EPT
The debate about the aptitude of a caster is never-ending. In esports especially, it is typically the case that a caster is judged by the breadth of his or her knowledge in tandem with their ability to juggle the slew of other things that is required of a caster—a brimming voice, engaging personality, chemistry, articulate speech, attentiveness, nice hair, pearly teeth and shiny toenails (okay, maybe not that). And while casters across the industry have dug in deep—driving their faces into thousands of hours of video footage, conversations and caffeine to satisfy the needs of their community—there is one element that is rarely discussed.
As cliché as it may sound, I'm speaking of passion.
It is not the passion that urges an individual to pour all of their efforts into research and improving their technical skills that I am addressing, however. Motivation of that kind is quite easy to come by, believe it or not. I'm citing something more intense, infectious and unconstrained—something Anders Blume and Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat both possess and exhibit at every event.
As I sat in front of my computer, replaying this highlight video over and over again, I wondered why it kept me fascinated. Don't get me wrong—the editing was superb and the intricate camera pathing was beautifully done, but there was something to it that did more than just captivate me.
Then it clicked. It was, of course, the casting.
This, my friends, is what separates a great play-by-play caster from a good one. While the duo are renowned to have it all and sit comfortably at the top of the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive scene as its most popular casters, I am compelled to sit here and type up additional homage due to their contagious fervor. Listening closely, one can sense genuine enjoyment exude from their voices.
They do not scream because the cue calls for it, they scream because the game overtakes them and they're simply forced to. But it's not only their overwhelming intensity that sets them apart: all of the nuances in their voices clearly portray how much they enjoy the game. The subtle chuckles, earnest anticipation and boisterous roars are one in the same—they are passion. And it leaks into the spectator, transferring the emotional roller coaster to the viewer as if the feelings were theirs all along.
Hats off to the duo that makes the game more than what it is, in such a fashion that inspires a writer to kiss butt in the middle of the night.
Writer: Souma
Graphics: InsidiA
CSS: Amazingxkcd
Photos: ESL
But Anders a Semmler are especially good!
