It maybe goes without saying that 95% (or more) of games played are not “castable”. That isn’t to say they’re not any good or even very well played, it’s just that in order to cast a game, several things must come together – and they need to come together in such a way that my abilities can make it fun to watch, so it fits in my casting style.

Please do not be offended if I say no. I will do my best to give a few pointers as to why the game was not chosen, if this is the case. I understand that it’s not always obvious to a none-caster, what makes a good cast, at least by my measuring stick. I don’t get sent too many games, but of those I did about 60% are rejected.

Here is my measuring stick, with some key pointers to help you find a replay that is almost certainly going to get casted. If your replay lacks 1 of the requirements, it may still make up for it in other areas, so take this is a rule of thumb, but if you find 2-3 things against, perhaps give it a miss.

• NO DESYNCS PLEASE! (You’d be surprised how many games I get sent, that desync). However… There’s a BIG but…
• If your game desyncs, but you have reviewed it yourself ENTIRELY, and it plays out the very same way, with no weird quirks, ALL THE WAY, then ensure you tell me this in your email, so I know to ignore the desync. If I get a desync without any warning, I have to assume it wasn’t checked fully, and disregard it.
• Games less than 25-30 minutes are unlikely to be picked, unless something really special. Games that are 45 minutes or longer, are the best, and Uber Epics (+90 minutes) providing they continue to meet all the criteria, are gold dust!
• Games must have some sort of action beginning to unfold within the very first few minutes of teleporting in. Watch any of my videos to get an idea of what’s acceptable (there’s only so long I can blab without a shot being fired! Not to mention people will get bored)
• Turtling or periods mid game where nothing much is happening, is acceptable for some brief periods. After the initial opening, if there’s more than a minute or so of inactivity (in 1 go), it becomes increasingly unlikely the game can be casted. It can happen once maybe, if it’s the exception.
• Several shorter gaps say 30-30 second respites, every few minutes, between action packed scenes are not only acceptable, but very much preferred. I need to breathe also!
• The game must be reasonably balanced, unless it’s something magical.
• Good games are impossible to call even 75-80% through, better games were called before, but involved a come back of some kind, or weren’t decided until the last minute.
• The best games involve a come back, then another come back! The deeper the hole the comeback came from, the better!
• If your replay involves a situation where both teams are in the process of wiping each other out, and the only thing separating a win, lose or draw, is a few seconds, or a few inches, or a bit of micro, or a fluke of some kind, that’s pretty much gold. Send it in!
• Skill – Most people want to watch players at their skill level, or higher skilled players. Games where average skill is less than 1,000 are very unlikely to feature on the channel, as it excludes the majority of the audience. The ideal rating is roughly 1,400 or higher, as these attract the majority of subscribers.
• Few, if anyone wants to watch people play, who don’t know what they are doing. As such, I have to cast games accordingly, there are some brilliant Joe games (I literally cast one today, as I write this – 4v4 Setons Saturday Special Beaucoup Movement – it was barely rated over 1,000 – but these are RARE). The higher the skill level, generally speaking, the more likely the game is to be desirable to cast. It’s not a guarantee though, There are plenty of 2k games that aren’t, in fact, like with all rankings, most aren’t. Think of the rating like gravy on a Sunday roast. Yes it matters, but it’s one thing of many.
• Mistakes! We all make mistakes, but if a certain player is repeatedly making big mistakes (regardless of why) that ultimately cost him/his team the game, these are very frustrating to watch. After a previous cast, full of painful mistakes on one side, the video garnered many many comments to that “painful” effect. Having watched it back, I too felt the pain and frustration. It’s a lesson I learnt, and was the only video ever, that actually lost me a subscriber Vs the day before! (I usually gain several every video).
• This is not the same as someone making a big mistake, or just ordinary minor mistakes, we’re talking numerous major blunders.

Assuming you’ve gone through this list , and you think it measures up, then drop us an email: comtact@tacticaltakeover.met (replace the “M” in coMtact to coNtact and .Met to .Net – for spam purposes – or I won’t get your message).

Please include EITHER your first name, or FAF name, so that you can be recognised. If I do not receive either, I will credit it Anonymous.

If you star in your game, that’s cool, assuming all the above still applies. If you did great, and everyone else sucked, and it was an otherwise boring game, I can’t unfortunately cast it, no matter how good it makes you look! I know most people get this point (but again, you’d be surprised…)