Homebrew What is wrong with video tutorials?

[RemixDeluxe]

I fully understand the argument against them. Videos can get outdated and the uploaders wont bother uploading with newer information or even delete their outdated videos. However videos are good for those that are visual learners and they visually show the instructions in practice so they can see for themselves what they are doing is correct. I also want to argue the point that the instructions can definitely go out of date quickly but that doesn't take away the fact that they will work if followed correctly. I'll be fully honest, at the time I was interested in modding my Wii U I didnt see any written guides on how to go through with it. I watched several videos first and saw them go through the same steps before putting into practice what I needed to do. Nothing has happened since and I'm glad there are guides like 3ds.guide available but video guides are a nice option too.

 

[Dracari]

nothings inherently wrong espically if they point to the 3ds guide but again as you allready know they go quickly out of date. and thats whats wrong they'r egood fr a short time but when they're out of date they provide only an visual "Jist of things" and shouldnt be followed thru completly if newer safer methods have been released since the video was created.

 

[TimX24968B]

I fully understand the argument against them. Videos can get outdated and the uploaders wont bother uploading with newer information or even delete their outdated videos. However videos are good for those that are visual learners and they visually show the instructions in practice so they can see for themselves what they are doing is correct. I also want to argue the point that the instructions can definitely go out of date quickly but that doesn't take away the fact that they will work if followed correctly. I'll be fully honest, at the time I was interested in modding my Wii U I didnt see any written guides on how to go through with it. I watched several videos first and saw them go through the same steps before putting into practice what I needed to do. Nothing has happened since and I'm glad there are guides like 3ds.guide available but video guides are a nice option too.

If someone could constantly update that video, it would be much better, but I feel that the fact that so many people find it much easier just to watch a video instead of follow a written guide allows for more room to screw something up in general (i just feel thats the case when you have to be a bit more attentive with a written guide as opposed to a video one). I think it relies a bit more on how its the most user-friendly way to get into something like modding at this time and age, but that user friendliness can be just as hurtful as it is helpful.

 

[invaderyoyo]

Absolutely nothing is wrong with a well made video tutorial. Plailect's guide started a cult.

 

[vinipeix]

The mainly problem imo is that some youtubers don't test things properly when a new method surfaces in order "to be the first" to upload a video showing it and gain attention from the crowd

Usually that's when temp becomes full with "3ds brick plz help" threads

But as invaderyoyo said,

Absolutely nothing is wrong with a well made video tutorial. Plailect's guide started a cult.

 

[MattKimura]

Problem is people don't like to read. Even if it's a guide is particularly short.
Hacking doesn't just come easy, you have to work for it and make an effort to learn how it all works. Can't expect everything to be simple, although the written guides are indeed as simple as they can be. The biggest issue is when the user can't speak English, and trying to follow a guide.

 

[NekoMichi]

There's nothing wrong with video tutorials, and there are plenty of good quality ones out there. However there's a right way and a wrong way to make a video tutorial.

The right way being that it clearly informs users that updates may render past instructions outdated and the possible risks to modding their consoles, while providing a faithful representation of the steps in the guide. Good video tutorials will essentially be a full re-enactment of every step, with links to the original resources for downloaded files. Authors should also be active in responding to comments from their viewers.

The wrong way to make a video tutorial would be to rush and make a slideshow or incomplete instruction set for the sole purpose to be the "first" one to upload a "tutorial" and garner as many views as possible. Poor-quality video tutorials may also place download links behind ad-serving links or even modify homebrew tools to have the video creator's name in them as their primary objective isn't to provide instructions, but to maximise views/ad revenue. Support for viewers via comments and discussions are also nonexistent.

tl;dr: The concept of video tutorials isn't bad in itself, it's just down to the author's intentions. Good videos inform, bad videos clickbait.

 

[Giodude]

just posting so I get notified of any "fun" that may happen here lul

Or you know click the watch thread button.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

Also there was that one guy who provided his own otp.bin in a video tutorial and bricked a few hundred 3ds consoles

 

[CreAtor135]

The only thing "wrong" with video guides is if they're based on guides that get updates every couple hours. It's easy to update a written guide, but it's not easy to update a video guide, or at least keep up with the pace of a written guide. This case is extremely rare though, as the best example I'm sure anyone could think of is Plailect's Guide, but that's it.

In most if not all other situations, video guides are perfectly fine.

