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Adebisi's Guide to Observing SC2 for Spectators

Blogs > Adebisi
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Adebisi
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
Canada1637 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-12-19 02:14:14
December 19 2011 02:11 GMT
#1
Adebisi’s Guide to SC2 Observing



Hi TL, this is a post I've kinda wanted to make this post for a while, in fact I've had to more or less written up for months, but I've finally gotten around to editing it some, so hopefully it will be helpful!


[image loading]
This is a waterfall, enjoy how beautiful it is in your own time, as the camera operator, your number one job is to resist the urge to be zooming in on random shit on the map like this.

Intro
When watching a stream of a SC2 tournament, arguably the most important thing the stream provides is the visuals, the camera capture of the game going on, obviously commentary is something that always spawns loads and loads of discussion, but at the end of the day people are often watching many streams at once with audio muted, and even with the best commentary, games can be head ache inducing if the camera is controlled poorly. From the NASL, IPL to MLG pretty much every major tournament has had issues with observing, GSL has become the gold standard really, while our first meeting with ST_Legend was a bit rough, I think everyone will agree the GSL observing is top notch and has become the gold standard. Not only is the observing in GSL superior to pretty much every other tournament, the dedicated observing allows the casters to do a much better job and provide better commentary. I expect by the end of 2012 every major tournament attempting to have top tier production value will need to have a dedicated observer for their main stream.

Basic DOs and DON'Ts

DO:
Have the menu on the top left turned off, the in-game timer turned on, and hotkeys above the main console turned on. This stuff is simple, but often it is ignored, don’t ignore it.

DO:
Use the scroll wheel on your mouse, don’t jerk your mouse to the side of the screen you want to scroll to as if you’re playing, if you think the arrows keys work…. You might be some kind of psycho but just keep the movement smooth and you can probably get away with it. For bonus points feel free to remap your camera pan from the scroll wheel to something else if using the mouse wheel is uncomfortable.

DO:

Click on the minimap if you’re going to move far across the map, maintain some balance though, if you’re going to go from a main to a natural, consider panning and showing the player’s entire base, in short, use common sense. Watch GSL casts, and WCG Korea on OGN to see this done best.

DO:
Select a unit of Player X, hold V and demonstrate to the viewer what this player can see, SC2 is all about information and as the person controlling the camera you need to be able show the audience. This is particularly useful with the initial scouting worker to show basic things like if I player has seen their opponent take their gas geysers, but is important throughout the game to keep tabs on what each player knows. Particularly if there is a Terran in the match you should be trying to keep tabs on anytime they may scan and showing the viewers what they see. You can also use F to follow particular units of a player!

[image loading]

This can be the difference between winning and losing for a Protoss player, if the viewer doesn't get this information, they don't really know what's going on!

DO:
Keep tabs on upgrades, click a single marine/zealot from time to time, even use the mouse cursor to add emphasis and point at the upgrades, the caster or you if you’re also casting don’t even need to necessarily mention it, just add it to your “motions”.

DO:
Watch the minimap, keep tabs of unit compositions and know when different forms of harassment may occur so you are ready and do not miss them (Hellions, Medivacs, DTs, Warp Prisms, Mutas, Banshees, and SO ON these are the type of active units you need to be aware of when they are out on the map). Having experience playing the game at a high level will actually help here.

DO:
Have health bars set to “selected” and before important engagements hold shift + double click all units with energy, such as Ghosts, Sentries, Templar, Infestors, etc. Also continue to select important units, and if the situation calls for it hold the ALT key, if Viking are abusing certain terrain to get potshots on Collosus, for the love of god select the Collosus so the viewer can see what is going on. If its Ghosts vs Sentries and Templar, double click a ghost, then hold shift and double click a sentry and HT, voila!

[image loading]
As HuK and Thorzain trade EMPs and Feedbacks in the center of the map, having hit point bars on for these Marauders would really create a lot of clutter, for now keeping tabs of the Ghost/HT energy is great, and the alt key can be used if any storms do land on the Marauders.

DO:
Actually play the game, watch a lot of VODs, understanding the standard builds and common cheeses will help you show what’s more significant so you aren’t sitting there also trying to figure out why the players are doing what they’re doing and what it will lead to.

