Imageshare Showcases/Story work

[aok]

Greetings.

 

First of all huge thanks to all those involved in making the Nexus such a great site.

I am hoping the ability to post off site images after the main Nexus hosted image will be preserved in the site changes.

I know I should probably wait and see but as a feature I am passionate about I am anxious to know what the plans are for this.

For a storyteller / Mod show-caser like myself it is absolutely essential.

 

Story example http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/Images/591630/?

 

Mod showcase http://www.nexusmods.../images/291751/?

 

With 146 stories and counting I am naturally concerned about the fate of this feature (They often take weeks to create and I am one of MANY doing this kind of work and Mod showcase work on the imageshare)

My hope is not only that it will be preserved but embraced and a larger format will be provided for these images. Since they are hosted offsite they have no effect on the Nexus bandwidth and effect only the viewer.

 

 

Respectfully

 

"aok"

[StandAlone97]

From what I've read from post by a moderator on Flickr the only change that is happening is users only being able to have one image at a time in the top images section. Other then that same functionality we currently have. What they really need to do is overhaul the imageshare.

 

To be honest there should be guide put together and linked to in the add image area that explains how to make sets using off site hosting. it's in the Nexus's best interest to encourage creating sets which would also cut down on the single shot spam. The less images host on there servers the less $$$ needed. As after all I have over 3000 Skyrim images alone that I could upload here... However I make sets so only have 132 images hosted here. Where as certain members are nearly at 2000...

 

 

The Adult tag and imageshare rules should be changed. Adult tag should allow nude shots to be shown, sexual situations can remain in the supporters section behind the paywall. Kind of ironic that I can post a shot of chopping a guys head off but not a women/man naked. Also the adult tag currently has no meaning or purpose. It's generally only used to circumvent the circlejerking blockade so people can get there shots shown. It's supposed to but it never gets enforced. Example; http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/images/555025/?

 

Which according to this chart I've seen linked many a time by "Staff" ...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/zwabberdiebo/24056741214/

It clearly should have been marked adult... There is many more where that comes from as well. Unless the chart system has been revised or is no longer relevant then info on how things are judged would be nice.

 

Along with those issues the image size limit is rather annoying ruins the look of many shots. A list of banned mods/armors is something that would be nice too see.(Perhaps community project? meh.)

 

The top image section should be removed, it's basically the cancer of Nexus imageshare. The same authors get endorsed and over endorsed time and time again. Purely because of a flawed system that promotes circle jerking and not merit of the work posted. There is person in the Skyrim imageshare section right now who currently holds 7 spots and does this on the regular by spamming 3 shots a day. Can we not ban someone for narcissism? Guess not. You could replace that section with an area that selects like 30 images at random from the past two weeks. That way perhaps more variety could be shown and less of the same overrated single shots. If the top images remains then there needs to be some kind of moderation done to shutdown endorsements for regular top spotters for certain periods of time or a one top image a month filter. As the current system has driven many people away and it also creates a toxic community.

 

I don't think the category system gets used very much either, you'll find most people just label there work as aesthetics. As a quick image search gives me nearly 26,500 out of 37,000 images marked as aesthetics. That's only the Skyrim imageshare as well... Perhaps more useful categories like one for writers/stories would be a good idea for those who like to read them. As currently Wolfgrimdark's writers list is the only reliable way to find a list of Nexus authors.

[Dark0ne]

The Image Share definitely needs an overhaul. From the look of it, to tagging, to accommodating story boards/show cases and to preventing the situation where one user has 20 images in the top images. A complete overhaul.

 

It'll get it, but it'll be after the current site redesign. Tentatively, I'd say the end of the year. But don't hold me to it, as it's entirely dependent on how long the site redesign process, and the fall out from that, takes.

[bben46]

 

 

To be honest there should be guide put together and linked to in the add image area that explains how to make sets using off site hosting.

 

 

That looks like it would be a worthwhile project - Why don't you do one and put it on the Nexus WIKI? And possibly we can sticky it in the image share. Then any time you see someone struggling with it, it will be simple to post a link to help them. :thumbsup:

 

Why don't the Nexus staff do this? We see a dozen such requests a week, and are already deep into other work. Something like this could be put on the todo list, but with a low priority, meaning it may never see the light of day.

