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Brainstorming - ideas for future SMSC editions

Started by vilvoh, October 28, 2010, 09:19:06 PM

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sdog

#70
i should like to request a contest to find a good banner/profile picture for the google plus page.

Content does not matter, the form does however. The format is 960 px by 180 px. A part is covered by the logo, on the right hand side, so the rightmost quarter shouldn't contain anything too interesting. 60 px will be cut off too, mind not to put anything important at the borders. (google is a bit complicated with the sizes, and they perhaps change them in the future, please keep your original screenshot as a backup so we have something to start to change dimensions on. [that's also for the xcf file in case you use gimp for post-production, you can keep the full size image in one layer, only crop the other layers])

Resolution in game is also important, i'd suggest some medium zoom level, to have not too many pixels, but still objects large enough to be nicely visible.

Post-production, is not only allowed but also recommended, but should not be overdone. I need to do some gimp-work on it myself, thus placing it under a cc license allowing derivative work is also necessary.

have a look here:
https://plus.google.com/b/115377746519459832106/115377746519459832106/about

vilvoh

Seems a good idea to me. You think it should be free topic?

Escala Real...a blog about Simutrans in Spanish...

sdog

yes free topic, only thing that matters: it's looking good on the page and represents simutrans.

Fabio

Would you prefer a single pakset or a collage of paksets to better represent Simutrans variety?

sdog

preferably a single pakset screenshot, the file ought to be consistent in itself. Ideally there would be a couple of good screenshots of different pak-sets i could chose from.

ps.: perhaps encourage multiple submissions? perhaps with all but one out of competition?


(on another note, there are now 47 people following the page)

Václav


Chybami se člověk učí - ale někteří lidé jsou nepoučitelní

ӔO

grand cross, or railway intersection at grade
My Sketchup open project sources
various projects rolled up: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17111233/Roll_up.rar

Colour safe chart:

Václav

Quote from: ӔO on July 28, 2012, 05:17:00 PM
grand cross, or railway intersection at grade
what about not only railway?

I would suggest expand this of tramways and other ways of this type - it means no roads, water channels and taxiways - because I don't believe that any interesting intersection can be built on roads, water channels and taxiways.



Crazy ways - or - It surely could not be built better.

Chybami se člověk učí - ale někteří lidé jsou nepoučitelní

Lubak91

Why isn't SMSC August? For example narrow gauge? ;D
So, let me get this straight. You want to fly on a magic carpet to see the King of the Potato People and plead with him for your freedom, and you're telling me you are completely sane?!

Václav

Summer (and August mostly) rounds of SMSC are always skipped - for supposition of low presence of people.

Chybami se člověk učí - ale někteří lidé jsou nepoučitelní

vilvoh

Quote from: Lubak91 on August 17, 2012, 02:28:04 PM
Why isn't SMSC August?

As VaclavMacurek said, the SMSC takes a summer break every August, but it's back in September, don't worry... ;)

Escala Real...a blog about Simutrans in Spanish...

An_dz

Hey everybody, we need more ideas. Not run out of them but every month we are losing one. ;)

I included a list of the past SMSC's topics on first post so you can bring new fresh ideas. You can beg to repeat one we already used too.

ӔO

fairly straight forward:
Tourist trap
Only pre-1930 games
Only post-2000 games

open to interpretation:
A Path and A Tree
The Machine and ...
Musical or Artistic City
The Bridge to Nowhere
Magician at Work
"Oops"
My Sketchup open project sources
various projects rolled up: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17111233/Roll_up.rar

Colour safe chart:

Tazze

Umm..
I have never seen a winner with pak Britain.
This pak should have a charm of it's own...

How about limited pak set? :Pak Britain only ,Pak Japan only or  Pak cs only etc..

Sarlock

Some are likely repeats or previously suggested.  Just brainstorming some open concepts/ideas:

Heavy Industry
Mountain Pass
Traffic Congestion
Urban Freight
Suburbia
Islands

Will think of more.

You could certainly go back to ideas used 1-2 years ago and try them again.  Lots of new players and ideas.

Given that there are generally only a few entries per month, it may be best not to limit to specific paksets.

Also, add to the rules that previous winners cannot win again for 6 months or something... I'd like to enter every single month  ;D
Current projects: Pak128 Trees, blender graphics

alexbaettig

There already been a winning screenshot with pakBritain! It was Barnstaple by Kierogreen.

A possible topic could be:
interchange - station with at least four different modes of transport
motorways
a variant of AEO: pre-railway games

Milko

Hello

Quote from: alexbaettig on May 09, 2013, 03:28:02 PM
interchange - station with at least four different modes of transport

Ummm.... interesting

Giuseppe


HDomos

#87
Quote from: ӔO on May 09, 2013, 04:44:33 AM
"Oops"

That sounds really good  ;D it would be a funny SMSC

Quote from: alexbaettig on May 09, 2013, 03:28:02 PM
interchange - station with at least four different modes of transport
motorways

The interchange is good too, but i think the least four different modes may be a bit too high...

