Production for the live event was by LubieRocks Inc, with management and scenic design by David Elliott, lighting design/programming by Nick Wisdom, graphics/video by Don Fisher and audio by Paul Tucci. The tour was also filmed for a seven-part US cable TV series which included live game play, interviews and gaming tips.
The 'Mainstage Arena', which was reserved for the city finals and other key matches along the way, consisted of a custom set that housed eight gaming stations for two competing teams and an audience bleacher seating area under the main truss rig. In-game footage was also shown on three large projection screens.
Lighting the arena presented some interesting challenges for the production team, who had to strike the right balance between creating an exciting event for the different live and TV audiences, whilst at the same time avoid distracting competing gamers with the haze and bright lights. In addition to the lighting rigs hired in each city, the production team purchased Chroma-Q Color Block DB4 LEDs and used Wisdom's own Jands Vista S3 lighting control console as core equipment for the tour after being convinced that both products were vital to the set's lighting scheme.
The Color Blocks were chosen for their size and flexibility and were originally just meant to add some colour and interest to the set, but ended up being integral to the filming when the TV show producers discussed using them to denote teams' colours. Color Blocks uplit the gaming stations and truss pillars on each side of the stage in blue and red team colours, making a very quick frame of reference for TV viewers. Various effects were employed, including running an intensity chase across the truss in the colour of the winning team at the end of each match. Color Blocks were also used to tone the main overhead truss rig supporting the various moving and conventional fixtures during downtime, to ensure the arena was highly visible while the tournament ran.
When Wisdom first saw the Jands Vista it quickly became evident to him that this was a desk that thought the same way he did, so he arranged a day's training with Vista North American distributor A.C. Lighting. Despite his rule of never bringing equipment into a show that he'd only spent a couple of days on, Nick decided to take a gamble and rented a Vista out of his own pocket for the first Orlando MLG show so he could show the production team what a new console could add to the event.
He commented: "Normally I would want a lot more playtime on a desk before I'll throw it into the mix. However, after playing with the offline editor of the console for a few weeks and receiving the fantastic training from A.C. I felt very confident I would be fine with it. The show in Orlando went great and the Vista really opened up a lot of options for me, especially with the LEDs, so we were convinced it was the way to go."
He says he was particulary impressed by the console's FX engine and speed of programming. He also found it to be a great busking desk for corporate live events such as MLG, as he could quickly programme a series of looks and then run shows on the fly. Another feature of the desk which proved to be a real benefit was the Vista's VNC capability. Wisdom has also enjoyed interacting with other Vista users and the Jands technical support team on the dedicated Vista website. He commented: "It's been great to see suggestions become features in the next s