 

[Giodude]

The other problem is, you have no way of knowing of a video guide is out of date sometimes. Like a video guide could be advertising flashing your 2.1 emunand to your sysnand, and it might work for you, but thats not the best way of doing it.

 

[lincruste]

Video tutorials are useful for disassembly, soldering, or any manual procedure, but not for 3DS hacking. Hacking a 3DS mainly consist of copying and renaming stuff, there is no fucking point to youtube it except for dickheads who enjoy bricking stuff.

 

[Lycan911]

When it comes to hacking, by the time your video is uploaded, something has changed. 3DS hacking video tutorials might be useful in like 3 years when the scene calms down, but now that the scene is still constantly evolving, they aren't as useful.

 

[HyperT]

1. They don't usually cover every possibility
2. When things don't go 100% you get post here saying 'I did this =>video.guide.link and this happened - help me its bricked' which means the helper needs to find the part of the video [link to actual part of video that created the issue isn't going to be provided by OP].
3. Regardless of #2 a helper will need to audit the video to make sure the guide itself isn't screwed up and cut corners.

Tl;dr its easier all round for the person with an issue to say 'Section X, Part Y of known guide - I'm stuck' than 'at XX:YY of some random video' if they want help.

Follow a video if need be but find the corresponding steps in the guide it covers everything

 

[RedBlueGreen]

Nothing is wrong with a good video tutorial, but a lot of video tutorials skip steps because the creator already did some stuff beforehand, or doesn't put stuff in the correct order. A good tutorial will start with the very first step and end with the very last.

 

[The Catboy]

The issues often fall from small to big.
Small being that most videos forget to add little details to help prevent issues. Such as not including details to check to ensure your SD is legit/not broken. This is a small detail, but really helps prevent future issues with things like NAND backups.
Big being that they are never kept up to date and the ones that do keep up to date often don't remove older videos. Meaning that depending on how youtube feels and the where the sun is placed in the sky, you really don't know what you will end up on. Thus the information is scattered all over the place and it's a real crapshoot to figure out what's up to date and what video has the best/clearest information.
The other issue is that quantity over quality here. There are literally hundreds of these videos of all quality and dating. It's impossible to find the best one because really youtube doesn't give a shit (and really shouldn't.) So basically you are just left on your own to look through these videos, often getting information from all kinds of eras in the homebrew world. Which has led many newbies down a rather confusing path. Often times most bricks end up happening because they were video hoping and ended up getting information, files, etc. all from different videos.

 

[Lumince]

There clearly is something wrong with video guides. If you cant follow a written guide then you really shouldnt be doing this stuff in the first place. If you actually need pictures to follow something that is simplified down so much then please just stay away from cfws.
1. The guides get outdated way to quickly
2. The guides are rushed. I couldn't tell you how many times I've seen someone use a video guide and brick because it either left things out, the damn youtuber left his OTP in the zip, or the video is using something outdated...
Sorry not sorry

 

[RedBlueGreen]

There clearly is something wrong with video guides. If you cant follow a written guide then you really shouldnt be doing this stuff in the first place. If you actually need pictures to follow something that is simplified down so much then please just stay away from cfws.
1. The guides get outdated way to quickly
2. The guides are rushed. I couldn't tell you how many times I've seen someone use a video guide and brick because it either left things out, the damn youtuber left his OTP in the zip, or the video is using something outdated...
Sorry not sorry

Yeah these are the issues. If the video creator does include every step and only links you to the 3ds.guide for files and marks their video "OUTDATED" when something changes or a better method comes or a better, safer method comes out then it would be fine, but let's be honest, that's probably too much work for some people.

 

[Temptress Cerise]

If someone follows a video guide and bricks, that's on them and I don't feel the tiniest bit of sorry for them.

If you want your system running CFW, then you should do proper research into it and read about it. If you can't, then maybe you don't really want it.

There's also the option of finding someone who has done it and asking them for help. You could also pay for it, if you're that desperate. Anyways, all of my friends have CFW 3DS now, and that's cause they asked me to do it. Didn't ask for any payment, but I did get free food and drinks

 

[DinohScene]

You won't learn shit from it, their outdated quickly and mostly made by incompetent noobs.

 

[Lumince]

You won't learn shit from it, their outdated quickly and mostly made by incompetent noobs.

I feel like the people that are against this opinion used video guides and are butt hurt