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Tutorial Suggestion


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Tutorials are really, really helpful.  Instead of asking question after question on a forum I always try to work my may through videos.  Also, anyone who makes a video has certainly made a huge contribution and for that I am appreciative.

 

What I would like to point out is that when making a video tutorial there is a tendency for the creator to squirrel the mouse pointer around the screen, rotate the screen view continually.  It is extremely distracting and makes it much more difficult to watch a video.  After 5 or so minutes of watching something like that it makes the viewer want to do anything other than continue watching.

 

If the video is produced by the company, someone should take a hard look at how it presents.

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Most videos are created by users (AbnRanger is probably most prolific and I can't say his mouse technique is distracting) so standards will have to wait on critics like you to filter bad habits (and taking down some that are so out of date as to be misleading).

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Tutorials are really, really helpful.  Instead of asking question after question on a forum I always try to work my may through videos.  Also, anyone who makes a video has certainly made a huge contribution and for that I am appreciative.

 

What I would like to point out is that when making a video tutorial there is a tendency for the creator to squirrel the mouse pointer around the screen, rotate the screen view continually.  It is extremely distracting and makes it much more difficult to watch a video.  After 5 or so minutes of watching something like that it makes the viewer want to do anything other than continue watching.

 

If the video is produced by the company, someone should take a hard look at how it presents.

Try and contribute something small/short by creating a tutorial according to your own standards (according to your own critique) and see how well it turns out. Not being snarky, just want you to see how it is from the other side of the screen, as it were. We'd all like to see the result and give it our own critique, and/or learn something from .

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I don't mean to cause any drama here, but I remember having some critiques of some video tutorials aaagggeees ago and I pretty much got the exact same response, like "your opinion isn't valid if you don't make video tutorials yourself". Which is an odd stance to take, there's no need to jump on the defensive. This is an art forum after all, being able to handle critique maturely is basically a pre-requisite. You also have to consider that the majority of people watching the uber-beginner tutorials probably aren't in the best position to start teaching the software.

 

I know you get a lot of praise for your tutorials AbnRanger, and rightly so as there would be about 90% less 3d coat tutorials in the world without you, but it is as Tony Nemo says, the viewers will eventually give feedback if they notice something they believe is worth mentioning. It's fine if you don't agree with the feedback, but as an example for this thread, the best response from you would have just been something like  "Hey, I've not noticed any jerkyness in my videos, could you link a few examples?" I mean it could very well be that he's not even watching one of yours. Instead what you've done is "go make your own tutorials and see how hard it is, so that we can critique you, also here's one specific video I've chosen without any jerky movements to prove that I'm right and you're wrong".

 

The former opens up the topic for potential improvement, the latter just scares people away from ever sharing an opinion.

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I don't mean to cause any drama here, but I remember having some critiques of some video tutorials aaagggeees ago and I pretty much got the exact same response, like "your opinion isn't valid if you don't make video tutorials yourself". Which is an odd stance to take, there's no need to jump on the defensive. This is an art forum after all, being able to handle critique maturely is basically a pre-requisite. You also have to consider that the majority of people watching the uber-beginner tutorials probably aren't in the best position to start teaching the software.

 

I know you get a lot of praise for your tutorials AbnRanger, and rightly so as there would be about 90% less 3d coat tutorials in the world without you, but it is as Tony Nemo says, the viewers will eventually give feedback if they notice something they believe is worth mentioning. It's fine if you don't agree with the feedback, but as an example for this thread, the best response from you would have just been something like  "Hey, I've not noticed any jerkyness in my videos, could you link a few examples?" I mean it could very well be that he's not even watching one of yours. Instead what you've done is "go make your own tutorials and see how hard it is, so that we can critique you, also here's one specific video I've chosen without any jerky movements to prove that I'm right and you're wrong".

 

The former opens up the topic for potential improvement, the latter just scares people away from ever sharing an opinion.

The point is being missed, here, I think. about perspective. If you have never attempted to record a tutorial to share with others, you have no idea just how hard it actually is. A lot of effort and time is spent trying to please the critics...and that makes the work 100x harder. It really does.

