FFXIclopedia talk:File Policy

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Archives /Archive 1

Contents 1 Gifs? 2 Image Cropping 3 Fish Measurements and Consistency - Clarification 4 Offset Icons 5 Official Windowed Mode? 6 Clarification on where image is used 7 Grammar edit 8 Modeled Armor and weapons image policy 9 Clarification of Backgrounds, please?

Gifs?

I was wondering if animated gifs are acceptable? I was thinking of making animated gifs showing the animation of say a spell being used. While I know we have video support on the wiki, I feel gifs would have certain advantages over videos (various networks block Youtube, Youtube is beyond our control, etc). --Zenoxio 19:19, 16 May 2007 (CDT)

So long as they don't otherwise violate policy, go ahead. --Chrisjander 19:27, 16 May 2007 (CDT)

Is there a certain filesize I should try to stay under? I know gifs can get quite large if they are long. --Zenoxio 19:29, 16 May 2007 (CDT)

Try to keep it less than 50 KB if you can, less than 100KB if not. --Chrisjander 19:30, 16 May 2007 (CDT)

What file formats are allowed? Just GIF and JPG? can I use PNG? Tahngarthor 22:44, 13 June 2007 (CDT)

You can use png, but watch your file size, as they can get pretty big. --◄Chrisjander► t/ c 23:04, 13 June 2007 (CDT)

Well, I suppose I'm DL$S, but I do have advice for anyone who wishes to use the PNG format for their images. I Believe I've proven time and again against what Chrisjander said on 20070613 regarding PNG images, that they can get "pretty big" My advice is as follows:

• Make certain the program you are using to take screenshots is outputting either BMP or PNG, because...
• Conversion from JPEG to PNG will make compression difficult. It is better to have a JPEG than a PNG from a JPEG source
• there exist programs which can recompress PNG images. your best bets would be AdvanceCOMP advpng and PNGOUT
• keep an eye out for artifacts. some PNG images were converted from JPEG. in this case, a new source image will be necessary.
• PNG performs best on non-photographic images. this is why most of the images i've submitted have been item description boxes.
• in cases where animation is not required, GIF should be avoided, as, in cases where an image has 256 or fewer colors, PNG provides better compression, and in the case of greater than 256 colors, preserves all color values.

--Pandora Xero Is Not A Bot 09:06, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Image Cropping

There needs to be a line or sentence or something that clarifies how images must be cropped, I've fixed a lot of images lately that have backgrounds showing outside the "gray border". --Charitwo^Talk 11:02, 28 August 2007 (CDT)

This is covered by extension of purpose of the transparent image clause: "Images of items should not have transparent backgrounds showing other players, zones, or any other obstructions." since improperly cropped items, which show outside the border, show other players and/or zones, these images, by minor extension of policy, are in violation of the image policy. I myself have replaced more than a few images for this very reason. This issue should probably be clarified, though. --Pandora Xero Is Not A Bot 21:25, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Really? That's the very reason I made this section, it would seem. --Charitwo^Talk 21:31, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

IMHO it depends on what the image has to display. An item or key item or map etc. image should be cropped exactly to the border of their window. FFXI already stuffs things in windows, so when we want to display an item, the entire window should be displayed, nothing less, nothing more. Therefore, I believe the border of the window the item is displayed in should be the cropped size. When it comes to actual NPC/Mob shots, as long as the target is entirely displayed from the front perspective, the NPC name seen without any altered font and no Player Character in the frame of the picture, the cropping should be acceptable. NPC Images tend to work better with a higher height than width value since the NPC Infobox Template scales the Images down to a width of 200px. For images that are only slightly miscropped, for example having a pixel or two in one direction too many or too few, it is acceptable as long as there is no better image, but should be replaced when someone gets a better cropped picture with at least similar quality and file size. The priority should be Information > Overall-Quality > Cropping > File Size > Detail-Quality in my obligation. All five aspects matter, Information referring to outdated images, the overall quality referring to blurried images or transparent ones, cropping being the topic of this section, file size being something to ALWAYS keep in mind, and Detail-Quality referring to smaller problems with the quality, such as minor misplacements of pixels - which can always happen depending on image capturing and processing software. I believe to set aside many of the discussions we've had over images, we need to all agree on a priority scale for replacing images. An image that does not NEED to be replaced, when Information, Overall Quality and Cropping are acceptable, should still be replaced if anyone sees a need on the lower end of the priority scale, as long as the image is otherwise acceptable by means of the image policy. They wouldn't have to be marked for replacement, though. In other news, Charitwo, without any rudeness intended, please avoid comments such as the above, for they contain no information whatsoever, sarcasm and irony don't really add up to a good wiki. --Elvaron 05:17, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

