Forums > MobyGames > The Art of Screenshots
BurningStickMan (17916) on 1/20/2010 7:21 PM · Permalink · Report
What set of screenshots do you generally prefer to see? Obviously, spoilers are out. Let's also ignore the other extreme which is just 40 screens of the first level. So with that in mind:
1) A large spread of shots from across the game. The final level or plot elements aren't given away, but key scenes and highlights from various levels are.
2) A group restricted to the first one, two, or three levels - generally far enough to display all the major game mechanics and give a good idea of how it plays, but doesn't go too far beyond the first 30min-1hr of playtime.
I can see the value of both. I generally prefer option #2 (and is what I usually provide), because I'd like to keep some surprises (including the occasional beautiful landscape, scene, action moment, etc) for when I play. I want the shots to give me a good idea of what I'm getting into, and spark interest in playing the game myself.
However, I can also see the value of option #1 from a documentary point of view, especially for a game I'm not likely to play myself. It's neat to see something particularly inspired that an older title pulled off, that might be considered a spoiler or "giving away a surprise" like described above.
So which do you prefer? Some other option? Would like to see what the consensus on this is.
j.raido 【雷堂嬢太朗】 (104801) on 1/20/2010 8:03 PM · Permalink · Report
2. I think that even if it's some obscure old game that almost nobody would ever play, it should still be up to the player to discover what the game has to offer past the first part of the game. That said, I'm still learning how to do this myself, and I think I always have too many shots for a game (from the first couple stages, usually)...but I always make sure each shot illustrates either some mechanic or some interesting detail.
Related question: What's the consensus on captions? Serious and to the point, or with a touch of personality and humor? I've mostly followed Oleg's lead on this, as I personally prefer the latter (and can't help but smile at how he always seems in awe of the female anatomy). It doesn't always work, though, and it's quite subjective, so I don't know if it really has a place in a documentation project like this.
MZ per X (3017) on 1/20/2010 8:36 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start djsquarewave wrote--]Related question: What's the consensus on captions? [/Q --end djsquarewave wrote--] All the way personality and humor. These captions are a place of personal opinion which I like, and some hilarious comment gives me twice the fun viewing screenshots.
Pseudo_Intellectual (66801) on 1/20/2010 8:38 PM · Permalink · Report
I wouldn't want someone to try to be a laugh riot with every shot, but I think doing it once or twice per shot collection helps to vent some steam 8)
Indra was here (20747) on 1/21/2010 6:44 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start djsquarewave wrote--]...and it's quite subjective, so I don't know if it really has a place in a documentation project like this. [/Q --end djsquarewave wrote--] We have this unconfirmed concensus that we realy don't want to be 100% uptight. Humor (or even mild sarcasm) is considered to be personal writing styles, prerogative of the submitter, an exclusion in the "subjective" restrictions.
When applicable of course.
MZ per X (3017) on 1/20/2010 8:39 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start BurningStickMan wrote--]What set of screenshots do you generally prefer to see? [/Q --end BurningStickMan wrote--] For MMOs we won't get more than #2 most of the time. :o)
Personally, I like both. It's enough for me to take a look at all the important game mechanics, but I also like to peek at later stages of the game which I won't ever reach, be it for lack of time or skill. :o)
Zeppin (8407) on 1/20/2010 11:13 PM · Permalink · Report
I by and large prefer the second option, but I tend to like it if a few fairly general screenshots are taken from the later sections of the game, simply to give a vague impression of how the game might evolve. This doesn't condone the inclusion of screenshots that would significantly alter a player's experience if they played the game after having checked MobyGames, however. Including screenshots of the player at the head of a vast army in the second half of an otherwise standard four-person party RPG is going to effect how they approach the game, even if an explanation of the scene and what might have led to it is excluded.
As for captions, I prefer that they be informative, but humor has its place. One can only show so many screenshots of Mario rushing through worlds stomping Goombas before they begin to run out of worthwhile captions.
Sicarius (61515) on 1/21/2010 5:48 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Nr. 1 - We are a documentation site and that in my opinion includes covering the whole game not hitting the screenshot-button 40 times during the intro cinematic. I mean even official pictures from the publisher/developer show way more than that so why should we artificially restrict ourselves just because some people believe they're spoiled by that.
Sicarius (61515) on 1/21/2010 7:59 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
And I'm getting pissed when I see 40 shots from the first two levels of a game. When I use sites like MobyGames I want to know about the whole game - not just the demo. Like I said I understand MobyGames as a site which documents games (hopefully) for eternity - not a shopping site.
For me the game isn't ruined just because I may now know something from the later game. Mainly because I've mostly forgotten about it when I buy the game myself and get to that point. Yes, real spoiler are a no-go like showing the final boss and such. I agree with that. But showing normal gameplay scenes from the later part of the game? I don't see the damage. I only see quiet the opposite reaction: it may even make a game more interesting for me if I know there's awesome stuff waiting if I keep at it. And again: Publishers/Developer shots also show way more than just shots from the intro to advertise the diversity of their game.
