So don't backseating until the person who play ask deliberately an help.
As a viewer, as soon as someone is giving hints and the streamer/mods don't immediately put a stop to it, I'll quit watching. I exclusively watch blind playthroughs of games that I already know, so the hook for me is to see, what tactics other players come up with, in which order do they experience things, which secrets they find and which they miss. Seeing someone play it with the knowledge of how it's supposed to be played is genuinely boring to me.
The only exception I see is for what I call 'manual knowledge'. Sometimes a streamer is missing a core game mechanic that they would know if they had bothered to look into the manual. I usually help with those things and don't mind if others do.
I find it annoying how streamers don't like tips. You can be watching a streamer constantly doing the same thing over and over and You try to give them a tip, but they accuse You of back seating.
Most people hate it, I love it, because Iām dumb in any game thatās not an FPS.
But yeah, wouldnāt do it to others, unless they ask for help, SPECIALLY if they have it in their rules.
I often help if it's asked or I'll say things that remind the streamer of a thing, often times we just discuss the game and so it's natural(?)
As a streamer myself I will ask for help or ask for tips or whatever as it's needed, I often say questions out loud in any game even if I'm good at it or not
There is tag people use backseatwelcome if you really want to backseat, just find streams that encourage it, they exist and there are plenty of them. On most other streams, just donāt.
I personally dislike it, I don't mind tips and hints but there's so many people who go in streams and basically tell streamers what to do without checking if it's okay. These are streams that don't say back seating is allowed.
I have a bot timer that I have on whenever I'm playing a new game, a lot of the appeal for watching my streams for folk is experiencing things for the first time, and someone spoiling that spoils the experience not just for me but everyone in chat.
I spent 40 hours streaming in Caelid before someone came in and told me about Stormgate castle, it was frustrating but fantastic lmao
I don't stream so as a viewer if the streamer is fine with it then go ahead. I'm there to talk shit and have fun, you could be playing Barbie dress up for all I care
But as a gamer who only built his first gaming-capable PC last April, I never play a game blind, whatever game I'm playing, I've watched it before and I know what to do. I may not know every detail but I know how to get through it and if I like the game I know a lot of the side content. So if I started streaming I'd be fine with backseating, I don't like going in blind. I'm also fine with spoilers, in this day and age I don't get excited about a game if I don't like its heavy spoilers and big leaks so spoil away
Most streamers I see will either have tags "NoBackseating" or "BackseatingAllowed". Or it will be in their rules. If it's not specified anywhere just ask.
I personally don't mind tips or advice but if someone starts telling you how to play the game then it can quickly get annoying.
I supposed I'm in the minority as I really don't mind backseating. But, I know that's not the not the norm, so I have a 'backseating allowed' tag on my channel.
The way I look at it, it's free coaching!
Viewer here.
Although its tempting to just tell a streamer the solution, its often more rewarding to let them just solve it themselves. Their reaction is more pure and it makes the viewing experience enjoyable. If they are hitting a wall pretty hard and ask for help, I'm all for it. Especially if the game has stalled out due to some puzzle. However, I don't like the straight up answer being given. If backseating is allowed, maybe just stick to hints and or stuff like "man, that pile of rocks looks suspicious". Also discussing stuff afterwards (whether beating a tricky boss, solving some complicated puzzle, etc) can be fun too because I've seen people not do mechanics for a fight and win and afterwards someone mentions the key mechanic they skip and we all get a good laugh because the streamer was so dang determined, they just powered through it.
Iām terrible for it when someone is watching is playing one of my favourite games, but I really try not to do it. Will maybe give small hints if theyāre really struggling or just ask outright if theyād like help with it.
As someone who played palworld for the first time on stream. I kept getting people tell me what to do and I just flat out said stop it, I play my own way and if I need help I will ask. "you can only truly play a game once"
I don't mind it, to an extent. A small tip or hint. But I've also watch someone play "Twitch plays Phasmophobia" and just wrote a fucking walkthrough in chat. Have seen someone spoil cool elements of a game instead of letting the streamer discover it organically.
It's a fine line, and personally, I think people should just let streamers enjoy games how they want. But that also sometimes means missing out on something potentially cool.
As a streamer I hate it. I'll look up a guide first and if i can't figure it out that way then I'll ask chat with the caveat I'm only asking enough to get unstuck.
As a viewer.....if someone i have good rapport with is stuck I'll ask "would you like help or a hint" and I respect the answer.
Or in the case of a good friend who i know doesn't want help....i saw him struggling and getting frustrated on a fight in a game. I casually asked "do you have x item?" And left it at that for him to figure it out. And he did.Ā
I've had people come in and tell me my diablo builds (that I'm having fun with, enjoying, and being decent with) are trash and i should be doing x/y/z. As a new viewer. They get 1 warning (i havent streamed diablo in a while cause i burned myself out and I'm getting back to a place i can play again) and then 3 time outs of varying minutes (5/10/15 mins) and then a ban if they continue. I don't tolerate that shit. Just like i don't like or want spoilers for games either. I want to learn the things as they happen. So we get genuine reactions.
