Arena screenshot hosting space

[frogbeastegg]

The Arena now has its own version of the Mead Hall/Throne Room's screenshot hosting space. Simply upload your pictures to games screenshot uploader and then check this page to see when your screenshot is ready for use.

Assistant Moderator voigtkampf is in charge of this space, so you direct any questions etc to him and he will do his best to help. Alternatively post in this topic and someone will help you.

Rules for the space are simple:
1.The space is only to be used for pictures that are going in the Arena's screenshot thread or a games review to be posted in this forum.

2.Keep your picture size small in KB We have people using 56k modems and below so try to be considerate. JPG format is a good balance between size and quality, GIF is also good.

3.Keep image size less than 750 pixels wide as far as humanly possible, this will preserve the org's layout and prevent topics from getting hard to read because they are distorted out of shape. Keeping the images smaller also helps to keep topics loading at a good speed for all users.

4.Nothing breaching the TOS, so keep those screenshots from the nude patch on Xtreme Beach Volleyball to yourselves.

5.Only screenshots you have taken from games that have been released as we would really like to avoid being hit by angry people who's images you have 'borrowed' to post here. It is acceptable for people to advertise upcoming games for non-profit reasons, but not in this thread. This rule also prevents people from posting pics from illegal alpha and beta games downloads.

6.Include your user name in the name of each screenshot you submit as this makes it easy to track the owner of any corrupted or problematic files and inform them what is happening.

No symbols in the filename this is for your benefit, the filemanager doesn't like symbols so the picture won't work. Leave out symbols like /*%&^£~#@ for a trouble free life.



Image posting tutorial
First download Paint Shop Pro from this site, and use it to save your picture as a JPG or GIF if it isn't already in that format. Then upload the picture via the games screenshot uploader, making sure you wait until the uploader itself tells you it is 'done'. Ignore anything your browser tells you during upload, some browsers falsely report the upload as done when it isn't, leaving you with a corrupted file. When the image is uploaded wait a day or two to give the staff time to file your image, then check this page for your file. Click on the name of your file and a page will load displaying your picture. Copy the address down (highlight + paste is easiest) and then enter the topic where you want to use the picture. Click 'post reply' then hit the image button in the create post screen (it's right next to quote and above the box where you type your posts) and paste the address into it and then hit ok. If you have done this correctly your picture should be displayed properly but use preview post to be sure, if there is a problem the picture will appear as a box with a red cross, or as a line of broken coding (e.g. [img] www.somepic.com[/ igm]). If this happens check your address again to make sure it is correct.

Alternatively you can type all the coding yourself:
Code Sample [img]http://www.totalwar.org/patrons/story/frogbeasteggSTemple.jpg[/img][/QUOTE]

Once again if you need help post here.

[Voigtkampf]

Well, lady frogbeastegg is a true pearl, she took all the trouble for me and made this post for your reference, so I can basically sit back and nod wisely.

Don't worry, I'm still your custom avatar/signature pictures responsible assistant moderator, this is just another little assignment born out of the sincere wish to improve the Org and make it a better place on to go to.

But how it came to it? Well, some might know that I, next to my real job also write PC game reviews, and due to that fact have access to some PC games much sooner than average people get the chance to play the demo or look at the screenshots, and since the org inspired me greatly in the course of the last few months, I decided to write some reviews for Arena and give back something to the Org, the same way the Org gave inspiration to me. But this doesn't mean that our respected members shouldn’t give a try at it if they want to, so please, feel free to write a review if you would like to share your opinion with other members. This applies not only for PC games, but also for all the consoles, a place I dare not to go to

I will, in agreement with our lady frogbeastegg, post a short topic about how reviews should be written, which is not as simple as it may sound; I wrote long articles on legal customs of Roman adoptions and German modern trade law in comparison to the British model, but sometimes it seems it's harder to write a decent PC game review Please, consider it not as tutoring, but rather as a friendly advice on how should it be done better.

We are looking forward to all the feedback you may have

Regards,

voigtkampf

[frogbeastegg]

Quote[/b] (voigtkampf @ Mar. 09 2004,19:11)]Well, lady frogbeastegg is a true pearl, she took all the trouble for me and made this post for your reference, so I can basically sit back and nod wisely.

Only because I needed to link to this topic, but fair's fair as you get to write the review guidelines while I catch up on my sleep.

[Shahed]

Greetings Dear Hairpin Assassin and her trusty Geisha-man

Couple of thoughts/suggestions for you.

Do you think anyone reading the org still has monitors on 600 resolution ? Just asking the question because the rule is 600 width max. I like this rule as it does not mess up the thread, and I'd probably still make my screens 600 max. However, I believe that if you were to increase that limit to 800 width max, it should still be allright. I suspect very few if any members of the org are still on 600 resolution, if any at all.

