Games like Starcraft II and Quake 3 Live are spectacular spectator sports. Thousands of viewers can tune in to live broadcasts while commentators like Day[9] and Artosis present the games as they fought and won by professional gamers for cash prizes and sponsorships.
Valve has clearly listened to feedback from Dota 2 fans, and has announced its plans to make spectating games, both live and saved replays, a huge part of the experience.
Players can get a shared view of the battles, making it easy for spectators to carry on a conversation with one another through the Directed camera mode.
“We were able to leverage our experience with Source TV to build a smart camera that knows what’s about to happen, and tries to make sure it’s in a good position to let you see that action unfold
“So in addition to being able to kick back and relax knowing that the camera will always be where the action is, you’re also able to talk about anything happening onscreen because you know that everyone else watching the Directed camera is seeing the same thing you are.”
Additionally, spectators can focus on specific players through the new Player Perspective camera, which—like Starcraft II—even allows you to see their actions and clicks in real time. It’ll offer a player’s eye view of the action, so to speak.
“The player’s mouse cursor and input will be shown, their camera work, their HUD, their interaction with UI elements, and so on. We wanted you to be able to see exactly how a highly skilled player is playing the game, so you can see ways of improving your own play, and that’s what this camera mode lets you do.”
Source: Valve