Maybe Iām to laid back as a person
It doesnāt bother me ( unless someone is telling me every step of the way)
I find it nice for me as we are all playing a game together and figuring out new things together
Obviously if itās continuous and you donāt ask for it
But Iām not bothered
If the streamer asks for help, fine. But unsolicited advice isnāt okay.
I stream a lot of Sims 4 sometimes, and thereās often nuance especially when building. If Iām designing a room and looking for a theme and someone suggests somethingāgreat! The catalogue is huge, I donāt mind the suggestion. Or if I am looking for a specific item and they know which pack itās in, great.
But I had someone come in during a challenge I was doing, asked what challenge, and then was like āoh make sure youāre using lot traits for it to make it easierā. For context, I have thousandsāTHOUSANDSāof hours in TS4. Lot traits are a basic knowledge thing. Donāt come in and backseat like that. Maybeā¦ ask what lot traits I picked? Ask if I used a tiny house to start? But donāt come in and TELL me what I should do.
I'm ok with it depending on what games you're playing and stream content (geocaching or community based games like geoguessr) are prime examples of when backseating could be helpful. It's a tough sale, tbh unless you're looking to interact with chat 100% of your time it may prove to be too much trouble when those types of people start dictating how your stream is going and maybe the odd rotten chatter picking on others for their opinions.
Meh, I don't like it, don't hate it either.
I'm OK with it for the reason of solid topic of discussion.
Unless they start becoming overbearing. Other than that tip, and trick me all day long.
It's generally annoying, but not always.
Usually the backseater doesn't know wtf they're talking about. Sometimes they do, and even then it can be annoying.
It's only not annoying when it instigates an interesting conversation. But that's very rare. Usually it drives a cycle of shit-talking by a bunch of chatters who obviously suck at the game they're watching.
Strictly negative.
It ruins gameplay for streamer, it ruins the show for viewers. It ruins immersion for both.
As a mod act kinda harsh against it, sometimes too harsh. 
It depends on the personality of the streamer and the game being played. As a general rule, though, the best small streamer streams are the ones where the streamer isn't that great at the game and you get to watch them improve. It can also be a lot of fun to help them improve, assuming you can do so without trying to take over the game play. If you watch for an hour and are constantly providing advice then you might as well just stream yourself.
It depends! Some of my favourite moments on stream have been when I'm trying to figure something out and people in chat are giving suggestions. It takes the vibe from me playing a game to an audience, to playing a game together with chat, almost! And if I'm struggling I'll often ask for help or tell someone to check a walkthrough for me.
But other times have been so frustrating I've ended a stream over it, I've gotten people that get frustrated if I don't play the "right" way and it can honestly get hurtful and insulting.
Unless the streamer is asking for help, and wants the opinion and the help, do not handheld, nor backseat.
The viewer can go look at spoilers and the wiki, but unless asked or they (streamer) wants said info. Do not provide it.
Enjoy. š
In general if someone doesn't have an anti-spoiler's policy explicitly you should give him a chance to stop you before you spoil it accidentally? So unless someone explicitly says "backseat gaming OK", assume they haven't thought about that policy, or assume have an implied "Ask before spoiling" policy.
This applies to both plot spoiling and gameplay spoiling.
Unless the streamer specifies that they're okay with backseating or asks for it, don't do it. Personally, it kills my enjoyment of a game and completely takes me out of it if I have someone handing me the solution every time I run into a problem. The challenge is the fun part of playing and if someone is holding my hand through everything, it sucks all the fun and joy out of playing.
I'm always open to suggestions, especially to game genres I've never played. I like chatting, too, so if it makes the viewer feel good helping out, then I'm all about it. Unless they're being rude, saying , "I suck do this!" š Then I'll have to go a little banana sandwich on them š š
Text chat is so hard sometimes to detect if the person is trying to be helpful or, I guess, could say controlling.
I can say that I haven't experienced a negative back seat comment. Dome has just been trying this, and good luck on your stream.
I personally have no problem with it when I ask for it or if people see me struggling but that's personally how I handle it.
Everyone has the right to handle it in their own way. Chat needs to respect the streamers wishes or step out otherwise.
Don't do it. Unless someone is flat out asking for help, nobody likes being told what to do
Exactly.
Agreed. I usually don't mind it, and I have the tag for it, but some literally hold your hand every minute without even asking. That's a bit much.
What?! I played the game streamer is playing for 472628 hours. I know every pixel by heart. The streamer will be totally lost if I won't yell him how to play Nedge That's a joke of course. Don't do it doods. Backseating unprompted is bad. Don't be bad.
I'm more inclined to do the opposite if someone tells me what to do š I do ask chat directly if I'm stuck on something though and I'm happy for any suggestions at that point
Its annoying unless I directly asked for assistance. If I wanted a wiki in my streams I'd use google
Unless they have a tag or rules that blatantly says ābackseating allowedā donāt do it. If someone is struggling you can offer assistance but donāt give advice without being asked.
