Here's the thing about casting: it's more enjoyable to be a viewer.
You are able to participate with the chat, need not formulate sentences before you say them (constantly, for hours on end, impromptu), can be a fan, relax, enjoy the series in ease (is that not a viewer's expectation when tuning in to ESOCTV?). It's not that casting cannot be rewarding, it can be, but for entirely different reasons: for offering your mind and opinion to hundreds of listeners, aiding the community, aiding this game, providing a product in which others find joy. This is the novelty which sucks casters in and which wears with relative ease.
Not to mention there are the little stresses of setting up a stream and making sure everything is running smoothly and never not. The time commitment is deceptively large -- one cannot step away during a cast as one might as a viewer to accomplish little side tasks and chores.
I waited years to watch Mitoe in a grand finals and when the opportunity came I witnessed the brilliant outcome lacklusterly -- my entire energy directed towards being a caster rather than a friend and a fan.
I believe criticisms are nearly always valid and needed but never only criticisms. Supporting your casters (genuinely) is important! There is really no incentive to cast outside of one's own (ailing) motivation. Casting with a friend can help. This is why Kaiser and Queen cast so many games I am sure. Here are a couple of examples from my last cast which can really dampen morale:
Literally no tier 1 caster could cast, but I'm very happy with Chrisie and Callen
no offense, I was kinda more interested in a top player to cast this + someone entertaining
These remarks do not upset me. I know them to be true. But why should I return? I am not looking for compliments -- merely not this. Not happy with my casting? Well, fuck off (meaning I will fuck off). It's quite simple.
To be frank, I am the "ESOC Thought Police." I almost always feel the need to represent your antithesis, @
momuuu. Rarely is what you say, in my interpretation, worded with constructiveness. As a caster nothing in this thread from you would motivate me to improve my casting ability or frequency. If anything it accomplishes the opposite. It's (probably) just me (maybe).