|
With the announcement of http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/KellyMILKIES as the new GSL code A caster I've read many posts questioning her game knowledge. Setting aside whether or not she truly does possess game knowledge, the question comes to mind, is it even important?
In my view, there's an important distinction between casting and commentating. Our favorite casting archon tastosis is comprised of one caster and one commentator (see below)
![[image loading]](http://oi52.tinypic.com/9ropqh.jpg)
Artosis fills his role of commentator by providing game high level game knowledge. While Tasteless does sometimes cross into this role as well, his primary role has been entertainment value. I think that entertainment value is something which is being forgotten in many discussions of casters or casting teams.
It seems very likely that Kelly will not be casting alone and with rumors going around that she will be joined by http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/TorcH, what does it matter if she does not have as much game knowledge as Artosis for example? She will likely fill the role that Tasteless has been filling.
To me, entertainment value is a huge part of watching something like the GSL. It would be easy to find a pro player who could sit down and robotically say what each player is probably thinking but nobody would watch that. In the GSL specifically, it comes down to the team (one person for entertainment, one person for game knowledge).
As another example, take the cynnical brit Total Biscuit. He may not always be the most knowledgeable, but his enthusiasm is contagious (at least it for a lot of people).
I really think the most important quality for a caster to have is personality. We are watching things like the GSL for entertainment after all, and if entertaining commentators weren't important I think we'd all just be watching replays instead. Commentaros fill that role and I think skill in commentating is just as important (if not more important) than straight up game knowledge.
I just feel like sometimes people say they want one thing in a caster, but when we look at the most popular casters out there at the moment, I think the conclusion we have to come to is that the average person isn't looking for tip-top game knowledge, they're looking to be entertained.
What do you guys think? Is entertaining commentary with likable personalities necessary to help bring esports the popularity it deserves globally and in the West? Or is game knowledge the #1 consideration for you? Also, since the majority of us would like to see SC2 popular in the west, what kind of caster/commentating team do you think would be best to reach a wider audience?
Edit: I'm definitely not trying to say that a funny guy off the street who has absolutely no game knowledge at all would be good by any stretch. Certainly, they must have at least some.
|
Game knowledge is the most important, but spitting it out all the time is not.
The point of understanding the game is so that you are never wrong when you do get analytical. Tastosis joke around a lot but when it does get serious, Artosis' game sense is almost always flawless.
Lesser commentators sometimes predict wrong outcomes of strategies or don't make any predictions at all.
|
I thought Idra did an excellent job as an analyst even though he didn't exhibit much "personality". He shared insights on the matches that the layperson wouldn't have which enhanced my enjoyment of the games. I'd take two idras over two clueless "personalities".
|
Game knowledge is pretty important for me, I enjoy when Artosis can explain his experiences with certain build that's happening in the game.
Lack of game knowledge shows up in Husky casts, where he is constantly saying X is going to happen, but it never does.
Personality is huge as well, and we'll see how she does in the future. I'm sure she'll be fine.
|
I think this draws an interesting parallel to John Madden, insanely popular at football commentating without providing actual analysis. By and large, the majority of people tuning into GOM's foreign steam probably have some understanding of the mechanics of StarCraft 2. Entertainment value is important and it will be interesting to see how the code A commentating shapes up.
|
Hopefully the casting turns out fine. People sometimes bash at Tasteless for lacking game sense or something along those lines, but I recall that Artosis normally handles the analysis part while Tasteless touches on some of the more basic things.
|
Of course game knowledge is important. I don't care how entertaining the person is, if they know nothing about what they are talking about then they shouldn't be hired to talk about it. You wouldn't want to listen to a sports game when the casters knew next to nothing about what was going on would you? Starcraft is no different in that aspect.
