What would you put in a new FAQ for screenshot contributions?

[lilalurl]

After discussing a bit with silkworm and Cody, we were thinking that it would be nice to have a central place to gather all the information on how to contribute screenshots and how to do it well.

Most information is already available, but usually scattered in several places.
Some potential issues, like games using overscan, can be a waste of time, since we have to ask contributors to redo screenshots as they were unaware of what could happen.


To make the best FAQ possible, we would like to ask you people who have contributed to HOL what advice, caveats, instructions etc... you would like/would have liked in a FAQ.
Or if you never contributed because you were afraid of not being able to output something nice, please mention what would help you in the process.


We already have some points ready to be put in the FAQ, such as:
- Advice on setting up Winuae to avoid screenshot issues
- Advice on setting up custom keys in Winuae to make the screenshoting process easier and faster
- Advice on what makes a good screenshot. For instance, if you play an adventure game, it is best to move the mouse pointer to the edge or off the visible play area, so that it does not appear on the screenshot.



Don't be afraid to suggest something that seems obvious to you. Sometimes, things that seem obvious or simple to someone may not be so for another one.
Also, even if you think it will be redundant with something already suggested, feel free to formulate a suggestion in your own words. Perhaps some of the words we will use will be too technical for a novice, which is not a good thing. Therefore, seeing another way to tell things might help us to detect that.


Thank you all in advance.

[TheCyberDruid]

We already have some points ready to be put in the FAQ, such as:
- Advice on setting up Winuae to avoid screenshot issues

I think this is the most important (and maybe the most complicated step) for most people :) I'll happily throw my two cent in there (if Cody permits that I'll do of course ;)). Also there should be a list of 'post-processing' software that is 'allowed' (pixel perfect 50% scaling springs to mind).

Nice one to get this rolling lilalurl :great

[lilalurl]

Please do throw your cents in. The more information we can provide in the FAQ the better.
Even if contributors miss something or still have questions despite the new FAQ, we will still be there to help (as we do now).

And we will have a repository to where we can point them so they can access the information easily. Instead of "Hmmmm, I think one year ago or two TCD gave me advice on how to deal with that aspect of contributing. Now, where is that post/PM".

[TheCyberDruid]

I guess I'll write a little and get some screenshots of the relevant settings in WinUAE tomorrow.

[Tweeky]

any news on this?

what are the actual correct settings in winuae to make screenshots?

[TheCyberDruid]

Basically you should select a windowed resolution of 640x512 (or fullscreen if your monitor allows that). Use the null filter, but do not resize the screen ('Horiz. size' & 'Vert. size' should be 0 and the rightmost drop-down should read 'No scaling'). You can use the 'Horiz. position' and 'Vert. position' to center the screen.

@lilalurl
Maybe you can hop on IRC some day to get that FAQ sorted? :)

[Tweeky]

Basically you should select a windowed resolution of 640x512 (or fullscreen if your monitor allows that). Use the null filter, but do not resize the screen ('Horiz. size' & 'Vert. size' should be 0 and the rightmost drop-down should read 'No scaling'). You can use the 'Horiz. position' and 'Vert. position' to center the screen.


thanks, i'll try that :great

[lilalurl]

any news on this?

@lilalurl
Maybe you can hop on IRC some day to get that FAQ sorted? :)

Hmmm sorry, seems like I might missed these posts when I went back online after moving.

Let's indeed spend some time on IRC when both of us can.



Well, in case it can be useful to any contributors, here is a WIP version of a guide for making custom keys in order to make the process of taking screenshots easier. Adapted from a PM to someone who asked me for advice, so it is written in the second person (for now).

------------------------------------------------------------------------

First, you will need to make your own custom configuration, although you can ofc use the default Winuae default configurations as a basis.

Go to Input panel. In the top left drop down box, you should see "Game Ports Panel". If you let things like that, Winuae will use the keys/devices selected in the Game Ports section (the third section in Host).
This not what we want, so you will need to put Configuration #1 in the dropdown box (you can use #2 and #3. They allow you to have different keyboard types defined that you can quickly switch between. For instance, you could prepare a QWERTY and an AZERTY layout if you happened to play some games in French and some in English).

http://eab.abime.net/picture.php?albumid=341&pictureid=2186

In the right dropdown box, you will then need to select the device you want to remap a key for custom events. In the example, I use a keyboard.
Not sure if you can use your Xbox Controller on your PC, but I have a joypad that has several buttons and I use some of them for Winuae. So you are not limited to the keyboard.

http://eab.abime.net/picture.php?albumid=341&pictureid=2187

Next, it would be a good idea first to think of keys/buttons that would not be used by the game you want to play (or more generally by any game), so that you won't be redefining a key that is used by the game.
I believe that Tab and the key above it are good candidates. Numpad keys are also seldom used.

Once you have decided, you will need to find the Input Source (the actual key from your keyboard) that you want to be remapped. By default, it will be remapped as a virtual Amiga keyboard key (Input target).

Your goal is to change the Input target to a custom event.

However, to make things easy in remapping, Toni has included Test and Remap. So to locate the keys (Input Source) you want to remap in the list, you can click on one of the button and press a key. You will then be sent to this key.
Test let you test several keys (end the test with F12) and Remap does a full remap of one key.

http://eab.abime.net/picture.php?albumid=341&pictureid=2188

So Remap is what you will more likely use. When you do that, you will have some choice in the dropdown box on the left of Test and Remap.
You can select other virtual keysfor example.
What we want however are the events that are located at the last quarter of the list (a lot of them so it might be a bit confusing at first).

First one you want is "Screenshot (file)".
Then (in order of the list) you might be interested in "Warp mode". If you don't know about it, it is a turbo (Winuae runs at at least double speed) that is sure not to break anything (unlike the disk speeding options). Very useful to reduce loading times, mandatory intros etc... One key press toggles warp mode and another goes back to normal speed.
Finally, you will find "Toggle windowed/Full screen".

http://eab.abime.net/picture.php?albumid=341&pictureid=2189

You don't need to if you want to use the keys immediatly, but you'd better save your configuration so that you don't have to do the remap next time.


So now, you should be able to change screen modes and take screenshots at will.