Simply put in the past we have placed speakers at strategical places, played with audio settings and various other methods to try increase how loud we can play the casters to the spectators.
Every ACL I've been to - there has been some speakers set up right in-front of the stage pointing at the spectator area and the SC2 player area... Guess its not a big deal for the other titles on show at ACL.. but SC2 its a big deal if players can hear. I'd say setting 2 PC's off to one end would probably work pretty well tho.. Again, depends what is available in the venue
Honestly, it's as simple as having main stage "casted" games having the players both in the opposite direction of the speakers and a fair distance away from them.
If the setup is anything like ACL Melbourne, the players will be able to hear the casters.
Umm there needs to be zero distance. You just give the players the adequate headsets. That is all the solution needs to be. Every IEM has done this for a decade and almost every EU LAN has done this for longer.
You can even ghetto out and just get -40dB or -80dB ear muffs and make players use in-ear (which is pretty standard) on stage.
Putting the players further from the audience or removing them completely is a huge drop in quality and will lower your ability to portray the 'storyline' of players and the event(s).
Umm there needs to be zero distance. You just give the players the adequate headsets. That is all the solution needs to be. Every IEM has done this for a decade and almost every EU LAN has done this for longer.
You can even ghetto out and just get -40dB or -80dB ear muffs and make players use in-ear (which is pretty standard) on stage.
Putting the players further from the audience or removing them completely is a huge drop in quality and will lower your ability to portray the 'storyline' of players and the event(s).
Yet when people have used "noise-cancelling headphones" before, you're still able to hear the droning in the crowd, leading to situations where you can hear when they're cheering / getting excited. For example:
WCS, we had sound-proof booths, noise-cancelling headsets, white noise, in-ear headphones. In game 3 vs Mafia, he was able to hear the crowd cheering when I burrowed my roaches under his army, leading to him checking everywhere for nydus / other sort of weird things.
ACL Melbourne, I had headphones + in-ear, had both cranked to 100% volume (this really ******* hurt my head playing the games) and could still make out what the casters said.
IEM has also had issues with players hearing the casters before, and I wouldn't be surprised if they could hear cheering through the headsets.
Yet when people have used "noise-cancelling headphones" before, you're still able to hear the droning in the crowd, leading to situations where you can hear when they're cheering / getting excited. For example:
WCS, we had sound-proof booths, noise-cancelling headsets, white noise, in-ear headphones. In game 3 vs Mafia, he was able to hear the crowd cheering when I burrowed my roaches under his army, leading to him checking everywhere for nydus / other sort of weird things.
ACL Melbourne, I had headphones + in-ear, had both cranked to 100% volume (this really ******* hurt my head playing the games) and could still make out what the casters said.
.
Not going to be WCS size crowd at ACL events tho...I'm sure something can be done. At ALL ACL events last year, the set up was the same. Stage with two large stand speaker systems at either front corner - players on stage playing their game. Move the players away from the crowd and speakers.. Has not been attempted at any ACL event and I think if the venue suits - its worth a try.
you know Im reminded of what drive-in cinemas do, an FM brodcast to low volume speakers. Or maybe just having the only volume coming from spectator TVs, no main prjection speakers. You probs got much better ideas than me anyway.
What I will say though is that perhaps a scaled entry fee is more appropriate? The higher you finish the more you pay. Only problem is that people will either need to pay the full amount up front and sort out refunds, or you need to charge people after the fact.
Re: spec fees, I do agree that having fans pay $5 is perfectly fine. Having friends/family/etc pay might hurt growth, but I guess this is where guys need to start paying for their dates.
I think I'm probably the youngest I can be and still remember actually going to one (around me anyway). It's a novel concept, wouldn't be a bad idea investigating; but it definitely would be much more difficult to look/feel as nice as the 'standard' stage feel.
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