Supermodel From Paris
Smash Hero
Link to original post: [drupal=5356]Dear commentators: you're awesome, but it's 2012. Time to step it up.[/drupal]
So I'll start off with something that should preface this post: commentating is hard. A commentator in a grassroots community like this is really putting themselves out there professionally and personally. I really respect people who mic themselves in front of hundreds of other nerds and talk over matches.
With that said, it's 2012. If the only characters you have a deep understanding of are in B tier or above+whatever you play, consider putting someone on the mic who knows about the characters in the match. Match commentators are supposed to do more than provide funny puns and act silly, they are supposed to be Smash authorities who provide insight into what's happening on-screen that your average person couldn't.
I've been watching the ZSS matches from Concentrate and Impact, and watching some streams and some of the things these guys say are ridiculous. They lavish praise onto Salem for landing full jab combos on characters that can't avoid it, refer to his awesome down-b footstools a lot (you can just hold jump), freak out over basic frame traps and follow-ups, and so much more. They don't know simple things about the character (one of the commentators once said "ZSS starts with.. what, like 4 suit pieces?"). They never talk about the stuff that Salem does that is actually so game-changing (abusing 17% damage fair, b-reversals and wavebouncing, tether cancelling, etc) or why he's such a good player, but instead marvel over day 1 ZSS stuff from March 2008.
And it's not just NY/NJ or ZSS either. Listening to almost any commentator talk about any character that isn't top tier is borderline painful.
I get that there are a lot of characters in brawl and that it's difficult to know everything and that commentating isn't a paying gig. Cool. If there are 50 people at your tournament, though, someone knows how ROB and Sonic work. Put them on the mic. Or better yet, start playing a lot of characters. If you want to be a commentator really often at smash tournaments though, you should really start learning some things about characters that aren't as played beyond a very basic level.
And for the record, I am not just referring to the guys who did the commentating for ZSS' matches at Concentrate and Impact. This is a pretty much global problem in the scene and I am not calling out specific members of the community.
I like what you guys are trying to do for us. Having commentary is sweet, and it's already leagues better than WC Melee commentary (oh god the horror), but I really think it could be a lot better.
So I'll start off with something that should preface this post: commentating is hard. A commentator in a grassroots community like this is really putting themselves out there professionally and personally. I really respect people who mic themselves in front of hundreds of other nerds and talk over matches.
With that said, it's 2012. If the only characters you have a deep understanding of are in B tier or above+whatever you play, consider putting someone on the mic who knows about the characters in the match. Match commentators are supposed to do more than provide funny puns and act silly, they are supposed to be Smash authorities who provide insight into what's happening on-screen that your average person couldn't.
I've been watching the ZSS matches from Concentrate and Impact, and watching some streams and some of the things these guys say are ridiculous. They lavish praise onto Salem for landing full jab combos on characters that can't avoid it, refer to his awesome down-b footstools a lot (you can just hold jump), freak out over basic frame traps and follow-ups, and so much more. They don't know simple things about the character (one of the commentators once said "ZSS starts with.. what, like 4 suit pieces?"). They never talk about the stuff that Salem does that is actually so game-changing (abusing 17% damage fair, b-reversals and wavebouncing, tether cancelling, etc) or why he's such a good player, but instead marvel over day 1 ZSS stuff from March 2008.
And it's not just NY/NJ or ZSS either. Listening to almost any commentator talk about any character that isn't top tier is borderline painful.
I get that there are a lot of characters in brawl and that it's difficult to know everything and that commentating isn't a paying gig. Cool. If there are 50 people at your tournament, though, someone knows how ROB and Sonic work. Put them on the mic. Or better yet, start playing a lot of characters. If you want to be a commentator really often at smash tournaments though, you should really start learning some things about characters that aren't as played beyond a very basic level.
And for the record, I am not just referring to the guys who did the commentating for ZSS' matches at Concentrate and Impact. This is a pretty much global problem in the scene and I am not calling out specific members of the community.
I like what you guys are trying to do for us. Having commentary is sweet, and it's already leagues better than WC Melee commentary (oh god the horror), but I really think it could be a lot better.