Topic: Video Game Map Submission??

[magicbay]

How do ya submit some video game maps to the website?



I can get into the contribute message form and can add my stuff but I don't know how to send my submission in to the submission people.



Can someone help me with this problem?



Thanks in advance for helping me with this.

[Will]

I'm just guessing what the problem is. When you click the contribute button and get the message, you need to change the email address slightly. Change the "(at)" between "314" and "hotmail" to "@". Click the Insert tab and click the button 'Attach File' with the paperclip icon on it. Then select your maps from your directory and click ok. Don't forget to specify the full title of the game and the console or computer it came from. It is optional that you send game title screens to the website but it saves time and trouble.



These instructions shouldn't be too hard to follow.

[JonLeung]

I never got around to making a more detailed "submissions guidelines" page or topic, did I?



Basically a good deal of it is common sense, some less so, but in any case here are some guidelines:

-please submit only maps and guides that you yourself have made.

-be aware that I will be converting all lossless image types to .PNG, and I will be running them through PNGGauntlet/PNGOut to reduce filesize.  (I don't think anyone does, but this means you shouldn't deliberately put things like copyright info in the metadata.)

-ZIP or RAR multiple files together.

-include the name of the game and the area that the map is, both in the filename.  (You'd be surprised that some people have submitted things without saying what they are anywhere at all in the email...)

-check on your spelling.

-it would be really helpful to be sure of if the area is an "area" or "stage" or "world" or "mission" or "level" (it's strange how commonly people put "level" when they don't know when more often than not it's not actually a "level").

-use simple names for areas if official names for areas are not known.  (eg. Don't call a map of a tavern "Moe's Tavern", just call it "Tavern" unless you're fairly confident the owner is Moe and that it needs to be distinguished from other taverns in the game.)

-don't assume I know everything about every game, for example, if there's a specific order that you want the maps to appear in rather than have me guess or put in alphabetical order, then provide a list.

-it's a good idea to include a screenshot of the title screen, most especially if it's a rare game that I wouldn't be able to capture myself or find on MobyGames or GameFAQs.

-if you would prefer not to send the files in the email itself, upload it to ImageShack, MegaUpload, Rapidshare, etc., and provide the link.

-don't forget to include the preferred name you would like to go by, and if you would prefer a link to your site rather than an email address when your name is clicked on.



I also have a better email address, a more professional one (I'm sure you can guess what it is) to avoid using Hotmail but I haven't really activated that one yet.  I guess I'm too accustomed to MSN (or rather, Windows Live Messenger now) giving me live updates whenever I get email in the chance it might be a submission.  

[Maxim]

For title screens I recommend http://www.vgmuseum.com which covers 99% of games in my experience.

[magicbay]

but I want to know exactly how to send a video game submission once I get into the contribute email..



I know how to get the form up but I want to know how to send my video game submission form to the website people..

[JonLeung]

All you have to do is send the file as an attachment in an email to me.



In most cases there should be an "attach" command, and likely also an icon of a paper clip that does the same thing.



And yes, I run this site, and am currently the only one who does, so you don't have to refer to me as "the website people".  

[magicbay]

sorry about that, Jon.  I didn't know if there were others that helped ya here.



Do I have to put the Snes Simcity maps into .png format or can I leave them in .jpg format??



May I make a suggustion about this wonderful website??

[Maxim]

If they're in JPG format then you already lost the details due to JPEG's lossy compression. Don't you have the originals in BMP, PCX, GIF, PNG or similar formats?

[magicbay]

True.



The guy that sent the original maps to me had the maps in .jpg format and I can convert them into BMP, PCX, GIF, PNG and a few other formats.

[Tropicon]

Does this mean you're done with your Simcity requests?  And as for your Dragon Quest 4 request did you mean the Play Station or DS version?

[JonLeung]

1. Are these maps you made yourself?  Because your statement that someone sent the maps to you is concerning.  I don't like being sent maps on other peoples' behalf.



2. I'm sure there are a bazillion articles on the Internet explaining lossy compression that JPEGs have (Wikipedia comes to mind), but the gist of it is, JPEGs are great for photos, but not at all for pixel art (including video game maps).  If the images you have were saved as JPEGs, sure you could save them as another format, but the "damage" has already been done.  Most emulators have built-in screen capture functions that take screenshots as lossless images, so they should always be kept that way.



If there aren't already, there should be some topics about that sort of thing in the Mapping Tips/Guides board.

[magicbay]

I was referring to the Dragon Quest 4 game for the DS version.



I didn't know there was one for the playstation.

[magicbay]

As for the Simcity maps, I didn't have anything to do with gettting them from the actual game.



I would love to obtain the actual original photos that came straight from the cartridge itself but unfortunately, I don't have the resources to do it.

[Tropicon]

Sorry I can't do anything for DS.  I'll look into the Simcity stuff though, I'll put it on my list.

[magicbay]

Let's say for argument's sake that the Simcity maps that if I didn't get them from someone else through the www.gamefaqs.com website are perfect in every way, shape and form, would I be able to upload them to the site even if I didn't make them personally??