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Recently I have noticed a lot of people posting video battle reports. Personally I find these to be a real pain, since watching the video is usually way, way longer than it takes me to read a traditional text/picture battle report, requires me to be in a location where I can listen to audio/turn off my music, etc. Do other people like video battle reports? Am I just a grump? Please answer the poll to give me a better idea on this matter, and feel free to post your thoughts if you have any particularly interesting ideas or concerns that you think might be relevant. I'm just trying to gauge what the Internet thinks on this matter.

I'd rather read through a battle report with a bunch of pictures. Video battle reports usually take about 20 minutes to watch which is kind of a pain, and they don't tend to have as many close up shots of the action. I've seen good ones before, but I prefer traditional.

Traditional for sure. For many reasons, ranging from not being able to watch youtube at work to shaky video cameras to too much talking.

Half the time I just like to read the army lists, look at the pictures, then see what the outcome was (after making a prediction of who'd win based off of the lists, of course). I prefer to read a batrep at my own pace versus the set pace a video may give.

Ugh, I thought i was the only person that didn't like video batreps! Text and nice pics are far superior, IMO.

While I prefer traditional text with pics battle reports, I still enjoy the occasional video report. The only kind of battle report that bugs me is the faux variety where the OP just posts a link to some off site blog.

I love video battle reports man!
Its great to watch as if it were tv. Eiither having it on in the background while I'm painting, or if the people are entertaining - just to watch!

I find it much more engaging to watch rather than read, as IMHO, you get a bunch of feeling and emotion behind it

~Ghost

I do enjoy video batreps, especially the Miniwargaming ones.

I like video reports.

I vastly prefer traditional reports, although a video report with some effort put in can be really cool. Oh, and throwing some video into a traditional report can shake things up as well (I'd know, I've done it before).

Old skool for me. I used the love the bat reps in WD. Back when they had a backstory, the reasons given for choosing the units involved and lots of nice pictures of awesomely painted mini's to drool over....

Video bat reps are just not the same....

I like both about the same. When new to a system, such as just getting into Hordes, I prefer video as sometimes seeing the action with a good narator helps understand rules better.

I've seen both good and bad in both styles though so it depends on the source for me.

I think videos can be fine as long as the people in them are able to present what's happening in a clear and interesting way; and as long as the actual video/audio quality is high enough.

This is a mate of mine's youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/RAMBO2BASE

He's a freelance cameraman, and I think the recent battle reports on there are pretty damn exemplary!

I-bounty-hunt-the-elderly wrote:I think videos can be fine as long as the people in them are able to present what's happening in a clear and interesting way; and as long as the actual video/audio quality is high enough.

This is a mate of mine's youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/RAMBO2BASE

He's a freelance cameraman, and I think the recent battle reports on there are pretty damn exemplary!

I actually watched the most recent report on this YouTube channel, and while the camera work and narration was pretty good, it completely lacked any board-level shots of minis. In fact, 90% of the video was watching someone tell me what happened, rather than actually seeing what happened on the board.

I've never seen a video battle report that managed to keep my interest. A big problem that the live action rarely tends to get the depth and examination of a written one, and feels like a much greater investment of time and focus than a written report. Also, I've never seen a written report where the camera lingers on a boring shot for two or three minutes at a stretch as we watch something important get rolled and resolved.

I watch professional video battle reports (I can say that they get paid in advertisement of other companies for it). It's no contest when you get used to people who spend a couple hours editing the video with commentary to tell you exactly whats going on.

I prefer written reports, especially those with Both shots of the Minis at some critical moments in the fight as well as those awesome GW Style overhead maps.

I've just found Vassal and the 40k Module, I'll be using that to do all my future games as Battle Reports.

If I see a batrep with the tag [Video], it doesn't get opened. If I open a batrep and see a link or an embedded player, it doesn't get watched.

Pics and text are far superior.

I find that it's a rare video report that is as good as a picture and written report. Both can be good, but it's far far rarer for videos. Miniwargaming does an excellent job, but they're so long you can't just sit down and watch it.

It's the same thing with people who do video blogs or reviews. I might've been a long time read of the written version, but when they switched over to video... I just had no interest in hearing them talk. I liked the written form better, even if the content was almost exactly the same.

the_Armyman wrote:

I-bounty-hunt-the-elderly wrote:I think videos can be fine as long as the people in them are able to present what's happening in a clear and interesting way; and as long as the actual video/audio quality is high enough.

This is a mate of mine's youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/RAMBO2BASE

He's a freelance cameraman, and I think the recent battle reports on there are pretty damn exemplary!

