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I spend pretty much all of six edition away but back in 5th most battle reports were paragraph and pictures. Now it seems to be entirely videos, a format I admit I don't much care for. Was curious when this trend started and perhaps why?

Back in 5th edition, everyone didn't have access to high quality video cameras in their pocket. Now I can easily whip my phone out and record, then edit it all at home.

Technology advances made it easier.

In France, battle reports are still mainly pictures and texts.
There are few videos.
I was shocked when I came in the Dakka Dakka's "battle reports" section^^

Its rather annoying since I cant watch videos at work and would rather skim through text and look at pictures and the highlights rather than listen to some guys talk for an hour.

I don't like videos, either, but they are very easy to do.

I can find a bunch of written battle reports, just typing into google. But yes, filmed reports are much more common these days cos its a lot easier than typing it up

It's because it's considerably easier when everyone has a camera on their phone, to just stick it in the corner and play a game. Doing battlefield birds eye images and writing quality descriptive text actually takes effort on the other hand. Naturally, most people who want to be 'internet famous' or run blogs are averse to actually doing any work for it, and so the video format has proliferated.

I see a mix of both. The video format also offers more more insight into the game as a whole if done right. Though if they skip all the rolling, moving, and such then it's probably better written since you can review things more.

I greatly prefer a well done picture review capturing the decisive moments with some sentences explain how we got there. I just don't like watching a long video of two people play.

HoundsofDemos wrote:
I greatly prefer a well done picture review capturing the decisive moments with some sentences explain how we got there. I just don't like watching a long video of two people play.

I totally agree.

I don't watch batreps on videos because they just take too long. I far prefer pictures of key moments with some description, where I can easily flip through and just focus on the parts most interesting to me.

That's fair, and they could easily do both. Using the video to analyze the game and write a better report, then take captures from the video for pictures, making sure you capture everything.

That way you get both, and can always use one as reference for the other. The written report will have lists for the video you can see any time, and the written report can have stuff like "watch x:xx - y:yy for an exciting highlight."

Best of both worlds.

 Kilkrazy wrote:
I don't like videos, either, but they are very easy to do.

I'd say it's not much harder to take some photos and write some text as it is to edit and upload a video. Unless they just upload them raw which my goodness would be horribly boring.

That said, I don't like the "video fad" in general. I have a great disdain of videos of things that are better conveyed in text.

I feel, ironically, stills are the best way to capture the more cinematic or inspiring moments in the game. Perhaps because the models aren't animated!

Video reports are pretty fun to have in the background while hobbying.

 Ketara wrote:
It's because it's considerably easier when everyone has a camera on their phone, to just stick it in the corner and play a game. Doing battlefield birds eye images and writing quality descriptive text actually takes effort on the other hand. Naturally, most people who want to be 'internet famous' or run blogs are averse to actually doing any work for it, and so the video format has proliferated.

I think you're doing a bit of disservice to a lot of the video guys out there by implying that it is no effort. Sure, if you just upload the video as is then you might have a point; but the videos from a lot of the higher quality ones like Miniwargaming, GMG, etc. have a lot of editing and post production going into them, which takes just as much, if not more effort than uploading a load of photos and adding text.

I feel like the animosity toward video battle reports because they're "easier" that I'm seeing here is frankly caused by bias. Editing a video and getting the sound and video quality decent, takes time and effort, and to make something 50+ minutes long whilst also editing all of it takes quite a lot of time and effort. If you throw in a creative intro and some effects, and you've quite a project in your hands.

If you like written reports than all power to you, but don't call another person's hard work lazy.

No, I don't think (good) video batreps are "easy" by any stretch.

However, stills + text makes it easy to focus on the parts most interesting to me, yet get a taste for everything else. Videos means that I either watch the whole thing or miss most of it, possibly, great/important parts.

Jaxler wrote:
I feel like the animosity toward video battle reports because they're "easier" that I'm seeing here is frankly caused by bias. Editing a video and getting the sound and video quality decent, takes time and effort, and to make something 50+ minutes long whilst also editing all of it takes quite a lot of time and effort. If you throw in a creative intro and some effects, and you've quite a project in your hands.

If you like written reports than all power to you, but don't call another person's hard work lazy.

I understand that, having been a professional video producer for some years. However, having been a professional magazine writer and editor for some years, I have to say that it's easier to do a simple video than a text and pics report. At least, that's what I've found.

There may well be some tip-top video productions of battle reports with music and so on, but I don't bother to watch video battle reports because I don't like the format. However I am sure for people who like them, they are great. No doubt there are people who don't like text reports.

The thing is, they are different media and give completely different impressions of a game, so it's natural that people's preferences differ between them.

Personally I tend to prefer the videos (assuming that the people speak normally and don't go OTT with the awkward humour). I like to put them on while I paint / model as background noise to selectively tune in and out of

20 years ago I used pen, paper and codex to make army lists, now I use battlescribe. Technology changes things.

I don't know. I dislike the length of time it takes to watch the hourlong videos but I basically only make and post text reports.

A few well edited quick videos I like, like Skaredcast but people need to learn I don't need to see every. Damn. Roll. To get the game.

 Wulfmar wrote:
Personally I tend to prefer the videos (assuming that the people speak normally and don't go OTT with the awkward humour). I like to put them on while I paint / model as background noise to selectively tune in and out of

That is a good example of how different people approach the different media in different ways.

You're using the video as a kind of BGM like listening to the radio.

I really enjoy pic reports, but I've grown to like some styles of video batreps. That being said, good luck monetizing a printed batrep. Not only is high-quality video recording equipment much more widespread, but there are also high-traffic websites that afford one the ability to make money from video batreps. So, why would someone who can make a good picture report devote the time to it, when he/she could spend the same amount (or less) to produce a video that can actually make them a little bit of money if their channel gets big enough?

Yeah, not a fan of video reports. Or video for most of the things that I check out online, other than movie trailers.

I would much prefer an article that I can go through at my own pace.

Also not a fan of video battle reports, although I can understand why people get more and more inclined towards them nowadays (most reasons I can think of have already been explained in this thread so won't repeat them).

Making quality videos, specially long quality videos, definetely takes some time and effort, but I'd say it's something you eventually learn to do efficiently in a mechanical way. Writing, and quality writing even more, is a different kind of beast.

I very much dislike the video report. Even the good ones or recommended ones are tedious, annoying, and lacking in what written + picture report can do.

I agree. I prefer written over video every time. I almost wish Dakka would make a seperate category for video vs written battle reports so I wouldn't have to sift through them to find the ones I like. I'm not saying I haven't seen some amazing video reports, but I don't have time to watch them at home, and at work I can't have audio, so written is always better for me.

Pictures and written every time for me

I usually watch Batreps before I go to bed to help me sleep. I can't sleep in total quiet, but if I watch TV, I get too caught up in what I'm watching and not sleep.

Video Bat Reps are good for this because I can Throw one on and I'm usually out by the top of turn three. It catches my attention and distracts me, and it's fun to watch, but not so much that it'll take keep me up all night.

 Iur_tae_mont wrote:

Video Bat Reps are good for this because I can Throw one on and I'm usually out by the top of turn three. It catches my attention and distracts me, and it's fun to watch, but not so much that it'll take keep me up all night.

That's an interesting approach.

I do the recap types of battle Reports on Video. It helps to explain what happened and you can see the terrain without being over-long. some still get a little longer than I'd like.

http://40kunorthodoxy.blogspot.com/2014/11/necrons-vs-tau-empire-battle-report.html