StrategyWiki:Guide/File uploads

When uploading an image, it needs to have an appropriate name and description, and be categorised by using Category:Category name tags in the "Summary" field on the upload page. If you are unsure of the best filetype to use, PNG images are the preferred format because of their enhanced lossless compression, and the fact that they're an open standard.

Image names
An appropriate name is one which begins with the game title or a relevant abbreviation (e.g. Doom images all begin with "Doom" and Super Smash Bros. Brawl images all begin with "SSBB") then something which details the content of the image itself very briefly. Names should not detail where or how the image is going to be used; merely what's in it. Numbered names for use in series of screenshots of a level are acceptable (e.g. "Doom level name01"), but this is the only case where not describing the contents of the image is acceptable. Note that MediaWiki recognises filename extensions as case-sensitive, for example Image.jpg is not the same as Image.JPG. Use lowercase file extensions.

Descriptions
An appropriate description is one which links back to the relevant game, and contains text noting what the image is, and (if the game can be run on multiple systems) the hardware on which the image was captured. For images not captured by yourself, provide a link to the source for attribution. A full URL in single brackets creates a very small link that won't disrupt the description. For example, produces.

Categorization
The categories to use when categorising an image are the subcategories of the category. All applicable categories should be used, meaning it is possible to categorise an image as both and  for instance. Categories should be as specific as possible, so should be used instead of the more general  category.

In addition to categories describing the content of the image, files also need their guide file category. Image categories for games should be named "Game Name files" (note the lowercase "files"), and be a subcategory of and nothing else.

For information on how to use and lay out images in articles, please see the layout guidelines. You also need to be aware of the legal issues when uploading images. Please do not upload watermarked images, but most other things are acceptable. For more information, see the copyrights page.

Example summary of an image
View the output of this summary here: Alien Mind box artwork.png Alien Mind box artwork for the Apple IIGS. Image copied from http://www.whatisthe2gs.apple2.org.za/alien-mind/ http://www.whatisthe2gs.apple2.org.za/alien-mind/.

Image categories
There are several main categories of images, and they are not mutually exclusive, meaning if an image belongs in more than one category, put all applicable category tags on it.

Game-specific images
Any image that relates to a game, for instance the box artwork of a game or a screenshot from a game, needs to be categorized with an existing or new category to collect and include all of those images.

Game-specific image categories need to be named correctly, no abbreviations should be used and proper grammar syntax needs to be followed, in the format of " Category:Game Name images". The word images remains uncapitalized because we use sentence capitalization for category names. Make sure that you use the actual game name, or rather the name of the article on StrategyWiki that the game is associated with (this comes into play if it has multiple names). If the image is used on multiple guides, put a guide-specific image category for each one.

To create a new image category, simply mark an image you want to upload with the correct name of the category, and then after uploading, follow the category link (found at the bottom of the page) and create the page with the content:
 * Images pertaining to Game Name.


 * What game-specific image category usage should look like:

or


 * What a game-specific image category should not look like:
 * (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night abbreviation)

or
 * (missing the colon that the actual title of the game includes, capitalization on "images")

Remember that you need to use guide-specific image categories in conjunction with the other image categories as applicable (there should always be at least one of these plus the guide-specific image category).

Artwork
Artwork can include game banners, conceptual artwork, arcade flyers and marquees, and other similar images if no more appropriate category is available. With such images, a description is more important, as the background and use of the image may be less obvious than, perhaps, a box artwork image.

Please note that contains sub-categories (such as ). These sub-categories should take precedence over the use of Category:Artwork when categorizing images (e.g. if it's an icon, use instead of ).

Other artwork should be categorised only in the Artwork category, by using the following wiki markup:

Box artwork
These images are pictures of game boxes. Preferably, the image will be a flat scan of the front of the box at a high resolution. Box artwork images should be wider than 250px, and the description should state the country of purchase of that box.

Box artwork should be categorised only in the category and guide-specific image category (as noted above) that it pertains to, by using the following wiki markup:

Diagrams
Diagrams are any images which contain simplified or structural representations or guides to things. An example of a diagram would be a labeled view of a games console controller, or an image for a map key. All diagrams go in the category. Descriptions for diagrams should contain information on what the diagram is, and where it's likely to be used.

The following wiki markup should be used for a diagram:

Maps
Maps are images showing a representation of an area or level, usually from a top-down perspective. Such maps can be annotated or have routes drawn on them, and they all go in the category. The description should say what the map details, and the meaning of any routes or paths drawn on it.

The following wiki markup should be used for a map:

Photos
A photo (photograph) is any picture of a real world object, person or place taken with a camera. The subjects of photographs are usually games consoles and other hardware, and the description should reflect what the subject is. All photographs should be in the category.

The following wiki markup should be used for a photograph:

Screenshots
Screenshots make up most of the images on StrategyWiki. Any image which is a direct screenshot from a game is considered a screenshot. Most screenshots will only be in the category. Although many images come from screenshots, if much of the picture has been cropped away to leave a character, item or other object, it is not longer considered a screenshot, and then becomes categorized as whatever the focus of the image has become. The description for a screenshot should contain information about the level and general area in which it was taken, and any specific action which is taking place.

The following wiki markup should be used for a screenshot:

Series images
Images that are outside the scope of specific games, but will be used on a series page should be categorized under Category:Series images. No other categories are necessary for these images.

The following wiki markup should be used for Series images: