Project:Image Guidelines
In order to provide the clearest reference possible for A Tale in the Desert, this page provides some guidelines on how to best format images being used on the Wiki. While the guidelines presented here are not strict requirements for image contributions, every image should follow as many guidelines as possible. Images following some, but not all, of these guidelines can, and should, be updated or replaced with a better quality image where possible. To flag an image as having quality issues, please use the {{Image quality}} template on the image's File page so that the image will be categorized and other editors will see that an improved image would be beneficial.
Recommendations for All Images
The guidelines in this section apply to all images across the Wiki and should be referred to when possible.
Image Resolution
All images should be of a resolution as high as possible. The Wiki software will automatically resize images as appropriate when displayed on a page so providing a high resolution image as a starting point will ensure that all generated thumbnails and other uses of images across the Wiki will be of as high a quality as possible.
Minimum Image Width: Note that images should have a minimum width of 250 pixels. The Infobox templates used on this Wiki generate thumbnails of images embedded within them at a width of 250 pixels. Images that are narrower than 250 pixels will be stretched to 250 pixels wide which will negatively impact image quality.
PNG File Format
All images that show in-game artwork should be in the PNG file format. This format ensures that image quality will not be degraded due to compression or other factors as PNG uses lossless data compression.
Avoid Character Avatars and Names
All images should avoid showing character avatars or character names. This ensures a clean, uncluttered image where the clear focus of the image is given to the subject of the image.
Avoid Extra Items, Buildings, Flora, etc.
All images should show only the subject of the image with no additional items, buildings, flora, etc. visible. This ensures a clean, uncluttered image where the clear focus of the image is given to the subject of the image.
Exception — Straw to Show Scale: The one exception to this recommendation is when it is helpful to show the size of an item or some other in-game object, editors are welcome to use a unit of Straw dropped on the ground near the image's subject which can serve as a reference for the purpose of showing the size of the image's subject.
Backgrounds
The subject an image should be shown on a background that is as relevant/appropriate to the subject as possible.
Contrast: Editors should consider the contrast between the subject of an image and the background of an image and should strive for a high degree of contrast between the two. For example, a patch of light grey Silt will show up clearly if the silt is on a patch of dark green grass, however, it would not show up very clearly if the silt was on a patch of grey rock or Limestone.
New In-Game Art
Naturally, if the art for a given subject is updated in-game, the image on the Wiki should be kept as up-to-date as possible.
Video Settings
It is recommended that in-game Video Settings be set as follows when creating images for the Wiki:
- Shadow Quality: Maximum Setting
- Time-of-Day Lighting: Minimum Setting
While not necessarily providing the most "natural" appearance for a given subject, these settings should provide the "clearest" view of the subject and will not show variations dependent on time of day.
Specific Recommendations for Buildings
When creating images of in-game Buildings, specifically buildings that are built inside of Compounds, the "placement grid" should not be visible. Buildings can be placed in a Compound and disassembled without loading or wasting any resources so leaving the placement grid visible is unnecessary.
Specific Recommendations for Tests
High resolution artwork for Tests was provided by Shellby on Discord on March 19, 2018. This artwork is what should be used for all Tests. This artwork is available at this link.
Specific Recommendations for Technologies
High resolution artwork for Technologies was provided by Shellby on Discord on March 19, 2018. This artwork is what should be used for most Technologies. This artwork is available at this link.
If appropriate artwork does not exist in this repository, artwork should be taken from the game and cropped to a size of 256 pixels wide by 160 pixels high and should not show a "Complete" banner overlaid over it.
Discussion of Guidelines
As with anything Wiki-related, these guidelines are open for discussion. Please feel free to provide feedback on this page's Talk page.