Guild Wars 2 Wiki:Image formatting

This article documents the formatting practices and processes with regards to image creation, naming and categorization.

File Format

The permitted file types: jpg, png, svg, jpeg, gif, however not all permitted files are appropriate for all images. For example, files that should be .png are icons such as File:Cap Hop.png or art with transparency, and files that are .gif should be primarily reserved for animated images such as File:Mini Super Spider moonwalk animation.gif. Most files should be uploaded as .jpg or jpeg otherwise. User images that are used for user pages are left up to the uploader's discretion.

Naming convention

Be sure to use a descriptive title, for example: "File:Hoelbrak map.jpg" or "File:Human boy 1.jpg". In cases where a name is being shared, use parentheses to disambiguate the files, such as: "File:Transmutation Charge (item).png". Avoid overly long or complicated image names, or image names containing any type of punctuation marks.

All descriptions and image names should follow proper capitalization. For instance, "File:Research in Rata Novus loading screen.jpg" is proper capitalization, whereas "File:Research In Rata Novus Loading Screen.jpg" is not. This extends to the file's extension as well. An extension of .jpg is acceptable, while .JPG is not.

Screenshots released before the release of Guild Wars 2 are uploaded under the format File:<Year> <Month> <short description>.xxx (e.g. "File:2010 August sylvari ranger.jpg"). The month and year refer to the time when each screenshot was made available.

ArenaNet images

These images are copyrighted by ArenaNet or NCsoft. This includes images taken from Guild Wars 2 and the original Guild Wars.

Screenshots

Guild Wars 2 screenshots are tagged with {{ArenaNet image|screenshot}}.

When submitting a screenshot to the wiki, there are no hard/fast rules for what is acceptable. However, we do have some general guidelines for providing the best possible image. The goal of these guidelines is to try to provide quality content, but we recognize that's not always possible with screenshots. We also recognize that there are thousands of things in the wiki that have need of screenshots, and will generally accept any image over no image.

When replacing renders, take care that the render is not lost. You may need to rename the render to conform with the render naming policy, or upload a new image and change the page to reference your new image.

If you are replacing an existing screenshot or render, the new image should be of better quality — images not meeting this standard are subject to being reverted.

General

• Use Control+Shift+H to hide the user interface.
• It is preferred that screenshots are cropped when the subject does not fill the entire image.
• It is preferred that screenshots are taken with graphics settings at their highest.
• When taking scenic shots, use an elevated position to fill more of the image.
• Remove the dot character dot trail on the map by logging in and out.
• It is preferred that, subject matter permitting, screenshots emphasize the subject:
  • Turn off Post-Processing to remove character outlines, otherwise angle the camera away or target an out-of-shot object to avoid showing the outline.
  • Little/no content obscuring the subject.
  • Equipped item images will be clearer and more detailed on larger character models, i.e. not Asura.
    • Unless taking pictures of armor, armor should not be worn for clarity of the item being photographed.
• The file extension should be .jpg
• Most images should try to be under 1.5 MB, with the exception of maps where that is not possible.

Characters

The character model will often be in the way of a screenshot. You have some options to avoid this:

• With "Enable First-Person Camera" checked, zoom in completely. This will remove all of the model from the shot. Combine this with "Adjust Camera to Character Height" enabled to obtain different angles on various races, or disabled for a uniform camera position.
• Zoom in the camera completely and use the /sleep command to make your character lay down. This will remove most or all of the model from the shot. For example, female humans or asurans will give a low angle without the character model interfering.
• Back up against a wall to zoom into the model. Combine this with sleeping and you can turn the camera below perpendicular for taking shots.
• Avoid using Charr and Norn characters when possible for obvious reasons.

Contrast

Maximum contrast between the subject and its background, while giving the subject good contrast.

• Specific guidelines may be provided, but not all subjects will respond identically to the same lighting/backgrounds. Thus some objects may require exceptions for obtaining quality screenshots.
• Where possible, lighting that helps to give the subject good contrast (i.e. does not bleach out the subject, and does not leave it obscured by shadow) — Screenshots taken in sunlight will generally offer better lighting than screenshots taken at night or indoors.
• NPCs can be made to turn by talking with them (pressing F), allowing you some selection of background and lighting angle.

Consistency

It is preferred that images from a groups of screenshots be reasonably consistent with each other.

• Where possible, lighting should be consistent.
• Cropping should be consistent. For high-res NPC or character screenshots, this is a ~50px margin.

Renders

• When ArenaNet renders are in use as the primary reference image for something, it can be replaced with a screenshot from the game.
• The ArenaNet render may however be retained in the body or footnotes of the page.
• While ArenaNet has gone to good effort to provide renders to the public, using them as the primary reference image (e.g., the image appearing in the NPC or weapon info-box) will be inconsistent with instances where these renders are unavailable.

Concept art

Image names for Guild Wars 2 concept art follow the format File:"<Official title>" concept art.xxx (e.g. "File:"Rytlock" concept art.jpg"). When the official title name is not available or sufficiently descriptive, the format is File:<Short description> concept art.xxx (e.g. "File:Charr soldier concept art.jpg").

All Guild Wars 2 concept art images are tagged with {{ArenaNet image|concept art}}.

Renders

Image names for Guild Wars 2 renders follow the format File:<Official title> render.xxx (e.g. "File:Cow render.jpg"). When the official title name is not available or sufficiently descriptive, the format is File:<Short description> render.xxx (e.g. "File:Krytan farmhouse render.jpg").

All Guild Wars 2 rendered images are tagged with {{ArenaNet image|render}}.

Animations

File names for Guild Wars 2 animations follow the format File:<description or official name> animation.gif (e.g. for a skill, "File:Bone Minions animation.gif").

Guild Wars 2 animations are tagged with {{ArenaNet image|animation}}.

Game icons

Game icon images (skill icons, item icons, trait icons, map icons, etc.) should:

• be named to match the game entity they represent (e.g. "File:Meteor Shower.png" for Meteor Shower)
• be tagged with {{ArenaNet image|icon}}
• follow the sizing consensus, depending on the type of icon:
  • 32x32 for effects
  • 64x64 for items
  • 128x128 for skills, miniatures, overhead icons for NPCs
• possess a file extension of .png

Guild Wars 1 images

All images belonging to the original Guild Wars are tagged only with {{ArenaNet image|gw1}}. They should not receive any other {{ArenaNet image}} tag, regardless of whether they're concept art, screenshots or any other image type.

User images

These are images uploaded exclusively for use in the userspace. All user images are named with the format File:User <Username> <description>.xxx (e.g. "File:User Johnbob background.jpg") and tagged with {{user image|<Username>}}. Also:

• If the source is from Guild Wars 2 itself, {{ArenaNet image}} is included. This allows other users to reuse the image if they find it useful.
• If it's from Guild Wars 1, {{ArenaNet image|gw1}} is included.

Using {{ArenaNet image}}

All images tagged with {{ArenaNet image}} may require further parameters be added if the image belongs to a specific category. To illustrate, the image Bone Minions animation.gif is tagged with {{ArenaNet image|animation|Necromancer skill animations}}. This illustrates that the image is an animation and placed in the category Necromancer skill animations.

See also

• Guild Wars 2 Wiki:Copyrighted content, an explanation of ArenaNet's copyright policy for the wiki
• Category:ArenaNet images
• Category:User images