Photoshopping in Screenshot Competitions

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

The subject has come up whether there should be photoshopping allowed in the screenshot competitions. It has been argued that photoshopped pictures don't show off EB but rather the skill of the editor. Currently the screenshot competition has allowed editing, but I was wondering what you all thought about it.

[cmacq]

Never let it be said, that I’m a purest.

[penguinking]

I have pretty much no access to editing programs and thus I have a huge disadvantage, which has stopped me from entering screenshots. Maybe you could create separate "with editing" and "without editing" competitions.

[Grriffon]

Some of the beautiful artwork coming from these awesome battle moments that are then edited only make me enjoy EB more.

[Gleemonex]

I voted "Editting allowed but with exception (like posting original alongside editted version)". It's very nice to see a screenshot that looks almost like a movie still with a little clean-up. But penguinking's quote below, and the possibility of having nice genuine screenshots for the website, wean me towards the "no editing" side. Having two competitions, or perhaps staggering them between purist/PSed every month, might be a workable compromise (IMO of course).

I have pretty much no access to editing programs and thus I have a huge disadvantage, which has stopped me from entering screenshots. Maybe you could create separate "with editing" and "without editing" competitions.

-Glee

[Tarkus]

Call me a Luddite, but I vote for no editing.
[Let it be known that I use Photoshop rather frequently in many other applications...but I don't like it for this one.]

[Legosoldier]

I like the editing limit the way it is

[Ignopotens]

"Editting allowed but with exception"

that's my vote. I would pull for the unedited screencaps, but as long as an unedited version is shown, and available for placement on the website, I'll go with it

[/Bean\]

I think its nice to have both; the really good edited ones often just look amazing, but the competition is about EB. I think the entries should be non edited, with any edited versions as hyperlinks in the post, should the artist wish to make one. I think running two competitions will work once or twice but won't last for long tbh.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Editting allowed but with exception (like posting original alongside editted version)

That's my opinion.

[Senshi]

Currently the screenshots are not "slightly" edited, that's more of a heavy editing.

I have no problem with really slight editing, and that is - for me - running some AA filters to remove pixel effects (especially helpful for guys who can't run RTW with AA on) or playing around with color saturations to change the lighting effect. But only using it in a way it's unnoticeable for a viewer and to improve the mood of the screenshot. Heavy effects like Bloom, HDR or Blur should not be allowed.

Or make two seperate competitions...

[Gazius]

I have pretty much no access to editing programs and thus I have a huge disadvantage, which has stopped me from entering screenshots. Maybe you could create separate "with editing" and "without editing" competitions.

Is this because your computer can't run them, or because you can't afford photoshop? There's GIMP which is a useful program, free, and then my personal preference, Paint.net. And there's plenty of plugins for what doesn't come with the vanilla package. Either should run on lower specs that what it takes to run RTW.

[XSamatan]

I'm one of the guys who is very upset if he sees some screenshots from a game, buys it and is than angry because on his high end gaming PC the game looks much more uglier.

This is a point that appeased me with EB, the screenshot compilation is realistic!!

Therefore I must say:

STOP the editing, EB is beautiful enough!

XSamatan

[abou]

The original intention of the EB screenshot competitions was to build up a library of images for our gallery on the main website. The team has been a bit lax about that - primarily since the code of the website isn't very friendly for updates. As a result, it was easy to let photo editing get out of control.

Hopefully, things will change soon and we can remove old, out-of-date images and replace and expand the gallery. As such, it would probably be best to emphasize screenshots with minimal editing and cropping, as well as to stress anti-aliasing.

[SwissBarbar]

i still don't see the problem when posting the edited "artwort" AND the original ...

there you have the pic for the gallery AND the nice pictures people like to look at.

theres something for every taste, why restrict it

[Gleemonex]

i still don't see the problem when posting the edited "artwort" AND the original ...

there you have the pic for the gallery AND the nice pictures people like to look at.

theres something for every taste, why restrict it

The only objection I could see with that compromise (and the reason I suggested staggered PS/screenshot contests) is that people who have no desire/time/ability to edit their otherwise lovely screenshot would be at a natural disadvantage in the contest. This would, naturally, deter some or most of them. Viz. penguinking.

-Glee

[abou]

i still don't see the problem when posting the edited "artwort" AND the original ...

there you have the pic for the gallery AND the nice pictures people like to look at.

theres something for every taste, why restrict it

Because the heavily edited photos wouldn't go up on the website so what is the point besides bragging what you can do with some filters and mouse clicks?

Those who want can certainly post both an edited and unedited version, but it shouldn't then count toward the competition.

[Aemilius Paulus]

Well, I voted that any photo edits should be allowed.

The lack of image-editing programs should not be an excuse, since there is plenty of free ones out there, such as GIMP, which is what I have.

I would have voted for "slight editing" but it is really difficult to put a line between "heavy" and "slight" editing. If this was not too much, we should have two screenshot competitions in every month's competition, which is what Gleemonex said if I am not mistaken. One will be a competition for "pure" screenshots with absolutely no editing and another with whatever editing one would like, maybe even on the same thread. So we will have people submit all kinds of screenshots, but the two categories cannot compete with each other.

