Show Off Forum Guidelines and Suggestions

[kit]

This particular section of the Reaper message Board is for people to show off their works in the world of miniatures and gain feedback if desired. Here are some things to keep in mind when using the Show-Off Forum.

 

All models that exist in one thread must be shown in the first post. New figs? New thread.

 

Acceptable Content
Remember, this is a family forum and to keep it such, please think about what you post. If your mini/sketch/picture has nudity please do not post the picture, instead provide a link to the picture and plenty of warning to the viewer. We will remove your images if you fail to comply with this. Additionally, censoring your images with black out strips (or any other option, such as Spoiler Tags) isn't allowed, they must be linked.

Posting Non-Reaper Figures
When you post in Show off, please use the topic title line for the name of your creation, and use the tags for the manufacturer. That way, you're descriptive and search-friendly at the same time while giving credit where it's due. Use Tags liberally, for manufacturer, name, part number, modifications done, etc. These help our members find your model!

 

Posting Reaper Figures
When you post in Show off, please use the topic title line for the part number AND name of your creation, and use the tags for the other descriptions. That way, you're descriptive and search-friendly at the same time while giving credit where it's due. Use Tags liberally, for description, modifications done, etc. These help our members find your model!

Uploading Images, Some Tips:
1. Stick with gifs and jpegs. Windows IE doesn't like png and Macs don't like bmp.
2. File size is limited to 150k. If you can't get your image down below 150k, ask around. There are a number of people who can probably help out around here.
3. Please keep 'em small (or smallish, anyway)... most folks are using modems to connect and a page full of 30 and 50k images is going to lead to significant load times. Just because you're allowed 150k doesn't mean you have to use all of it all the time.

Some Things to Remember Regarding Uploading:
1. Only use this feature to post images.
2. Don't try to use this to link to your offsite auctions or contests. This behavior will get you banned from the board permanently. No exceptions. (To over-explain, if you're potentially making money or winning prizes from your images, you can afford to get your own webspace.) I ask what I always ask folks: for them to use their judgment. If you can post an image and have others rate it for notoriety and fame, it's probably a good bet it counts as a contest.

Hope you enjoy this feature! Use it well.

Comments & Feedback

If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.
-Your Mother

This cliche doesn't mean, "If you have a negative opinion, keep it to yourself." Instead, it's an imperative toward constructive criticism. In an ideal situation, you offer something nice before you offer something negative, and if you can't think of anything nice you keep the negative to yourself because pure negative criticism isn't constructive. You have to build and stabilize on a good foundation before you can withstand the buffeting.

While we would like to see clear constructive criticism, we understand that people have their own thresholds and modes of expression. With that in mind, we offer the following do's and dont's:

DO offer praise.
DO offer advice and suggestions.
DO ask "how did you do that?"
DO lurk and never post any feedback at all.
DO NOT flame or troll.

Constructive criticism builds community. Negativism destroys community. Please keep that in mind. Nobody needs to use any specific format when posting. However, be mindful if you post a negative comment that it might inflame. If it does, try your best to put out the fires, or take it to PM or e-mail. Remember, comments in email and message boards are easy to misconstrue. Everybody needs to take a few minutes and calm down after reading a potentially inflammatory post before they reply, and above all try to give the person the benefit of the doubt. We're all good people here. Mean people tend to leave this community pretty fast. If you're here, that means you're probably a pretty good egg.

Article(thread) on giving & receiving criticism was previously a pinned topic.

Learn well from one another. We look forward to the many contributions to come!

kit

(Figured it was time to consolidate a number of sticky topics into one spot. The text above is gleaned from several different sources.)

Edited July 25, 2014 by Reaperbryan
Clarified some policies to update to the current version of the board software, including Topic Tags

[dargrin]

DO NOT flame or troll.

 

I am not sure what this means. Can you clearify?

 

Thanks

[Cerridwyn1st]

DO NOT flame or troll.

 

I am not sure what this means. Can you clearify?

 

Thanks

Flaming means posting an offensive message that is sure to incite a vindictive response. Saying something mean just for spite.

 

 

Not sure what he means by trolling, unless it's in the sense of trolling for business. In other words, using the Show Off section as a back-door way to publize painting services or an ebay sale.

[Froggy the Great]

I've always understood trolling to be making comments designed to start a fight.

[MamaGeek]

May I suggest that folks try to use the Reaper image upload feature wherever possible, instead of linking to an offsite storage?  Those images don't always show up for everyone (like me!), but I know if I can get to the Reaper forums, I can view images uploaded to them.  Also, offsite urls may change or go away, and older threads may lose their photos!

[Reaperbryan]

Attention: Edits have been made to the guidelines.  Please check and be sure that all future posts and topics are compliant with our guidelines.

[Sanael]

What about the currently pinned index thread in the show-off forum (my post there is linked in my sig)? Is that thread no longer acceptable/will it be leaving?

Edited July 29, 2014 by ladystorm
removed incorrect information

[ladystorm]

 

What about the currently pinned index thread in the show-off forum (my post there is linked in my sig)? Is that thread no longer acceptable/will it be leaving?

 

That thread is not going anywhere.  It is still acceptable and encouraged.

[ladystorm]

This particular section of the Reaper message Board is for people to show off their works in the world of miniatures and gain feedback if desired. Here are some things to keep in mind when using the Show-Off Forum.

 

All models that exist in one thread must be shown in the first post. New figs? New thread.

