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I've creating a sketch of the MLG layout under the following restrictions as an attempt to help out MLG for Columbus.
No sound proof booths as they can't fit in the trucks.
No additional equipment / stages
In addition the assumption was made that there will be roughly the same sq footage in Columbus as Dallas.
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/D2rGe.jpg)
The main stage would be set out in front of the the spectators. Casters would be on the main stage along with the jumbotron.
Spectator area/ seating would remain unchanged.
The open bracket play area where most of the games would be played is opened up into the shape of a W. This allows for more spectators as the games in the very middle of this areas was off limits to spectators.
Small stage 1 & small stage 2 (station 1 & station 2) are split apart. From this station noise from the main stage would be drastically reduced. High lighted games would be played from these stages and casted on the main stage.
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Thanks I'm really glad you took several seconds to draw that.
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But wouldn't the players be able to hear the casters then?
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Pictures speak a million words. If you weren't at MLG Dallas it won't make a lot of sense. Sorry. But, I do believe just a few small changes could drastically improve the spectator experience. I tried to draw them up. 
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we don't need a new stage layout, we need someone to design a soundproof booth MLG can collapse and take in their trucks so stuff like this doesn't happen anymore
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On April 05 2011 03:28 NexUmbra wrote:
But wouldn't the players be able to hear the casters then?
Its light years better than having the players on the main stage. Basically with how it was setup in MLG Dallas there was no point in even having casters at the tournament. They could have done their job elsewhere since the spectators in Dallas got to hear them cast 1 game, and replays.
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Yes casters have to be in back, the speaker set up is fine the way it is. What MLG really needs to do is pump Loud(ish) music into the astros. Not loud enough to be off putting, bust just loud enough to not hear Day's screams from the speakers.
Some sound proof foam behind the players would help a lot as well, more than you would think.
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MLG DC did it best. We were within 50 feet of the players but the speakers that were overhead shot straight down so if you were but a few feet away from the spectator section you would not be able to hear the casters. It would just be like mumbling.
Now if you did this, but have the players up on the main stage then it shouldn't be an issue of caster noise but maybe crowd cheering, but that can really go either way, after all they have the players directly facing the crowd with nothing but one monitor in the way. If anything they should have both players face inward so that the crowd isn't directly in front of them.
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So I'm guessing everyone agrees about the "W" for the open bracket play?
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On April 05 2011 03:31 Hakker wrote:
we don't need a new stage layout, we need someone to design a soundproof booth MLG can collapse and take in their trucks so stuff like this doesn't happen anymore
A new layout would be useful though. With the current format, they are unable to jump into a random game that's being played in the main tournament area to broadcast on screen because the players would have been able to watch it incredibly easily.
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I'm pretty sure the next MLG will be better considering the huge turnout for the sc2 scene. Dreamhack already have a sound proof booth so MLG should do it aswell. Idra confessed in an interview that he can clearly hear spectators. This way casting would be live to spectators at home and at the stage.
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I like your setup
I think it's better to have the casters on the main stage and the players being casted as far away from the stage as possible. with the casters being located on the main stage, they will be able to hype up the audience so much more. would also much rather have live commentary than being able to watch the players physically play with commentary volume so low that there's no point to it for the live audience.
if people really want to watch the players physically play, they can just go to where the players are located. I don't believe MLG is going to be creating sound proof booths and moving players away from the seated audience will lessen the possibility of outside influence (sound, audience reaction) affecting the result of the game.
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They just need to invest in some booths tbh, dreamhack are doing it and i hope mlg will follow thier lead
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I wasn't a spectator there but I'm under the impression that the audience there in person could not hear the casters at all? If so, it seems like the set up of the main stage is actually quite poor and detrimental to the actual experience. Hopefully they can sort something out for the live audience. I've said this in another thread but having the players come to the main stage and set up is also very time consuming, it seems like it's something that can be avoided though.
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On April 05 2011 03:44 peeeky wrote:
I wasn't a spectator there but I'm under the impression that the audience there in person could not hear the casters at all? If so, it seems like the set up of the main stage is actually quite poor and detrimental to the actual experience. Hopefully they can sort something out for the live audience. I've said this in another thread but having the players come to the main stage and set up is also very time consuming, it seems like it's something that can be avoided though.