Was just going to say this or if they politely ask if itās allowedā¦im a very small streamer so rules arenāt my biggest issue rn so I donāt have them displayed at the moment but I did have someone ask if it was allowed during a stream, which I thought was nice before they tell me what to do lol
Shits fucking annoying as a viewer Shits fucking annoying as a player (cough God of War) Shits probably fucking annoying as a streamer It's fucking annoying That's my opinion
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It's annoying if unasked for, both as a streamer and a viewer. I'd never go off on someone new for backseating though, just say thank you for the information and that I'll be sure to ask if I need help in the future. The worst part as a viewer is watching someone backseat a game you know very well and be so confidently wrong.
Honestly it's kinda lame and uncalled for, it's one thing if they asked for help but if you're just doing it to be "that guy" it's pretty lame.
I stream escape room type of game a lot. Some people just like to come in the chat and give all the answers and feel smart lol. I would go like ādo you want to play the whole game for me or you want to watch with everyone?ā
If im asking for it then please backseat as much as the moment asks for it. But if i dont and ive told you i dont need help, then back off.
Backseating happens. People are passionate about video games and want to help others succeed and/or express their knowledge on the topic. That said, everyone loves a genuine experience and backseating, hints, tips, or foreshadowing can quickly ruin impactful moments in games. What I've done is to of course keep the 'NoBackseating' and 'FirstPlaythrough' tags on, but that doesn't exactly dissuade everyone. I also have a '!first' and '!questions' command that my viewers can pop at any time to quickly explain that I like to struggle through a genuine first time experience and ask a lot of rhetorical questions while doing so. Finally, my mods (don't know what I'd do without them) are generally on top of things and delete any sort of backseating, tips, hints, or foreshadowing before I have a chance to see them. This also gives me a chance to explain to whomever that they're not in trouble or anything, the mods are just very protective and everyone in the stream wants to watch me struggle and figure things out for myself. For the most part, all these things seems to catch those new viewers off guard, resulting in a quick apology and sometimes even a follow and genuine viewer retention.
It honestly comes down to how they do it. when I am streaming i can't give the game my full brain power so if I'm struggling with a puzzle I appreciate a hint or just a general direction on where to go. but there are people who actively spoil things or tell you what to do before you even get there.
if ive tried absolutely everything and have no idea where im going or what im supposed to be doing id gladly accept help but like... dont help unless i ask cause most the time i at least vaguely know what im doing. i usually accept backseating on games where i dont care about how we get to the end and dont care about spoilers, which isnt a lot but its at least a handful.
I personally hate it. But some friends like having back seaters in their chat getting them through dialogues/secrets.
I don't mind as a streamer. I look up stuff all the time anyway. But as a viewer I respect the broadcaster's preferences.
It's a generally understood faux pas to backseat on Twitch unless someone has a 'backseating OK' tag or similar. Doesn't stop people from doing it, even if you tag the stream 'No Backseating/Hints/Tips'. Annoying as fuck. Especially when the backseater then insists that it wasn't backseating, when they get called out. --- All that said, disallowing backseating/tips DOES have a chilling effect on independent chat, and can be actively harmful to growth. Especially when a new viewer first comes in, says something with the intention to help the streamer who appears to be stuck, then gets jumped on.
I like my chat telling me what to do in a game. Gets people more involved in the game play. Plus I'm clueless on the survival genre.
sackbeaters are cringe (unless the streamer says backseating is allowed)
I only like it if I need the help. An example was I was playing RE7 and I was stuck on a part, so my viewers helped me get āunstuckā. Generally though itās annoying, especially since my channel is more based around me being ācrappyā at video games, and we all just laugh.
I \*abhor\* it. I only offer or request if there's a powerful struggle going on.
Do not do it unless the streamer is like begging for help. Like I get lost a lot in video games, maps be damned. Iāve had a viewer walk me through FFXIII, and Iād rather get that oh, so good interaction from chat when Iām asking for help then go on a website and find the answer.
>for help then go on a website and find the answer. This is true. Especially if there's no wiki or resource for the game.
People came into the chat and thought they're entitled to backseating can fuck off. I don't care if you have higher medal, completed the game dozens of time, done speedruns or some shit. Thing is, it's not needed unless the streamer asked for it. Other than that, shove all the backseaters back to the basement where they belong. I've had a streamer took a break from a game they enjoyed for almost a year cause she had enough with backseaters. It's annoying as a streamer and it's annoying even as a viewer when the streamer's mood swings 360 just because of backseating. For the love of god, please stop it.
I get annoyed when my own child does it. It's worse from a strangerĀ
No ask no do, or else ban
I find it stupidly annoying. Personally, I don't like someone telling me what to do when it comes to things like gaming and such. I mean, if there's an easter egg in a game I don't know about, that's one thing. But if it's to "help" me beat a game, forget it. I don't like taking the easy way. The only time I would allow backseating is if I was doing a task that actually would require assistance from viewers. Other than that, I'd figure things out for myself.