Others:
Rough terrain (suggested before)
Just enough space... - compact and high capacity stations or junctions


kabhijit

Quote from: Fabio on April 02, 2011, 05:38:53 PM
- Evolution (two pics of the same place at a distance of at least 20 game years)

Nice!

ӔO

Extending on the 'oops' idea
Fenced in
Bureaucracy
Plan 'B'


Some more ideas

Stiff Competition
Island Cruise or Resort Island
The Fleet
Grandfather and Son (If someone can come up with a better title for 'New and old vehicles working together')
Abandoned
My Sketchup open project sources
various projects rolled up: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17111233/Roll_up.rar

Colour safe chart:

Fabio

What about a new SMSC contest in October? ;)




Honestly, we should come up with a SMSC Team, not to leave everything on An_dz's poor shoulders...  ???

Fabio

What about raising image size limit to 1024*768 or even 1600*1200?
Authors should also waive to their images being cropped for website screenshot purposes.

kierongreen

Well really authors should agree to a CC licence which permits any modification - there's no knowing where we might want to use screenshots and in what context.

An_dz

I always state where we use the screens under Prizes.
http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=12724.0

If you enter the contest you're automatically agreeing to let us use in the two sites.

Sarlock

Probably wise to add something like:

"By submitting an entry to this contest, you agree to allow your image to be available to the public under a creative commons license.  You consent to the use of your image for other uses, including publishing on the website and social media, combining with other material and any modifications."

And I endorse the raising of the screenshot size limitations: 800x600 is very limiting.  I'd just set a maximum of 1600x1200 or something large and let contributors choose their own size within those limits.
Current projects: Pak128 Trees, blender graphics

sdog

Quote from: Sarlock on October 25, 2013, 07:51:03 PM
Probably wise to add something like:

"By submitting an entry to this contest, you agree to allow your image to be available to the public under a creative commons license.  You consent to the use of your image for other uses, including publishing on the website and social media, combining wi

And I endorse the raising of the screenshot size limitations: 800x600 is very limiting.  I'd just set a maximum of 1600x1200 or something large and let contributors choose their own size within those limits.

Yes, please!

800x600 is just way too tiny for many purposes.

A clear cc license is also very good. Set it to cc-by by default and allow participants any other cc licence if they object to it.

Posting cc-nc is already problematic on social media.

kierongreen

The problem with raising the limit is that it becomes quite difficult to use the image on websites. Yes it's always temping to think that a bigger limit would allow you to get more in the screenshot but you can already do that by zooming out (or resizing the image). Having a limit makes people think about whether the screenshot is focusing on detail or the bigger picture. Of course bigger screenshots have their own uses.

sdog

It's easily resized to the smaller size. People see the size we have in the vote, and already take care that screenshots look good at that size.

IgorEliezer

#99
Quote from: sdog on October 25, 2013, 08:14:25 PMPosting cc-nc is already problematic on social media.
I consider the Non-Commercial term a bit confusing or just unclear, hence the so-called gray area. I think the NC term is so extensive that it ends up refraining the use of an intellectual work whenever money is involved, even indirectly. That's why, I think, social media prefer royalty-free material because it allows them to place ads in the webpages to generate revenue more safely.

I personally make a distinction between making profit off the work itself (e.g. I produce a free software and someone else takes it and charge it) and -- if I can explain well -- using the work as a mean or part of a process that produces the product to be sold or generate revenue (e.g. I produce a free software and someone uses it in a for-profit company or presents it in a for-profit medium). For example, you took a picture of a landscape and post it in a social medium, the picture itself is not being sold but the page where the picture was posted has ads which generate revenue for the company that maintains the medium. It seems fine, but when it comes down to game screenshots and game footages, oh dear, some copyright holders will probably get mad and lawsuits may ensue or they just take your page down. It might sound stupid but it happens a lot.

(Am I missing something? I'm not a license expert.)

Besides, if one day we decide to allow ads in our sites or social medias (we did it once, anyone remembers? o.o) to generate financial resources to maintain our sites, CC-BY is preferable. The name of the authors will never be removed, we will never sell the works themselves, but at least nobody will feel guilty.

sdog

That exactly is the ambiguity i meant. I personally wouldn't care too much, if there weren't lawyers out there (in germany) to use such little ambiguities for making money. They are sending the equivalent to "cease and desist" letters together with invoices for their fees. Since i still have also a german address, i might be vulnerable to it and am careful with any grey area regarding copyright and the semi-official page.

Another advantage of CC licenses is: In some jurisdictions it is already a copyright infringement to re-post, re-tweet, share a posting and include a thumbnail of the other page in it. The reciprocacy of the CC licenses guarantees that re-posters of our messages are safe as well.


QuoteAm I missing something? I'm not a license expert.
With absolute certainty...
... and you can't help doing so. That's what some clever people get rich of.