Is it ok to use autotext tools?

[Fluffy]

I came to help comentating yesterday's night (European time), to find out there weren't enough comentators to cover and I was the only one :/, I couldn't explain people what really was going on, and was surprised when an expectator, by mistake, sent me a message where she insulted me for comentating in english when the broadcasting event is from Spain featuring Spannish players.

 

I luckilly had the chance to explain her what was going on, but I was very busy being alone.

 

I have seen that on tournaments directors spam all tourney with a lot of stuff (most of it ridicoulous and unhelpful IMO), but I know the program and I am wondering if it would be OK to spam the chat room each 5-6 deals with messages explaing wich event is going on and what we are doing here.

 

Also I found it very sad that untill I arrived there was just a lone room with nobody talking, wouldn't it be better to just allow people open chat when there are no comentators?, maybe even let an open chat always, but be allowed to ignore it like the lobby chat. For not very high audience events it would help comentators to sometimes have a look of what spectators are thinking.

[mtvesuvius]

I am strongly against allowing open chat (see my other posts in Suggestions for the Software) in Vugraph rooms as well. Just imagine a JEC-like chat while the operator is trying to concentrate and broadcast a match... Not good. I've operated enough to know it enrages me when I have clueless commentators in my room, I would never operate again if something like this were to happen. I think this is a case of not fixing something that is not broken.

 

I think using an autotext tool seems fine, giving the website of an event and a few other tidbits of useful information is certainly a good idea. I used to do something similar although I just copied & pasted. The only thing you want to make sure is that it isn't more than 3 or 4 lines long.

 

Commentating by yourself is always a depressing (and difficult) task, and I'd recommend finding another friend who would like to commentate, and arranging to get him ungagged.