View Single Post
  #58   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 19-04-2008, 16:12
Swan217's Avatar
Swan217 Swan217 is offline
RoboShow Producer
AKA: DJ Royal Fusion
no team (RoboShow)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Rookie Year: 1999
Location: Detroit Raised, Orlando Adopted
Posts: 568
Swan217 has a reputation beyond reputeSwan217 has a reputation beyond reputeSwan217 has a reputation beyond reputeSwan217 has a reputation beyond reputeSwan217 has a reputation beyond reputeSwan217 has a reputation beyond reputeSwan217 has a reputation beyond reputeSwan217 has a reputation beyond reputeSwan217 has a reputation beyond reputeSwan217 has a reputation beyond reputeSwan217 has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Swan217
Re: 2008 Championships Webcast

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve W View Post
Shawn I am surprised that you don't understand what announcers try to do. We call the match as we see it and try positive input on all teams. I for one would never call out a team unless it was my own, which I have done, and even then I got spoken to. Positive reinforcement is what FIRST wants and what most teams want and like. As announcers we enjoy the job but it is very taxing. Making sure that you don't give away strategies, tell teams how to play, speak about every team as evenly as possible and make the game exciting. We try to do this all in 2:15 and then we start all over with new teams.

Yes there are announcers that are annoying. Sometimes we get in a place that we don't want to repeat things but we do. We try but we are human.
While I do not agree with putting down teams for mistakes they make,
I do think that good and bad strategies in general should be pointed out. Good announcers should of course "give away" the strategies of the game - that lets the average unobservant spectator get a better understanding of how the game is played besides running around in circles. No team has a "trademark" on strategy - it's being laid out for everyone to see.

I wish at the rookie regional in Flint that the announcer would've been observant enough to point out that knocking your own trackball off the overpass with 10 sec to go is a "bad" strategy, while "blocking" opponents trackballs was a good strategy. You can point out fairly obvious strategies without being condescending, such as some that Sean points out:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dodgeball
"Well the Average Joe's only have 4 players, seems like they're going to have to forfeit"
"An interesting strategy Cotton, let's see how it works out"
The way I see it - I reject and denounce announcers that say catchphrases and play Marco Polo with the crowd over and over again. It doesn't take much creativity and is lazy announcing. If you want to get the crowd into it, try something new. I prefer Dan Green Mad Libs myself. I also like Verbrugge's Stats. I also like Leon's..... um.... whatever you call what he does.

Also, I find that when I'm not trying to pull a Copioli and try to be an announcer AND pitcrew at the same time, AND also try to be a team coach and argue with the refs, it's a lot more enjoyable of a job. (Maybe why I only do Lego League )
__________________
Orlando Regional Planning Committee & Cohost of The RoboShow & RoboVision

Follow The RoboShow on Twitter @RoboShowLive & check out our website, www.theroboshow.net

Follow RoboVision on Twitter @RoboVisionOD & check out our website, www.robovisionod.com





"As president, I believe that robotics can inspire young people to pursue science and engineering. And I also want to keep an eye on those robots in case they try anything."
— President Barack Obama

Last edited by Swan217 : 19-04-2008 at 16:19.