How to properly analyze a VOD? The key points to target?
Contents :
[I) The different tools available
[II) Preparation of the analysis
[III) Analysis
[A) The macro and the micro in game
[B) Communication
[C) Game plans and scouting
[D) Placements
[IV) Post analysis
[V) Expectations according to level
[VI) Conclusion
I) The different tools available
Awapp.gg: Free , table which allows to make diagrams , texts in a very simple and clear way. Possibility to download the images later, example:
queu.gg : Free , website that allows you to do VOD reviews or analyzes with your team live. Positive points : no need to have a big connection to use it, in addition several tools are available for drawing , writing , etc. Anyone with the link has the option to take control , and of course when the controlling person pauses , everyone on Queue.gg will also be on pause . Everything is done in sync with the participants
LINK : https: //imgur. com/a/EO1PtB4
statBanana: Paid (5 € per month), this software will be used for the theorycrafting side , it will allow you to make compositions and put them in place on ALL Overwatch cards which will be available with the care packs, respawns, the ability to display heights or not, all in 2D. I recommend this tool only if you need to do extensive analysis : Here is an example of the possible work:
II) Preparation of the analysis
I will differentiate this part according to your status :
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if you want to look at your POV from yourself in ranked, or even in scrim, I refer you directly to part “ III) Analysis” .
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if you want to analyze a part seen from above, or which alternates with POV (VOD of a scrim, Contenders match or even OWL) we meet right away!
So you have to watch or analyze a VOD . First thing to do: take the context into account . If it is an OWL match, is it the top of the table or the bottom of the table? The same goes for a Contenders match with teams that are used to playing certain compositions.
If it is a more classic scrim , of any level, be it bronze level, T3 + level, be prepared to have certain errors, certain clutches, etc.
Then, you have to set a goal : for example, I will focus on the adaptability of the team , on the positioning , on the management of ultis , on the game plans made … There are
many possibilities available to you. For you, the hardest part at the beginning is to want to do EVERYTHING at the same time and unfortunately not to do 100%.
It is better to review a map several times with a different objective for each viewing , rather than a single viewing with all the objectives defined.
In addition, we cannot have the same expectations of a 4k + scrim, a 2k5 or 3k scrim (see part V for the different expectations).
Finally, do not hesitate to create a document , a discord room, a notepad, to keep your review in memory . This is very important because many points will be forgotten for the next time (s) (the drawings / diagrams are very meaningful and very fun for the players).
III) Analysis
There you are, in front of your VOD, ready to press play. The objectives have been set beforehand, the tools are ready to be used.
If you are in review of a personal POV , we will focus on the errors of positioning, the mechanical on the characters, the decision making and communication.
For all other cases here are the important points:
First of all, the first thing to do at the start of each round, attack or defense is to watch the compounds (beware of the switches which are made 20 seconds after the start during the assault, escort or hybrid maps) .
Once you’ve seen the lineups, you should already know: “Which game plan would be ideal? What is THE condition for winning the next fight? ”
Second point : know how to take a break very often
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just before the start of the fight to see the positioning , a quick update on the goals and the game plan that has been announced.
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in the middle of the fight to see the follow-up of the focus and the positioning
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at the end of the fight to take stock of the ultimate and what didn’t work.
Third and last point: certainly the longest (hang in there), these are specific aspects , on each point to work on when trying to progress .
In this part I will really detail each point as much as possible to help you, first of all let’s recap the different points that can be addressed:
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the macro and the micro in game (I explain after)
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communication
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game plans (and scouting)
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placements
A) The macro and the micro in game
So, these are terms that are not used much but are present in 100% of our games. In short:
The macro encompasses everything that is subject to the group , the composition, the team’s placements (ie how it moves), the ult economy, the ult tracking, the game plans.
The microphone will focus on the role of each person within the group, its placement, its management of cooldowns, its mechanics, its attitudes according to the composition of the ally but also the enemy.
The macro
To work this point, many possibilities are available to you. First of all, the easiest is to have the VOD VIEW FROM THE TOP for wide shots and to see how the team moves, reacts to the different actions. Then, points like the ult tracking / ult economy are quite easy to work; we notice for example a tendency to announce ultis when they are not yet released, we note it. We announce that we are going to use a graviton next fight (all alone) when they have a transcendence to counter that, unfortunately it was not called and we waste a big ult for nothing, we also note it.
