EPThttp://www.reddit.com/r/starcraft/comments/1q1xgg/there_is_something_lacking_in_starcraft_2_casters/
![[image loading]](http://acoupletravelers.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/American-casters.jpg)
I find myself in a strange position where I love starcraft so much more than dota2, yet I continously enjoy the dota2 casters more, on the edge of jealously. Do I think there is a big problem?, no, I think sc2 casting is acceptable and enjoyable and keep that in mind as reading: I do not dislike any casting currently; I think however that one can review even the good things in an objective matter. Even if there are no complaints, there might be things we don't see because they are missing rather than being there and irritating.
Is it just the game maybe? Is it the gdstudio?
Why do I find such enjoyment in dota2 casting? I did an attempt to list my personal reasons and try to define them.
I like many of the current casters in sc2, but there is a reason why seemingly irrelevant things matters greatly and in all industries there are minimum things that are always established.
''Why brands has a common artistic theme to everything?''
''Why does all sport interviews have the same angle and juxtaposition?''
''Why do commentators and news casters often wear the same type of clothes?''
And on and on and on
The reason of why many things look like they do is not because ''boring conservative attitude'' but many times the opposite; it is years of hard research and experience of how to make it the most enjoyable for the viewers.
There are hundreds of reasons put together that culminates in you liking for example a movie:
http://imgur.com/a/H1yKw
Mathematic angles, ratios, depths all crucial: All will til the endtime be used, it does not influence if something is new or bad, but rather if the new or old is bad or good.
And in the same way there are fundemental things in casting that takes a good experience to a great one that is always good.
And of course there are exceptions, just like films sometimes brake rules we greatly enjoy taking in player casters.
However we would probably not enjoy even great player casters like polt (which garnered tons of attention) over a great span of time. There is a reason not all of the top casters in bw or sc2 were the best of the best players, but the players to transition were those who fit the casting job.
So what are some of the things a sc2 caster should have?
This is a minimal review, but we *have* to start analyzing this, and dare push out casters who are good for excellent ones that raises the experience drastically. It is to tackle the problems when we don't find anything to complain about regarding the caster, but yet we are receiving a sublime underwhelming experience.
First off of these factors is simple, yet funnily alluding sc2 casters:
1. Starcraft 2 casters in general does not have what great general casters have in the whole sport bussiness:
Low pitched voices, there is an interesting lack of bass voice in starcraft 2 casting with the exception of catzpjamas.
![[image loading]](http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01566/pavarotti_1566996c.jpg)
Of course I am not drawing such a great spectrum between kevin knockes heavy heavy bass voice and the very very high pitch of for example moletrap, but starcraft casters in general has quite a high pitched voice *even if ever slightly* which - while one might like the caster per say - is quite bad.
http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2012/12/why-we-prefer-masculine-voices-even-in-women/266350/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15718969
There is of course studies stating high pitch can be of preference, but they are often about attractiveness of the person; but arguably a casters job is not to be attractive, being attractive is the opposite of what a caster should be as it distracts from the players.
A casters job is to give information, and explain, thus it needs to be a voice we trust and we are more likely to be lead by. That might sound strange, especially that casters can of course be wrong at times, but that is irrelevant in where we want a voice we like, and in general we always trust the casters and it is not like we will deny a casters mistake - no matter how deep the voice is.
2. Starcraft 2 casters in general is filled with accents.
Casters of sc2 has a plethora of accents.
Again you and probably many others might love the film: The producers; however there are reasons why it is overall and in general a bad film - http://imgur.com/a/97gdq#0
And just like you might personally enjoy a caster, we need to detract and objectively [http://www.npr.org/2010/11/16/131359561/unfamiliar-accents-turn-off-humans-and-songbirds] look at the casters and question if we are given potentially an exceptional cast, rather then merely a good one.
This is a hidden blindspot, as the audience is international, and many of regions might enjoy a certain accent; but there is value then in looking into voices that then also has a global reach that all can enjoy.