 

By allowing - and actually encouraging people to make and upload tutorials it enriches the Nexus for all. Nearly all of my early work before becoming a moderator was tutorials for how to do something in Oblivion. Some of my 9 year old tutorials are still used. :happy:

[StandAlone97]

I was not even aware that the Nexus had a wiki to be perfectly honest. There is no link to it on the main page that I could see. After a quick google search though low and behold there is one indeed. I did not mean that the guide was a staff responsibility, as you are right it's something that could be done by myself or fellow users. *Edit* I see the wiki section now, however it's not on the actual main homepage. *Edit*

 

@Dark0ne Well if it's on the table can't ask for anymore then that. As I know the work on redesign and rolling that out/working out the bugs etc. Will be your primary focus. As with anything it all takes time and work.

[JimboUK]

My suggestion would be to limit the number of images anyone can have in the top images to three, one isn't enough on the slower sites, you'd end up with a lot of a garbage in top images, the FO3 imageshare for example has seen top images with no endorsements, limiting people to one would only make that worse. I'd limit the number of uploaded shots that show on the main page of the imageshare to one per day, others uploaded could be linked from the one shown image, it's not dissimilar to the way Flickr deals with multiple uploads.

[aok]

Thank you Dark One for the quick response to this. I have been writing stories for several years now using pose mods and showcasing mod authors. It is a relief to know the work is not on the chopping block with the upgrade.

Standalone97 makes a very good point that hosting images offsite will reduce the load on the Nexus.

I will happily post instructions on the Wiki and encourage other authors to direct people to it if they would like to know how it's done.

 

Thank you!

[wolfgrimdark]

AoK mentioned this thread and I will look into the Wiki. I have started work on a "Storytellers Guide Mod" that is about 30% done and wasn't sure there would be any interest. Basically a guide on how to post multiple images at one time, tips and tricks for posting showcases and stories on the image share, a PDF of poses from the most popular pose mods, and a PDF guide on common console commands and mods that are useful for telling stories and doing screenshots. Also a little lit on image share courtesy and tips on writing a story.

 

Not sure if I prefer the idea of a Wiki or hosting it as a mod which can then have comments, discussions, and articles. Also might be more visible since many don't know there is a Nexus Wiki. Although if the Nexus Wiki seems like it would work better easy enough to add it as a link in all my posts on Nexus. The plus I see with doing it as a mod is the other tools available - see if people are using the guide through downloads and endorsements and easier to have discussions.

 

Anyhow going to check out the Wiki this week and see what is involved with that. Otherwise will try to speed up work on my guide.

 

As for the overhaul - I do hope we can continue to post images in the body of the post by linking off site. I also very much like the idea of limiting top images to just one image per person at a time. I think people take it to seriously myself but if it would make the community happier, with less friction, I am all for getting more people into the list. I would like to see some variety there. Image quality is very subjective and there are things about an image that can outweigh quality - like is it for a written story? A funny shot? A shot to highlight a new mod? Just some examples. So I am not a big fan of statements like "only quality shots" should be there as that is subjective. On the other hand also not a fan of the images only being there because some people are far more active than others. I don't blame anyone though as it is just how human nature and being social works. Rather pointless to get upset over it. Better to consider other models that might allow for more variety. I really like the idea of limiting to one per person at any one time. It would really help bring in some new people. At least as many people as there are top images at least. Or once a month is also a nice idea.

 

I am not keen on a random mix though as it would still encourage spamming and I think there needs to be some indication that others enjoy the images. But once a month is fine - if people really like an authors work then they can track them and see their other images that way - while still allowing for some recognition of effort - where effort includes being active in the community as well as doing impressive posts. I think people sometimes forget this - being active in the community is also important because if no one was active there wouldn't be any discussion about this at all. Just need to find a better balance.

 

Also if there is any chance of going up to 800 or even 1024 width for images in the body that would be super awesome. The 600 limit really kills motivation for doing elaborate shots. In the past I think we could do 1024 (I know we could do 800) and really miss that. 1024 is a great size to show some detail. The current 600 limit also encourages one post spamming because people feel the small size wrecks the quality and detail of their shots.

[JimboUK]

Let's remember that the Skyrim imageshare isn't the only imageshare on the site, limiting top images to one per person is going to leave a lot of imageshares with near empty top images or top images filled with garbage, there is no reason to let the problems of the Skyrim community effect other imageshares where everything functions as it should.

[wolfgrimdark]

Good point. I am ambivalent on top images although would be nice to find something that showcases images with more diversity for all the various shares.