WarShadow
Posts: 1094
Joined: 06/19/2005
Credibility: 1591 pts
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| Guidelines for submitting content |
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Submissions
We totally love to receive user submitted content, we have a great and informative site and it’s all thanks to you the member. There are a few things you should consider before submitting something to the site, members receive credit for submissions so a little work is expected in return :-)
In order to make life easier for you and the staff, here are a few guidelines you should follow and a few handy hints.
Spelling and Grammar
If you are submitting any kind of written document you should write it in Word or another text editing program first. You should check it for spelling and grammar, try to make sure you have used well-formed sentences and paragraphs to make it easier for the reader to scan. If you are still unsure ask someone to proof read it first.
Never use all caps!
Caps are seen as shouting amongst the online community, therefore it’s seen as bad manners and makes your text much harder to read.
Save your work
If a member of staff decides not to approve your submission and asks that you spend a little time on it this will ease the process for you considerably. If there was a problem uploading the content and it disappears into hyperspace then you have a copy of your precious work to fall back on.
Make sure it’s suitable
Please remember that a wide range of age groups and backgrounds use our site, any kind of swearing, inappropriate images (including those silly suggestive in-game poses), flaming or hate fuelled content won’t be approved. Promotion of any political or religious groups is not appropriate either, we aim to include everybody, we do not censor free speech but nor are we here to be used as a platform for promotion of one groups ideals.
Links
If you decide to include a link in your submission make sure it’s appropriate, links to any kind of profanity, hatred or pornographic content will be removed and the user who posted it suspended from posting, pending action from the site manager. Make sure they are on-topic.
Copyright
All content should be completely original, staff cross reference content with all the other major game fan sites, any content that is even suspect of being in fringe of copyright will be rejected and the sender sent a PM. You get a formal PM warning you of posting copyrighted material once. Persistant attempts at posting or submitting material of this type will result in action being taken by the site manager.
Section Specifics
Always look through the section you want to submit to and ensure that your guide, article or tip hasn’t been done before. If staff feel your content resembles something already present, or some topic we have an abundance of it could be rejected.
Screenshots
City Of Heroes saves your screenshots in a folder in the main game directory (usually C:Program Files/City Of Heroes/Screenshots). The format the program uses is suitable for submission to the site. The easiest way to get it from the folder to the site is to set up a shortcut that you can view later. Copy the screenies you want to submit to the desktop and rename them so its easy to ID them and then upload it.
Multiple shots of the same thing, your character in different locations not really doing anything will now no longer be approved. We will strive to ensure that you get the pick of the screenshots that we get in but the more original, the more different, action filled etc will make the cut. Don’t be disheartened if we don’t approve one, the game is huge and we’re pretty sure that you’ll find something better right around the corner!
Screenshots – how to get one on gameamp
A screenshot is an image taken in game using the print screen button on your keyboard, combining it with the toggle screenshot UI option also removes the interface from the captured screen. See above for information about saving the image in an appropriate format. Screenshots presently give you 10 credit points and are an easy way to gain credit - in return we do expect certain standards be met.
A screenshot should be exactly that; a whole screen from your game, a cropped image is not a screenshot. The only exceptions to this rule are submissions to the Fan Art Gallery.
The screenshot must be at least pleasing to the eye. If you decide that you wish to block out parts of your image, perhaps to keep that ultra powerful secret build to yourself or to protect the anonymity of team mates please try and make it tidy.
It should contain what it says it contains – we tend to get a few funny comments but it doesn’t always have to be funny.
If the chat window is visible in your screenshot make sure there is no inappropriate content in the chat. If it is submitted, we will delete the screenshot and inform the member why and hope that it was a mistake and give them a second chance to block it out.
If there is already a multitude of screenshots of the same thing, your screen could be rejected, try and be original when picking your shot.
Please don’t submit more than 5 screenshots at one time.
Not a screenshot but still want to share it?
Sometimes you will come across something in the game you want to share with the rest of the community, we love it when you do! Remember there are other ways to share those images outside of the screenshot section. You can add them to your posts or start a new thread if you think they will spark debate. Heres two ways to add other images:
You can use your image gallery in your profile to host images, its a really simple process, the only things you need to bear in mind are that acceptable formats are - jpg, gif and png, there is also a maximum file size of 300kb. Once you've uploaded your image to the gallery, click on the thumbnail to open the full size version then right click on the image and copy the image address, to add it in to a post use the IMG button and paste that address in.
Tips and Hints
Should be short and to the point. Most should be no longer than a few short paragraphs. Content should be helpful and original. Things that are obvious to people who play the game already e.g. ‘ join a supergroup’ are helpful as not every new player knows how to do these things.. A tip is a short ‘how to’ or a short ‘did you know’. Think about how useful it will be to other players. Information should be clear and well thought out, if you refer to a collector, an area or an item make sure to include the name. Like all written content it should be spell checked and well formed. Anything that pertains to power leveling, farming or is deemed by the CoH staff to be an exploit of any sort will be discussed by the staff and depending on the outcome, altered by the submitter to follow guidelines or be rejected.
Guides
If you are planning on submitting a guide please refer to these excellent guidelines. Remember that Guides gain the most credit so require the most attention. As with everything else, game exploits will not be approved and the guide should be spell checked before submission.
Articles
Can be pieces of fan fiction that you’ve written based on the game. They should be lengthy pieces of written work with time taken on their development. They can range from 4 or 5 paragraphs in length to on-going serialised pieces of fiction spread across several articles in instalments. The important thing is to enjoy what you write and think about the reader, does the story follow a logical path? Does it make sense compared to the in-game characters it’s based on? They can be witty in content or serious pieces of literature.
Other pieces of written work submitted as articles could be insights in to game play, game mechanics, online social behaviour, psychology of gaming, economics of gaming, comparative studies – you name it, as long as it’s relevant to the site and well written you can submit it here. Remembering to follow our guidelines on copyright and content of course :-)
Wallpapers
Wallpapers must be a minimum image size of 800x600. Original content should be of high enough quality to withstand stretching to fit different screen resolutions. Wallpapers taken from other sources should be submitted with a link to the originating source to ensure that copyright is not infringed through duplication. If it is not submitted correctly it will be rejected.
***THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED***
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WarShadow
Posts: 1094
Joined: 06/19/2005
Credibility: 1591 pts
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| RE: Guidelines for submitting content |
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Ok all with the changes that will be happening to the site, if I have lost anyone just look at this news post and it should clear things up, we are now going to have a bit stricter on what gets approved and what does not. Because now that credability will be more than a status symbol all of us admins will be a lot tougher on what get approved but do not let this get everyone down, if you find something in game that looks cool or can help out your fellow ampers then snap a pic or write it all down and submit it so that we all can see how good you all really are out there.
If you like the sig Click the link and sign up to get one made for you.
http://www.invasion-designs.com/v2/
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