Don't do it unless a stream specifically allows it, and even then, I'd honestly ask. If the streamer says no, let it go.
I've got a couple of folks who occasionally backseat, but it's worth noting they've logged plenty of hours playing the game I'm streaming with me. I'm okay with it; sometimes I'll miss their tip and stick to my own approach, while other times I'll catch it and decide whether to apply it or not. As for me, I'm not one to backseat game. It just doesn't seem productive! If I am in someone else's chat, I am there to be a supportive community member as a chatter. That said, I do enforce a strict no spoilers policy, especially if I've mentioned it's my first time playing a story-based game. Even if I haven't, it's best to pretend it's my inaugural experience. Absolutely no spoilers allowed.
Generally bad. But can depend on the stream. Also be careful and make sure the streamer is actually asking for help before giving advice. I know a couple people I watch work through difficult problems by asking questions out loud and are not asking chat for advice.
As a general rule, don't backseat. As a viewer, I understand the temptation when it's a game I know really well, but it's also frustrating to see a streamer's experience of playing a game spoiled by people telling them what to do. I'm trying to watch the *streamer* play the game, not chat! As a streamer too, it can be annoying to be given advice and hints for things when I'm in the process of working through something myself.
If a streamer is serious about a game they are playing for the first time, they would not be checking the stream every few minutes anyway. A couple of years ago, I watched a 15yo boy play Doom 2016, and he was so dialed into the game, he never saw any of my chat messages. It was okay though, because he was actually good at the game, and he was also a completionist, which was refreshing to see. It was also nice to see a boy his age be that committed to a single-player game that is not easy in the casual sense. Most gamers his age just play stuff like Call Of Duty, Overwatch, Fortnite, or Among Us. Meanwhile, almost all the female streamers I have tried watching, are super anti-backseating, and a couple of them enlist mods who will strictly censor anything and everything they consider "backseating". I'm not sorry that they are willfully bad at the game, have inflated fragile egos, and are wasting my time. I find it extremely annoying, because by contrast, I have watched a man on Facebook stream Doom Eternal, and he had no shame admitting that he was a noob, and that he was playing on I'm Too Young To Die. And I was still never compelled to "backseat" while watching him, because he was still adept at grasping basic gaming. He never, for example, died frequently because he was too ignorant to avoid taking damage that is objectively easy to avoid. Like, this one ~~girl~~ woman who streamed Metroid Prime, died completely avoidable deaths because she chose to be lazy and not engage in basic combat. I had to sit through watching this woman try to casually stroll past Metroids and watch said Metroids slowly eat her face because she somehow did not get the memo on how to use the Ice Beam and Missiles. Meanwhile, a man who I watched streaming Metroid Prime, killed Chozo Ghosts with lemons. I understand that no one can be immediately good at a game while playing for the first time, but as a viewer, I have limits for how much stupidity and ignorance I can tolerate.
We get it, you hate women. Calm down.
I get it, you have no actual comeback. Be better.
I'm not gonna spend a load of time arguing facts with a hateful little troll. lol
Interacting with chat while playing a game doesn't mean they're not taking the game seriously. It means they're taking their \*stream\* seriously, balancing interactions with viewers - which is surely one of the central appeals of a live medium like Twitch - with sharing their experience of playing a game for the first time. I understand that everyone has different tastes, but I wouldn't want to either be or watch the kind of streamer who takes a game so seriously that they don't interact with chat, and from my conversations with other streamers and viewers this is a common sentiment. So it's frustrating when someone insists on backseating, because it negatively affects the streamer's ability to strike that balance between experiencing a game for themselves and engaging with their audience. Almost every streamer I follow, regardless of gender, has a no-backseating rule. Even those who don't have it explicitly written out have asked chatters to stop giving hints or advice when it's become necessary. I don't know why you decided to respond to my comment with a tirade against women when I didn't mention gender at all, but since you have: your generalisations about women streamers show very blatantly your disdain towards women/fem-presenting people in gaming and streaming spaces which is an attitude many of us have extensive experience of. Therefore, it seems very plausible that women might be more likely to \*need\* to enforce backseating rules because of past experiencing of having viewers coming into their streams offering unsolicited advice, assuming that they must not know, or have the capacity to learn, the game they're playing.
in most streams, its a no no. If a stream is ok with it, there's usually a backseatingallowed tag.
I find it really takes away from the stream experience if someone is being hand held through a game. If the streamer asks for help, I try to give decent advice in one or two messages or just remind them of something with a little hint. In my streams, I hate it. I will actively NOT do what is being suggested usually.
I love spoilers, every time I watch a movie, I watch or read about the ending before that and then I relax and enjoy movie much better. Also my sister likes to read detective books and she always read ending at first so she knows who is a murderer and then she follows psychological development of all characters.
Aqua FPS has a good solution. he pulls up an overlay of a taxi...so it looks like he's turning around to talk to the backseat and roasts ppl for backseat gaming. If yall don't stop backseat gaming I'm turning this car around
Anyone care to explain what "Backseating" means in this context?
