FGC Commentary: The Good, The Bad, and How to Improve

Current Fighting Games Fighting Game Discussion
1

Disclaimer: Observations are based on SSF4AE and MVC3 only.

I first started paying attention to the scene in EVO 2010. I had been harassed into it, really. I didn’t see the attraction. I liked fighting games, sure, I’d been playing them since Street Fighter 2. But I had no interest in the competitive scene. Nevertheless, my friend from another state who I never got to see much convinced me it would be a bonding experience. So, I canceled my other plans, ordered some Dominoes, and strapped myself in for the ride.

I don’t really remember much of the commentary, but two figures stood out in my mind – James Chen and UltraDavid. Since I had no idea what I was watching, really – high level play is fairly esoteric – thank God they were there to break it down. Unlike others who got on the mic, both James Chen and UltraDavid took the time to explain game mechanics and strategy that I had never heard before in a comprehensible manner. I began to understand on a basic level what I was watching, and why I should be excited that X person won X match and how they did it.

From what I understand, the FGC loves UltraDavid and James Chen commentary, even when they blow them up, and for good reason: they are, strictly speaking, the part of a very small group of truly excellent commentators available.

A few definite reasons emerge. For one, they are two of the few commentators who consistently focus on the match. They have an impressive amount of knowledge for most characters and matchups, and goddammit, they use them. Both are even-handed, and willing to accept criticism and debate without devolving into a battle of wills. They’re genuinely personable, even when one of them is salty. Both of them keep it classy; they avoid swearing. They speak in clear, concise sentences, and don’t resort into a stream of fighting game jargon that obfuscates rather than clarifies. They realize that people are actually watching the stream. They know when to get hype and do it without going completely off the wall. Consummate professionals 95% of the time. And when they’re together they have definite chemistry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY6LSb6u-S0&list=FLkwgTu1hwBVjJliy3KNuGjQ&index=1

Before I go further, let me make something clear. I have the utmost respect for Justin Wong. He’s an excellent player and an inspiration, and from various accounts I hear he is an approachable and generally kind individual, willing to dispense his knowledge to those who ask for it. But all of these features don’t necessarily mean he should be commentating on stream. Keep in mind that the only reason I’m using him as an example is because he’s recognizable; there are far worse commentators out there, and in fact his offenses are relatively minor compared to some. And don’t get me wrong: I love Marn.

A few weeks back in WNFAE Justin Wong and Marn were on the mic, and it was both one of the best episodes I’ve seen and also one of the worst. Neither of them commentated the matches. Instead they told revealing, and occasionally awkward stories about their past, filled with in jokes and references to their personal lives. Incredibly entertaining stuff, but again, there was nothing about the matches. Not only that, but both of them were checking their phones, prompting me to think: You have something better to do? Justin would go on to do the same phone bit at Seasons Beatings (sidenote: when I told my friends I was watching something with that title they assumed it was a porn.)

When one of them left, the general atmosphere changed. James Chen was able to balance the silliness of both Marn and Justin; and in general, this is one of the reasons why it is almost necessary for either UltraDavid or James Chen to be on the mic: they reel in otherwise spotty commentary, assuming their partners are commentating at all. There’s a tendency amoung top players who get on the mic to ignore or gloss over the match in favor of talking about themselves, or rivalries, or simply bicker.

The latter is unfortunately what happened when Justin Wong and Chris G Matrix (I think?) took the mic at Seasons Beatings. All they did was take unfortunate pot shots at each other. If they had been been funny, or witty, at least there would be that to go on; but mainly it was just a series of boring low blows that had nothing to do with the matches. This kind of thing is incredibly frustrating to watch, and I left the stream for a bit because of it.

Still, I have to give Wong credit when its due. He redeemed himself when he commentated with NoelBHungry: they had some chemistry, and were able to give some interesting information, proving that Wong can do just fine given the right environment and partner.

Now don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of top players who are either entertaining or informative or both. IFC Yipes is fun. Skisonic is solid, and is perhaps the closest follow up to James Chen and UltraDavid. Mike Ross and Combofiend (one of the most likable people on camera, period http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npHDxSvwCE0) were great at Seasons Beatings, though not necessarily informative; their personalities are so likable on camera though that it didn’t really matter. Floe, who I had not seen commentate before, did quite well. There are others, but I’ll leave it there.

