Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

World Championships finals videos

Umbreon777

Umbreon777

New Member
Personally, I really like what they have done in recent years, by showing an above shot of the finals matches at Worlds for everyone to see whether it be in person or on the website. I feel as though this is a really interactive way to see how exactly top contending players think when they're playing. I am all for this.

However, what they give us isn't necessarily of the highest quality, when you consider everything that could be done considering how inexpensive it would be.

What we see (2008-09)


* Only one angle, an above view shot
* Not well zoomed in
* Super fast motion
* Only game 2 or 3, whichever won the match
* Music in place of audio


What we see (2010)


* All of the above, except they spliced interviews over it instead of separating the two videos like they should have


What we should see in years to come


* Multiple angles. Above, from the side, panning around, etc.
* A full length video at regular speed of all 2-3 games.
* No music, and able to hear each player talking
* Commentary


With all of this taken into consideration, it would make Pokemon look like a much more legitimate competitive card game. Especially with the incredible media hosting website that is Youtube, in depth videos of finals matches could be uploaded for everyone to see, as opposed to just being shown on the Worlds website (to be uploaded onto Youtube by others).

It was really depressing last year, when I went on the website expecting to see at least a 50 second video of the finals match, but instead I saw a 30 second video with a few interviews of Pram and Yuta put in right on top of it. In my opinion, this is just ridiculous. Are we getting lazier? I do not see how difficult it would be to make a number of videos that were the entire length of the match, and with all of the suggestions I had above. I am also positive that any player would gladly do commentary for free, just because they love watching and talking about the game. Any of these suggestions would cost practically no money whatsoever, unless there is something I am missing.

So please, P!P, maybe this year you can experiment and give us something that will be enjoyable to watch for everyone? An incredible finals match at the World Championships. Maybe Nationals too, if you like the idea.

-Dustin Zimmerman
 
Agreed x100. When Pokemon follows the Magic model, it usually succeeds as a competitive card game; when it follows anything else, it usually fails.
 
multi-camera video production for three simultaneous matches is 'inexpensive'? as well as bandwidth for hour-long finals match streaming videos?

'mom
 
Audio commentary would be fantastic. I think JWittz has a video like that. Frankly, I love seeing stuff like that, even if it is only the overhead view that he gave us.

---------- Post added 05/05/2011 at 04:51 PM ----------
SD PokéMom said:
multi-camera video production for three simultaneous matches is 'inexpensive'?

'mom
Click to expand...

You get some pretty decent results from a $200 video camera and a $20 camera stand. And that was done on the fly, no planning necessary. I could only imagine what they could do with a little bit of planning and foresight on the subject.
 
SD PokéMom said:
multi-camera video production for three simultaneous matches is 'inexpensive'? as well as bandwidth for hour-long finals match streaming videos?

'mom
Click to expand...

Yup it's possible (with the right applications of course). At the last worlds, one of my friends used his iphone to stream the finals match for the VGC top 2, so all our friends back home could watch it. The quality wasn't the greatest (being on an iphone and shaky) but this could definitely be done and really isn't that expensive. I'm sure P!P even has most of the equipment (or the other company that they hire to do all the recordings).
 
so while all these multiple camerapeople are around each table, video'ing for later editing/upload...what are the people who are actually THERE and might want to be able to see their child/friend supposed to do?

'mom
 
Piggyback the signals to the video screens. For a halfway decent video producer, it's not terribly difficult.

You can also just have 3 cameras on stands. One overhead, one behind each player, over the shoulder, looking at their hands. Actual cameramen aren't really necessary. This is probably overkill, but the idea exists. I believe that was also live streaming at the time, but I'm not certain how MTG publicizes their events.
 
SD PokéMom said:
so while all these multiple camerapeople are around each table, video'ing for later editing/upload...what are the people who are actually THERE and might want to be able to see their child/friend supposed to do?

'mom
Click to expand...

Well, the friends and/or parents of the players will still be able to see them. And in my opinion, the presence of cameras or cameramen around their child might make the parents happy to see them doing so well. But the main point being, the children wouldn't be out of sight. And this really only applies to Juniors maaaaybe Seniors.
 
