[inFeZa]

inFeZa’s Guide to Observing.

"You practice obsing? lol!"- NvPinder


What is Obsing?

"obsing is easy!" - Everyone

This guide is aimed for all those casters and streamers out there bringing us those awesome tournaments but aren't on a production level like MLG/GSL etc.

I got into Obsing after ACL Pro Gold Coast, we had a great set up and casters to bring us amazing games, but casting and obsing at the same time can prove to be quite tricky. I Asked boss caster Maynarde if I could help him out on his run of being the best caster in the world, to try and get him a seat with Tasteless/Artosis later down the track. This way he could perform his best and the audience wouldn’t miss the hard to pick drops that were going on all the time.

Observing is the third voice that you are watching when you watch a stream of Tastosis, Day9, even some of our local talent. It is the observer’s job to deliver as much of the action from the game that you possibly can.

There is so much that goes on in a high level SC2 Game, Multi-Prong attacks, Drops, Double Drops, Micro, Macro and you have to try and catch everything in perspective without making the game look like it’s in hyperdrive, stuttery or being too slow and missing that drop that took out the spire.
It is also your job to point out what the casters may have missed, with only your mouse cursor.
Why am I writing this? For one I want to improve – I love obsing, and I want to bring every game I observe to the audience watching in the best way possible. I also hate seeing terrible observing on some streams that I watch, Make it look professional! THIS IS ESPORTS!

You are the director.

What gear do i need to obs?

If you have SC2 installed and a nice mouse and keyboard, then great! You’re ready to get in game and give those viewers what they want. (You'll also need some streaming software too if you're the one streaming which you should, setting a vision camera on someone else ingame is very sub par and i don't recommend you do it)

But wait, should I do anything before I get in the game?
Yes! Definitely, Here are some screen-shots of my settings, including sound, control and other misc quality settings.

Step 1: Settings!

1: Graphics
ULTRA EVERYTHING. If your computer can’t handle this, then get out – Nobody wants a half-assed stream! (Just Kidding, High is acceptable, anything below makes the game look strange)



2: Controls
Keep your Mouse sensitivity so it is nice and smooth, not jittery and not too slow. Turn off Enable Mouse Scroll. This is super important, I really hate seeing the observer drag his mouse to the edge of the screen and scroll, it looks terrible and is way to stuttery. You need to learn to use the mouse drag scroll and the follow unit keys properly. Obviously disable windows key, but I like alt-tab.



3: Gameplay
This one is a bit debateable, A lot of people like the HPBays (lol) ON some like them OFF. I Keep them ON at all times because I like to see the health and researching of things. Ofcourse there is a hotkey that toggles them on and off, but I like them on by default . Keep the menu bar mode Hidden at all times, no one wants to see this. Violence on full of course, Game timer on, Alerts you can probably Toggle off (when you hit the vision key and mr bad player needs some more supply depots). Save all replays as well should be turned on but I use SC2Gears. Game Tooltips optional too.



4: Sound
Important not to have your sound blasting over the commentators, Load up a ums and make a giant battle happen to set yours appropriately. Ambient Sounds are optional, Everyone likes the music. Adjust it to your preferences. Some may say to turn Error sounds off – but I like them on when I point out some research or something and you click on the building researching it you get that blunt sound, just to make the audience aware of my mouse cursor and where it is, what im trying to show you.



Step 2: Hotkeys.

I’ve Changed Much of my hotkeys around so I can easily show tabs and other useful relevant information to the viewer, Same with the Tug of war bars (apm, income etc.)
These are MY hotkeys – You may want to change some yourself or add more. Go ahead .

Life Bar Toggle: H
Units: U
Units Lost: L
Vision: V
Name Panel: N
Console Toggle: W
Supply: S
EPM (the better one) : M
Resource Rate : R
Workers/Army Killed: K
Production : D
Drag Scroll: Mouse 4
Follow Unit: Mouse 5 (These mouse buttons are the thumb buttons)
Rotate Camera: Home & Delete.

Step 3: The Game

Okay You’re in the lobby! Fantastic, you’re about to observe Flash v Jaedong play their first ever SC2 Match live on OGN. Great, First thing is You should ask for the lobby host. Why? Because sometimes players are complete Jerans who like to start whenever they want. You control it. Now that you’re the lobby Host, Ask them for some reasonable colours (if not sometimes you can change them in game using that handy team colours button, it doesn’t work on some maps I don’t think?? I was having trouble with it in ACL – may have been my client) Red v Blue is the best. The reasoning? Rossi I’m looking at you Mr Terran who loves to go purple and when you drop all over the zergs, you CAN’T see a purple terran on purple creep (on the minimap). But some players love their colours, so hopefully we can over-ride them in the game if they don’t decide to change.
One last thing before you see if the players are ready and you’re about to hit that start button, but wait! There’s other spectators in the game! They’re Jerans too and they love to talk and ruin your lovely perfect screen, so make sure they are set to spectator, and you’re set to referee.
Perfect! Hit that shiny button down there.
You’re good to go!


Step 4 (optional) : Starboard

This step is optional, it’s a great easy free to use program (go google it if u want it) that can be highly customisable, looks great and has easy to use hot keys. I suggest if you plan on overriding this to use starboard as if you do change them to red and blue – the colours for the ingame nameplate will still be their original colours (and the APM bars etc too) So It can get quite confusing. It also can keep track of Bo3 and so on…. I’m sure you’ve seen it before. USE IT ! 


You’re IN the game!

Great! First thing’s first, Display that name panel! Even if starboard is on, because then you get the supplies right underneath those juicy names. Great! Now we know who’s who in this game of starcraft.
Introduce your players!

