8th Ed. Question about Video Battle Reports

[Putzfrau]

Quick question for all you people out there that do video battle reports, or i suppose battle reports in general.


How do you balance collecting the information with playing the game AND not taking forever to do so?

What type of video editing programs do you use?

Is it possible to make adequate video battle reports using a phone to take still images and commentating over them?

How much information do you think is "too much" when commentating?


And now for a few questions about potential viewers.

If you had to name just one thing that you REALLY like a battle report to include, what is it? Looking for something a little unique, maybe not so obvious.

Do you like the still frame shots with commentary over it? Sometimes i honestly prefer this as video battle reports without a semi professional set up or without both people participating can be somewhat hard to follow/all shakey.

Last but not least, anything you think i missed? I watch a lot of battel reports and read a fair share too. I'm interested in what the community thinks about this

 

[hdctambien]

I'm trying to start making video battle reports, myself. I'm using my phone to take pictures and then commentating over a slide show.

I played against Demonic Orchard ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW96AhVvldsyoQZEHK9oAwA ) and he had a little point-and-click camera that he used to take pictures. I think he said he uses iMovie to make his reports.

I'm on Windows, so I'm still trying to figure out the easiest software to use. Power Point was pretty godo at narrating over a slideshow and storing the timings of each picture, but it didn't save the video at very good quality. Sleboda made some suggestions ( http://www.lustria-online.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=14896 ) and I'm going to try Camtasia for my next one (maybe this afternoon!)

Most of the reports I watch are narrated still photos. Although, I really like Vidhammer's sped up video w/ narration ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPP4zHBkyrI&list=PLytb18l19knLI8YxykXsAA4MT7w1RSOCX ) and Terrenord's llaissez-faire style feels like you're there with them ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQxOaZ4mJoTu4Adi1GcvKkw )... and Canadian accents, eh.

I like the personality Lord Temendous gives to his models by naming the characters ( https://www.youtube.com/user/Tremendous027/videos ) and seeming to care if they survive a battle for more than just their Victory Points.

I like it when a battle report goes into 1) what decisions they are making, 2) what they think the out come of those decisions will be, and 3) what actually happened and why.

I want to learn something when I watch a battle report. So I like to see decision points (especially deployment, movement, and whether or not to challenge in combat) dissected a bit. Tremendous also does that really well.

 

[LawGnome]

I agree with everything hdctambien said.

I think the most important part of making a good battle report is to make it both entertaining and informative.

I've read a lot of battle reports where they just say what they did. These reports are boring. I'm happy that you won, but I'm not reading/watching these just to hear about your victory.

I read/watch battle reports because I want to be entertained and I want to learn how to be a better player. Make the battle a story (whenever I write a battle report, I end up giving my characters goofy names or following the life of a particularly noteworthy unit, such as Lucky the Sabretusk (who whiffed every attack against a bolt thrower and then ran screaming away)). Make us laugh a little as we watch it, but don't go overboard: you aren't a professional comedian, and too much forced comedy turns people away.

Also, if you use photos, make sure it is very clear what is happening. If something noteworthy happened, have a separate picture of it. Key moments to photograph: board status after movement, notable overruns (especially if it ends up fouling up your plans), position after fleeing. You want to make it known how things moved and where things were when you were making your decisions.

If you are making videos, I think that the picture slideshow works best. We don't need to see you measuring everything, we just want to know where everything moved. If you have an iphone or anything similar, just take a picture or two after each phase. You can determine what is important later, and it doesn't take too much time.

I've watched a lot of skavenaz's reports specifically to learn how better to move my skinks. I don't want to hear about how you managed to chaff out something, or how you sacrificed your skinks to get into a better position. I want to see everything you did, and I want you to explain what you were thinking when you made these moves. Finally, I want to hear your analysis as to whether you thought this was a good move or not, and why.

Hopefully this helps you out. I'm looking forward to seeing your reports!

 

[Putzfrau]

Thanks for the advice guys, and thanks for posting some examples. A few i hadn't seen before, i'm excited to have some more to watch.

 

[Sleboda]

I am not much of a video report watcher myself. My location for when I have the inclination to check a report usually does not lend itself to listening, but reading is fine.

That said, what I'd like to see more of in any report is a focal point rules discussion moment. Find a part of the game where a rule, and its correct application, was very important and take the time to elaborate on what happened, any disagreements there were, and how it was resolved.

Make reports a teaching tool.

 

[Jashyr]

I can pretty much credit Lord Tremendous' youtube battle reports in tempting me back to the Warhammer fantasy side of the hobby after I defected to Infinity for several years. There's something about the mix of enthusiasm, tactical discussions (especially when the tactics go wrong!) and sheer joy that is in those reports that is just infectious.

One thing I have noticed - the inclusion of sparsely added but well placed sound effects do add to the atmosphere but I've not come across many battle reports that add them.

 

[Ondjage]

Make it fast! 10-12 minutes for an average game is good imo.

Give in-depth analysis of the game, the units, items, spells, etc, a battle report should be informative!

 

[Crillaz]

I prefer the 30-40 min battle reports. The shorter ones are so stressed and i don't like that.

I like Tremendous too, but I think he is a lil childish in his way of making reports. I don't see any use of sound effects like he uses them. I like what he does in between those childish moments and the sound effects tho.

 

[Scalenex]

Quick question for all you people out there that do video battle reports, or i suppose battle reports in general.


How do you balance collecting the information with playing the game AND not taking forever to do so?

I like written reports. Basically I take snap shots as I play. Sometimes I scribble major events in short hand so I know what turn Event X happened. Then shortly after playing write everything down I remember using the photos to jog my memory.

If it's not in written form, I prefer video battle reports under 15 minutes. Longer than that and it's not worth it for me. Also I think it's easier to write humor than put it in a video. If the thing you did is pretty routine you don't need to show marching your Saurus and Salamander and Stegadon. Just say "I advanced my main line units." It's when you get to the brilliant (or stupid tactical decisions) or funny events with luck that details are desired. Otherwise it comes out dry.

 

[NexS1]

I personally don't like video reports. I prefer to look at pictures and read key points for the information.

But that's just me

 

[Putzfrau]

So I think to start out I might just do some written reports, because honestly I don't know the first thing about creating videos. And i figured it'll help me get the hang of creating a battle report in the first place.

Unfortunately it'll probably be mostly 40k as theres literally 1 other person in my area that plays fantasy, but we will see.

 

[SilverFaith]

One thing I've seen done only once, is write down what happens, and "retell it". that way, you basically make a written report, but you showcase it through a pre-written script. he did it with flash animation showcasing the movement, spellcasting, etc, while he just did a voice-over.

It was quite hillarious, but i can't seem to find it anymore. It also only took like 5-7 minuntes, because he just did a quick recap of each phase (sometimes even doing a "We don't talk about this fight, nothing interesting to say", while on-screen, one unit slowly got erased, before the other did a reform)

It was pretty brilliant, and is a more "efficient" way of making a report, rather than make a full 4 hour video that some people do.

 

[Pinktaco]

Most people take pictures and retell what happened. This also every now and then leads to the teller forgetting what exactly happened

 

[Bay91]

I personally think this type of battle report was nice to watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M6q9CHhF7w

Im a noob at the moment, but I could by this video learn a lot and watch what happened. A lot of the written battle report gets heavy, and especially for me they are hard to read (I fall asleep (sorry!))