[ToRDolo]

Hi guys,

Bard and I have been casting the SeaCC and SeaCL games for nRv Gaming and we've also casted games from WNG Weekly's 5 and 6 which have all been amazing fun. However, we've been looking for feedback on the casting/streaming and haven't really gotten too much direct feedback! So to try to get some kind of information I'm wondering what you guys like to see/hear from casters? Also maybe what is it that you enjoy the most or what's the most important thing you want when watching casted games?

Thanks in advance for your input!

[TN.Fitz]

Link? So we can see your casts?

[DeNile]

hey there.

Watched the final of the last WNG weekly and it was a great cast. The feedback i can leave you may be negligible.

Weather it was casting such a long tournament or just general tiredness you seemed to have alot of pause and off topic conversation in the finals. It was a long casts session so my suggestion would be taking a quick break? as to me, finals are when most off topic conversation should be limited as it is the final. This advice is coming from someone with no casting ability or experience compared to you guys so take it with a grain of salt. Just thought i would give you my two cents of feedback.

Other then that i enjoyed the cast. And hope to tune into more of your casts.

[Jaywalk]

the primary thing i like in a caster is credible game knowledge. thats why i love listening to artosis > wolf > apollo etc. I like to be able to learn something while I watch a show. for me this is more important than funniness / personality, those things are bonuses =)

[breadfan]

I love learning things, but I don't tune in to a cast to get huge chunks of knowledge thrown at me.

Personally, I feel that the most important thing is a good flow going between the casters. It can be irritating when they keep trying to talk over the top of each other. It happened in the Asus ROG last night with TotalBiscuit and dApollo. In the past they've been in tune really well, but things like that actually distract you from the game.

Haven't seen your casts so can't give you anything specific to you guys I'm sorry

[NvPinder]

To be entertained, I don't care if you have like gold level knowledge of the game, just be entertaining and give a play by play and you'll be doing better than some of the casters on the international scene imo.

(Don't get me wrong, having analysis artosis/day9 style is fantastic, but don't try to analyse if you're not a top level player, it doesn't work and every caster ever makes this mistake T-T)

[aLtMrFool]

Exactly what many has been saying - don't try to be analytical if you aren't a top level players or rather, have top level knowledge of the game. It gets really irritating ala moletrap style. But if you've watched enough high level games and can pull it off, its x100 bonus to your casting!

And while listening to casts, the thing I hate most is when casters go crazy over mistakes made by players ala moletrap style. He likes to go ' oh my god, I don't like that, how can he lose 2 marines to that stalker? This is definitely not code S standard '. Don't get me wrong, a caster should point out mistakes but a code S player is there for a reason, he might have been macro-ing or doing 7 things at the same time, mis-manuvering slightly on one front is fine. Thing is - a player of a certain calibre is of that calibre of a reason, instead of shitting all over a player saying how not perfect he is, a caster might consider pointing out the mistake and move on, commenting about each players' style and strength. Shitting all over a player for a minor mistake is sooo irritating ala moletrap style.. I'm sorry moletrap but your casting style really kills my heart so much more than any caster I've ever heard..

[Jaywalk]

I 100% agree that casters without high level game knowledge shouldn't try to be analytic casters, my point is its the casters who ARE high level players or people with solid knowledge that I enjoy watching the most. Nothings saying you cant have personality/humour and be an analytic caster.

If you are not one of these people then ofcourse its very annoying if you try to be, and in this case being funny and just doing play by play is the obvious way to go.

However I know bard is GM and listening to his stream he has great analysis, i dont know about ignorance but if hes a good solid play by play or colour caster then it sounds like a great combo. Im very interested to listen to you guys!

[MooZfY]

I want casters to be funny and entertaining that's all

[Shuix]

A good voice I can't stand listening to someone with an annoying voice lol.. I don't think a lot of people can. But just as other people have said, Game knowledge, Personality and your attitude

But you should defiantly put a link to some of your casts so we can watch and give you direct feedback

[Maynarde]

As an up and coming caster, just like yourself I'm also looking to improve Based on feedback my major flaw is intricate game knowledge. Trying to rectify this by playing random and studying builds. A lot of people have already listed what I'm going to list but I'll do it anyway.

