Re: FAQ for portraits
Woof,
Here is a FAQ for portrait use. I think I have everything covered.
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Q) I hear all this talk about portraits, but I don't see any in the messagebases.
A) Under your User Preferences, you need to turn the portrait viewing on. Some people prefer not to use portraits, so it defaults to off. There are no portraits in the public forums such as General, Wanted - Players or Wanted - GMs.
Q) What is the standard portrait dimension and size?
A) When all is said and done in the editing department, portraits are submitted at 100 pixels high by 100 pixels wide (100x100) and less than 5 kilabytes in size.
Q) 100x100? But they look much smaller in the messagebases.
A) In the messagebases, portraits in use are shrunk to 50x50 for space considerations. To view the portrait in it's full size, click on it.
Q) Ah, there they are. How do I go about selecting a portrait for my character?
A) click on the hyperlink at the top of the page that says "Character Details". Then you'll see a hyperlink to 'change portrait'. Click on that and it will take you to the gallery. Wander through the gallery until you find the right image for your character, and click on it.
Q) What's with all the dorky pictures in the gallery? Why don't you get rid of them?
A) Evenutally, we may ditch portraits that are not in use and of low quality. We can't do that until we establish a way to determine which portraits are in use.
Q) There are no portraits that fit my character, can I submit one?
A) Yes. The Portrait Gallery is constantly growing. Please only submit portraits you intend on using for a character. Our file space is limited.
Q) What if I can't edit the portrait to 100x100 and 5k in size?
A) If you send a portrait larger than 100x100 pixels and/or >5k in size, I can edit it down to fit the gallery requirements.
Q) What if I send you something smaller than 100x100?
A) Don't. Smaller pictures, when enlarged, become too fuzzy to be quality pictures. Then if I am expected to edit it to satisfactory quality, it could take me an hour or more touching up the picture and sharpening up the features, and sometimes It's beyond my capabilities. Sometimes the portrait might end up looking like someone else when I'm all done with it. It's just better all around if you find another larger picture and send that.
Q) What about a file that's less thank 5 kilabytes?
A) The smaller the file, the less quality is involved. So long as the quality of the image is satisfactory, the size of the file is negotiable... but it won't exceed 5k when I'm done with it. That's the server space cap we put on our portraits to allow for so many submissions.
Q) What type of image file do you accept?
A) Just about anything ... but try to avoid .gif files. I have to find alternative software to convert .gif files to some format I can edit. I prefer .jpg if there is a choice. That's what they all end up being in the end.
Q) Can we submit pictures with animation?
A) No. .jpg files do not support animation, so any animation in the file you send will be lost in the end result.
Q) Who decides what goes in?
A) dollsteak is the head editor for the portrait submissions. As such, he has say over what images are approved and which are not.
Q) Why wasn't my picture used?
A) Images may be rejected if they are too small, duplicate, too blurry to make out the details, show nudity, or have words on the image.
Q) Why can't my portrait submission have my character's name on it?
A) Portraits will not be approved if they are associated with just one name. This is too limiting for our needs at RPOL.
Q) Is there anything else I need to consider before submitting a portrait?
A) Yes. We cannot accept copyrighted portraits. It is assumed that anyone submitting a portrait has checked with the artist/owner of the image to make sure it's ok to use in our gallery. If the artist/owner comes to RPOL and complains about the unauthorized use of his or her picture, we will be forced to remove it from the gallery without any forewarning.
Q) Anything else?
A) Yes. The image is going to be cropped to a square shape. If you submit an image of a face that is closely cropped, the image normally comes out to be rectangular shaped. In order to make it 100x100, I either have to cut part of the head away, or add an ugly border on the sides. Please try to send me a portrait that is/can be square. I hate borders. They detract from the picture's appearance.
Q) Where and how do I submit a portrait?
A) Attach your picture to an E-mail message and send it to portraits@rpol.net and it will likely be added shortly.
Q) I sent my picture two minutes/hours/days ago, why hasn't it been used yet?
A) The portrait submissions are taken care of bi-weekly. If 14 days has gone by and you still don't have your portrait in the gallery, then you might want to send another E-mail to portraits@rpol asking on the status.
Q) Why bi-weekly?
A) Portrait submissions are checked for quality, size constrictions, and edited as necessary before they are uploaded to the server. Even for the small portraits we use, it takes a considerable ammount of time to edit all the submissions. Because of the time requirements, and the fact that I can only edit portraits on my home computer, I am limited to performing these duties on my 'weekend'. My work schedule is such that my 'weekend' is actually a bi-weekly break.
Q) Is there anything I can do to get my portrait uploaded sooner?
A) I take bribes. Otherwise... I don't even treat my own submissions any more special than everyone else's.
Q) Where in the gallery is the picture I sent you?
A) If you included in your E-mail a specific gallery where you felt it should be located, then it might be there. If it's determined better fitting in another category, you will be advised.
Q) I submitted a full-body shot, but all there is in the gallery is a smaller, close up version. Why is it not the full body?
A) When a large image is shrunk down, details are lost in the conversion. The image loses quality the more you have to shrink it. By getting a close-up of the head, I don't have to shrink the image so much, and much of the detail remains.
