Shrinkzxo Profile Joined August 2014 Dotoland 268 Posts Last Edited: 2016-03-17 08:06:33 #1 China's Casters

A short letter



This was posted originally at SGamer by SG|sawyerjune, titled "Forum fan to Winter Championship Casters: The problems with commentary today." This translation has been brought you to you by LiquidDota user Shrinkzxo. This article was an open letter from Sgamer forum users to Chinese Casters to discuss their perceived complacency in professional casting.





As we know, Dota 2 commentators can be among some of the worst casters in all of esports.





As we know, Dota 2 commentators can be among some of the worst casters in all of esports. Left to Right: 单车 (Bicycle), BBC, Leng Leng after all Chinese teams crashing out at TI3





The reason for posting this thread is not just to condemn the casters who earn a salary and stay idle; I want to discover, discuss and solve the problems to try and improve the casting quality of the majors.



Then, let's get off to discovering some of these problems.



The reason for posting this thread is not just to condemn the casters who earn a salary and stay idle; I want to discover, discuss and solve the problems to try and improve the casting quality of the majors.Then, let's get off to discovering some of these problems. A. About the game itself



1. Patches -



Dota 2 is probably one of the few games where you can cast without actively playing it. The issue this brings up is a caster's knowledge on patches. The most classic example has to be Mumu saying Cockroach's (Nyx) Aghanim effect was a bug. Excuse me, but how long has it been since "Your Excellency" last played the game?



The good thing is that Mumu and Dang Weihua are not casting this major. The advice here is to play some Dota and familiarize yourself with the game again.



For example:



- Why does PIS’ Carl (Carl is Invoker, hehe) now open with Wraith Band? Because his agility was nerfed.

- Why did DP activate Arcane Rune after using Soul Siphon? Because Arcane Runes no longer reduce the replenish time.



Observing the patch differences is not just about number changes, but also about noticing the small details. The classic confusion that we might remember was between BoT and BoT lvl 2 on Tinker. You are the casters, so learn this stuff!



2. Terrain changes -



Things like ward position and vision obstacles are all essential to remember, especially for 3k-4k casters. You can watch some Na`Vi videos or something. If you think breaking the GFW (firewall) is too burdensome, there are quality home-made videos as well.



3. Popular heroes -



Just try to think more on why some of the bad heroes in previous patches might be popular now, and vice-versa for heroes that have fallen out of play. Combine trends with the patch notes in your analysis.



-Why has QoP gone from being widely popular to being rarely seen? Because Shadow Strike was nerfed.

-Why can LD now go to the offlane? Because there is one more creep camp, and Savage Roar was added.

-Everything from ban/pick/win rates on popular heroes to the stats of recent events can be found on the web. Use these resources.



As for more complicated statistics, I believe the organizers could not have a worse database than MDL. Take your time to have a look and get a general impression on the notes they give you instead of waiting for games to start where you read off your notes like a robot.



4. Gossip -



Visit sites like Sgamer more often, and don’t go to Shandian. This heavily depends on daily absorption of knowledge. In this respect, Dota casters should learn from



Before the match begins, ask EE about his girlfriend. You can ask Moon the slam of his latest ID or ask when rOtk is going to be kicked out. Of course be respectful and try to have fun, as there are lots of things you can't say — especially when you are casting with Miao (ex-girlfriend of 430).



