" First Test of ET TV"

[DG]

http://www.et-center.com/?page=news&id=384
o// \\o

anyway some questions/suggestions that popped into mind (couple due to comments there), probably most are crap from getting carried away

- what's bandwidth requirements going to be like, for etvt servers and clients? I'd assume host server -> ettv will be at least multiview rate needed, but what (ballpark) rate/bandwidth will be used for ettv server <--> viewers?

- will it be possible to "chain" ETTV servers? IIRC this was very useful for big events, because then you can have 1 guy sorting it and setting it up for all the games etc on a "master", so other people could just connect their ettv server to that one.

- not sure how this might be done, but maybe useful to have some way to read the sv_hostname or a banner from the host server into a public cvar, so that it is possible to have a generated "whats on" webpage or something, showing ETTV servers and what they are showing.

- when you join a server you are freefloat spectator. maybe on ettv it would automatically spec someone logged in as a shoutcaster spec. of course viewers can just right-click to jump out and and spec normally if they want.

[todd`]

I have another question in addition (as ET is my first FPS and I'm unfamiliar with <insert game here>TV).

Will the ETTV client be standalone from the game itself? I'd like for a few friends to be able to spec without having to run/install the game. I assume the client will use the games engine code to run, so I guess a Mac client wouldn't be possible?

[DG]

you'll need to watch through an ET client, pesumably with ettv client mod.

there is already a "standalone" way to watch games (er i think there's one works with et, cant rememebr what though), but it's basically a streaming video and hence uses a lot of bandwidth.

[Spoofeh]

there is already a "standalone" way to watch games (er i think there's one works with et, cant rememebr what though), but it's basically a streaming video and hence uses a lot of bandwidth.

Deo shoutcasters have been streaming some ET matches, but I assume they (and everyone else that have been doing this) will switch to ETTV once it's out.

---

I agree that it would be nice if you were able to follow the shoutcaster (so that you see what he's babbling about ), but being able to follow any player + freecam is a huge leap forward from WTV and enough for me (at least in the first version ).
No more dead camera men.

[Rain]

Cat's out of the bag, eh?

To touch on some of the questions (that I feel like disclosing answers to ):

• Bandwidth usage:
  Hopefully (and probably), less than a multiview client--multiview had to seriously abuse the existing data structures to push all the data to the client, and a price was paid as far as bandwidth usage. Since we don't have the limitation in ETTV, we can do it the Right Way™, so delta compression works much, much better.
  I wasn't around when bani did the earlier live test, so I don't have hard bandwidth figures, unfortunately. I fixed some playerstate stuff (for following), so I'll hopefully be able to get better bandwidth data when that's tested.
• Chaining:
  This is definitely planned, although it doesn't work as such yet.
• Mod dependency:
  We've architectured things so that ETTV will, hopefully, be mod agnostic. If the ETTV master is running etpro, then ETTV spectators will run etpro; etmain with etmain; etc.
• Shoutcasters:
  Right now, you can watch anyone on the ETTV master—including spectators. This would permit a shoutcaster to do his or her thing by connecting to the master, and players could elect to watch the shoutcaster , another player, or free-float.
  We have some interesting ideas in mind to help out with shoutcaster audio/video synchronization... We'll see where those go.

[faltytower]

• Shoutcasters:
  Right now, you can watch anyone on the ETTV master—including spectators. This would permit a shoutcaster to do his or her thing by connecting to the master, and players could elect to watch the shoutcaster , another player, or free-float.
  We have some interesting ideas in mind to help out with shoutcaster audio/video synchronization... We'll see where those go.

Why not rename it to ET Stadium .

Everything sounds good. Just wondering if there's any immediate plan to test it on an actual league match.

[Lagger]

We have some interesting ideas in mind to help out with shoutcaster audio/video synchronization... We'll see where those go.

\o/
bestest feature ever, the lack of this in wtv was soo annoying.

[Spoofeh]

Well, as I think ND80 said, shoutcasters could connect to the ETTV server and shoutcast the delayed match instead of 'live'. That would pretty much solve the synchronization thing, though there may be some drawbacks that I can't think of right now.

[ND80]

Heh,

Sorry Rain for 'leaking' the test I did ask before I posted.

We should all be very appreciative of the hard work and time that has gone into the development of ETTV. Going to be a big asset to the ET community, especially for those of us that compete in the various leagues.

[IdNotFound]

Maybe now we can get more focus on ET, more players, more tournaments, prizes, community, players, tournament, prizes, omg need to become a proplayer soon

/me wondering if he will ever be streamed on ETTV

[Spark2]

Well, as I think ND80 said, shoutcasters could connect to the ETTV server and shoutcast the delayed match instead of 'live'. That would pretty much solve the synchronization thing, though there may be some drawbacks that I can't think of right now.

One thing that came to my mind was, that it would make it hard for the shoutcaster to communicate with the admins. Maybe that wouldn't be really needed anymore, but not sure. Not just would it be hard to talk with the admins, it would also come delayed so probably too late if the shoutcaster has any problem. So a real synchronization solution might be even better.
This is all very exciting though, might become the best GTV for Q3 engine games ever. I just hope it all works out as planned.

[gotenks]

the shoutcaster would be on the real server, he'll be delayed so if he needs to talk to admin he does it the same as he does now, the ettv will be delayed aswell as 1. to let the specs see wht the shoutcaster is talking about and 2. so that viewers can't relay data to the people in match

[DG]

buffering the stream causes sc to get out of sync whichever way it's done.

someone somewhere suggested trying to get the broadcast going through ettv itself, which might be the most elegant solution but server hosts might be more than a little miffed at the bandwidth - or more specifically, paying the bandwidth for another enterprise, who may even carry adverts for a competetor...

would be cool to have a link in the HUD to which would launch the url to the shoutcast, set on the ettv server with ettv_shoutcasturl "" or something.

[WeblionX]

Perhaps there could, in addition to free movement, be a cameraman that shows data to a different shoutcaster that would broadcast both the audio and video as a single NSV stream so there's never a problem with the audio/video synching.

In addition, it'd be easier to watch that on an actual TV, for those with that kind of setup. :o

[>>steven!]

I have another question in addition (as ET is my first FPS and I'm unfamiliar with <insert game here>TV).

Will the ETTV client be standalone from the game itself? I'd like for a few friends to be able to spec without having to run/install the game. I assume the client will use the games engine code to run, so I guess a Mac client wouldn't be possible?

if your friends have a good enough connection to watch you smoothly then they should be able to download ET pretty fast (and u never know they might be converted )