Make sure you let the casters know you want to have your big moment of GSL Zooming in. That’s right.
You’re going to master the zoom in. First you want to Locate the player, Select his primary building and follow it. This way you’re centred in on his Nexus. Drop the Console, Scroll Zoom and turn the camera at the same time.
Make sure your Korean Voice Guy has been given his que to roar that name of that amazing player you just zoomed in on! Now, to Zoom out, release the camera angle button and put the console back to its pretty state once before.
TaDa! You’re now ST_Legend! 

The Minimap:

This is your best friend. You need this, You love it. Watch it about 80-90% of the time, you need to look at this for drops, army movements and other things of interests.


The Early Game: This part is where casters love to ramble on about their weekends, how much they like cats or how they think McDonald’s should give you ketchup without asking them, So it’s not important right? WRONG! This is actually a crucial part of the game. While your casters are talking smack you need to look out for key moments of how the game might skew. For instance – Cheese, lovely cheese, If Player A Decides to proxy 2 gate, and Player B decides to play standard then you should be checking the players vision to show the audience what they know, if they see or suspect the cheese in any way.



The game seems quite normal – Great! Still select their scouting SCVs and check what they see, Key things are worker counts – Gas counts, pylon counts (including Proxies) Overlord visions, Unit counts and other lovely things I may add if some good players want to add some things they look for .


Early Expansion? – Nice! Make sure you can see if the player knows what the opponent is up to.
Remember Check their visions!


The Mid Game: This is where things can get exciting, yet boring. Mostly comparing economy, looking for drops, all ins and army engagements. You shouldn’t need to drop the console or change camera angle for fights. Point out Key tech/upgrades/lack of tech etc.
Let us know if the defending player knows about the opposition pushing out! Always keep the production tab open (sometimes you will want to briefly show the units tab.



After a Harass - Show the damage!



The Late Game: This is the fun part. High level players will go nuts in doing multi-prong drops, amazing strategies such as dropping to advance their armies, remote warp-ins, nukes, vortexes, massive battles and much more awesome-sauce stuff.

Use the minimap to jump around the map, NOT for smaller movements! Always be ready to switch between two things going on at once.

(My mouse cursor is supposed to be where the red arrow is)

You need to catch all of this on camera. You may need to drop the console and rotate your camera – this can piss quite a lot of people off, but don’t listen to them, they’re idiots. (really stop complaining about it, I’d rather capture the whole siege line rather than half of it.) Finding the best angle for a large battle can be tricky. But you’ll get used to it.

Remember WATCH THAT MINIMAP!

So now the game is over and the GG has been called! Let the score screen sit for a few seconds to let it sink in that flash has just won yet another game. Great! Amazing! I hope you captured every thing that happened in that game, but probably not. It’s impossible.


I hope this guide helps all you streamers and casters out there! Give us a nice smooth game next time . Also you can help relieve me at ACL .

*note I may have missed some things, I’ll edit them in later 

Quick Comments

	MooZfY:	nice
	TAminimat:
	rezyn8:	Great stuff
	Stallion:
	Maynarde:
	Baldie:	♥ Bossmode
	mGGMueX:
	Dox:	fifteen out of ten
	nirvAnA:	Boss! Spotlighted as article!
	TABottles:
	Zepph:	You just made my stream better
	TCPLemminks:	As useful as a guide for breathing :P
	Frogmite:	hpbay
	TCPKiaSu:
	TAkrunch:
	asdfSchnitzel:
	xGKingdelete:
	Fourby:	1st
	Halstrom:
	Flamga:	Legend

[asdfSchnitzel]

Sticky this!

[iMSystem]

Nice writeup, another thing to note is that perfecting your Observing skills improves your gameplay, as you will just be used to always checking the minimap for shit

[Baldie]

Awesome work! I learned a lot myself from watching GSL observers but I will give you credit for the following of units with your extra mouse button hotkey. I just switched that hotkey OMG it's sexy - means my keyboard hand is free

This is definitely a well thought out and detailed guide and it will help avoid the prolonged "trial and error" periods new observers/casters will face.

[Dox]

This needs to appear on Reddit and TL.

[TASlowHands]

I just came here to say lol Jeran

[TABottles]

What's a Jeran?

[inFeZa]

http://www.reddit.com/r/starcraft/co...rs_a_guide_to/ the reddit thread. plz upvote!

Jeran
Jeran (n.) A Person who who commits acts of pure selfishness and stupidity. The person is only for self gain, disregarding anybody else.
Wow Steve is being a complete Jeran! / Did you just see that act of Jeranism?

pretty much saddle for idiot


Also i'll post it on TL tonight

Quick Comments

TABottles:

Nice, upvoted on Reddit

[TAEaeron]

Nice work inFeZa read the whole thing; extremely easy to read and it has pictures

[deL]

Obsing is ez, love 2nd best obser at ACL

Quick Comments

syfChadMann:

thanks - I thought I did well too!.. :D

[DeNile]

the best thread i have seen since stallions Bday thread.

all jokes aside really worth reading and learning from this i have taken notes.

[inFeZa]

Might write up an advanced technique guide too - this one is mostly pure basics.

[Maynarde]

Originally Posted by SQL.inFeZa

The Early Game: This part is where casters love to ramble on about their weekends, how much they like cats or how they think McDonald’s should give you ketchup without asking them, So it’s not important right? WRONG! This is actually a crucial part of the game.

I would take offence to this but it's true.

McDonalds needs to fix their sh*t up.

Quick Comments

inFeZa:

ikr... or give us self dispensable ones like in the USA. T_T