Another resounding improvement on an already exceptionally well produced and original concept.

Quote from Becky Rose :

Shhh Victor, if you reveal too much you shatter the illusion that Tristan and I are making an informed commentary, when in reality, we just talk rubbish for three quarters of an hour.

oh, sorry well Tristan (as he is playing the role of the "expert") could have noticed how short my pitstop was and make things clear but basically this is the only criticism I can give you two regarding the actual commentary. the audio levels weren't ok at many times, but that's a technical thing and I can deal with it. so if I haven'T done so yet, I would like to say: good job!

Quote from Cue-Ball :

I would say that it would be best to leave the "R" or, even better, overlay the whole word "replay" and drop the sphere for a more simple, clean transition. Something like an image flip or a growing frame would look more professional. The sphere is a little too "trying too hard".

I would say something even simpler, like a quick fade to to the logo and back to the replay. A few years ago the F1 replays would fly in and out in a 3D box, but now the logo flies across the screen and the replay fades in.

I can upload a quick example of what I mean if it's okay for me to borrow a few seconds of the video

Quote from Becky Rose :

In fact the full uncompressed HQ streams are twice the size of a DVD so no matter what I do there is always going to be quality loss

Yes, I know what you mean. I can fit 4x almost-one-hour highlights of the F1 races on a DVD, but it is quite low quality. On a standard TV you can't really tell much though, it's only when you watch it on a computer monitor that it's noticeable, but still watchable. I'm too stingy with myself to use more than four DVDs for the season

Being able to buy DVDs, well that will just be cool

Quote from csurdongulos :

oh, sorry well Tristan (as he is playing the role of the "expert") could have noticed how short my pitstop was and make things clear but basically this is the only criticism I can give you two regarding the actual commentary. the audio levels weren't ok at many times, but that's a technical thing and I can deal with it. so if I haven'T done so yet, I would like to say: good job!

Could have done - probably should have done. But as pitstop times aren't visible, and there is no pit crew or motion of the car, so pitstops aren't really great to talk about.

Besides, I think most people just pitted but had no fuel or tyres, so it was just a quick damage repair stop...

Hopefully Scawen/Becky will find a way to make pitstops better for the spectator/viewer/commentator.

Quote from csurdongulos :

actually I didn't get any damage at all in that incident, luckily. I pitted at the first opportunity to avoid the SC phase, and any accidental damage I got on the way, by brushing a wall here and there. The earlier you pit, the less chance there is you got major damage which makes you lose a lot of seconds in the pit due to repair. After the pit I lost maybe 2 seconds to Hannu due to having to fight a little with those who haven'T pitted yet, but it wasn't that bad and I couldn'T have closed the gap down anymore as my tyres were overheating badly, so the SC phase was welcome to cool the tyres down.

I was thinking more about the damage that the back marker had suffered. You came around the corner and plowed into him, but there was little mention that he was running very slowly and that his pace was a major factor in the collision. Also, I thought I saw when he first damaged his car in the chicane, then again in the turn onto the straight, but I don't recall either brush with the wall being mentioned. It would have been nice to see a replay of how his car got so damaged, along with commentary about how slow he was going, "wonder why he didn't get black flagged", etc.

Of course, that's all easier said that done, considering that Becky has to capture all of the footage and patch it together. I just thought it was odd not to get mentioned, that's all.

Quote from tristancliffe :

About not mentioning damage, I think that's because the cars just dent - you can't say much about a dented panel. If bumpers were hanging off, or mirrors fell off then they'd be more to discuss. Also, body damage doesn't affect the driving of the car, so doesn't need to be talked about as a racing problem. If there is suspension damage then it would become apparent fairly quickly.

I try and mention stuff like damage, strategy, tyre temps etc when I can, as the dull technical commentator, but LFS' damage system isn't all the exciting from a race outcome perspective.

Unfortunately, you're right. I think we're all hoping for improved damage in the future. I'm personally, really, really hoping we get radiator and engine over-rev damage before I'm old and gray. The nearly indestructible cars take away from the immersion and have a bad affect on race results, IMO.

