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When someone is showing off their models in the P&M sections, do you prefer that they do so with pictures, or in videos? I myself cannot view videos on my computer, so I am frequently annoyed when I can't see what everyone is so into. If I'm the minority, then no big deal, I just wanted to know what everyone else thought.

I think videos do not belong in P&M. If you want to link to one, that's fine and dandy.

But seriously, just post pictures. It's easier on everyone involved.

See, I agree. But when I mention that I can't view them, I get the brush off.

I think that still pictures are a much better way to admire a paint job that with a moving video. Unless it's really high quality video, you can not stop it and look at a single aspect of a figure with the same detail a picture can provide.

Pictures. I pretty much never watch videos of models, or video batreps. I'll often look at the pictures of people's work, and I read most batreps that get posted with pictures. I find pictures more convenient: I don't have to worry about audio popping out of nowhere; I can stop, go, and back up without buffering or embedded ads; I can view it at my own pace rather than being stuck at the pace set by the author.

The exception is painting and modeling tutorial videos; there are a lot of talented painters who can distill a lot of information into a relatively short video, and the nature of the presentation often lends itself better to videos than to pictures and text. P&M tutorials are the only videos I really find myself watching.

Pictures.
Plus, you never know when the "video" that you clicked on will have Lady Gaga Gangsta Deathmetal at volume 11. Plus, much detail is lost in compression.

Jimsolo wrote:See, I agree. But when I mention that I can't view them, I get the brush off.

Usually it's the opposite. People generally can't view videos due to plugins, restrictions, browser errors, mobile devices, etc.

Pictures are at 100%. Personally I hate videos.

Another vote for pics. As a frequent poster, it's much easier for me to upload and it's easier for people to copy/paste those same pics back to me pointing all the egregious errors I made.

Video has it's place in tuts, but for now that's all.

Considering I browse P&M blogs during downtime at work, definitely pictures.

Cant stand videos for models or bat reps. Pictures please.

I leave the thread immediately if there are only vids and no pics.

Miniatures are the kind of works that I want to sit there and soak up each little detail. And video is rarely as high quality as a well-taken still. Basically, when someone posts their models, I refuse to even look if they post videos instead of pictures.

It's like trying to enjoy classical music as commercial jingle, like trying to enjoy gourmet food from the drive-thru. And with that incredibly pretentious simile, I bid you good day.

Pictures first and foremost, but ideally speaking, both high res shots and a video 360 are ideal, especially for NMM and OSL style work IMHO

Videos, to me, only make sense if they provide value that photos don't. I.E. showing off a unique movement feature. (Something more than "The turret turns if you touch it!") Lights, etc.

MajorTom11's note about showing off special detailing of NMM paint work could count as well.

Another point (besides the ones I agree with above) is that I come to dakka specifically to look at things posted ON dakka. For alot of the P&M and battle report video threads I find, the entirety of the dakka content seems to be a link to another site. While pictures for me are still preferable to videos in most cases, videos posted to other sites and just spam-linked here get a reflexive browser back button click. If someone has a youtube video embedded in they're post here, I'll watch it though.

warboss wrote:Another point (besides the ones I agree with above) is that I come to dakka specifically to look at things posted ON dakka. For alot of the P&M and battle report video threads I find, the entirety of the dakka content seems to be a link to another site. While pictures for me are still preferable to videos in most cases, videos posted to other sites and just spam-linked here get a reflexive browser back button click. If someone has a youtube video embedded in they're post here, I'll watch it though.

Aside from the youtube video part, I am in 100% agreement.

I find it ridiculous that there's been an influx of people simply posting a link to their blog, and letting the title of the thread do the work.

Dakka is not (in my mind, at least) here so you can plug your blog.

If you want to post content that links to your blog? Post a teaser. Post some information. For the sake of all that's holy, do something here before you just link to your blog.

Pictures are almost always better than video.

Kanluwen wrote:If you want to post content that links to your blog? Post a teaser. Post some information. For the sake of all that's holy, do something here before you just link to your blog.

Totally agree. Hell, just post the first couple of paragraphs and add a "Would you like to know more?" link after it.

Pictures for sure. Video is annoying at best.

Either option should be accompanied by words, those strange little marks on a page that convey what you are doing, and if all else fails technically, will remain to show what you tried to do.

I prefer pictures. Videos always take me ages to load and give you a lot less freedom to examine a painted model than a picture would.

Videos are only good if they're done extremely well. For example, if a vid shows a mini rotating around on a turntable, that's awesome. But some guy walking around zooming in on this and that aspect of his army, well, most of the video is taken up by the autofocus or else the time in between zooms. Why not cut out all that extra "filler time" and just take pics? The viewer can decide for himself whether to look at your mini for 3 seconds or 10 minutes.

I think due to the static nature of our gaming system I guess a static method of viewing is prefered too