Good commentary is really the only reason I watch game streams. I’ve always watched FG streams in a recreational way, solely for the enjoyment of watching them. If there is no commentary (or muted), or the unmuted commentary sucks, then I’ll find myself unconsciously putting the window in the background very quietly or I’ll just close it entirely.
When I’m focused on learning something, I’ll almost always rely on Youtube and the capacity to stop/rewind stop/rewind (And twitch archives, typically being really damn long, don’t offer quite the control of the moment to moment in a single match).
Also, you forgot Team Rush Hour in your awesome commentary duos!
no probs man I’m not going to waste my time on defeatists like you who say one thing “I don’t want the scene to die” but then insist on keeping it on the same course that leads to one result only ie. the scene’s death or return to un-life, whatever you want to call the dark ages
Commentary is nice because it gives you a little bit of what happens at actual live events–sitting around talking about the match. For entertainment value (which is what streams are mostly about), it can add a lot. On the other hand, there’s about a 50/50 chance that any given commentator is just going to annoy the shit out of me anyway. Yipes is great when there’s someone else there to temper his enthusiasm a bit. Put him up solo or with the wrong partner and the commentary tends to degrade into girl screams and “ooh ooh ooh ooh.”
I personally enjoy commentary even if it’s obviously ass. I’m not that picky. I just can’t watch matches for an extended period of time without getting bored. Even if it’s just someone with play by play with the occasional surprised reaction at something cool, I’m okay with it. A commentator adds to the experience of watching the match.
I think commentary is for the most part the voice of the FGC or at least a specific community like Marvel or KOF players. So yeah, commentary -good or even ‘so bad it’s good’ Chris Hu commentary- is appreciated. So long as it doesn’t get retarded during important matches.
FG streams, generally, don’t have commentary even 10% of the time. Not every stream is a tournament stream. If you want less commentary, adjust your viewing habits.
I def appreciate this quality too, although you don’t really get that when you have the really formal streams that leave the same guys on all day to comment every game. When its ranbats, or weeklies, or whatever, which tend to be focused on less games you really get a window into how that local scene is. Guys like Dogface and Rock are great because they really conveyed the atmosphere/attitude of their local scenes. Spectators felt like they were part of the action (in spite of the non existence of live streaming back then).