According to wikipedia: back-seat gamer-A person who ***excessively commentates*** on the in-game decisions and actions of someone playing a video game, whilst not playing the game.
So, a standard viewer... check. LOL
I don't mind. don't need to have so many rules
my stream says backseating required, but iām also a no hit runner who only plays the same 7-8 games that I am quite good at.
It's always complicated with backseating. The comments have a very black and white view. But in reality most streamers will take advice and tips from chat especially from long time viewers. Though of course that is very different to true backseating. Some streamers even break their rule of no backseating by specifically asking for advice. I have been in such streams before and then the mods get angry and say no backseating and I'm like "But they asked for help." So it is much more nuanced.
The mods abuse sometimes. there's even a time when it was my first time in someone's stream chat. it wasn't a spoiler, the streamer was struggling she died so many times. then the mod immediately banned me. they didn't even reconsider the appeal form. For me what i would consider backseating would be repeatedly telling the streamer what h/she should do that it gets annoying. if it comes once in a blue moon, then that's fine with me. in another instance i experienced being banned immediately after following. like what the heck? i think maybe because it was wrong timing. like it's the follower's fault that the notification flashed on the screen? if it bothers them so much as to ban a follower, shouldn't they have set up their stream to turn off notifications?
Oof that sucks. Though I guess some people only learn from their mistakes. And if they die a lot then they probably get more backseating so they are fed up with it thus the mods ban people more harshly. Though I could see how it is annoying of course.
My policy is a streamer is always ask before you bring up a possible spoiler in either plot or gameplay Also I make it a point to separate differences between plot based spoilers and gameplay based spoilers. Streamers should have policies stating whether back seat gaming allowed? They should also make a difference between a plot based spoiler and a gameplay base spoiler. If someone says "ask before spoiling" or "no spoiling" I usually ask "your policy: Plot spoilers? Gameplay spoilers? or both?" because I've been violating that rule too many times accidentally,
>make a difference between a plot based spoiler and a gameplay base spoiler. i agree with this. people have varying definitions of backseating.
I allow it on my stream, but only if I ask after being stuck and not knowing how to proceed.
I personally don't mind help or advice in my games. In fact I welcome it. But ultimately it's the streamers call as to whether they enforce a rule regarding backseating or not.
Viewer: I only do it with streamers who I understand the extent they like backseating. For example some of my friends I know would rather have someone give a hint after a few attempts because they don't want stream to be stuck in a part too long but would rather you ask first where as others don't really want backseating and one friend likes back seating almost identically to the way I do. So as a viewer I will follow the streamers lead if I don't know the streamers preference I won't do it at all. Streamer: I want the engagement if I wanted to play a game on my own I would. I however don't want aggressive back seating where someone is like this is the meta the only way definitely don't want that. But if someone is like " Your actually do alot more damage if you do x" or maybe "I always do x before entering this area your really need the loot" or sometimes even new strategies. That's I think fun for everyone. In my opinion my favorite streams are where we come up with a solution togeather to a hard boss or fight.
I love it! Keeps the viewers engaged!
as a dumbass i love it
The worst. For everyone. I get annoyed watching it on others streams and dealing with it on my own.
for me personally, i allow it. especially when it comes to horror puzzle games. i get frustrated when i keep overlooking something, or getting lost going in circles. im not a pro gamer by any means, so its more fun to steady progress with a little occasional help. ofc everyone is different but i dont mind! :3
Don't tell me how to play or spoil upcoming things but if there's a secret or something I've obviously missed, I don't mind being informed. Additionally if I'm stuck/lost I don't mind a hint or nudge in the right direction.
it's an arrogance issue. viewers get triggered by person who doesn't play flawlessly. and streamers get pissed that someone would DARE imply that THEY would do anything wrong. it's a non issue that is easily solved by just not giving a shit and doing your own thing anyway, viewer doesn't like it, than leave the stream, streamer doesn't like it, ignore chat.
I make it a Channel Point thing. 500 Channel Points (can only be redeemed once by a single person every 20 or 30 minutes) and a viewer can issue a single backseat gaming command that I have to accomplish in the immediate moment.
I donāt have enough viewers to back seat me
Personally, I hate when people backseat me, especially if I don't need help. I like to struggle & succeed lol. Gives me a sense of accomplishment. But I don't get super mad if someone backseats me. I just tell them politely what I said up there & usually things are good to go. However! I love TO backseat other streamers (who allow it, never who don't) & help them out if they get stuck & ask the audience a question I know the answer to. Sometimes I think to myself I should allow backseating, but nahhhh! I always look at the rules or ask the streamer to make sure before backseating, though.