 

Acceptable Content

Remember, this is a family forum and to keep it such, please think about what you post. If your mini/sketch/picture has nudity please do not post the picture, instead provide a link to the picture and plenty of warning to the viewer. We will remove your images if you fail to comply with this. Additionally, censoring your images with black out strips (or any other option, such as Spoiler Tags) isn't allowed, they must be linked.

 

Posting Non-Reaper Figures

When you post in Show off, please use the topic title line for the name of your creation, and use the tags for the manufacturer. That way, you're descriptive and search-friendly at the same time while giving credit where it's due. Use Tags liberally, for manufacturer, name, part number, modifications done, etc. These help our members find your model!

 

Posting Reaper Figures

When you post in Show off, please use the topic title line for the part number AND name of your creation, and use the tags for the other descriptions. That way, you're descriptive and search-friendly at the same time while giving credit where it's due. Use Tags liberally, for description, modifications done, etc. These help our members find your model!

Please remember to use descriptive titles for your threads.

 

There is an increase in vague titles that is presenting additional work by the Moderation team.

We appreciate you helping us to help you.

 

Users have the ability to edit your own titles.

[TGP]

[ ... ]

I must admit that I do not always know the SKU [or] manufacturer from some of the older minis i have.

Can I still post these?

Sure. You can always go back and edit the thread title and the tags later if you learn more about the identity of an unknown mini.

 

A good way to find out is to post a pic of the mini unpainted with front and back views on the board and ask for help identifying it. There is a section of the board with numerous threads like that. There are enough experienced eyes looking that it often takes less than a day.

[CashWiley]

Often people will identify it right in the Show Off thread. You can then go back and edit the title or add a tag with the manufacturer info. SKU is mostly for Reaper models, to make it easier to find the right one (Bones vs metal, in particular), but putting in any manufacturer's SKU can only help folks out!

 

And I'd like to say thanks to everyone for making an effort to keep the Show Off forum tidy and informative! Thanks!

[ub3r_n3rd]

Uploading Images, Some Tips:

1. Stick with gifs and jpegs. Windows IE doesn't like png and Macs don't like bmp.

2. File size is limited to 150k. If you can't get your image down below 150k, ask around. There are a number of people who can probably help out around here.

3. Please keep 'em small (or smallish, anyway)... most folks are using modems to connect and a page full of 30 and 50k images is going to lead to significant load times. Just because you're allowed 150k doesn't mean you have to use all of it all the time.

 

An interesting point was brought up today when talking to a friend in one of his Show-off threads. 

 

These guidelines were written in 2004 (over 10 years ago) and today pictures are much much higher resolution and storage isn't nearly the problem it was back in 2004. Are there "new limits" on sizes of pictures to abide by, I've never seen Reaper take down pics from anyone for posting pictures with much higher resolution and higher size. We also don't use those old modems which are spoken of that used to take forever to load things with the increased speeds of our broadband. 

 

My belief is that this particular section needs to be updated.

[Slendertroll]

We are no longer allowed to keep an ongoing thread to show off all miniÅ› we paint.

Instead each mini gets a new thread?

Slightly old question, but no one actually answered it, so I will. My understanding is that while ongoing threads are not allowed, "batch" threads are acceptable. So if you wanted one thread for all the minis in one given project, or all the minis you painted in February, that would be acceptable, so long as there was a specific and finite boundary on the minis in each thread, and the title reflected that.

[CashWiley]

 

Uploading Images, Some Tips:

1. Stick with gifs and jpegs. Windows IE doesn't like png and Macs don't like bmp.

2. File size is limited to 150k. If you can't get your image down below 150k, ask around. There are a number of people who can probably help out around here.

3. Please keep 'em small (or smallish, anyway)... most folks are using modems to connect and a page full of 30 and 50k images is going to lead to significant load times. Just because you're allowed 150k doesn't mean you have to use all of it all the time.

 

An interesting point was brought up today when talking to a friend in one of his Show-off threads. 

 

These guidelines were written in 2004 (over 10 years ago) and today pictures are much much higher resolution and storage isn't nearly the problem it was back in 2004. Are there "new limits" on sizes of pictures to abide by, I've never seen Reaper take down pics from anyone for posting pictures with much higher resolution and higher size. We also don't use those old modems which are spoken of that used to take forever to load things with the increased speeds of our broadband. 

 

My belief is that this particular section needs to be updated.

 

While /we/ don't use modems, until broadband penetration is 100% /someone/ is still using a modem. I do, however, believe the majority of users are either on broadband or at least DSL. And now one must contend with people on data plans, so file size is still an issue. But any hard cap on file size is arbitrary at best and a moving target (as evidenced by this post) that would constantly need updating. I agree those old file sizes are unnecessarily restrictive and that anyone stuck in the hinterlands with a 56k phone line modem has bigger problems with the Internet than pics of minis.

 

However, your 1.5-2.5MB pics are really big. My Gwen WIP pics are 100-120KBish (from my phone, then cropped in software), Noreth's Show Off was 184KB, Rollo's Show Off was 225KB (both with my DSLR then cropped and converted to jpg).

 

The part about PNG and BMP is no longer relevant and hasn't been for a long time.

Edited February 18, 2015 by CashWiley

[ub3r_n3rd]

This is something the Mods/Admin need to look into/decide on.

 

I'm not really trying to elicit a discussion with other forum members about how to re-size things, but bring up the point that the original guideline was written in 2004 when the majority of people had dial-up, lower resolution cameras/pictures, and site server storage was at a premium. The current allowance according to the forum when adding pictures is 16mb per pic.