Hey Matt!
I realize my opinions are only my own but these are my immediate takeaways from Mech_Con as someone who watched nearly all twelve hours on Twitch:
1) You really need to do more for the stream in the 'downtime'. Championship player highlights and interviews, reviewing the year's new features, literal commercials for BT product, segments where we get to know the PGI/HBS staff, fan content - can you imagine running a contest in the months leading up to Mech_Con where the winner(s) are revealed on the stream?! Everyone I say these things to says "It takes too much time!" but you had a room full of folks that generate MWO content for *free*
every week. You introduced the freecam this year as well, making crazy good screenshots and videos possible. Pay them or not but I'm sure fans would love to take part in this. The alternative is just open static shots of the crowds milling about, empty chairs, etc. Tina's interview things were
great - do that, plus these other things,
times a million, and use them as filler. Even popping over to BB "The Snek Maiden" Wolfe at the 1v1's or giving us a live shot of the BT tables would be better, or advertising upcoming events. It's one thing to say "We're almost ready, just a few minutes!" to a crowd of people that are live and making the most of their time already. To over two *thousand* viewers who are joking about how long a five-minute break takes PGI? You want those folks to stick around and have something to do other than mock the 'con.
2) Russ is a terrible spokesperson. I don't know him personally but he needs to dress up, shave, stay sober, enunciate, remember names if he's going to start listing them, smile, stop speaking like features may or may not be something we'll enjoy...
GET. US. EXCITED. It's not hard - we're already paying attention and playing your game. He needs to act like he cares for the twenty minutes he's on stage. Again - this is not a personal criticism. A lot of people are different on-stage in front of an audience. He's just a really bad 'face' for PGI in this way ("Bring your wives"?). I know we can't all be Paul in a suit... but Russ really needs to try a
little harder.
3) More Mitch and Jordan. That was the absolute highlight for me and I know I'm not alone. More things like that - old school BT folks with nothing to prove showing off their product or gaming 'acumen'. Look at the crowd when they're up there - folks were engaged! It's gold and I would love to see more of it next year!
4) Rotate out Tourmaline and Canyon in a way that prohibits the monotony. I know these guys train hard all year - which means they have the time to practice on more than two maps. Artillery/Air Strikes, while coming across as kind of cheap sometimes, are part of the game and tactics and that's fine. It's not entertaining in the least to see the same teams competing on the same maps and using the same tactics all day though. Commentators can only say the same things so many times. I feel like Polar was only chosen twice because someone spoke to them about the lack of interest from the audience and I know I'm not alone on that one either.
5) All that said, it was lovely to watch folks doing what they love. I, personally, declared my public and undying affection for
Edmeister and
Nova when I saw them in the Mist Lynxes and had a great time chatting with some folks in the stream and on some other (hosting) streams. The community is the number one reason I stayed with MWO and I'm not sorry - there are some
amazing and talented BT fans out there. It's cool to see what happens when they get to make the games too.
6) With all that is in me, I intend to cosplay as a Mist Lynx next year.
Mark my words!
-BW aka mistlynx4life
#mistlynx4life #mistlynx4mechcon2018
Edit: Never the one to not be a part of the solution,
please contact me if you want my help with anything I've mentioned. Thanks again!
Edited by BWS2K, 11 December 2017 - 12:43 AM.
9
