ArieFrom memory, but it's been a while:
- Getting teams to join, sometimes on short notice
- Finding a Mumble server location that both teams won't hate due to ping and routing reasons
- Trusting teams not to use certain words that get you in trouble with Twitch
- Having someone host and babysit the mumble delay bots (fix mumble flood protection settings so the bots can mass join for example)
- Dealing with desyncs during pauses. The delay bots are out of sync as soon as a pause starts until 90 seconds after the unpause.
- Getting casters to use the comms during interesting moments, breaking up their flow / desire to talk
First of all, I much appreciate you taking the time to respond.
As an example, let's say we tried implementing this in the current ETF2L season. Since setting them up seems to be a fair bit of extra effort and since some teams don't have english comms, it wouldn't be necessary to set them up for every single game that was casted.
If we attempted to have team comms for matches between wG, tf2easy, league of shadows and my team, I can almost guarantee that with these teams you wouldn't have to worry about people using "certain words" that would get us in trouble with twitch. You could have the teams play their pre-match scrims in the mumble so that you have more time to set everything up. I have never heard of people complaining about lag in mumble, is that a thing? As long as the mumble server is in europe and is functioning properly, that is a non issue. I think the casters taking a small break at times to listen to the comms is not necessarily a bad thing, they get a little breather and they get insight into what the teams is thinking, insight which they can use to create a higher quality cast.
As for the issues regarding pauses and technical details, I'm not going to pretend I know how much of a pain all that really is. If it really is more hassle than it is worth, then fair enough. It is a shame if that is the case, because from my perspective they added so much to the entertainment value of the cast and got the viewers way more engaged. It adds personality to the mix, which I feel is currently very much lacking since there isn't many player interviews or even post game interviews anymore. I feel that is what most people tune in to watch, they want to see their buddies win or the people they dislike lose and hear their turmoil in the mumble.
I'm sure I speak for many high level players when I say I am eternally grateful for all the people still working on TF2 production and those who have in the past. My intention is not to push you to take on more work than you can manage, especially since I'm sure there is an overload of work with TF2 production already anyway, and very little reward for it. I will however keep my hopes up, that in some way we can spice up the production of these casts, because I think there is potential for much more than what were currently doing.