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[[Category:Wiki policy pages]]
[[Category:Wiki policy pages]]
[[Category:Policy]]

Revision as of 15:07, 8 July 2020

Images are a great way to illustrate article content, and some pages may be mostly or entirely devoted to them. However, not all images are equal, and obtaining a good quality image can be tricky, particularly if the editor is attempting to capture said image him/herself. While the following image standards are not absolute rules, following them will invariably lead to better quality images that are more likely to be deemed "Good" or even featured on the main page at some point.

Images by type

Firstly, it is important to know that different types of images have different standards set. This section will outline each important type of image and the guidelines for each:

External artwork

Given how the Kirby franchise is publicized, it is typically the case that external (i.e. not from within the game) artwork will be made to promote a release. This artwork can typically be found on promotional material such as game covers (box art), game manuals, T.V. advertisements, posters, websites, merchandise, and other material. When an editor wishes to upload a piece of external artwork to WiKirby, it is important to keep in mind the following criteria whenever possible:

  • Is the artwork from an official source (i.e. directly from Nintendo and/or HAL Laboratory or related developer)?
  • Is there a higher-quality version of that artwork somewhere else?
  • Is there a place on WiKirby where that artwork can be applied?

Once these are considered, the uploading process may begin. When uploading a piece of artwork, it is important to use the {{Artwork}} template to automatically generate the appropriate copyright license template for the file page. This also automatically places the image into the Category:Artwork category. Additionally, it is important to specify the source of the image in the file summary, so that viewers know the image is official, and not potentially a piece of fan art or other modification. Finally, it is important to categorize the image by the game/other piece of media it was made for. (i.e. a piece of art promoting Kirby Star Allies should be categorized under Category:Kirby Star Allies images)

Generally speaking, external artwork should not be modified before being uploaded excepting simple operations like cropping out unnecessary elements. If the image is set against a blank background, it is generally advised to leave it as is rather than attempt to remove it manually. If a version with a transparent background is found later, that version should generally take precedence over the previous image. The MIME type of the image (.jpg, .png, etc.) should be kept the same whenever possible when uploading.

Game screenshots and internal artwork

In most cases, uploaded images will consist of material obtained from within a game or other piece of media. In this case, it is usually up to the editor to determine the content that is captured and uploaded, and it takes a degree of personal taste/judgment to capture the appropriate images for display on the wiki. While this page will not attempt to specify exactly what screenshots should contain in terms of content, the following metric should be used:

  • Is the content appropriate-for/relevant-to the subject matter?
  • Is the content free of distracting elements (such as obscuring in-game visuals or external distortion)?
  • Is the content distinct enough from similar material?

Generally speaking, screenshots do not require a source when uploaded, but the {{Game screenshot}} license should be used to tag them, along with the game or other piece of media that they come from. Screenshots should also be categorized appropriately by subject, same with artwork. Unless given permission to do so, editors should avoid uploading screenshots taken by others and displayed on other websites and wikis (excluding "Official screenshots", more details in section below).

Native resolution

When taking screenshots of game content, it is preferred that they be in the game's "native resolution". Native resolution refers to the default pixel count that the game was programmed by, which tends to be uniform based on console (though some exceptions exist by game). As such, screenshots based on images stretched to fit a T.V. or computer screen, or images squished down will not be in native resolution, resulting in at least a small amount of distortion of the image. This is particularly noticeable for sprite-based games.

The following is a helpful list of native resolution by Nintendo game system, where applicable to the Kirby series (ex. 800x600px = 800 pixels wide and 600 pixels tall):

Game screenshots should generally follow these dimensions when being captured in full. Internal screenshot software such as that on the 3DS, Wii U, and Switch typically will capture images in native resolution, though adjustments may need to be made when using a Virtual Console (and care should be taken when using the Nintendo Switch's social media upload function, as that may cause image distortion).

Upscaled images

WiKirby allows upscaled images to be uploaded and used in articles, granted they meet the following conditions:

  • They are marked on their file pages with the Upscale template.
  • They are not being used as the default representative image for a subject (i.e. in place of a native equivalent in main article space).
  • They are described as upscales in article text (preferably in the image caption).

These rules follow for any images that have had their resolution increased using emulation, image editing, or other forms of modding. They do not apply to external artwork or ripped in-game models. They also do not apply to images that have been stretched by various display schema (which should be marked as low quality instead).

When it comes to Virtual Console, any screenshots taken at a pixel count higher than native resolution should be marked as an upscale, since Virtual Console is an (official) form of emulation.

Game sprites

When uploading game sprites, they should be scaled 1 to 1 (1 pixel per "block") unless they need to be upscaled for display purposes. The same applies to internal artwork ripped from games.

When uploading sprites to the wiki, use the {{Game sprite}} license. When uploading internal artwork that is not sprite-based, use the {{Artwork}} license instead.

Official screenshots

Often, Nintendo or HAL Laboratory will release screenshots demonstrating their media. When uploading these, they should not be tampered with in any way, and they should be placed in the official screenshots category. A source should also be provided when uploading these to confirm their authenticity.

Other images

When it comes to images of things that do not quite fit the above categories, rules are generally more lenient, though there are a few special cases:

Game covers

When uploading a game cover (a.k.a. box art), use the {{Game cover}} license and provide the source.

Ripped model images

When uploading an image of a 3-D model from a game that has been isolated from its source, use the {{Game model}} license and specify the source.

Wiki-specific images

When uploading images meant primarily for use in the wiki's interface, place it in the Wiki images category. This includes things like navigational buttons, logos, textures, and the like.

Screenshots of non-game content

When uploading a screenshot of content not from a video game, use the {{Copyright}} license and provide a source if appropriate. This includes things like screenshots from the anime series.

Photographs of real world subjects

When uploading a photograph that is copyright protected, use the {{Photo}} license and provide a source if appropriate. Do not upload photos that have not been publicly released by the original owner.

Personal images

Main article: WiKirby:Personal content policy

Each user may have up to three personal images on WiKirby. These images may only be used on the user's own user-pages. They must be marked with the {{Personal Image}} including a piped name for the owning user. (ex. {{Personal Image|Fubaka}} )

Other image procedures and details

  • When uploading, keep in mind that the current upper limit for image file size is 5 MB (megabytes). As such, images that approach or surpass that limit may not be uploaded. If an editor wishes to upload such an image, it may be necessary to scale it down. If this cannot be done, use an external link to link to the image instead of uploading it.
    • It is possible to hotlink an image from another site up to 100 MB, but this should not be done without the original site's permission.
  • When replacing an image, use the "Upload a new version of this file" function wherever possible. If this cannot be done, upload the new file separately, replace the links to the old file, and mark the old file with the {{Delete}} template. Be sure to include a reason for deletion such as "replaced".
  • When uploading, make sure the file name chosen is descriptive of the subject matter. A good name would include details such as the name of the entity/place being shown and the source game/media from which it was taken. Files with bad names will be moved or deleted as appropriate.
  • All images must belong to at least one category, and must be licensed as appropriate. Use this page to find and correct any uncategorized files and correct them.
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