DON’T:
Overuse some of the gimmicky tabs; the units tab and the production tab are by far most important, stick with the bread and butter, sometimes it’s cool to see that 40 drones or whatever died, but if hellions are just being traded on par with drones and get cleaned up, it doesn’t necessarily put either player ahead and provide any valuable information. The income tab should basically be avoided in any matchup with a Terran player because MULE timings are largely random and create very useless numbers, furthermore in a matchup like ZvP I firmly believe you’re better off having the commentator quickly go over the worker count, number of bases each player has and if any bases are getting close to being mined out to give the viewer an idea of where each player stands in terms of income.

DON’T:
Zoom in for every god damn thing, it can be a neat feature, and useful when some idiot won’t leave and his last 20 probes and 2 zealots are getting kited by 30 marauders, but please don’t overdo it. Common sense rules all here, ST_Legend does it well, but sometimes it feels like he is overdoing it.

DON’T:
Just randomly select units, select units that will show something of value, energy levels, upgrades, what units are queued up on a building, etc etc

[image loading]
If you don't know what to do, give the scantipedes some respect.... wthin reason.

DON’T:
Just focus on one player, keep it balanced, even if we’re watching NesTea and nerdgasming over what he’s doing, we can only appreciate what he’s actually doing if we know what his opponent is doing.

Conclusion:
Overall, when I re-read this list, most of it is pretty obvious. I think the reason so much SC2 observing is poorly done is because the caster just doesn't think about it, they're much more focused on casting, and rightfully so, casting isn't easy, but for the most part casters are stuck doing double duty, so focus on camera control as well as casting. If you're very serious on improving IMO this guide is a good start, but take some time and watch GSL/OGN broadcasts, see how their camera work is done, watch the stream muted, and see how easy the game is still to follow without commentary, then pick another random cast from MLG/IPL/DH etc and watch it muted, see how it compares, see what you like about how the camera is controlled in some games as opposed to others, mimic things you like, minimize things you don't.

BONUS:
*Remap hotkeys to make your life easier, finger hurts holding down the scroll wheel? Use a button on your mouse, same can be said for F (follow), V (vision), and alt, etc!
*Keep tabs of where Ghost Academies and catch nukes as they leave the silo, you’ll feel like a real gosu if you catch them taking off, but don’t do this at the expensive of seeing the nuke land or missing a very significant engagement etc.


If anyone else has tips/tricks they've picked up on or notice casters doing, feel free to post and I'll do my best to update this. Varying opinions are of course welcome to, feel free to discuss anything relating to observing.
+


****
DarkPlasmaBall
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States44111 Posts
December 19 2011 02:21 GMT
#2
I think this is a really good guide Thanks for it!

While a lot of it seems like common sense stuff, there's surely plenty of helpful nuggets in here that are easily overlooked by those of us who have little-to-no experience with being official observers ^^
"There is nothing more satisfying than looking at a crowd of people and helping them get what I love." ~Day[9] Daily #100
rebuffering
Profile Joined December 2010
Canada2436 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-12-19 05:14:41
December 19 2011 02:26 GMT
#3
sick read, and great guide for noobs and vetrans alike, your casts are always great and you never miss any action on the mini map! GG
http://www.twitch.tv/rebufferingg
Keyboard Warrior
Profile Joined December 2011
United States1178 Posts
December 19 2011 03:04 GMT
#4
This is an excellent guide sir. I hope game observers read and follow this, especially those at NASL.
Not your regular Keyboard Warrior ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
TumbaSC
Profile Blog Joined July 2011
United States78 Posts
December 19 2011 03:08 GMT
#5
Or, I could just cast with you and agree all the time. Clean Simple. Love you like a brother! Great Read!
Sadistx
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
Zimbabwe5568 Posts
December 19 2011 03:17 GMT
#6
Very good starter guide. Hopefully more up and coming casters (and even some seasoned ones) stumble upon this and take note.

I think by far the most important thing is not missing tech buildings as a caster, especially if they are proxied. Tech buildings are the most important indication of a build and the biggest mistake you can make as a caster is not notice...say a Dark Shrine or a Spire until DTs and mutas pop.
RevTiberius
Profile Blog Joined July 2011
Canada353 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-12-19 07:08:39
December 19 2011 07:06 GMT
#7
A very useful guide.