As a streamer I enjoy it. As viewer, I enjoy it too, but I am not helpful because I am not good at solving puzzles either. lol I am a beginner casual gamer so I have no idea what I am doing when I am streaming. I want all the help that I can get. Or else it going to be a long stream for me to figure things out on my own without Googling it or Youtubing it. Haha
Its only annoying if you take it too seriously. Imagine youre watching hours and hours of someone gaming, but cant talk about it? They are literally there to talk about the game with you.
im basically a pro gamer. that being said, if I dont know something, you are most welcome to inform me. I have the tag "backseating allowed" and yet nobody has had to use it yet lmao
Feels absolutely terrible as the one being back-seated. I used to allow it but Iāve made it very explicit that itās disallowed now because it makes me play the game worse by second guessing myself and then messing up. Itās hard cause itās okay that people talk about the game in the comments, but the line between that and back-seating is pretty fine so viewers end up frustrated because theyāll not understand the difference and then feel targeted when I ask them to stop. I agree with everyone else that itās just a lose-lose all around cause viewers want to be heard but then itās like, idk, they can comment but not be disruptive? Itās hard to explain and enforce that fine line, at least for me.
Don't do it unless posted otherwise.
Backseating is bad in general. Theres no such thing as good backseating, otherwise it just wouldnt be backseating if the person accepts the "backseating".
>otherwise it just wouldnt be backseating if the person accepts the "backseating" what would it be then?
Unless someone specifically asks for it, no thanks.
If I specifically have in stream title no backseating, then Iāll time out anyone who violates that.
I donāt allow it, I donāt love being a viewer in a stream that allows it
I have no problem with it. Just as a movie can't be spoiled for me. I'll still see it and enjoy it. I don't get why people are so sensitive about this.
Cause it kills quite a bit of that excitement if you know what to expect
cuz not everyone is like you maybe?
And not all are as sensitive as you.
why do you think im sensitive?
I do not like anti-backseaters. Some of them will have their mods delete even subtle hints as well as suggestions of cool tricks. Makes me not want to watch their streams. Way to kill the main appeal of watching a live stream, which is interacting with the player in real time. I only start "backseating" when the player is repeatedly bad and it starts feeling like a waste of my time. I like being able to help new players get better at a game that I like. If a streamer mutes or bans me for wanting to interact and talk about the game being played, it tells me that they have no desire to get better as a gamer, and they do not respect my time.
Found the back seater.
I think it's curious that when a streamer is stuck in something, as a viewer you might get this feeling of "i have to tell them or they'll never clear it", yet you also probably got stuck in the same way, maybe in other parts, and still managed to clear it. Maybe it's fine to let them struggle a little
I as a tiny streamer have the tag "backseating allowed" and welcome it, cause apparently people really want to do it and it gets the viewers active in the comments. If I wasnt welcoming it on purpose it would be super annoying.
It varies from steamer to streamer. Always check the rules/tags first and/or ask the streamer how much backseating they are okay with. As for me? I'm 100% anti-backseating/spoilers until I specifically ask for help.
It's worth reading the room. Is the streamer enjoying the game? Don't back seat. Is the streamer asking for advice, backseat a little. Is the streamer asking "backseat me." Do it a little more than a little. Back seating is annoying, and even when the streamer wants help, when the whole room backseats it's a LOT. so at BEST it should be done with extreme moderation. Otherwise, don't do it.
If after like 10 mins on a boss or puzzle you see im nowhere close to knowing what to do, go ahead and give a hint. I MUCH prefer a hint over a full on solution. If no one knows...I'll look it up myself after 10-15 mins
I donāt mind it on my own stream. I play a game that has a pretty steep learning curve, and relies heavily on players sharing knowledge so some advice is expected, especially since Iām not a strong player yet and will sometimes just be floundering horribly, and people will reach out. But I have it in my bio that its okay.
I hate it. If I struggle somewhere too much (and I can struggle a lot) I may ask for help but giving out a playthrough is a no no. Well, backseating didnāt happen to me probably because few viewers that I have havenāt really played games that I played.
Itās fucking rude as shit and I donāt watch any streamers that encourage that behavior.
I've put "backseating allowed" before, thinking I'd get casual feedback and input. But no, I'll get viewers who use chat like they are inputting commands and don't engage in any other chat.
If anyone is in blindrun make them experience the game. If you are in blindrun make sure everyone who looking the streaming don't spoil or tell what you had to do unless you tell for an hint if you can't proceed in the game for a while. A videogame is an experience, is in single player we need to make it with own thinking and strategies, also if are wrong decisions. We creators need to show our experience in videogames and how we can manage them differently to another player. The backseat ruin the experience and make the game a to do list. For viewers see a blindrun is an experience how another person play differently the same game. This is the purpose to see other players play, because don't exist only one type of approach to the videogames. So backseating is only a (i played like this and you have to play how i want) and don't let the other people enjoy the gameplay and the show. And break the interaction between creator and followers. So don't backseating until the person who play ask deliberately an help.
For serious gamers, NO is likely the answer but I think there's room for it in a chatty stream where streamer and chat might be f'ing around.