[frogbeastegg]

Well I did er, 'steal' that 600 pixel limit from someone else, back when the Mead Hall was first being set up. I just picked up the old rules for that space and ported them over to here.

I am well aware that small size limit is not always practical, and I have always considered the 600 pixel limit to be more of a guideline than a hard and set rule. I wouldn't throw hairpins at anyone for breaking it...I'd leave that to Voigtkampf and his weapon of choice

I always reduce my screenshots to 70% of the orignal size before cropping etc, and that works fine with the layout. :goes and finds out what pixel measurement that ends up as: Ah, ok I will up the limit - my own screenshots are all about 700 pixels

750 sound alright to everyone?

[Voigtkampf]

Quote[/b] (Sinan @ April 27 2004,07:38)]Greetings Dear Hairpin Assassin and her trusty Geisha-man

Geisha-man? How rude But then again… There just might be something, ya know…

As for the 600 width rule; man, I just work here But seriously, though it may be somewhat too reserved, it still takes into the account that much more Org members then you might anticipate have to deal with such resolutions on their smaller monitors, so I think we should keep it for some more while.

But then again, I just work here, you know…

[Voigtkampf]

Damn, that woman is fast…

[Voigtkampf]

Your call, I'd say, I can go with 750, I'm on a 19 monitor now and I'm about to switch to 21 some time soon, so you won't hear me nagging about it.

Voightkampf? I mean, really - when did I misspell your name?

[frogbeastegg]

What h? Er, sorry about that, back to cut and pasting your name I go and/or typing it very s-l-o-w-l-y

Geisha man...I did wonder about that myself, but I don't quite the the 'something'

Also of course I am fast - I'm a geisha assassin

[Voigtkampf]

Quote[/b] (frogbeastegg @ April 27 2004,10:08)]What h? Er, sorry about that, back to cut and pasting your name I go and/or typing it very s-l-o-w-l-y

Dear Ma, I'm writing very slowly because I know you are a very slow reader…

Voigt will do fine if you are too lazy to type slowly Or V. Or urgh, you there…

Quote[/b] ]Geisha man...I did wonder about that myself, but I don't quite the the 'something'

Oh well, it was worth a try, back to courtly love before those pins find their way to any sensitive regions I might yet want to keep in good, healthy and operating order.

[Shahed]

Um ok so I admit Geisha-man is bordering between funny for some and ludicrous for many ? I'll have to think of some other affectionate name for the V-man.

Btw dearest Lady Frog, I think you are confusing the way width and breadth is measured in screen resolution. It is measured, like most everything else,in X multiplied by the Y axis. Thus 800*600 means 800 width * 600 height, 1024*768 means 1024 width and 768 height.

In effect I was suspecting that most computers now are running on 1024*768m however V has got a point that maybe some people are still using 800*600 i.e those with small monitors.

voigtkampf what you mean is that if you have a 17 monitor or smaller, you are likely to be running on 800*600 for desktop. Am I correct ?

[frogbeastegg]

Be careful what you say Voigtkampf, or I might take to calling you 'thingy' or 'whatshisface'

quite the the 'something' um, I think I need to stop typing while people talk to me


Ok, time to edit this into two replies, I know how the 800 * 600 etc works, I meant I had measured my screenshots width in paint shop pro and they came out at 700, which is above the 600 pixel limit for the width as per the old rules. 600 pixels allows those with 800 * 600 to fit the side bars etc on scrren at the same time as the image...I think.

[Voigtkampf]

Quote[/b] (Sinan @ April 27 2004,14:33)]voigtkampf what you mean is that if you have a 17 monitor or smaller, you are likely to be running on 800*600 for desktop. Am I correct ?

I believe so. My future spouse still has an old, 15 monitor (she is no freak like me) and whenever I come to her place, I have a nightmare while I am trying to scroll to all those distant corners of a webpage displayed. Higher resolutions worsen the all-around visibility for sure, and all the dots blur into one big, blurry spot…

[Shahed]

I understand, nevermind that suggestion then.
Probably best to keep the current limit, in that case.

[Efrem Da King]

Just thought I de-virginate it with some unreal3 screens.









Hope the works.

[frogbeastegg]

Efrem, you want the screenshot topic, that thread could use some new pics.

[Efrem Da King]

Well what is this thread for then????

[Lehesu]

Baiting poor folks like you. Actually, I think it was purely an announcement thread, setting some guidelines, etc. etc.

[frogbeastegg]

An announcement of the hosting space, a place for voigtkampf to post about problematic screenshots on the hosting space, a place for questions...you know, boring stuff that has to go somewhere. Confining it to this topic stops it polluting the screenie thread with business that is as interesting as lint.

[Ianofsmeg16]

Fs 2004, i have an F-4 phantom and i'm about to start approaching cardiff
and a huey escaping from RAF Valley in Wales to land on the isle of man

p.s i may post some images of American Conquest, by the same people who did cossakcs, just need to get it on my computer