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Bash · Tue, 24th-Jan-2012, 9:29 PM

Agreed on pretty much everything, well written sir.

Churlz · Tue, 24th-Jan-2012, 10:30 PM

Well put systems I also agree on everything.

The casting was really a situation where 1+1 = 1 instead of 1+1 = 3-4. Both casters seemed great but didn't really have the synergy like most other high profile events. This is totally to be expected because of the size of esports in AUS. The time when I thought the casting was the best when there was a rotation between dox, maynarde and doble. This because Dox was more analytical as well as just being a bit more refreshing.

So my idea would be to have 2 sets of casters sort of like what MLG does with the red and blue streams except just have rotate after each BO3 instead of having 2 streams. Or possibly just have a back up set of casters because I know that both Doble and Maynarde were exhausted after having to cast 2 full days of games which they should be. And mix and match the casters until we find what works best and then modify it for the next event. I am not saying fly out 2 more casters but maybe have like pig cast a game every now and then with another pro who is willing (I think this would be awesome!!).

This is just my 2 cents being a business student I see esports at the moment really in the growing stages. So sometimes we got to trial different things and get a lot of feedback which is really good!

**Dox** · Tue, 24th-Jan-2012, 10:54 PM

Just landed in Melbourne. In a taxi. Shall reply to this when I get home.

**nirvAnA** · Wed, 25th-Jan-2012, 8:31 AM

System such a boss! hahaha saw iaguz/rossi watching you!

NvPinder · Wed, 25th-Jan-2012, 9:14 AM

Since Dox hasn't replied yet I feel like I'd like to address at least some of your criticisms and my take on the event.

Quote:

No scoring graphic for the games I feel is one of the biggest letdown. Having something as simple as Starboard running can improve the
visual quality of the cast and let new viewers know who they are watching and what the current score is.

This I can definitely agree with. Overlays are everywhere nowadays and I don't THINK it would be too difficult to implement this with the normal blizzard player vs player graphic at the top.

Quote:

No overlay between matches or during downtime.(Note: I realize there was the one graphic that had ACL's social media information on it...)
but a simple overlay under the casters with their names and other small tidbits. (Twitters for both casters) instead of telling us every
20mins what your twitters are and to follow you. (It does get quite annoying after a few times)

I believe this was done? Afaik I remember it having the twitters of the casters (doble/maynarde/dox) under them while they were on view, and I'm not sure what more you'd want other than the one graphic they had combined with the roaming camaras (which btw, for people at the event, and I hope people at home watching, were a great blast to have fun on between games!). Basically I pretty much flat out disagree here and think they did the best job possible on the 'down time' they had.

Quote:

The caster choice wasn't the best. Don't get me wrong, Maynarde and Doble did a great job casting the event, but they didn't really work together.
(Again, it is mainly an inexperience thing but just don't dismiss the next few pointers)
It's quite commonly known that for
the best casting duo you need a play-by-play commentator, and an analytically commentator. Unfortunately, both Maynarde and
Doble were play-by-play casters, which lead to no real game talk, and a lot of missed opportunities to really discuss a game in depth.

I'd kinda agree and disagree here, I agree in that neither of their game knowledge was of a particularly high standard and some mistakes were definitely made in calling plays etc. But the problem is Australia has no artosis/day9 who are/were TOP level players who can cast well who still wouldn't rather be players than casters. However Maynarde and Doble did, in my eyes, an amazing job together. They had better chemistry than some overseas casters I see, the humor was fantastic, the play by play and excitement level was just right and they way they worked in front of the camera was something that might get looked over by a lot of people and was absolutely fantastic.

Quote:

To be honest, when I stream the production sides of things is probably better than what ACL had to offer, and I don't mean to be rude
but I hope ACL takes these facts into account and improves next time for the next ACL LAN.

Complete bullshit. Sorry but WTF. You cant compare streaming from your home with an overlay or two to a LAN event with multiple roaming cameras, the casters sitting together, shots of players, crowds, casters and tons of player interviews and actually say the production side of things on your end are better. Don't say "i dont mean to be rude" after you've just said something incredibly rude, it defeats the purpose, you 100% intended to be rude or else you wouldn't of put the little jab about you doing a better job in there.

Whilst I'm positive your constructive criticism is truelly welcome, comments like

Quote:

The Overall Production of the event I felt was a real slump.

are just crap dude. Is this the first Australian LAN event you've been to and/or watched ever? If it is then I can somewhat understand your 'disappointment' towards it, however you've got to understand than when you compare this to ANY of the other big LAN events we've had for SC2 (Things that come to mind: NRG sydney, GIGAbyte Melbourne, BLIZZCCON finals sydney, WCG Nationals GC) you'll find that this far and away absolutely CRUSHES all of them in pretty much every aspect tournament wise except prize pool. I think you're vastly understating the absolutely amazing job the whole ACL team did to put on the production for the event that it did.

**iMSystem** · Wed, 25th-Jan-2012, 9:42 AM

Quote:

I believe this was done? Afaik I remember it having the twitters of the casters (doble/maynarde/dox) under them while they were on view, and I'm not sure what more you'd want other than the one graphic they had combined with the roaming camaras (which btw, for people at the event, and I hope people at home watching, were a great blast to have fun on between games!). Basically I pretty much flat out disagree here and think they did the best job possible on the 'down time' they had.

The twitter thing was was implemented midday on the second day, and I agree with the rest you stated.

Quote:

Complete bullshit. Sorry but WTF. You cant compare streaming from your home with an overlay or two to a LAN event with multiple roaming cameras, the casters sitting together, shots of players, crowds, casters and tons of player interviews and actually say the production side of things on your end are better.

Ok, maybe the word production was misused. But what I was comparing was the visual sides of things.
Before I cast an event, there is the time and when the event starts, showing viewers whats coming up and when it will arrive.
Between games there is an overlay, with information about the event, sponsors (If any) and current standings of the bracket / score state, and in-game there is the Starboard.
Now I realize that with live events you don't need overlays in between games because you can just have live camera shots of crowds or gamers

Quote:

I think you're vastly understating the absolutely amazing job the whole ACL team did to put on the production for the event that it did.

I am hardly understating anything, I am merely picking things apart.
ACL did an amazing job with everything and came out to be a complete success and I don't disagree with any of your counter-arguments as well, and again nothing compares to what ACL has done in Australia and props to them.
But I felt this post had to be made to show what needs to be improved for the next event.

Sensator · Wed, 25th-Jan-2012, 1:53 PM

I was both playing and helping out with the Stream as much as I could.

Let me just say that his was no easy feat for the production crew, they were all literally running on empty by the end of the event and it even took them a few days simply to recover. LANs are really not as easy as people make them out to be, it's an extremely tiring ordeal for both players and especially organisers and I just want to make that known to people who don't have any type of experience in it.

This was the first *real* event that this production team had done so you have to give credit where credit is due, and not be so critical.

Personally I thought it was one of the better Aus events that I've seen, sure there were issues, but consider ALL the facts.

**ACL VaNzR** · Wed, 25th-Jan-2012, 5:53 PM

For a first time, I think this stream crew did a fantastic job. Sure, lots of things to work on, and we'll take this on board. Watch an hour or so of rebroadcasts from this stream and tell me whether you have the same opinions:

www.twitch.tv/aclpro

I'm interested to see if there are ideas that are implemented in one that need to be in the other and which are priorities.