As for myself, I am a proponent of the edited screenshots, as they look much better, but those editited "screenshots" are not really "screenshots", but works of art in my opinion. Because of this we should definitely have two competitions: one for "screenshots" and one for "pictures". We could also have an "artwork" competition where you draw something yourself, but I doubt there will be enough people willing to participate.

[SwissBarbar]

in my opinion the poll shoud be "editing: yes or no"

at the moment it looks like most of the voters pledge for not-editig, but the "yes"-part is splitted.


its 41% contra and 59% pro editing (no matter if heavy or not).


if the majority is pro editing, then we can vote if any kind of editing or just slight editing should be allowed.


we could make an artwort competition besides the screenshot competition.

and on the homepage there is a "artwork gallery" not only a screenshot gallery.

https://www.europabarbarorum.com/gallery_artwork.html

[cmacq]

A cut to the quick

Question please, what is the primary purpose of the EB Screenshot Competition; to provide an artistic outlet or technical display of the game’s quality? If it’s the latter the choice is clear, and the other can be used by individuals to illustrate AARs, if they were so inclined. If the completion leans towards the aesthetic, then that’s more of a sticky wicket.

Indeed, the purpose of the competition defines the future course of action. Therefore, the question is; will this poll serve to reaffirm or redefine the purpose of the EB Screenshot Competition?


CmacQ

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I'm against editing, except chosing a part of the screen to be invisible (in most cases that means cropping out the UI).

The purpose of the screenshot competition is to provide the EB website with screenshots that are very nice and give a good image of what EB is capable of. I think that's the reason why two of my screens are there, although I've only won once: I never edit my screenshots.

Slight editing puts the non-editers to a disadvantage. I have already a lot of work to do, and have a lot of screenies, and I just don't want to spare time for editing. "There are free programs so everybody can do it" is no valid point. You cannot force the use of photoshop-programs to everybody or exclude them from the competition. This would be totally counterproductive, since the purpose of the screenshot competition is, again, to show what EB is capable of.

In many cases, in the current state of the screenshot competition, the picture with the best artwork wins. Other pictures without artwork don't although they might feature a better frame or better behaving soldiers or a better atmosphere etc. If people were allowed to enter their edited picture, and their unedited screeny in "hidden", it would again not serve the purpose of the EB screenshot competition, because it would produce sub-optimal screenshots for the EB website.

My proposal is to prohibit any screenshot editing besides cropping out parts of the screen. People should feel free to post their edited artworks in "hidden"-brackets, but it should be imperative that only the unedited screen enters the competition and thus perhaps the EB website.

[TheStranger]

Editting allowed but with exception (like posting original alongside editted version)

That's my vote.

[-Praetor-]

I don`t beliee the current editing is "light", not by any measure. If this editing would be light, then what editing would be heavy? Removing the solider cloths and giving them a red cloack and just a lincloth, and make them look all like the 300 spartans?

I vote "No editing" whatsoever, not because I`m against light editing, but because ppl try to pass heavy photoshopping as light editing.

You don`t need anything more sophisticated than MS paint to remove the UI, and that`s what light editing sould mean.

[ludwag]

most pictures are not light edited as you say. I think the currently pictures are being heavy edited. I think there should be light editing, but I diddnt vote for that becouse it said "currently"

[TWFanatic]

Our last contest had three edited screenshots. One person added a border and two others made some minor lighting adjustments. Our current contest has two edited entries, one of which has adjustments to the lighting and the other some added blur. This notion that heavily edited pictures are dominating the contest is absurd.

Why don't one you post one of these excessively edited image and let us make up our own minds.

@k_raso: The notion that the photoshopped images from recent competitions are in any way similar to the CGI graphics of 300 is absurd (besides the fact that EB is nothing but CGI, and mighty fine CGI if I do say so myself).

And have you ever tried editing a screenshot with paint?

Let's remember one more thing: the contests of today contain far less edited pictures than those of the past, and the few entries which are modified in some way contain for more minor changes than those of the past. Search for Screenshot Competitions from months back and you'll see what I mean. You all are lucky you don't have Blank and co. to compete with.

I used to be a member of the anti-PS movement. Back then the EB people were too stubborn to pluck one barbarian arse hair from the Gaesatae nudists, never mind make a policy change. What did I do? I dropped the insecurity and practiced with PS. The result? Last month I won my first competition.

[Gleemonex]

What did I do? I dropped the insecurity and practiced with PS. The result? Last month I won my first competition.

Case in point -- the current "screenshot" competitions are actually photoshop/GIMP competitions. Not to diminish your accomplishment (congratulations!), which is why I suggested staggered PS/non-PS contests.

EDIT: We might even consider nice PSed images in an "artwork" section of the website, if there's room/demand for such a thing.

-Glee

[desert]

There are 5 screenshots in the November competition so far, and three are edited with blurring and lighting changes.

Just saying.

Anyway, I say that editing should be allowed up until the point that someone shops Master Chief into the center of a dense ring of bodies.

[The General]

Some enhancement is fine.

[Gleemonex]

Some enhancement is fine.

Define "some" to the satisfaction of a screenshot competiton rule-set.

-Glee

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I believe that "slight editting allowed" was originally added to the contest so that people wouldn't argue over something that may be editted but may not be. Just thought I'd add that consideration to the discussion.