If you are sensitive in that matter (which I've no problem with just to make that clear) but manage to avoid those pub/devshots, then you can also ignore them here at MobyGames.
And yes, I'm aware that in the beginning I myself submitted only shots from the early parts of a game.
As a rule for games with screenshots submitted by me since I do mostly fresh games including many that everyone wants to play: they're are usually chronological. So if you see a set of 40, stop at 10-15 and you'll only have seen the beginning. If there are only those 10-15 currently online, you don't have to worry about anything since I haven't played through the game yet and those shots only show the first couple of hours. If every contributor would follow such a rule (submitting strictly chronologically) or perhaps even insert a manually set spoiler-alert warning or something in-between, we would've a good compromise for both sides of the coin in my opinion.
Pseudo_Intellectual (66801) on 1/21/2010 5:41 PM · Permalink · Report
I can appreciate the small but vocal minority vehement about not being screenshot-spoiled, but I think they should be able to protect themselves through their own discretion and withdraw before seeing much they'll wish they hadn't. How often does a contributor submit a shot of the final boss as picture #3?
Foxhack (32096) on 1/21/2010 8:05 PM · Permalink · Report
I think I asked for spoilers in trivia and screenshots years ago, but was shot down.
And yes, I base my purchases on the Moby game writeup, screenshots, and MobyRanks. I trust it more than so-called "Biggest Database"s or possibly paid-to-give-a-good-review sites.
Patrick Bregger (305122) on 1/21/2010 9:49 AM · Permalink · Report
I think most games are well enough presented with three to ten screenshots. I don't care if the shots are from the tutorial or the last level, as long as they are meaningful. For me screenshots are nothing more than an extension of the description. I want to see a shot of the main menu or title screen and one or two general gameplay shots so I can get a feeling of the graphics and atmosphere - every additional shot needs to show a new gameplay mechanic or establish something important. If the gameplay of the last level is the same as in the first level and the only change is the location I absolutely don't care to see it.
The Fabulous King (1332) on 1/21/2010 4:07 PM · Permalink · Report
Type #1. But with humor and quirkiness. Like this - Wake up with a terrible hangover, Make new friends, Meet Beautiful Women, Join the Brotherhood and this one just kills me.
Indra was here (20747) on 1/21/2010 6:49 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
How do you feel about the following in-game screenshot types?
Foxhack (32096) on 1/21/2010 8:03 PM · Permalink · Report
1 - Only if it shows game tips or something distinctive.
2 - Only if it shows how to disable something really annoying (I'M TALKING TO YOU DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION X ANNOUNCERS!)
3 - Not needed, that's what company overviews arefor
4 - Uh, all screenshots show similar gameplay. :p
Indra was here (20747) on 1/21/2010 8:14 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Foxhack wrote--]
3 - Not needed, that's what company overviews arefor
4 - Uh, all screenshots show similar gameplay. :p
[/Q --end Foxhack wrote--]
3. Though I agree to some extent (and somewhat pissed that all my company logos were eventually rejected)...it does bother me that some company logos were rejected before they were moved to the company overview page. Also, it does help determine the year the logo it was first used, now no longer applicable if removed.
4. Maybe changed to "engrossingly similar gameplay." Even if I submit screenshots for puzzle games, I make sure that there are uniquely different elements in the shot, such as different power-ups and such.
...and I really hate screenshots with short non-description captions.
Pseudo_Intellectual (66801) on 1/21/2010 8:16 PM · Permalink · Report
Only show the company logo if it's customized in some way for the game. Else, off to the company profile it goes!
Sicarius (61515) on 1/22/2010 5:38 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
1 - In 95% of the cases boring and uninteresting. Just blocking a valuable screenshot slot. I'm submitting them just because everyone else does.
2 - Options and Main Menus see case #1
3 - That's what the company-pages are for.
4 - Well like Fox said: we would get far less than 40 shots if we made a rule like that :D.
Luis Silva (13443) on 1/22/2010 9:03 PM · Permalink · Report
For once, I'd like to see all "demo" screenshots out. Really. A demo isn't the full game, and occasionally there might be some differences between the real product and the demo (I recall some years ago EA downsampled the textures on some of their sports games demos).
Taken that out, since there's a 40-screenshot limit, the first 20/30 should be dedicated to the core elements of the game - this includes option screens. The later screenshots should show later stages of the game without spoiling too much. I can't think of many games where you could fill all 40 with screenshots of the first levels and
Don't forget that MG is also a good resource for people trying to find a particular game, therefore, screenshots should be as varied as possible. Adding 10 screenshots of a village next to grassy knoll and other 15 from a castle nearby won't be of much help for someone trying to remember a game they've watched a friend play 10 years ago. As long as the later screenshots have the highest numbers assigned, I guess most people not wanting to be spoiled will know when to stop pressing the "next" button.