Streaming costs nothing as long as you have an active connection to the internet. Everyone should watch the magic world finals, and then we should try to emulate that as much as possible.
 
SD PokéMom said:
so while all these multiple camerapeople are around each table, video'ing for later editing/upload...what are the people who are actually THERE and might want to be able to see their child/friend supposed to do?

'mom
Click to expand...

They watch it... on the big screen... and they dont have to crowd around because there are multiple angles.

This is the FINALS of WORLDS. The highest-level match of the season. Do people crowd around the table in the world chess finals? Didn't think so.
 
Cannot show the hands because the screens are in the area. A player could see the screen and gain insight into the oppo's hand. That is why we advised the finalists to keep their hands behind the bench line.

As for commentary, it could be done. That is basically what I did at Worlds last year. I walked in the ring w/ the director and told him when game changing/winning moments would be taking place, plus watching the clock to allow fairly equal time for each agr group on the main, center screen. The commentary would have to be for an online production though bc we wouldnt want the players to pick up any ideas about the other's hands and/or a strategy to win that they didnt realize (yet).

Keith
 
Heck, at my local SSBB tournaments, they have multiple TVs set up to large screens and it's just a library, in addition to a camera for recording matches.

Lawman brings up a good point too.
 
Can't show shots of hands? Record it for the video to be shown later, just don't live stream those specific shots.

Commentary has to be done later? No! Just have whoever is commentating do so in a completely separate room with feeds of all of the camera angles. And I mean good camera angles, ones where you can actually see everything that is being played. I want to make note of 2009 masters finals, where the glare on the cards made it practically impossible to make anything out.

I'm really glad that people are jumping on board for this. If anybody is a higher up in the P!P company and can get ideas influenced, please suggest this idea. It would be so incredibly good and just plain fun for the players. It would establish Pokemon as a respectable trading card game.
 
Most certainly. And the better the coverage, the stronger the marketing campaign. Atta boy, Zimmerman!
 
One thing I think you guys need to consider is that the competition isn't necessarily the biggest draw when considering what to cover. Maybe to you and many of the people reading this it is, but to much of the potential audience (in other words, people outside competitive TCG circles), a play-by-play account of the games isn't that interesting or helpful, and therefore isn't really all that great a use of time and resources for TPCI. It would probably be a much better marketing tool for OP to create some sort of "documentary" following the tournament experience and covering the stories around the players and the event.
 
^^ I understand your arguement but I don't necessarily agree. As I was watching the MTG vids, which I posted above, I barely had any idea what was going on. Granted, I didn't know all the rules and such, I was still hooked on it for a couple reasons: 1.) the fact that MTG puts so much effort into the coverage (many cameras, live commentary, and the person tableside taking note on every move being made) just makes it that more interesting to players and non-players alike 2.) The real-time game speed along with the live commentary gives the audience a deeper understanding of what exactly is going on during the game and can also be used as an educational experience and a learning opportunity as we gain insight on how each deck is being played, for players and non-players alike. Pokemon is a very popular TCG and it's easy to learn. With proper coverage, new players interested in learning the game can learn at a faster pace, pick up tips and strategies, be inspired by seeing the world's best go head-to-head and just be all around involved in the game itself by watching these videos. You can still have your documentary at the end mind you, but using the TCG (via proper coverage) is a powerful marketing tool in itself. From a non-player perspective, if I showed you the video of the 2010 Pokemon TCG World Championships Masters Finals and any of the Magic the Gathering Pro Tour coverages, which would you honestly find more interesting?
 
An outside company (aka, a company way smaller than Pokemon) covers several Magic GPs per year. They do live streaming of a match every round (yes, an hour long~! match streamed to the internet), along with commentary, and the cameras aren't so intrusive that the players are completely hidden from their friends and family (many people still bird the match, and you can often see them, depending on the camera angle).

So yes, it's entirely possible and not as difficult as some are making it out to be. Definitely needs to be implemented as well.
 
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