Dota 2 is probably one of the few games where you can cast without actively playing it. The issue this brings up is a caster's knowledge on patches. The most classic example has to be Mumu saying Cockroach's (Nyx) Aghanim effect was a bug. Excuse me, but how long has it been since "Your Excellency" last played the game?The good thing is that Mumu and Dang Weihua are not casting this major. The advice here is to play some Dota and familiarize yourself with the game again.For example:- Why does PIS’ Carl (Carl is Invoker, hehe) now open with Wraith Band? Because his agility was nerfed.- Why did DP activate Arcane Rune after using Soul Siphon? Because Arcane Runes no longer reduce the replenish time.Observing the patch differences is not just about number changes, but also about noticing the small details. The classic confusion that we might remember was between BoT and BoT lvl 2 on Tinker. You are the casters, so learn this stuff!Things like ward position and vision obstacles are all essential to remember, especially for 3k-4k casters. You can watch some Na`Vi videos or something. If you think breaking the GFW (firewall) is too burdensome, there are quality home-made videos as well.Just try to think more on why some of the bad heroes in previous patches might be popular now, and vice-versa for heroes that have fallen out of play. Combine trends with the patch notes in your analysis.-Why has QoP gone from being widely popular to being rarely seen? Because Shadow Strike was nerfed.-Why can LD now go to the offlane? Because there is one more creep camp, and Savage Roar was added.-Everything from ban/pick/win rates on popular heroes to the stats of recent events can be found on the web. Use these resources.As for more complicated statistics, I believe the organizers could not have a worse database than MDL. Take your time to have a look and get a general impression on the notes they give you instead of waiting for games to start where you read off your notes like a robot.Visit sites like Sgamer more often, and don’t go to Shandian. This heavily depends on daily absorption of knowledge. In this respect, Dota casters should learn from SC Boy . If the laning stage is stable then you can tell jokes about slams of the participating teams.Before the match begins, ask EE about his girlfriend. You can ask Moon the slam of his latest ID or ask when rOtk is going to be kicked out. Of course be respectful and try to have fun, as there are lots of things you can't say — especially when you are casting with Miao (ex-girlfriend of 430). B. Teams



1. Names -



Get to know why Secret is nicknamed Team Porn Site. Also don’t confuse Sprite the drink and Team Spirit. These are some easy examples.



-Standings: Get to know how good teams are in NA/EU. Who are their main competitors, what’s their ranking, etc.

-Placements: How many 4th places has VG amassed. How many group 1st places has LGD acquired, etc.



2. Personnel change -



Know the changes of [A] since TI3, the changes of EG since TI5, and other important team changes. Where has Aui gone to after being kicked from EG? Gather their info before games. I don’t even expect people like 2009 or Leng Leng, who don't even watch CN Dota to know things like this.



3. Captain -



Who is picking and banning, and who is calling the shots in game?



PPD of EG, rOtk of LGD, le of Newbee are the most familiar names. However, weak teams like Archon and MVP are usually the blind spot for CN casters. But experienced casters from Betting Dog TV would know when EE Sama replaced PieLieDie, and when BurNing is banning/picking, which makes it easier for the audience to find the scapegoat after the game



4. Players -



Know details about the players. Things like cut-hand Hao is rather familiar (Hao became famous for uttering ‘give me Spectre, I’ll cut my hand if we lose’ in his early days). Surely one has to know who BigDaddy or BapiDaddy (Puppey) is. Also need to know stuff like Little Black Skin (Maybe)’s ‘I can’t play Dota, and I don’t practice playing Dota’, the Curse of Bro Nervous (InJuly), and who esports Magellan (GodV, lol player) is.



Also the casters need to know the best heroes of each player.



Like Fata and Electric(al) Stick (Razor), Miracle's Carl (Invoker), rOtk's DS, and Sylar's TB, Gyro and Morphling. Even Vincent's Puck, and Super's tanky carries. Just take notes and ensure that you can brag about your knowledge on this matter.



5. Usual strategy -



This depends heavily on watching games. Like Bulldog’s LD/NP, Miracle’s Carl, and Sylar’s Gryo. Their moves can be read. Remember [A]’s 1 player is actually Bulldog, that LGD doesn’t have a position 3, and also that PPD always has the least money. All these traits need to be remembered to be a competent CN caster.



6. General Style -



EG likes to farm, CDEC likes to fight, VG Dota is Turtle Dota. I won’t waste time on Chinese teams, but learn more about foreign teams. Muxing from Panda TV generally has some very good analysis on foreign teams.



7. Recent results -



Don't just look up recent CN results like WCA and MDL, but also random tournaments like Dota Pit and Dota Cinema. The organizers should give the casters some stats before the game. You can also go to DotaMax (the Chinese equivalent of Dotabuff) for the data. Pay attention to the modes, as some tournaments are in CD.



So far just doing the stuff from sections A and B alone will enable you to beat at least half the Chinese Dota 2 casters.



