Guidelines:Files
Overview
Uploading
Before uploading any images, it's almost always a good idea to run them through a compressor. Image editing programs usually have built-in features that compress images when saved, but there are several free programs which compress much more efficiently. These should be used whenever possible.
Screenshot Retrieval
There are various methods to retrieve screenshots from games. Screenshots are usually taken from capture card hardware, but some modern consoles offer built-in screenshot capture features. It is also possible to take screenshots from videos, though there are specific standards to follow when going about this. Additionally, various games often require their own screenshot conditions to be met for files. Please refer to each game's guideline for these conditions.
If you are interested in retrieving screenshots, please visit the Image Retrieval page.
General
Wii U Screenshots
To take screenshots from your Wii U, set up your desired shot on your TV (do not set the screen to the GamePad, doing so will make the screenshots smaller). Once everything is in frame as desired, hit the Home button and open the Internet Browser. Go to the Wii U Image Share (i.nintendo.net/wiiu/) and select your preferred social media account (Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr). This will upload an image to the account you link your Wii U to when prompted.
After linking, you will be directed to the upload form. Select the "Browse" button and you will receive a prompt on your GamePad to choose between two images, which are snapshots of what is on screen for the game that your Wii U is presently running. Pick the top image, and optionally enter text in the comment field (if you need to remind yourself what subject the shot is of). Afterwards, click the orange Post button and wait for it to publish to your account.
Nintendo Switch Screenshots and Videos
Though it is possible to take both screenshots and videos from a built-in feature on Nintendo Switch controllers, video files extracted from this feature provide the best clarity and are therefore preferred over standard screenshots. However, it is not possible to capture videos with some software, so guidelines for standard screenshots have been included here as well.
You can take screenshots by pressing the Capture button at the bottom of the left Joy-Con (or between the Left Stick and Home button on a Pro Controller). To take videos, you can simply hold down the Capture button for a short period of time. For shots that have a short time-frame and cannot have video captured, consider rapidly pressing the Capture button to increase the odds you Capture the right moment.
- Upload Method 1
Go to the Album. Select a screenshot or video, press A to open the Editing and Posting menu and select Post. Select a desired social media account (either Facebook or Twitter) and enter your account details. From there, tailor the text in the post to your liking and post.
- Upload Method 2
- Note: this requires an SD Card reader and a microSD to SD adapter.
Turn off your Nintendo Switch, insert the microSD Card (the slot is under the stand on the back), then turn on your Switch. For individual files, go to Album, select a screenshot or video, press A to open the Editing and Posting menu and select Copy. Repeat for all images wanted. For bulk transfer, go to System Settings > Data Management > Save Data/Screenshots and Videos > Manage Screenshots and Videos > System Memory > Copy All Screenshots and Videos to microSD Card. Wait for the process to finish.
Once you've copied the desired files, turn off your Switch and remove the microSD Card. Transfer it to your PC.
Filename
It is important for us to name files consistently so that they are easy to find and use. Filenames should follow the following format:
<Initialism> <Name of Subject> <Description> <Type>.<File Extension>
- Initialism — The standard initialism of the game that the image, sound or video is from. If none are applicable, omit this parameter.
- Name of Subject — What is being depicted in the image. (For a music theme, the associated dungeon, location, boss battle, etc.)
- Description — When applicable, add a few words that describe the specific action or setting. Use objects, present participles, or participle phrases (see the examples below). You can also append numbers to similar files, though it is better to distinguish them with descriptive words when possible.
- Type — The type of file, such as "artwork", "model", "sprite", etc. Screenshots and photographs don't necessarily need this.
- File Extension — The suffix indicating the format of the file (e.g. PNG, JPG, GIF, OGG, etc.). The extension must match that of the source file. For example, you can't upload a .jpg file and change the extension to .png in the destination filename. The file extension is automatically set to lowercase when you upload the file.
Do separate each word with a space. Do not separate words using hypens or CamelCase.
Special Characters
Special characters should be avoided unless the subject depicted uses a special character in its name. In this case, the special character should be used in the filename. If it is not possible for a file to use a name with that special character, the fullwidth equivalent, shown in the table below, should be used instead (example: BotW Ancient Battle Axe＋ Icon.png should be used as the subject is the Ancient Battle Axe+ but + is not an allowed character). A redirect can then be made from page using the special character to the page with the fullwidth equivalent (example: BotW Ancient Battle Axe+ Icon.png redirects to BotW Ancient Battle Axe＋ Icon.png). The redirect should then be used when linking the file.
| Special Character | Fullwidth Equivalent |
|---|---|
"
|
＂
|
+
|
＋
|
/
|
／
|
?
|
？
|
Examples
| Filename | Initialism/Prefix | Subject | Description | Type | File Extension |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HW Lana Gate of Time Render.png | HW (Hyrule Warriors) | Lana | Gate of Time (an object) | Render | .png |
| ST Link Artwork.png ST Link 2 Artwork.png ST Link 3 Artwork.png |
ST (Spirit Tracks) | Link | (Numbered files) | Artwork | .png |
| SS Small Key Model.png | SS (Skyward Sword) | Small Key | — | Model | .png |
| MM Link Riding Epona.png | MM (Majora's Mask) | Link | Riding Epona (a present participle phrase) | NOT APPLICABLE | .png |
| TPHD Logo.png | TPHD (Twilight Princess HD) | TPHD | Logo | .png | |
| ST Cucco Sprite.png | ST (Spirit Tracks) | Cucco | — | Sprite | .png |
| ALBW Hylian Shield Icon.png | ALBW (A Link Between Worlds) | Hylian Shield | — | Icon | .png |
| Nintendo Zelda Room.jpg | Nintendo | Zelda Room | — | NOT APPLICABLE | .jpg |
Summary
Files must include a short and descriptive summary. Fields included in the FileInfo template such as the type of the image (e.g. sprite, model) and the media (e.g. game, manga) are not to be mentioned in the summary as this is deemed tautological. The mention <depiction> as seen in-game must be added at the end of summaries of images whose depictions are directly took from in-game (e.g. sprite, model) with the exception of screenshots as this is tautological.
Sourcing
All images should make use of the Source field if possible. Occasionally, we derive images from social media or official sites which have made them publicly visible, in addition to sites which may rip assets from the games themselves, such as The Spriters and The Models Resources. Some users also carry out the retrieval process all on their own, and there are also special conditions in the case of images retrieved from books. In each of these cases, it is important to properly cite the source for the file so that they can be properly attributed. For examples of how to cite these, please refer to the tabs below:
Images
Promotional Media
Screenshots and certain images taken from official sources should be added to the Promotional Media category and subsequently protected to ensure that the file is not overwritten.
Artwork and Renders do not need to be placed in this category, nor do they need protected.