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....just to elaborate a bit. Most everyone lets an "uuuhh" out, by nature, when they pause for a second to think. Or, you can have a good session, and maybe something doesn't quite work right with the software, you pretty much have to scrap all of that and restart...because some critic is going to fuss about a break in the video and it being hard to track along with it, etc. In this latest critique, the complaint is that there is too much movement with the model...which most of the videos do not have that problem. What's more is when you use 3D Coat you HAVE to move your cursor all around the UI...because all the controls/parameters/tools are scattered across the UI. It's why I asked Andrew to move all the options and parameters in the Toolbar to a dedicated section in the Tool Options panel...so everything is in one location.

 

But, I get criticized for moving my cursor around the UI....when it is necessary. If you were in my shoes, I'm certain you'd feel the same way.

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C'mon now, saying people can't criticize your videos without knowing how hard it is to make them themselves is a bit low. It's just a bit of feedback. I don't expect everyone I show my work to, to go and do everything that I've done before I let myself hear what they have to say. I don't demand to see peoples portfolios in forums when they offer feedback on things I've posted.

 

Not only that, but we're still missing 2 crucial bits of information here: 

 

1 - TReischl might not have even been watching one of your videos.

2 - If they were, we still don't know which videos or bits of videos were bothering them.

 

I get that you probably don't care about the second part, which is fine. As I said earlier, you don't have to agree with the feedback, but there's also no need to jump right on the defensive, that's not a good way to handle critique as it just makes you look very non-approachable on the forums, which is a shame because you're quite obviously the main contributor. And as TReischl said right at the very beginning:
 

anyone who makes a video has certainly made a huge contribution and for that I am appreciative.  
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C'mon now, saying people can't criticize your videos without knowing how hard it is to make them themselves is a bit low. It's just a bit of feedback. I don't expect everyone I show my work to, to go and do everything that I've done before I let myself hear what they have to say. I don't demand to see peoples portfolios in forums when they offer feedback on things I've posted.

 

Not only that, but we're still missing 2 crucial bits of information here: 

 

1 - TReischl might not have even been watching one of your videos.

2 - If they were, we still don't know which videos or bits of videos were bothering them.

 

I get that you probably don't care about the second part, which is fine. As I said earlier, you don't have to agree with the feedback, but there's also no need to jump right on the defensive, that's not a good way to handle critique as it just makes you look very non-approachable on the forums, which is a shame because you're quite obviously the main contributor. And as TReischl said right at the very beginning:

 

Come on now.....you know as well as I do, there is NEVER a shortage of critics on the internet. :D   Especially on Youtube. There are some awesome, informative videos I've watched on how to DIY, and such, and sure enough, there will be a handful of critics and people "unliking" the video. It's just the way the world works. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Some people want more in-depth tutorials and others want you just to get to the bare essentials and don't bother explaining anything...THEY don't have time for explanations. Or they want to impose their preference above others. Again, it does come down to perspective.

 

Before one criticizes another in anything, it helps to understand the matter from the other person's vantage point (when possible)....because it's easier to make a well-informed, rational critique...that is, if one is warranted. This user decided to try and create some tutorials. I personally like them, but on the 3D Coat Facebook page it doesn't get many "likes" compared to others. It just goes to show that...like Rodney would say...."It's a tough crowd out there!"

 

 

You don't have to be an expert in the software or instructor, just try and demonstrate something you do know....regardless of the software. Just give it a try, post it on Youtube for others to watch and critique...see how well it is received. That will then give you a decent perspective of the difficulties one faces in trying to please both sides. Those with short attention spans and difficult to please, and those who want you to take more time to explain what you are doing and why.

 

It's a mental tug of war as you are creating them because you are always trying to do a balancing act. Keep it pithy but adequately informative. That often means scrapping multiple attempts/takes, and lots of editing. Call it being defensive if you want. But I'm just trying to add some balance to the discussion. It ain't as simple as "Get to the F-ing Point, man!" or "Stop moving your model and cursor around."

 

Another point that is missed is that much of the criticism is on content made 4-5+ years ago. We've constantly tried to improve and heed suggestions, yet even when we do...we are going to get criticized for the older content. That's how it goes.

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Hey Gary Dave that is exactly  what I was thinking .  When a person takes time to respond and make a suggestion good or bad its usually because they care about it for the better.  I see both sides of road  and  am walking right  down the middle of it .....  !  ....    I think its great that we can even have a place where one can go and learn .   I  respect  anybody who speaks there mind and there opinions I may agree or disagree like or not like what they say or type but I do respect that they said it. 

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