CO-HOST MUST KNOW'S Guide to Survival

This is kind of a rant, kind of not, I dunno, but I hope you read it, whether you're a co-hoster or not.

There has been a lot of commotion about co-hosting during our "WiiPlay Video Games" segment. I know all of this is already stated in the rules and in the forums, but I guess I'll try it this way.

First of all, this segment is for games I have NEVER played before. EVER. NO EXPERIENCE. NO BACKGROUND INFORMATION. So, Of COURSE I am going to go in the wrong direction (especially with these 3D games), of COURSE I'm going to make LOTS of mistakes, of COURSE I'm going to DIE many times and of COURSE I'm not going to know every little power up and strategy. It may LOOK like I'm dumb and have no idea what I'm doing... trust me... I'm not. I choose to play games I've never played before to not only learn new games but to give YOU the chance to interact (positively).

You do NOT have yell from the chat room what direction I have to head in, what I must do next, etc. I am most likely NOT going to read the chat... hence... the whole purpose of a co-host! "TOM! GO LEFT!" "TOM, GO BACK! WATER YOU DOING!?" This is unnecessary and, quite frankly, ExTrEmElY annoying.

Quit being so rude in the chat! My god, you guys can be such demons at times. If I had friends tell me I FAIL every time I died or made a mistake in the game, they'd get PAWNCHED. I really would like this to stop because it's just downright rude and disrespectful, especially to a stream HOST. I know it must make you feel tough and above everyone else to put others down, but I don't condone that here. Remain positive or leave.

Please let ME play the game. I am thankful for all of my co-hosts, but PLEASE, you do NOT need to drag my body behind you. I do NOT need step-by-step directions. At that point, I might as well hand you guys the controller and say, "Here!". Avoid..... in all seriousness.... avoid using walkthroughs.... please... they are not always correct. If you are co-hosting this, you REALLY SHOULD know this game inside and out! Nothing is more irritating that 'thinking' you know something is there, "believe" I should go this way, etc. My advice; play through the game before you co-host it, or have an OFFICIAL Players Guide by your side. Give me some time to explore the game and figure it out on my own. I'd rather spend 35 minutes figuring out a situation rather than spending 4 seconds being told how to do it right. If that... makes....any sense. Know where I am in the game when you are preparing to co-host and have a general goal to meet in the time you are co-hosting.

There are NO RESERVES with co-hosting. How is that even fair? What I normally do is answer whoever is calling about five minutes before the game begins. That's it. If you're there and I answer it, then you're it. Please don't create a dramatic scene over this. If someone seems to co-host more than others, sit back and figure out why.

Don't overwhelm me with information. Just tell me as much as I need to know at that given moment. Give me the Reader's Digest version, preferably in your own words.

I am NOT you; I WILL do things differently. Too many people (both co-hosts and in the chat) want me to play the game much the same way they played it. That's only natural, I guess, but simply unrealistic. Even though you'll tell me to do something one way, I just might do it another. Just remember WHO is playing these games.

Use the simplest terms when referring to where to go, especially on the map; avoid using the actual names of places, such as "Goblin Valley"; rather, just say "the brown thing at the top right of the screen'". I just don't have the time to memorize all these names, playing seven games at a time, and once a week.

DON'T talk about what is happening on your screen. This is annoying. No matter what, you will ALWAYS be at LEAST 4 seconds BEHIND what I'm doing. Predict what will be happening 4 seconds ahead of what you see and talk about that. This is one of the finest skills a co-host could have. After all, if you really knew the game, this shouldn't be an problem.

Please READ THE CHAT, Co-Hosts! Trust me, I don't NEED to have a co-host to play these games, but I much prefer it, since the process generally goes faster (that is, if the co-host knows the game). Sometimes I would rather just play the game and refer to the chat if I need help or just use my hundreds of gaming magazines and Players Guides to help me through.

I hope that covers everything I wanted to say in this little "Co-Host Must-Haves" guide/rant. If I think of anything else, I'll just place it here. Thanks for reading. - TBB

Nice guide. Pretty funny too . This should work out any problems with you and co-hosts. As long as they read this.

good points

i tottely agree with you Tom, this is why i don't talk much in the room alot. It seems some are pretty mean . I am here to watch awsome nintendo game playing maybe chat it up with someone who's nice or maybe normal. but it is hard to when i see/hear people fighting and arguing about who should co-host or which character should goto by yelling. Tom you keep up with the good work. you're the reason why i goto the ustream. You are awsome!

Very good points Tom, and well made. Let's hope people who regularly co-host will take the time to read through this and adjust themselves accordingly. And maybe it will inspire so of we "seldom callers" into trying more.

I totally agree with you Tom. And although I admit I do some of those things sometimes.. it's time to stop. We ALL need to stop. Let's hope people read this...

Thank you Tom, With these rules. People are going to Cyberbully me less....

Very good Points. I agree with everything on it (feels like a hypocrite)

We all got to remember. There is NO reserving Co-host spots...(now i feel more like a Hypocrite) there are Dedicated Co-hosts to LPs but there are NO Official Co-hosts. We've got to Remember this.
(I feel very Hypocritical now)

Great list. Only thing I would add is that the chat not make fun of people's voices. That's not something people can help and it's very rude and disrespectful.

Although I guess that's not really a Co-Host rule.