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**inFeZa** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 2:56 PM

A General Do’s and Don’ts to Streaming.

Just elaborating and expanding on my Previous guide i wrote - Can be found here.
I am also writing a bit of an advanced guide which will come in due time - Will focus on the techniques and ideas of observing that you may not pick up on.

Please note that some things i write in here may be personal opinion, and previous mistakes of my own. I just wrote these things that i like and i don't like from watching various streams

Of course i have left out the super basic obvious things, cbf writing them.

Do

:

Do Use More than 1 Overlay. 2 - 3 is nice, they’re easy to make and easy to switch from - So take your time to do it!

Do Use plenty of hotkeys for your 3rd party programs (ie. Starboard has hotkeys use them instead of showing us you’re a complete noob and entering the scores in manually.)

Do Be Nice and smooth in your actions. Take it slow, seduce your viewers with your smoooooooth actions.

Do Use the Camera Pan button (default middle mouse) to scroll.

Follow units with the hotkey (default is like shift+f or something - change this.) You can Click the portrait, however see below "Don't #9" For reason why.

Do If you’re paired with an observer - give him prompts to what you’re talking about and visa-versa.

Do Subtly point out things casters may miss. don’t over exaggerate it.

Do Show the Tug-Of-War tabs briefly after some damage harass, or economic boosts (mass drones/mules etc.) Don't keep it up there for too long! that's why its a giant pretty quick information bar .

Do Take off in game overlays when you drop the console. Just keep a screen as completely blank. maybe bind it to the same key (i’m yet to test this,I'm sure it will work)

Do Take off your ingame overlays when you’re in the lobby it (if you dont have an idle overlay) looks horrendous to see a bar at the bottom thats supposed to be the in-game console - Check out Systems - it’s pretty baller and basic.

Do Your research on who is playing. Remember their styles. When i observe certain players i know their styles (eg. Rossi’s multi drop Purple terran vs Zerg. BE PREPARED TO HAVE YOUR FACE 1MM AWAY FROM THE MINIMAP.)

Do Wish your players GLHF in the game lobby, Set yourself as Referee so you don't see any annoying chat machines ingame (the other spectators). You be the host too, You're running the show (unless rules state a ref has to be). Make sure they're ready too before you start

Do Be Professional about your cast.

Don’t

:

Don't Display a webcam in-game. You're beautiful, but It’s distracting and we’re here to watch the game and listen to you talk about it, not watch you talk about it. Save it for in-between games.

Don't Click on buildings and units rapidly, selecting a lot of things in a small amount of time, going through their base to see what tech they have. We can see how many gateways there are without you clicking on each one individually quickly. Just Control Click them all at once if you want to select them.

Don't Be Ser Box-a-lot. Cursor box sparingly (just highlight some gas maybe a cancel or something)- Use the program SC Tactician (still in beta) to draw on the screen.

Don't Open up starboards preferences to change the scores/names/teams etc. Everything has EASY hot keys. learn them.

Don't Alt-Tab out of SC2. If you have to absolutely do it then minimise your task bar so you have to hover over it to see it. We dont want to see this. Starcraft shouldn’t look like its running on your computer, it should look like it IS your computer.

Don't Use the arrow keys to scroll.

Don't Push the edge of the map to scroll. (disable this option in your settings if you're about to observe a bunch of games. its easy to change back)

Don't Follow units by scrolling along with them Use the hotkey..

Don't Keep your mouse moving very fast, Your cursor is usually where the eyes of your viewers are following when not much is happening. Use the cursor to your advantage. You're not playing the game, your watching it

Don't crack witty jokes like tasteless does, unless its OC and actually quite suiting. (ie. maynarde's Perv comment) Also Don't Joke about the stream chat/quality

Don't Zoom in when it’s not needed. some times it's okay to really show some 1v1 SCV battles when not much is happening early game, but if it's mid-late game, there should be no zooming in unless you're showing some manner mules

Don't Look around through the fog of war - It's too dark and uninteresting, Use your map explanation with the minimap.

Don't Cover your stream with Logos and overlays. Use the Sexy Gif style that rotates (see Dox's ACL one).

Present us something that you're proud of.

Thanks for reading. Comment, add your own etc.. below.