![[image loading]](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NDsxH_wkD5c/TzklYz0rlBI/AAAAAAAACuk/L31G7srXDTA/s1600/allo-allo-arthur-bostrom-as-officer-crabtree-2.jpg)
"Gid Moaning"
Examples of accents:
Supernovamaniac
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Rotterdam
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Apollo
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ux_nslpWqaE
Kaelaris
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHrTfJW9F-g
Tod
Khaldor
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And the list goes on.
From barely noticable to heavy and thick accents starcraft 2 has an extreme variation.
Who are the most popular casters during the games history?
Tastosis
Husky
Day9
Geoff Robinson
MlgRobin (was extremely applauded for his albeit short casting)
Apollo: yes he is one of the most popular but I want to add that of course there is exceptions where other criteria beyond the voice simply smashes. But we still see a pretty light british accent, that doesn't change the cyllables too much.
of course, not everyone will agree with me, but I do find these to have been the ones who have the broadest appeal in the community, and their following measured in quantity I think shows this.
One of the best examples is funnily enough from korean origin
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Chobra, the single greatest thing with last OSL was undoubtably Chobra's incredibly crisp, clear and coherent voice and was incredibly well recieved.
To go back to dota2 and have a look
We do see accents
Tobiwan, one of the most popular casters carry an accent
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And I leave that up in the air, just like appollos british accent, however I would argue tobiwans aussie accent might stretch or turn cyllables with similar sounds (doing damage from the ''baeck aend'') but does not allude, thicken or change certain cyllables like many accents do.
Also he speaks clear and coherent something sc2 casters always don't do, but more on that in point 3.
But besides bruno there is incredibly heavy use of standard english much to the actual success of thegdstudio
thegdstudio and relatives on thegdstudio
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http://www.teamliquid.net/video/streams/DreamLeague
2gd
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http://fragbite.se/fragtv/video/1476/fragbite-masters-meet-the-dota-2-casters
Draskyl
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http://fragbite.se/fragtv/video/1476/fragbite-masters-meet-the-dota-2-casters
Weppas
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http://www.gamespot.com/videos/draskyl-talks-casting-the-international-and-future/2300-6412831/
The grand final caster of the internationals
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LD:
All share an accent free or an accent light experience; we are not distracted by the casters, it is what they say that is the most important; the slightest irritation can distract, and then detract from the experience.
3. Clarity
A combination of all factors above; sc2 casters above all has a big suffering of lack of clear and distinguished voices
Axlav
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and especially the very early axslav is a great example as he suffered greatly from this; where the voice or the mouth isn't clear, you can hear the blockage, like the articulation is muffled.
Gretorp
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Gretorp also has this small muffle in his sound, the cyllables aren't 100% clear, they are obstructed.
Supernovamaniac
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVPu4OrH_y0
was very indicative and while I enjoyed his insight, was one of the main reason snm was not well recieved as he very heavily had a muffled speech.
This problem of clarity is one of the greatest things that separate regular casters from premium casters; look at hockey, fotball or whatever - impeccable clarity, you hear everything clearly.
End note
This - while might prove unpopular - was started due to me comparing dota2 casting and sc2 casting and I will also end that way.
Current dota2 casting is
- Clear, no one fumbles the words, no ones words are muffled, it is clear and audible and the casters presence is unobstructed
- No accents, there are barely any accents and those who are light, there is nothing distracting the viewer; the casting is clear and there is nothing distracting from what the caster is conveying.
- Lower pitched voice, the voices of dota2 can be intense and energizing but they remain the sound of control and more than anything control. There is no doubt of what is happening here, we are not doubting the casters and spend time thinking of their character; we might do when they say something factually wrong, but we don't do it because it *sounds* factually wrong.
And in the end I think Starcraft 2 needs to more than ever objectively look at their casters, both current and up and coming. Just like an audible audience can be the difference between an incredible or simply good event; so can casters voices be the factor in a tournament, and thus I argue that we should look for long term casters whose voices are stripped of distractions - we should not be thinking of the casters personality, we should not be spending an extra second diffusing what word he used - but to let us focus on what is most important of all:
The game
references:
http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2012/12/why-we-prefer-masculine-voices-even-in-women/266350/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15718969
http://www.npr.org/2010/11/16/131359561/unfamiliar-accents-turn-off-humans-and-songbirds
!