Fish Measurements and Consistency - Clarification

In a conversation about images and policies I had with Pandoraxero, it has come to my attention that these measurements aren't really needed and can cause an inconsistency among images of fish. Because of the fact that selling a measured fish to the auction house erases these measurements, it's possible to have both unmeasured and measured fish, and I think it would be a good idea to mark measured fish for replacement across the board in order to have some consistency between them. Thoughts? --Charitwo^Talk 05:14, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Since Charitwo is asking for thoughts on this matter, i figured i would impart to you a quote on ffxi which is ignored as much as it is output to the log:
If merchandise remains unsold after 9 weeks (Vana'diel time), it will be returned to your current residence. If a successful bid is made, the proceeds from the sale will be delivered to your current residence.
Signed items will lose their signature after being purchased.
Emphasis being on that final line. nowhere on there does it state that fish measurements will be lost. This, in effect, implies that Fish measurements are a signuature, despite their differences in appearance, database storage, packet structure, and storage in memory --Pandora Xero Is Not A Bot 05:38, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Is this really hard to test? It's just a question of whether you can buy a fish with a measurement from the AH, right? The only reason to leave the measurements in the images is to track the potential fish sizes. If doing it this way however leads to bad/ugly images, then we can simply create a new box for smallest/largest fish and let is be done with text rather than images. --GAHOO t/ c 13:47, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

You cannot buy a fish with a measurement from the AH, that's the point. --Charitwo^Talk 13:55, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

I'd agree that fish images that have measurements probably ought to be replaced with images of the items from the AH list which do not have measurements. If, however, you really think that if you go to the AH and purchase a large fish that it won't have measurements on it, you need to go do some research. --TECHNO-- Talk / Contrib 14:57, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Pardon? --Charitwo^Talk 15:08, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

You're saying that if I go to the AH right now and buy a Grimmonite, a large fish, that the fish I purchased would not have measurements on it. Is that right? --TECHNO-- Talk / Contrib 15:14, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

The last time I bought a large fish off the AH, it did not have measurements. It was a Ryugu Titan. --Charitwo^Talk 15:24, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

I don't know what, if anything, was wrong with that fish or how long ago you bought it, but I advise you to go check again. Something cheaper like a Gigant Squid or Grimmonite will do. Even though I was absolutely, 100% certain that measurements are left on the fish, I still went and bought a Grimmonite a few minutes ago off the AH. It had measurements. --TECHNO-- Talk / Contrib 15:44, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

I stand corrected. Upon a new observation, Techno's findings were found to be correct as of 20080102193000UTC. For purposes of this discussion, I have an image, [1], containing unaltered data, including evidence that the fish itself was bought off AH, as well as the item description box. While this IS how the item appears when in inventory, It is also a simple matter for one to go to the AH, and take as screenshot of the item as the AH shows it: without the measurements. Further, it is my opinion that, as this is VARIABLE data, one should not include the data, as there is:

• No pre-agreed-upon value
• No way to control the values
• A range of values which would best be described in text

I'm of the opinion that ONE image containing the measurements should be kept for Reference Purposes, so that those who have, for one reason or another, never seen the measurements, know what they look like. Otherwise, it is my belief that, due to the uncontrollable nature of the measurements, they should not be included, and rather, should have a range specified on the item page, as Gahoo suggested above --Pandora Xero Is Not A Bot 21:06, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Might as well replace that with the current transparent version. In any case, nice to have some clarification. --Charitwo^Talk 21:18, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Hmm... see, that's the thing... pending culmination of this discussion, the new image might be invalidated. I suppose i could upload 2 versions of the image, one With the measurements, one without, and pending culmination of this particular discussion, either Revert to, or have deleted the first one I upload. Yes, i am a contrib-hungry bastard. --Pandora Xero Is Not A Bot 21:58, 2 January 2008 (UTC)

Offset Icons

It seems I have run into a "speed bump" of sorts with my image contributions. I have noticed that, on this site, there are a lot of item images which somehow have a shifted icon. Offhand, my best examples of this would be Image:Trump Gun.jpg and Image:Braves Gamashes.jpg. The icons in these images are shifted one to the left, and two down, noticeably protruding from the normal container. I have always been of the belief that the image policy is NOT exhaustive, and thus should be read in terms of context, rather than just content. An attempt at replacing these images resulted in Charitwo removing my new images, and giving me the following warning, among others: "Do not replace an image that does not need replaced. Ginger Cookie, Trump Gun, Brave's Gamashes, Spharai, Royal Squire's Sollerets, Foe Requiem V, Thunder IV, Chocobo Mazurka fit perfectly within the image policy and do not need to be replaced." While I will admit the reason for replacing the Ginger Cookie image was entirely size-motivated, the rest were NOT "perfect" and, indeed, were replaced due to an offset icon. This offset icon is NOT an accurate portrayal of how the item box would look in-game, and I feel that, just as with altered text, or altered backgrounds, this type of anomaly does not have a place on FFXIclopedia. I am not certain how so many images like this made their way in, but I feel that this is a problem, and that it needs to be fixed, and I am likely the only person with the means to fix it all. --Pandora Xero Is Not A Bot 20:31, 20 January 2008 (UTC)