Quick Comments

	Stallion:
	Baldie:
	syfMiley:	huge plays
	xGKingdelete:	never knew about that middle click thing
	Maynarde:	Excellent addition
	nirvAnA:
	asdfSchnitzel:
	iMSystem:
	DGWoLF:	Thanks man Very usefull info. i guess i gotta start learning more hotkeys rather then just income Production and units :P

**Maynarde** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 3:06 PM

Good addition to the guide man! Most of my personal preferences mirror the ones in the Do's and Don'ts of the OP and I like the list. Especially for up and coming casters getting into streaming / obs-ing by themselves.

+1 from me sir. Keep up the good work.

PS. This guide should be stickied as an article to add to your current one
PPS. Oh wait I'm a mod LOL

Quick Comments

inFeZa:

PPPS <3

asdfSchnitzel · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 3:07 PM

Awesome once again!

**Baldie** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 3:17 PM

Hey quick question. I would PM this but it might be something that affects other people as well.

The default to temporarily remove the UI interface is CTRL + W. Alike you I have rebound this to just W. The issue is some games I notice the UI doesn't actually go away. It seems some player names overwrite the command. Just wondering if you have this issue sometimes and if you have any way to avoid it happening.

At least rebounding it to W removes any chance of it being obvious due to switching to the player camera

**Baldie** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 3:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maynarde

+1 from me sir. Keep up the good work.

PS. This guide should be stickied as an article to add to your current one
PPS. Oh wait I'm a mod LOL

A day in the mind of Maynarde - Part 1

**Maynarde** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 3:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToRBaldie

A day in the mind of Maynarde - Part 1

Whoah ok manner please can someone infract this joker?

PS. Oh wait ...

Quick Comments

Baldie:

I c wut u did thar

**inFeZa** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 3:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToRBaldie

The issue is some games I notice the UI doesn't actually go away.

I have this problem too - and i had it before i rebound my keys - i think it's a bug in SC2 T_T - Just relog and it should work again.

**Baldie** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 3:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQL.inFeZa

I have this problem too - and i had it before i rebound my keys - i think it's a bug in SC2 T_T - Just relog and it should work again.

Ah good to hear it isn't just on my end but still obviously not ideal for all of us. It's half the reason why I drop the UI in my player intros so I know if I have that tool available to me for the rest of the game haha!

Also big fan of your work!

**iMSystem** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 3:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQL.inFeZa

Don't Use the arrow keys to scroll.

I would say this is a bit iffy.

If you drop the speed at which you move the camera with the arrow keys, you can get a real nice pan of things and have it consistent rather than moving slowly with your mouse.

Of course you don't have the ease in and out effect you would with your mouse, but you can have a nice pan of the main base for example, which goes through the production facilities and end up in the natural.

Examples of course

**Baldie** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 4:57 PM

I have my arrow key scroll set to like 3% for reasons stated above by System. I also find it works well for moving fights such as broodlord pushes.

I appreciate your intention in stating that it shouldn't be used as a primary source of movement

**inFeZa** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 5:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by System

I would say this is a bit iffy.

If you drop the speed at which you move the camera with the arrow keys, you can get a real nice pan of things and have it consistent rather than moving slowly with your mouse.

Of course you don't have the ease in and out effect you would with your mouse, but you can have a nice pan of the main base for example, which goes through the production facilities and end up in the natural.

Examples of course

I put it in because of the stutter effect that you get from it, if you can pull it off so its smooth then go for it! I just hate seeing the move then it kinda comes to a complete stop, the mouse scroll is much more effective. Guess i'll have to try that out

Quick Comments

iMSystem:

Yea, like I said using the keys you don't get the ease in and out, but you can keep it consistent for longer

**Baldie** · Mon, 4th-Jun-2012, 5:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SQL.inFeZa

I just hate seeing the move then it kinda comes to a complete stop, the mouse scroll is much more effective. Guess i'll have to try that out

I have mine at 2% which is the approximate speed of broodlords pushing for a reference. I wouldn't put it any higher than that.

At 2% it is pretty smooth naturally as you aren't really going fast enough to notice the stop. I have used it once or twice to pan through a main to the natural or vice versa as well as in a slow push. If done correctly it can create a nice "birds eye" feel of a base or in a fight create a panning cinematic feel - it also allows you to have your mouse hand entirely free for highlighting specific units or boxing.

Although I can say I almost never use the arrow keys I like knowing I have the option to. Again I use it so seldom it's hardly worth making a huge point over haha!