The game plans will take longer to work because different options will be good during a fight . The best is to take the one which would be the most optimal, which would cost the least ulti and which would make it possible to win the fight. It’s no secret : you need to know the game, have gamesense, and watch pro games to see which combos are used most often.
The microphone
The best time to work on the microphone (which remains very specific and rather recommended for teams with an average SR above 4K) is to have VOD alternating between POV / top view . Why ? Quite simply because POV will allow you to put yourself in the player’s shoes and understand their decisions , approach their vision of the game , and at the same time their mechanics. The top view will allow us to see and better understand his behavior with the team and the role he played within it.
Let’s take an example: in the GOATS composition, the Brigitte is very interesting to work from a micro point of view. Indeed, some Brigitte will be very aggressive, others very defensive. The microphone will allow us to see if the Brigitte is out of position, if it adapts well to the enemy composition and, for a very high level, to the enemy playstyle.
B) Communication
The communication is something very important about Overwatch, and this is especially true when playing competitively . Several roles are defined in terms of communication and there are several ways to manage this, each team has its own “ composition ”:
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the shotcaller , i.e. the one that will announce the game plans
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the focus leader , very often the main tank or the off support which will announce the focused targets
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the ult tracker , as its name suggests, will manage all the rotations of ulti enemies (it is often the main support, this role may not exist and be done by the team)
To see if the communication is good: look at the ult tracking the focus are they relevant and respected , the game plans they are announced every time, whether in large enough victories as complicated defeats the “Bad words” like “pfff” or even “but anything how j’suis mort la” are they present?
C) Game plans and scouting
A fairly short point because it really depends on the shotcaller you have. This point can be approached by everyone , it will become more theoretical when we go up in terms of level.
How to know if the game plans are to work or not?
First of all, you have to see if they are stated before each fight , if they are updated during the fight for X reasons and if the number changes according to the result of the game.
The best is of course to have a game plan per fight , which is updated very quickly during the fight and which remains constant in terms of number whatever the result. In more depth , game plans are part of the shotcaller level ; the higher the gamesense, the more appropriate the game plans will be for the situation.
Then, scouting is a very short point: it’s just the ability to take information / anticipate the movements of the enemy team and therefore adapt to that , nothing more nothing less. Very often it is the mobile characters who do it, DVA, Winston, Sombra or even Pharah.
D) Placements
Last point to work on: placements.
It is a very easy stitch to work with and is suitable for absolutely all levels. It is best to do this with “top view” VODs . The most important thing is to properly analyze the compositions , in order to subsequently determine the right placements.
Mistakes to highlight: in a GOATS or TANK composition, an ally who separates from the team, in a Dive composition a support that is too far away, or a DPS that does not follow the focus, etc.
placements are often the first thing that will appear during an analysis and it is also the most obvious.
I think if you are starting VODs and analytics this is the first point you should focus on.
IV) Post analysis
You have just completed your analysis, you have noted everything in your document. A little clean up of all these notes, all these diagrams and voila, your work is finished.
A report short , with the most glaring errors can be made, beware if you are a coach of a team, if your text is too long the majority of players do not read. Try to format your words with images and keep them as short and precise as possible.
For further analysis, Excel tables are a great way to report on some data, that’s not the topic here so I won’t expand on it, but the charts speak volumes.
V) Expectations according to level
Here are my expectations and points to work on according to the overall level of the teams (ranked in order of priority):
Low Diamond and lower: the compositions, overall placement and a clear beginning of communication.
High Diamond to high Master: communication, game plans / scouting and macro in general.
High Master to Medium GM: refined game plans, fast scouting, communication without “bad words”.
Medium GM to T3: Macro and micro, clear game plans, almost perfect communication, autonomous on adaptability and a very fast reaction to a change of game plan during a fight.
T3 to T2: precise data, ultis value, impeccable communication, micro and macro studied in depth.
VI) Conclusion
First of all, thanks for reading this far, it’s nice to share all of this with you.
This was a document that I got from a French coach during my trip as a T3 player. I think that making this document public can only be beneficial for the community.
For the conclusion, here is a little recap:
First, you need a preparation for the analysis of the VOD, well situated in the context of the game.
For the analysis, here are the points that can be worked on: macro and micro in game, communication, game plans (and scouting) and finally placements.
For the post analysis, try to keep it short and make it fun to read so that the players can remember something.
Finally, determine your expectations or try to see with those that I suggest to you to concentrate on certain points according to the overall level of the player / team.
That being said, I offer free vod review to anyone who ask in the reply ^^.
. Will take my time to work through it, thank you very much for sharing 
w 