Get to know why Secret is nicknamed Team Porn Site. Also don’t confuse Sprite the drink and Team Spirit. These are some easy examples.-Standings: Get to know how good teams are in NA/EU. Who are their main competitors, what’s their ranking, etc.-Placements: How many 4th places has VG amassed. How many group 1st places has LGD acquired, etc.Know the changes of [A] since TI3, the changes of EG since TI5, and other important team changes. Where has Aui gone to after being kicked from EG? Gather their info before games. I don’t even expect people like 2009 or Leng Leng, who don't even watch CN Dota to know things like this.Who is picking and banning, and who is calling the shots in game?PPD of EG, rOtk of LGD, le of Newbee are the most familiar names. However, weak teams like Archon and MVP are usually the blind spot for CN casters. But experienced casters from Betting Dog TV would know when EE Sama replaced PieLieDie, and when BurNing is banning/picking, which makes it easier for the audience to find the scapegoat after the gameKnow details about the players. Things like cut-hand Hao is rather familiar (Hao became famous for uttering ‘give me Spectre, I’ll cut my hand if we lose’ in his early days). Surely one has to know who BigDaddy or BapiDaddy (Puppey) is. Also need to know stuff like Little Black Skin (Maybe)’s ‘I can’t play Dota, and I don’t practice playing Dota’, the Curse of Bro Nervous (InJuly), and who esports Magellan (GodV, lol player) is.Also the casters need to know the best heroes of each player.Like Fata and Electric(al) Stick (Razor), Miracle's Carl (Invoker), rOtk's DS, and Sylar's TB, Gyro and Morphling. Even Vincent's Puck, and Super's tanky carries. Just take notes and ensure that you can brag about your knowledge on this matter.This depends heavily on watching games. Like Bulldog’s LD/NP, Miracle’s Carl, and Sylar’s Gryo. Their moves can be read. Remember [A]’s 1 player is actually Bulldog, that LGD doesn’t have a position 3, and also that PPD always has the least money. All these traits need to be remembered to be a competent CN caster.EG likes to farm, CDEC likes to fight, VG Dota is Turtle Dota. I won’t waste time on Chinese teams, but learn more about foreign teams. Muxing from Panda TV generally has some very good analysis on foreign teams.Don't just look up recent CN results like WCA and MDL, but also random tournaments like Dota Pit and Dota Cinema. The organizers should give the casters some stats before the game. You can also go to DotaMax (the Chinese equivalent of Dotabuff) for the data. Pay attention to the modes, as some tournaments are in CD.So far just doing the stuff from sections A and B alone will enable you to beat at least half the Chinese Dota 2 casters. C. Judgement



Don’t want to waste too much time on this. There is a reason OB and Xiao8 tend to make the right calls in the pick/ban phase, and Jiechu would be laughed at. They have competence, and experience.



Don’t want to waste too much time on this. There is a reason OB and Xiao8 tend to make the right calls in the pick/ban phase, and Jiechu would be laughed at. They have competence, and experience. D. Support a team



The most fucking annoying thing is not having a team to support. Don't just support the Chinese team when they are playing a non-Chinese team. And don't always support the stronger team when their strength difference is clear.



And when a caster claims to support a relatively weak or usually neglected team, they appear to have zero knowledge of that team, and try too hard saying they are a core supporter of that team or a player. Isn’t that a fake supporter?



Another symptom is just liking Dota, but not actually enjoying it when watching games. Don't just scream when there is a big team fight or a big comeback. If you don’t understand what passion is, just look over CS:GO or GSL casters. Look at the standards of SCBoy or TI3 casting. Now that’s what we call casting.



Finally,



Greetings casters, I am a member of the audience.

The most fucking annoying thing is not having a team to support. Don't just support the Chinese team when they are playing a non-Chinese team. And don't always support the stronger team when their strength difference is clear.And when a caster claims to support a relatively weak or usually neglected team, they appear to have zero knowledge of that team, and try too hard saying they are a core supporter of that team or a player. Isn’t that a fake supporter?Another symptom is just liking Dota, but not actually enjoying it when watching games. Don't just scream when there is a big team fight or a big comeback. If you don’t understand what passion is, just look over CS:GO or GSL casters. Look at the standards of SCBoy or TI3 casting. Now that’s what we call casting.Finally,Greetings casters, I am a member of the audience. Translator https://twitter.com/shrinkzxo