For a long time, one of the community's most requested features has been spectator functionality. There are many occasions when someone needs to be present in a match without actively participating, from stream casting to tournament coverage. Today, we'd like to take a closer look at the upcoming “Observer” mode, which is currently in the final stages of development.
Previously, players who wanted to spectate had to either join one of the teams as an AFK teammate or rely on other solutions such as game recordings or restreaming through Discord. With the new system, the functionality of the Waiting List in custom lobbies has been significantly improved. While it retains its original purpose, lobby hosts will now have an additional option — assigning a waiting player as a spectator for the upcoming match.
The spectator assignment system has also been designed to be highly flexible. A spectator can be tied either to a specific side (Alpha or Bravo) or to a neutral one. In the former case, they will only be able to spectate the match from that team's perspective, without the ability to switch sides. In the latter, they will be free to switch between A / N / B perspectives, giving them complete freedom over what they see on the battlefield.
To clarify, the lobby host can also become a spectator and even launch the battle without occupying a slot on either team. We believe this feature will be especially appreciated by tournament organizers, as a considerable amount of time often had to be spent simply setting up the lobby, since one of the participating players always had to act as the host.
In−game, spectators will have access not only to a free camera, but also to a dedicated spectator UI replacing the standard battle UI. We continue to refine two display modes for it: an overview featuring all players' statistics, and detailed player tracking.
The first mode is fairly self−explanatory. Think of it as a familiar TAB screen that no longer covers the entire battlefield, while also providing additional economy and K/D statistics. The second mode, however, is where things become far more interesting. It provides a complete breakdown of a player's deck composition, updated in real time, allowing spectators to instantly see which units remain available in reserve and which ones are currently on cooldown.
Furthermore, spectators can open any unit's card in just one click, displaying the exact customization selected by the player. This tool will be particularly useful for streamers and casters when analyzing gameplay and, in particular, a team's complete airtab, as there will no longer be any need to guess a build based on price or wait for a specific unit to be deployed on the battlefield.
Finally, observer slots will have no reconnect timeout, with the option to forfeit the right to return. Spectators will also retain full access to in−game chat, subject to the same A / N / B visibility rules. “Skirmish” mode will not be left behind either, and we plan to release an adapted implementation that takes into account certain peculiarities of AI opponents.
Overall, work on “Observer” mode has entered the home stretch, and the dev team is currently putting the finishing touches on the core feature set. More advanced functionality, such as player tracking, will follow later.
See you on the battlefield! — Steel Balalaika Studio