To break it down, here is, in part, what a commentator needs to do:

  1.  Have an exhaustive knowledge of the game.

  2.  Have an exhaustive knowledge if the players for context.

  3.  Commentate on the match that’s happening. This seems to be the hardest hurdle for some.

  4.  Use clear, concise language.

  5.  Avoid an overdose of Mortons after watching a match. It brings the stream down.

  6.  Keep an even emotional keel, and enunciate.

  7.  Know when to get hype and when to cool it.

  8.  Give players the benefit of the doubt.

This is just some of the basics. James Chen and UltraDavid themselves would be much better qualified, but as a stream monster, this is what I’ve observed.

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Should Justin Wong and Marn do their own adventures? The answer is YES.

2

Yeah, were all aware that sometimes the people who commentate fighting games don’t talk much about the match. Not to be a dick but this isn’t news to anyone, and sometimes the uninitiated noobs who are watching aren’t the highest priority.

3

I don’t mind if they don’t commentate the match. I don’t mind the story either. I guess it comes down to what the vibe of the tourney is like.

What irks me most is when commentators get basic stuff about the game wrong, or when they don’t know who certain significant players are. Also when one commentator keeps talking over everyone else. That just pisses me off. Thankfully there’s only maybe 1 or 2 guys like that, and they don’t commentate often.

4

The only time we need “professional mainstream” commentary is for Majors and of course, for EVO, but goddamn… I think everyone who watches WNF knows what the hell is going on.

That’s why I prefer GC.
The only explanations we need is the WTF moments and Chris Hu’s Engrish and that’s it. Just have fuckin’ fun like the players, man.

5

Why should appealing to clueless newbies be the main thing we look for in commentary?

Lots of people like Chen and UD because they seem ‘professional’, but a lot of the shit they say is eye-rollingly clueless and inaccurate. Then stream monsters (most of whom don’t play the games) hate on someone like Arturo who has a fuck of a lot more legitimate insight than either of those guys, because he doesn’t sound ‘professional’.

This is exactly the kind of shit people were worried about happening as the scene gets bigger. We should be doing everything for the existing scene first and foremost. Changing what we are to court outsiders is a sure fire way to ruin what makes the scene fun to be a part of. To people who cry “don’t you want the scene to grow?” - it had no problems growing thus far. This isn’t about purposefully alienating anyone, it’s about saying people should come to us, not vice versa.

6

People don’t dislike Arturo commentary becaus he sounds “unprofessional”. People dislike Arturo commentary because a lot of it (especially during AE matches) is just nothing but straight-up, non-stop bitching about character balance in the game. He’s a negative person, and while knowledgeable, that doesn’t make his whining any more interesting to listen to.

Also lol at Chen and UD being “professional”. They just wear ties and are capable, most of the time, to speak like they’re talking to an actual audience - not to a bunch of friends, which is a strong point. They don’t usually explain what’s going on because their game knowledge is rather weak and they generally feel like that’s not what’s required from them. And they are right. Most of what they say is just incoherent screams and verbal arm-flailing about what’s happening, punctuated with a good amount of OH MY GODs and SO SICK. It gets even worse when Justin Wong is playing, because at a certain point in the match it just becomes “Justin Wong… JUSTIN WONG ! JUSTIIIIIIN WOOOOOOOOOONG !” and that’s as intellectually stimulating as you can guess.

But that’s perfectly fine and, in fact, that’s exactly what the scene needs. A commentary is not supposed to explain shit to people that are watching it. They can see it - it’s right before their eyes. They don’t need that shit spelled out for them. What most people want is a fun commentary that makes things exciting and fun, and that’s exactly what these people provide, and what Arturo/Sabin is apparently unable to do.

7

Depends on the game. I bet most streammonsters would be clueless if you let them watch a Guilty Gear or a Melty Blood match.
In SF4 and MVC3 other than some option selects things are pretty simple and obvious to understand for the most part.

8

Yes, but explaining those parts is not, in my opinion, the job of a live commentary - a step by step one that would have the explicit mission of explaining things, maybe - because they simply don’t have the time to go in depth, the match is still going on, there might be something even more amazing happening literally half a second later, and even between matches there’s usually not that just time to reflect on just what happened. When people are watching a streamed tournament they want to get excited, and naturally tend to prefer the people that actually get them excited.

What happens on-screen might not be immediately understandable to the un-initiated eye - because of option selects, mindgames or even straight up execution errors that are never properly understood by anyone but the player that failed, but that’s not something the people that commentate should overly focus on. Different people look for different things visually, and I think it’s fine to focus on the more superficial aspect of things just for the sake of the show - hardcore viewers still get what they came for anyway.

9

Justin can actually do decent, extremely in-depth commentary when he wants to. For example;