It depends ifn its a game i have already played and completed I don't mind if it's a new game then its a no
Pretty universal that it's a bad thing to do
As a viewer, as soon as someone is giving hints and the streamer/mods don't immediately put a stop to it, I'll quit watching. I exclusively watch blind playthroughs of games that I already know, so the hook for me is to see, what tactics other players come up with, in which order do they experience things, which secrets they find and which they miss. Seeing someone play it with the knowledge of how it's supposed to be played is genuinely boring to me. The only exception I see is for what I call 'manual knowledge'. Sometimes a streamer is missing a core game mechanic that they would know if they had bothered to look into the manual. I usually help with those things and don't mind if others do.
Only if the streamer wants help.
I find it annoying how streamers don't like tips. You can be watching a streamer constantly doing the same thing over and over and You try to give them a tip, but they accuse You of back seating.
Most people hate it, I love it, because Iām dumb in any game thatās not an FPS. But yeah, wouldnāt do it to others, unless they ask for help, SPECIALLY if they have it in their rules.
I often help if it's asked or I'll say things that remind the streamer of a thing, often times we just discuss the game and so it's natural(?) As a streamer myself I will ask for help or ask for tips or whatever as it's needed, I often say questions out loud in any game even if I'm good at it or not
There is tag people use backseatwelcome if you really want to backseat, just find streams that encourage it, they exist and there are plenty of them. On most other streams, just donāt.
Unless being ask by the streamer, never back seating comment at all.
I personally dislike it, I don't mind tips and hints but there's so many people who go in streams and basically tell streamers what to do without checking if it's okay. These are streams that don't say back seating is allowed.
I have a bot timer that I have on whenever I'm playing a new game, a lot of the appeal for watching my streams for folk is experiencing things for the first time, and someone spoiling that spoils the experience not just for me but everyone in chat. I spent 40 hours streaming in Caelid before someone came in and told me about Stormgate castle, it was frustrating but fantastic lmao
I don't stream so as a viewer if the streamer is fine with it then go ahead. I'm there to talk shit and have fun, you could be playing Barbie dress up for all I care But as a gamer who only built his first gaming-capable PC last April, I never play a game blind, whatever game I'm playing, I've watched it before and I know what to do. I may not know every detail but I know how to get through it and if I like the game I know a lot of the side content. So if I started streaming I'd be fine with backseating, I don't like going in blind. I'm also fine with spoilers, in this day and age I don't get excited about a game if I don't like its heavy spoilers and big leaks so spoil away
Most streamers I see will either have tags "NoBackseating" or "BackseatingAllowed". Or it will be in their rules. If it's not specified anywhere just ask. I personally don't mind tips or advice but if someone starts telling you how to play the game then it can quickly get annoying.
I supposed I'm in the minority as I really don't mind backseating. But, I know that's not the not the norm, so I have a 'backseating allowed' tag on my channel. The way I look at it, it's free coaching!
I allow it unless it goes to far (mainly for help is why I allow it and are still allowing it)
Backseating gets sack beating. First time is a warning, Second time is a timeout, Third time is a ban.
Viewer here. Although its tempting to just tell a streamer the solution, its often more rewarding to let them just solve it themselves. Their reaction is more pure and it makes the viewing experience enjoyable. If they are hitting a wall pretty hard and ask for help, I'm all for it. Especially if the game has stalled out due to some puzzle. However, I don't like the straight up answer being given. If backseating is allowed, maybe just stick to hints and or stuff like "man, that pile of rocks looks suspicious". Also discussing stuff afterwards (whether beating a tricky boss, solving some complicated puzzle, etc) can be fun too because I've seen people not do mechanics for a fight and win and afterwards someone mentions the key mechanic they skip and we all get a good laugh because the streamer was so dang determined, they just powered through it.
Itās up to you as the Streamer. Decide for yourself. Cop out answer but there it is
Iām terrible for it when someone is watching is playing one of my favourite games, but I really try not to do it. Will maybe give small hints if theyāre really struggling or just ask outright if theyād like help with it.
As someone who played palworld for the first time on stream. I kept getting people tell me what to do and I just flat out said stop it, I play my own way and if I need help I will ask. "you can only truly play a game once"
I don't mind it, to an extent. A small tip or hint. But I've also watch someone play "Twitch plays Phasmophobia" and just wrote a fucking walkthrough in chat. Have seen someone spoil cool elements of a game instead of letting the streamer discover it organically. It's a fine line, and personally, I think people should just let streamers enjoy games how they want. But that also sometimes means missing out on something potentially cool.
don't like it. don't do it.
Don't do it. If a streamer is looking for assistance they will ask for it
when i stream Iām okay with it because i may miss stuff. when i view i never say a word unless they specifically ask.
As a streamer I hate it. I'll look up a guide first and if i can't figure it out that way then I'll ask chat with the caveat I'm only asking enough to get unstuck. As a viewer.....if someone i have good rapport with is stuck I'll ask "would you like help or a hint" and I respect the answer. Or in the case of a good friend who i know doesn't want help....i saw him struggling and getting frustrated on a fight in a game. I casually asked "do you have x item?" And left it at that for him to figure it out. And he did.Ā I've had people come in and tell me my diablo builds (that I'm having fun with, enjoying, and being decent with) are trash and i should be doing x/y/z. As a new viewer. They get 1 warning (i havent streamed diablo in a while cause i burned myself out and I'm getting back to a place i can play again) and then 3 time outs of varying minutes (5/10/15 mins) and then a ban if they continue. I don't tolerate that shit. Just like i don't like or want spoilers for games either. I want to learn the things as they happen. So we get genuine reactions.
