BLAST is always looking to bring new and exciting tech and broadcast improvements to the show, aiming to take esports to the next level of global entertainment - and this year is no different.
Innovation requires experimentation, and it's possible that some of this doesn't come off precisely as envisioned.
Some might need tweaks, but BLAST is confident that at least some will be fantastic additions to the broadcast in time.
"We're experimenting", Lasse Vig Jensen, Creative Director, told BLAST.tv.
"Something might not work, but then we'll change it,” he said.
Frederik Munksgaard, Executive Producer, BLAST Premier, echoes the thought:
“We’re trying not to be afraid of making mistakes, as that’s our best bet for really innovating and engaging our audience. Being courageous isn’t as easy as it might seem," he said.
Without further ado, let's delve into the changes.
This update is one we've been looking forward to. During Fall Final you can watch the games in 4K 60 fps (in-game, graphics will be upscaled) exclusively on BLAST.tv. CS2 is already much prettier than CSGO ever was, and you can see the in-game visuals in all their glory.
BLAST.tv is, of course, free and very easy to sign up for.
On the surface, this one doesn't sound that crazy, but we hope it will provide another layer to the broadcast for fans to enjoy from home and in the arena.
We’ve added a cam behind every player and a camera on the coach headset. Both angles trying to capture some new unseen angles. We're unsure what this will bring (a flying headset from a frustrated coach, maybe?).
"Coach Cam is our attempt at doing what F1 did with their helmet cams, which provided an extraordinary and never-seen-before angle for the viewers to feel as the driver,” Lasse Vig Jensen says.
“If it works as we’re planning, you're about to get a real grasp of what it's like to be in that booth, playing Counter-Strike in front of thousands for all the marbles,” Frederik Munksgaard adds.
For Fall Final, we’re trying to bring the concept even closer to the LIVE action by playing out communication sound-bites during games shortly after it’s been said by the teams. Just as you’ve seen and heard in the Tour de France and F1.
“When we introduced MIC’d up, it served as an incredible insight into what the players are doing, thinking and.. saying, giving context to many decisions seen during the game. Of course we need to make sure that nothing comes out that ruins the integrity of the game,” Frederik Munksgaard says.
He adds that “tournament operations will screen all audio before being aired”.
If we get that closer to the action visually, it makes sense to do the same thing sound-wise.
If you've ever wondered what it'd feel like to see NiKo shout "NICE" at you after winning a clutch on stage, this is as close as you'll get.
Unless you're m0NESY, of course.
This is firmly in the experimentation camp but can aid in storytelling. BLAST is reintroducing the AI predicting the round outcome. We’ve had that before, but this time around, we're using our very own build.
If you've watched much cricket, you might be familiar with CricViz, an AI that tries to predict win percentages at a given point.
That one... isn't perfect, but it should give you an idea of what BLAST aim to do.
The aim is not for it to be 100 % perfect but to help casters and analysts.
“The AI will most likely get some predictions wrong. Maybe noticeably wrong. Nonetheless, working with it during a live environment is a great way for us to collect a lot of data on how to use it going forward, and how to use it for other things than predicting a round winner,” Lasse Vig Jensen says.
Once more, this is more about "evolution than revolution," as Lasse Vig Jensen says.
“We're continuing to push forward and reflect our belief that Premier is one of the most forward-thinking, innovative, and exciting shows in not just Counter-Strike but esports as a whole,” Lasse Vig Jensen says.
“The updated design is more energetic and intense in its colour palette, powerful and fun in its motion language and offers us more opportunities to create a compelling viewer experience, offline and online,” he adds.
Expect BLAST Premier as you know it, but shinier and more polished.
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