There was live commentary for the first series played, Socke/IdrA, after that all that we had was in game sounds.
It was very detrimental, yes.
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Basically after the Socke / Idra game you were better off standing behind players in the open bracket. Because if you sat at the main stage your ears would bleed when someone warped in a pylon or grabbed the Xel'Naga tower.
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sound proof booths cant be that big right? Its about 1.5meters wide/lenght and 2meters height? Surely it fits in a truck. Or what about just having 6panels that you can screw together or something. Some wood/isolation material, sound proof glass, speakers and sound in the booth (like GSL to dampen more sound) and done!
Small investment, but huge pay back (looks professional and way better for the players).
In a tournament the size of MLG, i dont see how they can NOT get one.
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I'm just curious, but why do the featured players need to be up on the main stage. I mean if you are proposing booths, it's not like the audience can see them anyway. Why not have the featured players playing in a separate room. They can even set up cameras in the separate room so the fans can see the player reactions. This totally eliminates any issues of needing booths, sound-proofing, audience signals, etc.
Regarding the W, It seems to me like that would be somewhat space inefficient. I think a T or an H or simply wider aisles would give a better result. However, I think MLG would argue that if their featured matches were progressing without delays then there wouldn't be the huge crowds all gathered around the other matches.
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from a musician and sound tech's POV, if the players can hear the casters.... you haven't set up your sound rig properly.
There should be so much noise, that if you put the speakers in the right place and point them in the right direction, players should have a really hard time making out what is being said, even if they can hear a voice, it will be completely muffled.
1) Speakers should be between the players and the crowd. This automatically reduces how much you can hear clearly from a speaker by about 50%
2) Focus the speakers at the chair legs of the back row. Assuming the speakers are elevated, they should be focused so you can draw a straight line between the centre of the speaker and the floor just behind the last row of seats. If you have a row of 4 speakers across the stage, they should be focused to one point, this eliminates sound leeching out of the desired focus zone. (sound travels out in a cone, focusing to one point creates a box)
3) Enforce a rules requiring headphones to be worn at all times while playing, not earbuds, proper headphones. OR make them wear performance grade ear buds singers use instead of monitors, when I put mine in I can't hear a thing except what is being plummed into my ears.
Its really that simple, when i play a gig I have to bring a monitor speaker just so i can hear myself clearly when speaking. If I don't, I can talk into the mic and only hear a muffled sound coming back.... and its my own voice. Soon as i put my ear buds in, I am completely alone.
I assume the speakers at MLG were either behind the players or right to their sides, thats the only way they should be able to hear clearly, if the speakers were infront of them and focused properly, they would maybe hear a word or two clearly, put in decent ear buds and headphones and you can reduce that right down to virtually nothing. There is no need for a booth, just a sound tech who understands how to set up a stage properly. (which im sure MLG has already or can find easily lol)
Also focusing your speakers at the ground just behind the last row of seats should eliminate any bleed into the tournament area (which looked like it was just behind the seating) which would mean whether casting a stage game or one being played in the tourney area, you should have the smallest chance of players hearing what is being said, while allowing your spectators to actually have commentary.
Alternatively, hang the speakers from the ceiling over the seating and focus right at the ground, you can make a sound box that barely bleeds more than a few feet.
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They HAVE to deal with the sound issue 100%, please no half assed fix. Sound booths, it really isn't that difficult or expensive to make a box that has a big window, a door, a desk and some speakers playing loud starcraft music inside. Spray paint it black and put a bunch of MLG and sponser logo's all over it. Use some heavy gauge nuts and bolts at key spots and the whole thing will be easy to break down, transport and set back up. Make 4 of them, and always have 2 games being played on the stage. Allow commentators an easy way to switch viewing from game a to game b. This would also get rid of all the downtime between games.
You don't even need to go crazy with actually sound proofing. Although, Styrofoam is cheap and works well for sound proofing. Just having the music in the booth, plus the noise proofing headsets, putting them far enough from the crowd and the players not knowing if it's their game being viewed.Some good speaker placement outside the booths. I envision something like this.
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/4KUFu.png)
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EPT