Like with several months ago, you take things too far. And you are doing it again, making big deals out of things normal people don't notice. This "offset icon" reasoning is ill-founded and is just an excuse to get more contributions. You need to focus on things currently in replacements and image-stub. Those images are just fine. Focus on things that really need it. The policy stands. --Charitwo^Talk 21:21, 20 January 2008 (UTC)

The image policy is sound, even with the new addition related to size. If an image is put up for speedy deletion, and the admin believes that it is not warranted, it should be re-tagged as a normal delete and a AfD discussion begun. Speedy delete of the new image is not appropriate. In this manner, and only in manner, can there be a civil discussion among more than 2 people, about whether the replacement is warranted - with both images being on the site and being subject to review. --GAHOO t/ c 03:17, 21 January 2008 (UTC)

Agreed to Gahoo, please, both of you, don't take this stuff too seriously. You're reaching the realm of Edit War, where one adds an image where he sees a need of replacement and the other hastily deletes the work done. That shouldn't be how things are done, although I can understand Charitwo's way of thinking, that it would lead to too many AfD Discussions regarding offset icons. Therefore we should come to a conclusion where both parties can agree on a state, that leads to the benefit of the entire wiki. You both work hard on the wiki and none of your opinions are ignored here. The question at hand is how to determine whether a replacement is deemed necessary and therefore acceptable. I will here reiterate my proposal stated unter the section Cropping, a priority scale for Image Replacements: Information > Overall-Quality > Cropping > File Size > Detail Quality, with the first 3 requiring a Replacement Tag, the latter 2 not leading to a replacement tag, but are acceptable replacements as long as neither the 3 primary priorities nor the image policy is violated. And no, I will not take "the image policy is good as it is and will not be changed" as an answer. This is a subject we have to discuss and come up with a solution for, simply for the benefit of the wiki. An offset icon IS an offset icon and even if most users may not notice or care about it, we still have to take the matter seriously. Otherwise, all replacements are unnnecessary, as long as the user is able to somehow see what should be displayed by the image. We either go for precision or we don't. --Elvaron 05:29, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

Official Windowed Mode?

Just wondering... why aren't we supposed to upload pictures using the official windowed mode? I can get pictures that look fine enough by taking FFXI out of focus, and I'd rather not have to use the unofficial windower just to upload images. --Urth 10:50, 16 May 2008 (UTC)

Because the quality is horrible on official windowed mode. Even the standard in-game screenshot function is better. And we don't care if you use the unofficial windower for capturing images, we prefer it. Fraps is also a solution. --Charitwo^Talk 11:22, 16 May 2008 (UTC)

Clarification on where image is used

Please make it clear that the image must be located on the "User Page" - the wiki - and not the "Social Profile". I don't believe the distinction is clear enough between the two, many seeing the profile as their "user page". --Leuqarte 21:17, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

A social profile cannot be edited when it is in profile mode, which is why the image did not show as being used. If your User: namespace page is in profile mode, your Userpage is UserWiki:Username, if you click the toggle button, your profile gets moved to User profile:Username and you can now edit User:Username again. --Charitwo^Talk 21:46, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

Grammar edit

Violation of this rule will result in a temporary or permanent a ban from FFXIclopedia. 

Strike the 'a' mentioned above, please :) --Leuq 17:33, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

Modeled Armor and weapons image policy

Do we have a policy concerning images of modeled armor or weapons that would be placed on the armor piece's article? (i.e. in regards to size, full-body vs cropped to only show armor piece, etc) A small percentage of item pages show a character modeling armor or weapons but I see no guideline that specifies the standard for this. --Leuq 03:06, 14 August 2008 (UTC)

Clarification of Backgrounds, please?

I don't understand what is meant by this: Images of items should not have transparent backgrounds showing other players, zones, or any other obstructions. This includes anything outside the border of the item. They should be easy to read with some type of solid background (we prefer #2, 4 and 6).

• What do you mean by "transparent background"?
• Regarding the second line ("anything outside the border"), I'm reading this to mean that you want the image as tightly cropped on the subject as possible, with nothing else around it. Is that correct?
• What are backgrounds #2, #4, #6?

I've done some wiki-editing in the past, but haven't done much image editing. I'm hoping to add images for things around Bastok, but I want to make sure I follow policies correctly. Thanks! Altheav 16:38, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

• "Transparent background" means the background of the window is transparent (i.e. you can see graphics drawn behind it, as opposed to an opaque background). This is seen in window types 1, 3, 5 and 8 (Menu > Config > Windows).
• Outside of the border means anything outside of the border surrounding the window containing the item information.
• Backgrounds 2, 4 and 6 are the background selections found in the Windows configuration (Menu > Config > Windows).

Daveoh 17:07, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

It refers to the setting you've chosen for Window type (Main Menu/Config#Windows) --◄Chrisjander► t/ c 17:29, 31 May 2009 (UTC)

Thanks! I discovered what you meant by transparency when I logged on to play and saw the windows (heh) but this helps a lot. Altheav 19:38, 31 May 2009 (UTC)