Edit: I think picture 18 on the Round 7 picture page says it all.

Quote from Cue-Ball :

Edit: I think picture 18 on the Round 7 picture page says it all.

hehe yeah.. poor Rob. I swung my car just clear, but Rob had several car-lengths less time to react, as the situation came into view very much later for him. I felt bad.. but not that bad That's life in the big SO City

Holy...
I... never... saw... something... like... that... before (except on TV). I started to watch the Google Video Version... for 5 Minutes. And I am now downloading the High Quality Version. This is an amazing pieco of Art!

I've watched all but one or two of the STCC 'casts this season, from what I recall. I also saw a few from last season.

This has been by far the best I've seen so far.

I'd usually have more comments if I did this regularly, but it's 1:30 a.m. as I write this, but I'll drop off a few.

Positives:
> The new intro is very high-quality stuff. It's got less clutter with CG's than the old one.
> I like the ticker at the bottom (good on 'ya for keeping it in Title Safe). Just a couple small bits to add: I might like it better if it paged through a bit faster. Also any timing info that might be useful could go in. I'd rather see timing & scoring than car thumbnail. But that's just this TV guy's opinion on fonts.

Negatives:
> For the replays: The transition to and from replay...not the worst, but not the best. A simple wipe across with the STCC logo wiping in FG while the BG transitions as it wipes would be more than enough. And in my experience in sports production, anyone I've worked with and I have always tried to have a different angle in the replay. Not that there's anything wrong with replaying from the same angle, but it helps give a different perspective.
> Commentary was still exceptional, except it seemed to me like you were trying to force excitement, or be someone you aren't really as a commentator. Best is to be yourself. If you're sincerely excited, be it, but don't throw out more than you really are, which is what it seemed like to me at points. Don't get me wrong, I still very much enjoyed all the commentary.

"Meh's" (things that aren't positive or negative, just things that are. Ish.)
> I don't expect that this would be too difficult to do, but I don't know exaclty what system you do your editing with, but indeed try to include a constant leader-lap display, ala FOM's world feed box, A1GP, et al. And perhaps also for informational purposes, have a little colored box pop up whenever there's a local yellow, or SC, and stay up through the duration of the situation.
> This is the part of me that developed from hanging around Ohio University's journalism school nerds all the time (incidently I'm a student at Ohio University), and taking the Precision Language class. When on the graphic indicating the SC's being called in, the term "Coming In Now" might possibly imply to most that the SC will be in at that moment. Anyone who knows the track and the event knows this isn't the case, but I hope you get my point. "Safety Car In This Lap" would be a bit better, or some variant on it.

Apologies for the long post, but I intend it as constructive criticism. Good racing action all across, though. In general, I'd give it a near-perfect score. Say, 9.5/10.

Great job !

that move where the guy came back on the track after braking too late was totally fair, the guy that got pushed sideways slightly should have knew he was coming back on track....

Who do you mean?

Quote from ayrton senna 87 :

that move where the guy came back on the track after braking too late was totally fair, the guy that got pushed sideways slightly should have knew he was coming back on track....

That may be true when a couple of 16 year olds have a go at karting on some parking lot with cones but not in any civilized motorsports competition.
@Jakg: He means Pailler's move against Szabo from round 6 that was reviewed in the round 7 broadcast.

Vain

He probably did know, but what else could he do - irrespective of where Szabo goes, he's gonna be smashed as the FXO can't brake well on grass, but he could of given the position back.

The pushing sideways let the field catch up again

Quote from ayrton senna 87 :

that move where the guy came back on the track after braking too late was totally fair, the guy that got pushed sideways slightly should have knew he was coming back on track....

i know you like to blatantly cut but cutting the track is never a fair move

in akrting that move wouldnt be punished and im sure in F1 it wouldnt too, if i was the other driver i would have seen it coming that he couldnt slow down on the gravel. Although the overtaking guy did brake too late...

Very nice indeed.
Nice racing and nice editing on the vid
And nice commentary also