|
i agree, but only to a certain degree. although artosis drops the knowledge more often, so does tasteless. Their combined experience in pro gaming and knowledge makes them such a succesful duo that take not of every little thing that happens. A very enthusiastic commentator with little knowledge will not be as able to excite the audience as much purely because he or she will be less capable to explain why it is exciting. To give a football (soccer for US) example:
He kicks the ball to the other guy who starts running! and he kicks the ball as well!!! o my goooooood!!!
maybe a bit lame example but a more knowledgable caster would be able to explain how the attack is constructed etc.
|
On February 17 2011 04:26 Theclutch wrote:
Of course game knowledge is important. I don't care how entertaining the person is, if they know nothing about what they are talking about then they shouldn't be hired to talk about it. You wouldn't want to listen to a sports game when the casters knew next to nothing about what was going on would you? Starcraft is no different in that aspect.
Yet people enjoyed Khaldor's stream without even speaking German. There's clearly more than just analysis required for a caster, and Khaldor had enough of that for it to outweigh the language barrier.
|
Not sure if it actually does.
Case in point:
During Assembly I was watching the German stream (can't remember his name), I don't understand German at all but it was Brilliant, he used English names for the units/players and that is all I could figure out, but he was very entertaining, very emotional as well. A lot of people were watching his stream that could not understand German, and honestly, even though I can't understand him, I consider him to be one of the best casters around. I think that says a lot about casting
|
In my opinion the only thing more important than game knowledge is having a voice that isnt annoying.
|
Game knowledge is insanely important for me. It just adds so much to the commentary.
And if someone hasn't got game knowledge that person better casts accordingly, like TotalBiscuit.
Nothing worse than people without a clue that throw around wrong facts and try to sound clever when they're not.
|
I think you need at least one caster with 100% knowledgeable information about the game. If they're entertaining then that's just an added bonus. I also think you need a caster who caters more to the casual people or just for entertainment value in general.
So not all casters need to know everything going on at all times in a game, that's why you have multiple casters.
Take for example the UFC you have Mike Goldberg who has lets admit it not a freaking clue what's going on in the matchup.
Then you have Joe Rogan who is very, very knowledgeable about what is happening and it works together well.
|
"Ummmm he's putting down 4 gateways i think he's going to ummm make a lot of units so he has a big army" is not entertaining and it doesn't put tension on the viewers. "He's getting 4 warpgates so he can damage his opponent severely if not end the game, will his opponent be able to defend this?" is more like it.
|
I think it's very important
I don't understand why we can't have both, an entertaining and knowledgable caster
tastosis fits this perfectly
as a high lvl player I find it hard to listen to someone who doesn't know there stuff no matter how entertaining they are
in beta I watched husky/HD all the time, but now having the game matured I can't stand to listen to them because it's clear they haven't kept their game knowledge up to par
|
Yes, it's important if you want casters who know what they're talking about. No offense to popular casters like TB, HD, and Husky, but they never really have anything of substance to say that I can't see with my eyes. Seeing as I'm not blind, I value knowledge quite a bit.
|
remember when tastosis cast WC3? was that as good as any of their SC2 casts?
(No, "so bad it's good" doesn't count)
|
grats to her for the job, gom is confident in her i guess =)
|
On February 17 2011 04:29 Dommk wrote:
Not sure if it actually does.
Case in point:
During Assembly I was watching the German stream (can't remember his name), I don't understand German at all but it was Brilliant, he used English names for the units/players and that is all I could figure out, but he was very entertaining, very emotional as well. A lot of people were watching his stream that could not understand German, and honestly, even though I can't understand him, I consider him to be one of the best casters around. I think that says a lot about casting
Agreed, Vin Diesel was an awesome commentator, even though I don't understand any German. I guess we'll just have to see if Kelly can actually provide any entertainment value even if she lacks game knowledge.
|
Need a certain amount of game knowledge for every caster imo, but in a team it doesnt't matter if one is less knowledged than the other. The worst thing is when casters frequently make mistakes guessing a player's BO, or even getting other details wrong, I think if they were knowledged enough this wouldn't happen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images2/1/15/KellyMILKIES.jpg)
