Topic: Getting maps hosted on gamefaqs

[dammit9x]

I don't mean to start a flame thread against GF but it is clear they have a bias against non-text files. I have had perfectly good work rejected, with the excuse along the lines of, "There's no content here/there's not enough in it."



(The map in question was this one, which I made a long time ago:)

https://www.vgmaps.com/Atlas/NES/Platoon-Stage1.png



My question is, anyone have any tips, or even negotiation tricks, on getting map submissions approved there? I have no love for gamefaqs and I wouldn't care except that GF has far higher visibility than vgmaps.



Case in point, all the feedback I've gotten was from GF traffic and one guy even asked me for help mapping a game that was already fully mapped here. (FF Dawn of Souls)



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My works: http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/35282.html?type=1

[JonLeung]

I could understand GameFAQs' logic of wanting text files whenever possible maybe ten years ago, but these days it's kind of ridiculous.  Streaming video is so common, certainly more pictures can't hurt.



I hardly see any point to try and "negotiate".  If you really want to submit there, maybe you just do need more "content".  And if that doesn't work, well, I'll be happy to have your maps!



Part of the reason I felt VGMaps had a chance when I came up with the idea was because I said I would never enforce a size limit on maps.



Everyone said that bandwidth would be killer.  There was indeed a time when I did use up more than I was alloted.  But these days, I wouldn't care if a bunch of people loaded up that 21 MB Settlers II map.  Again, times have changed, I'm allowed to have much more bandwidth than years ago, but if GameFAQs wants to have limits on things still, that's to my benefit.  



And by the way, Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn Of Souls isn't fully mapped.  Just the II part of it, I think.  I'm quite certain there are more I maps.



If you want VGMaps.com to have more visibility you could always mention it on other forums you visit.  ;P

[ReyVGM]

The reason they don't accept maps is if you map a game without making any kind of annotations about items, enemies, etc.



If you note any of that one the map, they'll take it.

[The Ultimate Koopa]

GameFAQs, as someone said, has a fear of "change". They hate to actually get "with the times". They can add the occasional feature like "Ignoring Users", but God DAMNIT, they don't even have the BASIC feature of "Editing Posts" ... oh and they have the worst staff ever, that bans people for no real reason, but doesn't do any thing to the "Trolls" <____<

[snesmaster]

I have a few maps on GameFaqs mainly because of the high visibility factor.  The have rejected most of my maps, and a few they would post if I shrunk them down.  Like the first 3 levels in Kid Icarus.  They would not take the full size maps.  Other games like Castlevania II they accept the maps with no problem.  And ones like F-Zero on the SNES they won't take no matter what I do.

[Eggz]

It's almost as if they have a favoritism for certain games... hmm...



I personally only use GameFAQs if I need help actually doing something in a game where I'm really stuck. It's not even the first place I (have ever) thought of for maps, even before I stumbled in here.

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This looks like a job for Science!

[TerraEsperZ]

I use GameFAQs exactly for what it advertises, FAQs and by extension, walkthroughs. You do get the occasional hand-drawn maps for reference, but almost never anything pretty to look at, which is why I love VGMaps so much.



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Current projects: Ristar-The Shooting Star (Gen), Sonic The Hedgehog (Gen), Sonic CD (Sega CD), Mega Man Zero (GBA), Battletoads (NES), Bucky O'Hare (NES)

[StarFighters76]

Sorry to bump this dead topic, but GF is rather particular about maps. They won't accept BMP, and when it comes to making maps, you really gotta be careful on what you're doing. Luckily for me, I've been able to get all my maps posted on GF, but I stick with the same procedure I always go through, which is using MSPaint and saving it as a GIF.



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Creator of over 760 maps on GameFAQs. ^_^

[Maxim]

BMP vs. GIF is silly. Who'd download a 50MB BMP map? Why would GameFAQs host something so huge? (Anyway, PNG is better.)

[JonLeung]

BMP

+16.7 million colour palette

-uncompressed, so it's large in filesize



GIF

-256 colour palette

+can be animated (if that's the purpose)



PNG

+16.7 million colour palette

+smaller filesize (than even GIF nearly all of the time)



PNG = the best of the three.  Even with only 256 colours or less, use PNG.  Then run it through PNGOut (I use PNGGauntlet 'cause it's stupid easy) to make it even smaller in size.



The only time GIF should be used is for animated images, or those small monochrome ones that are actually smaller than the PNGs.  PNGs look identical to BMPs so why use BMPs when they're multiple times larger in filesize?



I always hear about how PNG is less supported.  That's baloney, what is this, 1993?  Seriously.  Everything that matters can view PNGs.  In many cases saving something as a PNG is as easy as "Save As..." and then selecting the PNG format in any image editor.



Even I wouldn't put up BMP maps, but I'd make them PNGs if I put those images up.



Make sure you put your name on the maps themselves if you want to be credited, and not as metadata within the file, 'cause I'm sure PNGGauntlet/PNGOut flushes that stuff out to make the smallest filesize possible.

[Will]

The Economical method by using PNGs instead of BMPs is always is called for by the most sensible Computer users. Mind you there are a few side effects using PNGs instead BMPs not to affect the graphic itself but to affect it from a certain something. Spiderweb Software a company that created and still creates RPG Fantasies uses like many game companies BMPs which if were to be used in a different format might affect the sprite, layer and bit loading onto the game while you play. Spiderweb Software would definitely know more than I do. When I want to keep photos and images intact I use JPEG/JPG format (I don't know the precise differences or the acronym definitions). Anyway this site is sticking with PNGs and gamefaqs, if they won't try to be economical they shan't have to.

[StarFighters76]

Maxim Said:

BMP vs. GIF is silly. Who'd download a 50MB BMP map? Why would GameFAQs host something so huge? (Anyway, PNG is better.)

Oh I'm not doubting the format to use. Yeah, BMP is way too big. I'm just saying you gotta be careful because SB (admin on GF) is rather particular when it comes to maps, and I guess CJayC was too. I never understood why, I mean if the file size is appropriate (GIF/PNG/JPG size), and the content is good, why would some maps get rejected.

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Creator of over 760 maps on GameFAQs. ^_^

[SKARD]

Greetings, I found this site while looking for maps for some old DOS games. I'm quite active on GameFAQs and submitted a few things myself.



GameFAQs is primarily about guides and less about visual detail. In your example the first thing I noticed was that all those trees were visually distracting. It was only after I zoomed in that I could understand how the trails were connected and see that you labeled a few things.



I've only made two maps on my own. For Dark Seed II and Maabus. They're nowhere as nice as yours but I think I made it very clear what information I wanted to convey in them.



If you want to make something for the purpose of submitting it to GameFAQs the simplest advice would be to make your labels large and leave out anything that would draw attention away from them. They also like maps with a centralized legend.