I actually watched the most recent report on this YouTube channel, and while the camera work and narration was pretty good, it completely lacked any board-level shots of minis. In fact, 90% of the video was watching someone tell me what happened, rather than actually seeing what happened on the board.

Sorry about that man. To be fair both of us present thought the same, and most of the older videos have a lot more close ups.

Traditional.

Usually in traditional battle reports, there are no "uhhs", "umms", etc., there's no awkwardness that is supposed to be witty banter and there are no inside jokes that the watcher just doesn't get.

I enjoy the occasional video battle report, but give me a written one with pictures and I'll default to that one every time.

And since I noticed that people are adding gripes to their likes, here's my gripe:

Unfinished batreps. I hate it when someone writes a preview and then has a big "coming soon". Or when people get through one turn and then leave it for a day. I know things in life come up, but sit down when you have time to write up a batrep. Or write up the batrep first, then import it to the forum.

I like video batreps as they tend to get straight to the action I hate having to read someones bad fan fiction back story.

I also like the picture style with naration that tmarichards uses. What I cant stand are the online battle reports that seem to be plaguing the WHFB batrep forum on dakka atm for some reason knowing that no models or real dice were involved cheapens the experince for me.

puma713 wrote:
Unfinished batreps. I hate it when someone writes a preview and then has a big "coming soon". Or when people get through one turn and then leave it for a day. I know things in life come up, but sit down when you have time to write up a batrep. Or write up the batrep first, then import it to the forum.

This. Oh this. I've also never understood batreps that have polls up a few days before with only the army lists posted. I just want to read a bat rep, not take/place bets and theoryhammer beforehand. I can theoryhammer all I want, what I want is the report, nothing more, and nothing less.

Honestly, I think the best bat reps I've ever read were those written by Ailaros. Beautiful army, just enough commentary/fluff, perfectr amount of short, concise details of both players turns, and excellent pictures with arrows and stuff drawn in. Those are some fantastic reports. Mercer does some good reports too.

No polls, no videos, no previews. Just a well written, picture filled, dice-rolling extravaganza where I can be entertained and learn a thing or two.

That's it.

*EDIT* This, my friends, is a battle report: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/331206.page

Blacksails wrote:

Honestly, I think the best bat reps I've ever read were those written by Ailaros.

Agreed.

puma713 wrote:

Blacksails wrote:

Honestly, I think the best bat reps I've ever read were those written by Ailaros.

Agreed.

Whilst Ailaros' are/were good, I personally think jy2 has the best battle reports. Good action, lists, models, detail, pictures, games and a variety of armies. They really are very well done IMHO.

Just Dave wrote:

puma713 wrote:

Blacksails wrote:

Honestly, I think the best bat reps I've ever read were those written by Ailaros.

Agreed.

Whilst Ailaros' are/were good, I personally think jy2 has the best battle reports. Good action, lists, models, detail, pictures, games and a variety of armies. They really are very well done IMHO.

Agreed, love jy2's reports, although to be fair I haven't read any of Ailaros' - I will get on that now though.

Also, for some shameless self-promotion, people should check out some of my reports

Blacksails wrote:
*EDIT* This, my friends, is a battle report: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/331206.page

I miss Ailaros I ripped my style of battle reports directly from his, and the reaction has been really good.

I miss him too...I play blob guard because of him.

I much prefer text, I can absorb the information way faster.

Like everything depends on the quality of the rep itself.
Shaky cameras, poor lighting and dodgy commentary do little to enhance a rep.
However there are some good ones too.

Overall though much prefer the traditional format, especially as mentioned, if they have a picture/map overview combo with good analysis. Dont tend to watch many vidrep ones.

Unfinished batreps. I hate it when someone writes a preview and then has a big "coming soon". Or when people get through one turn and then leave it for a day. I know things in life come up, but sit down when you have time to write up a batrep. Or write up the batrep first, then import it to the forum.

This. Oh this. I've also never understood batreps that have polls up a few days before with only the army lists posted. I just want to read a bat rep, not take/place bets and theoryhammer beforehand. I can theoryhammer all I want, what I want is the report, nothing more, and nothing less.

QFT. Absolute pet hate of mine. The first few were original and fun, its now pretty tedious imo.

Fully appreciate the time and effort it takes to write a rep and upload/arrange the pics etc but it can be done offline in word/open office/notepad just as easily and then pic links inserted before upload. Nothing more frustrating then reading through a rep thats interesting and getting to the end of turn 2 with a "more to be added later!" post