What I love to see from a good caster are the following;

• Great game knowledge (build orders, timings, unit specs, etc).
• Confidence, be clear don't be quiet, don't mumble, don't be afraid to make jokes. You're there to inform, but mainly entertain.
• Enthusiasm, be passionate about the game.

The good news is, all of the above things can be worked on with practice Cast more games, upload replay casts, it's all good practice. You can't really work on something like having a Moletrap like voice or something which I find hard to listen to, but the things I've listed are the MOST important in my eyes.

Best of luck with your future as a caster.

PS. If anyone has seen my casts of anything feel free to let me know what I should be working on, as I said I always want to improve. Maybe PM! I don't want to derail

Quick Comments

	nirvAnA:	yay i dont have to post!
	Frogmite:	Maynarde rising star caster

[x5_Bard]

In terms of our previous casts you can find them here! http://www.twitch.tv/bard123 unfortunately some are me solo casting due to ig playing but any feedback would be greatly appreciated! I have a couple of things I am working on atm namely

1. not going off topic
2. thinking silence is a bad thing so i start to talk about rubbish
3. swearing, which i have rectified in recent casts
4. becoming more professional with overlays etc, for breaks so im not sitting there while you watch my mouse go around and around xD
5. trying to find which role i fit into, I feel atm that im trying to do a run by run of things while being analytical which isnt working for me!
6. I talk about workers too much I feel they are important! lol

[ToRDolo]

Thanks so much for your feedback/thoughts on casting guys, really appreciate the advice! Here's the link to the VOD for the WNG Weekly #6 for those who asked to see some of the casting:

http://www.twitch.tv/bard123/b/309177492
EDIT: (whoops didn't see Bard had posted before >.< me, was sitting on this post for a while haha)

(I tend to take a bit of a back seat when casting with Bard, though I'm working on being more vocal and improving our dynamics though, just through pracitsing and casting more!)

@QEDDeNile - Cheers for the direct feedback, glad you enjoyed it overall! Was definitely a pretty long casting session and I know I was already stuffed from a long day at work from the get go with that one! You're definitely right about the finals though, I guess a coffee or a Red Bull before they start might be a good idea ^^

I guess I didn't really introduce ourselves too much either sorry, didn't think people would want to watch the long casts to give us feedback haha, was just looking for general/generic comments! But yeah, Bard's a solid GM protoss and has a more game knowledge on the whole, he's been playing since release, and I'm a low masters zerg with a more limited game knowledge, been playing regularly since the end of season 2. Just having a bit of fun with casting games and enjoying learning more about Sc2 and the community because of it!

[Dumbledore]

Just be sleep deprived.

[calcifer19]

bard's casting is very good i like it

[Frogmite]

I would like casters to display the HP bay.

Quick Comments

NvPinder:

LOL

[x5_Bard]

HP Bar? I always do!

Quick Comments

Frogmite:

HP BAY

[MrHobo]

I will just list things (by importance) and maybe describe what I mean a little. This is coming from a a fellow caster.

1. Confidence: Nobody likes a weak voice and an unsure tone when listening to a caster. Speak like you mean it and if you do analyze something don't say, "well it could be this but I'm not sure and if it's not right then I don't know and..."
2. Fluid: Try to cut the um's and uh's and your really common catch phrases like "oh my gosh" or "wow". When I listen to myself, I can say one phrase a lot and it gets super annoying. You can analyze your own casts to pick these out.
3. Knowledge: After being able to speak, you need to be able to speak intelligently. Know your shit. First, know the basics like the unfoldings of standard strats. Then go into timings, upgrade stuff, costs, things like that. Deep game knowledge will develop over time if you are good enough. I suggest watching korean replays to be up to date.
4. Creativity/Style: Make your own persona, that's the only way you'll stand out. Nobody wants another boring caster that does an OK job. This is probably the hardest thing to do if you don't have a nice/unique voice, so people like myself have to work at it. Try new catch phrases or wording that is smart and agreeable to the ear. "A tidal wave of roaches is about to crash down on this Terran!" Something like that but not as lame, haha. This also will take work.
5. Have fun with it!