But the real incentive is going to be external: the knowledge that other people are watching, armed with the all- powerful sanctions of cheers and subs. This is sadly absent from the launch version, but it was a good way of encouraging players to not only sit in the Director's chair but to take it seriously, and suggest ways the role could be approached. The early-access version of the game included an option to tip your Director with a few experience points, marking their playstyle in the process – were they a careful puppet master, a commentator calling every play, or just a devotee of nukes-and-beachwear chaos?
It's easy to imagine how this could turn nasty, though – out in the wild, we witness one cheery Director facing a slightly hostile crowd – and the ability to mute and report players isn't always enough of an antidote. With the exception of a megaphone broadcast ability on a cooldown timer, the Director is locked into the same proximity-chat limits as the competitors, and so experiencing it as a player is like being at a party where the host is constantly diving in and out of conversations. We play a few rounds with an experienced shoutcaster and – after getting past our natural British wariness of a loud and energetically complimentary stranger – it is a charming experience. "It's rare, and joyous, to see a game actually improved by shamelessly playing to the crowd"
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