So I can’t actually watch TV all that well without having something to do: a game that doesn’t take up too much energy, a chore, a craft, etc. WoW fills that bill extremely well, and thus I’ve recently been able to finally start my rewatch of House. Sometimes I like video essays while I’m leveling or handling Archaeology achievements, too. I don’t watch anything while I’m doing major story content, so I like something that’s easily paused and isn’t too complicated. As a result I tend to avoid super complicated shows and anything that requires my full attention (such as coursework videos). Shows with detailed animation are also shows I tend to avoid while gaming, as I like to pay attention to animation details. I also avoid subbed anime while gaming, for obvious reasons, and depending on the age of the show, I prefer the subs to the dubs. Live action foreign films I always watch subbed because I find dubs harder to get into with Live Action; Squid Game or Train to Busan are good examples. I might make an exception for Spanish-dubbed anime, as I’m trying to learn Spanish and thus it makes sense that I should watch Spanish stuff without subs, and exposure to the language while playing WoW helps.
What have you been watching while you play WoW, and what do you do when you’re watching something while you play WoW?
If I’m doing something that I have to concentrate on, I only re-watch old content that I’m familiar with so I don’t care if I miss a detail or dialogue.
If that’s not an issue for you, my latest favorites are:
Resident Alien (Netflix and Peacock)
Twisted Metal (Peacock)
Wolf Like Me (Peacock)
Shogun (Hulu, still 2 episodes to release)
Artful Dodger (Hulu)
The Gentlemen (Netflix)
I also watch The Rookie and Will Trent (both Hulu) but I’m not caught up on either currently. I’m torturing my way through Suits right now.
I don’t have a second monitor so it’s less watching and more listening but I usually pull up a playlist from a youtube channel I like and let it run while I post auctions, farm for mats, that sort of thing. It’s stuff I’ve already watched so it’s easy to jump in and out of when my focus shifts.
Right now Disaster Breakdown (plane & train accidents) and Kaz Rowe (history with an lgbtq focus) are keeping me sane while I grind out Plunderstorm renown.
Kaz Rowe is pretty cool! Before I had a second monitor and after I stopped using my laptop for everything, I almost exclusively used video essays, and Kaz Rowe was one of them. Audiobooks were also a personal favorite.
I typically have some kind of true crime show on. Something that interests me but I can half ignore and not be out anything. I pay attention between queues and then tune it out when the queue pops.
I sometimes listen to podcasts. I’ve been particularly into “The History of Rome” recently - an oldie but a goodie. I can’t focus on watching and playing though, I’ve found.
I can’t watch things while playing WoW, but I have gotten through many an audiobook while grinding different reps. Getting through Carmilla made Ravenholdt rep bearable.
I have to have something burbling away in the background, usually Neebs Gaming, Markiplier, SepticEye or a podcast on some fantasy or sci fi lore. I’ll mute it if something important or interesting comes up in WoW, but I just can’t relax unless I’m bombarding myself with two or three different things at once.
Most commonly I’m either listening to music or watching streams. I follow far too many vtubers to keep up with; it’s problem I admittedly have little interest in solving.
When doing the former, I mainly listen to various forms of rock, mostly Stoner, Metal and Punk. I also quite like Drum & Bass.
I’ve also been meaning to catch up on content from various motorsports channels I follow; archived streams of GT races, Formula D and other similar videos. I still haven’t seen the last 24hrs of Le Mans, that needs to change soon.