One thing I would add is to stick to the game at hand. A lot of casters - even and especially Husky all too often - digress waaaay too much and talk about stuff they think is funny, but that really only distracts from the game.

The problem with this is twofold: first of all I really don't care about whether they had a great day or not, what they had for breakfast, or what they think about the latest Transformers movie... secondly - and much worse - is that too often, these digressions make them miss important stuff in the game.

So, casters out there, please try to stick to the game as much as you can.
Teaching Chess to a Starcraft 2 Grandmaster: http://revtiberius.blogspot.ca
Adebisi
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
Canada1637 Posts
December 19 2011 08:12 GMT
#8
On December 19 2011 16:06 RevTiberius wrote:
A very useful guide.

One thing I would add is to stick to the game at hand. A lot of casters - even and especially Husky all too often - digress waaaay too much and talk about stuff they think is funny, but that really only distracts from the game.

The problem with this is twofold: first of all I really don't care about whether they had a great day or not, what they had for breakfast, or what they think about the latest Transformers movie... secondly - and much worse - is that too often, these digressions make them miss important stuff in the game.

So, casters out there, please try to stick to the game as much as you can.


I can see why this bothers people, but honestly it doesn't really pertain to the topic specifically of observing at hand, casting is a much more broad subject, where preferences come in much more, so I kind of want to avoid getting into casting related discussion here. Though I will say, if you are going to be talking about your trip to the grocery store during a cast, please still try to show details like if Terran is taking gas, if Zerg is going Hatch first, etc, as long as its clear from the observing, I'm actually ok with a fair amount of not talking about what's on screen, even if its off topic completely.
RevTiberius
Profile Blog Joined July 2011
Canada353 Posts
December 19 2011 08:29 GMT
#9
On December 19 2011 17:12 Adebisi wrote:

I can see why this bothers people, but honestly it doesn't really pertain to the topic specifically of observing at hand, casting is a much more broad subject, where preferences come in much more, so I kind of want to avoid getting into casting related discussion here. Though I will say, if you are going to be talking about your trip to the grocery store during a cast, please still try to show details like if Terran is taking gas, if Zerg is going Hatch first, etc, as long as its clear from the observing, I'm actually ok with a fair amount of not talking about what's on screen, even if its off topic completely.


Adebisi I agree with you. I would just add that when someone casts a high level game, there is usually a lot of stuff going on at the same time. After all, the players' high APM must go somewhere... Multi-pronged attacks, ninja expos, drops, hidden pylons etc... even the best casters I know sometimes have problems keeping up with all the action even when they focus on the game 100%. And it really is frustrating to watch a cast where pings are constantly flashing on the minimap while the caster is telling you all about how awesome Skyrim is...

For that reason I've stopped watching certain casters altogether.
Teaching Chess to a Starcraft 2 Grandmaster: http://revtiberius.blogspot.ca
AbraxasSC
Profile Joined January 2009
United States10 Posts
December 20 2011 01:39 GMT
#10
Thanks, great post! Lots of good things to think about.
Primadog
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States4411 Posts
December 20 2011 07:31 GMT
#11
Great guide, going to bookmark this for posterity.
Thank God and gunrun.
Erik.TheRed
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States1655 Posts
December 20 2011 15:38 GMT
#12
thanks so much for posting this. It's true that nobody likes observers who keep zooming in on stuff, as I sadly discovered after attempting some fancy shots at a LAN. Control F + zoom in on a hellion while hitting delete and insert is actually nauseating and not epic at all.
"See you space cowboy"
Hydrox911
Profile Joined October 2010
United Kingdom261 Posts
December 22 2011 04:43 GMT
#13
Great guide Adebisi, alot of streams could learn from this.
No, Your Quote.
GleefulPiXie
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
Canada76 Posts
December 26 2011 05:03 GMT
#14
Awesome post, I started casting a while ago and was delighted to see that after rewatching my games I was pretty much following most of the rules here, but there is always room to improve and this will help me a lot!
Master Protoss Player - www.twitch.tv/gleefulmidget - Don't eat the crab dip yahyah
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