Ultimate Co-Hosting Guide to The TomBobBlender Show!

[TomBobBlender]

Thank you, BigAl, for creating such a wonderful Co-Hosting Guide! In response to that, I have a few things I need to both say and reiterate:

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). This is what my entire show is based around: an old-school gamer who was deprived of video games beyond the Super NES who suddenly found himself faced with the 3D world. Please help me enjoy it.

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. Please stop using the word FAIL. I really, really hate that. It's discouraging. Also, by you doing that implies to new viewers that it's okay to act noobish and behave like a troll. 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 internet walkthroughs.... please... they are not always correct. If you are co-hosting, 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 (either a day or week before that particular segment of the game airs), 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? If you're co-hosting, you MUST know the game, or at least the segment of the game being played through that particular night. Please don't create a dramatic scene over this. If someone seems to co-host more than others, sit back and figure out why. Sometimes we do get stuck with the only-one-person-in-the-entire-chat-knows-the-game situation.

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. I love simple. Use little kid language.

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. Be future tellers!

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. While I do read the chat while I play, I can't constantly watch it (especially with platformers), and please don't get upset if I miss something that you had said: the chat often scrolls quickly and I may have looked away for those few particular seconds.

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

[AncientGuru]

I would like to add one thing to what Tom has added. While there are no reserved cohost spots generally, for a user who has bought the WiiPlay with their own DP they usually are given the first opportunity to cohost. After all, they saved up for this game and had a great desire to see Tom play it. It is generally fair to let them enjoy the game with Tom. It also helps that generally they know the games better than anyone else.