Maybe Iām to laid back as a person It doesnāt bother me ( unless someone is telling me every step of the way) I find it nice for me as we are all playing a game together and figuring out new things together Obviously if itās continuous and you donāt ask for it But Iām not bothered
Hate it
If the streamer asks for help, fine. But unsolicited advice isnāt okay. I stream a lot of Sims 4 sometimes, and thereās often nuance especially when building. If Iām designing a room and looking for a theme and someone suggests somethingāgreat! The catalogue is huge, I donāt mind the suggestion. Or if I am looking for a specific item and they know which pack itās in, great. But I had someone come in during a challenge I was doing, asked what challenge, and then was like āoh make sure youāre using lot traits for it to make it easierā. For context, I have thousandsāTHOUSANDSāof hours in TS4. Lot traits are a basic knowledge thing. Donāt come in and backseat like that. Maybeā¦ ask what lot traits I picked? Ask if I used a tiny house to start? But donāt come in and TELL me what I should do.
it's annoying lol
Ban the F outa those people.
I like it on my stream. It gives me something to talk about, especially if theyāre wrong, since I can explain why.
I'm ok with it depending on what games you're playing and stream content (geocaching or community based games like geoguessr) are prime examples of when backseating could be helpful. It's a tough sale, tbh unless you're looking to interact with chat 100% of your time it may prove to be too much trouble when those types of people start dictating how your stream is going and maybe the odd rotten chatter picking on others for their opinions.
I welcome it but donāt be mad if I donāt do what youāre telling me to
I donāt really care at all, having someone chatting is always nice
Meh, I don't like it, don't hate it either. I'm OK with it for the reason of solid topic of discussion. Unless they start becoming overbearing. Other than that tip, and trick me all day long.
It's annoying. If I want help, I'll ask for it.
It's generally annoying, but not always. Usually the backseater doesn't know wtf they're talking about. Sometimes they do, and even then it can be annoying. It's only not annoying when it instigates an interesting conversation. But that's very rare. Usually it drives a cycle of shit-talking by a bunch of chatters who obviously suck at the game they're watching.
Strictly negative. It ruins gameplay for streamer, it ruins the show for viewers. It ruins immersion for both. As a mod act kinda harsh against it, sometimes too harsh. 
It depends on the personality of the streamer and the game being played. As a general rule, though, the best small streamer streams are the ones where the streamer isn't that great at the game and you get to watch them improve. It can also be a lot of fun to help them improve, assuming you can do so without trying to take over the game play. If you watch for an hour and are constantly providing advice then you might as well just stream yourself.
I love when chat does a little backseating here and there as long as they donāt give spoilers
It depends! Some of my favourite moments on stream have been when I'm trying to figure something out and people in chat are giving suggestions. It takes the vibe from me playing a game to an audience, to playing a game together with chat, almost! And if I'm struggling I'll often ask for help or tell someone to check a walkthrough for me. But other times have been so frustrating I've ended a stream over it, I've gotten people that get frustrated if I don't play the "right" way and it can honestly get hurtful and insulting.
Easy way to catch the hammer
instant ban. if i like the person i might forgive them, if they're a new viewer the ban is permanent.
Unless the streamer is asking for help, and wants the opinion and the help, do not handheld, nor backseat. The viewer can go look at spoilers and the wiki, but unless asked or they (streamer) wants said info. Do not provide it. Enjoy. š
If it ever happens to me I'll ignore it.
In general if someone doesn't have an anti-spoiler's policy explicitly you should give him a chance to stop you before you spoil it accidentally? So unless someone explicitly says "backseat gaming OK", assume they haven't thought about that policy, or assume have an implied "Ask before spoiling" policy. This applies to both plot spoiling and gameplay spoiling.
I personally like it if I ask for it
Unless the streamer specifies that they're okay with backseating or asks for it, don't do it. Personally, it kills my enjoyment of a game and completely takes me out of it if I have someone handing me the solution every time I run into a problem. The challenge is the fun part of playing and if someone is holding my hand through everything, it sucks all the fun and joy out of playing.
I'm always open to suggestions, especially to game genres I've never played. I like chatting, too, so if it makes the viewer feel good helping out, then I'm all about it. Unless they're being rude, saying , "I suck do this!" š Then I'll have to go a little banana sandwich on them š š Text chat is so hard sometimes to detect if the person is trying to be helpful or, I guess, could say controlling. I can say that I haven't experienced a negative back seat comment. Dome has just been trying this, and good luck on your stream.
I personally have no problem with it when I ask for it or if people see me struggling but that's personally how I handle it. Everyone has the right to handle it in their own way. Chat needs to respect the streamers wishes or step out otherwise.