Community Abyss Alpha Coders Discussions Showcase Quality Guidelines

Showcase Quality Guidelines


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Hey everyone,

This is a long post surpriseThe short of it is: Showcase quality means that an image is an exemplar of its class, largely free from artifacts. Too many rules? Just submit to Image Abyss, and you can ignore all this!

In our continuing journey to make sure rules and terminology is clear, here is a post about what 'Showcase Quality' means!

In the rules for uploading, you will notice that some sites have a large green 'Showcase Quality Only' text

An important note: NONE of this is about whether something qualifies for our creator program! The rules and guidelines for the Alpha Coders creator program can be found at https://alphacoders.com/creator/join . You can submit creator content that is not considered showcase quality! It just needs to go to a site that isn't marked for only showcase quality submissions.

Now that we have that out of the way, lets move onto what showcase quality means for the different parts of Alpha Coders that only accept showcase quality content:

 

Part 1: Showcase quality means the image is almost entirely free from artifacts, or other image quality problems.

 

Example 1: https://pics.alphacoders.com/pictures/view/326900 Load up the image at full size. You'll notice the lines and text are reasonably crisp. It's just an image generated from a template at 100% quality. As we will read later, it's not really showcase quality because of other reasons, but the image quality is fine.

Example 2: https://pics.alphacoders.com/pictures/view/326901 Again, load up the image at full size. You'll notice the lines and text have artifacts around them. The image appears ok before its viewed at full size, but not at full size. Artifacts hurt this image, and completely bar it from being considered showcase quality.

Below are the thumbnails of both examples 1 and 2 side by side:

 

Can you tell the difference? Don't worry - I definitely can't. We compress thumbnails to help them load fast - but never compress original images. The point of this is that it doesn't matter if it looks fine at a thumbnail size, or almost full size. Image quality is determined when the image is viewed at full size.

 

 

Part 2: Showcase quality for Wallpaper Abyss means the image must be an exemplar of its class

So if it's an image of a car, it needs to be a really good image of a car. If it's a picture of a bird, it needs to be a really good picture of that bird. If it's an abstract image, it needs to be really good.

  • If you can have multiple variations of the same image with simply different colors, it's probably not an exemplar.
  • Spending a large amount of time on something does not automatically make it showcase quality
  • Simply being large and an image without artifacts is not enough
  • The barrier for something being showcase quality is slightly relaxed if you are submitting your own work.
  • Most general photography would not be considered an exemplar, unless it presents as professional/semi-professional
  • For media, no cinematic black borders.
  • For video game content, see our video game content guide.

With the showcase quality guideline, it's impossible for it to not be at least somewhat subjective. So please see what decisions moderators are making, and tailor your submissions to how moderators move things around.

 

Lets do some examples

Below are a few abstract images that I generated.

None of the above are showcase quality. They are all 4k resolution rendered as JPGs with 100% quality. But nothing about them is particularly exceptional, noteworthy, or not reproducible by anyone that can click a few buttons in an online photo editor. Red and black isn't really any better than blue and black, green and black, etc.

Lets take another quick example:

It's not showcase quality. I think a desert tortoise semi-burrowed by a cactus is cool, but it's not an exemplary example of photography, cactus, or tortoises. I personally probably like it more than someone else would because it's one of my tortoises.

 

For Mobile Abyss:

The above applies

For Art Abyss:

We allow exceptions for your personal bests. If you are sharing content from a source other than yourself, all of the above would apply. If you are submitting your own art, you would be able to share your high effort pieces, independant of whether they are truly exemplary. Beginning artists and photographers are more than welcome!

 

 

A final point for now:

  • The criteria for something like a brand new movie, vs a really old movie will be slightly different. Common sense says that there will be more high quality content for a newer movie in the HD age, than one made decades ago. So there's probably less good HD content of the old movie, making meeting the criteria of an 'exelmplar' of its class a bit easier to obtain.

 

I hope this helps, and keep in mind - you can create what you want to create. We just need to keep the showcase quality sections of Alpha Coders exactly that. If you aren't interested in all these rules, just submit your content to Image Abyss! We know it's a lot to take in, and can be hard to understand, so we made a place to bypass all that - and let people be a bit more free.

Please let me know if you have additional questions or comments.

David West
Alpha Coders

By Phaethon 4 years ago

I think good sir that you forgot that quality is something very subjective. For example couple of minutes ago you lowered my submission score and changed the type of my submission from wallpaper to image because IN YOUR OPINION there's something wrong with it (here's the pic https://pics.alphacoders.com/pictures/view/260448) while at the same time some other moderator accepted my other wallpaper, made the same way and the same style https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=1034358 not seeing any problems with it. Other example. First submission, simple 3d eyes here: https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=1034466 one of you decided it's ok for wallpaper and the next day, almost the same image just a different girl https://art.alphacoders.com/arts/view/123771 one of you decided it's art and not good for wallpaper abys again lowering my submission score. So in conclusion I think that you should first decide between yourself (moderators) what is wallpaper and what is not because at the moment you are confusing people (me included) where I should upload next time when I decide to make for example a picture of eyes. Also c'mon, you are telling me in the messages that pictures should be exceptional quality to be in wallpaper abyss but obviously you have not see how much low quality content there is in that section. Sorry if I made some mistakes, english is not my native language. Best regards.

EDIT: some examples of your EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY in Featured Wallpapers:

https://images2.alphacoders.com/103/1033115.jpg - pink circles 

https://images5.alphacoders.com/103/1034404.png - orange lines 

https://images8.alphacoders.com/102/1028303.png - this 

How those pics even compare to something like this:

https://images5.alphacoders.com/103/1035116.jpg 

https://images3.alphacoders.com/102/1027241.jpg

So yeah, again, it seems that quality is more or less subjective amongst moderators.

By KoikatuCenter 4 years ago

Hey KoikatuCenter,

I moved https://pics.alphacoders.com/pictures/view/260448 due to the background. It just presented as a bit blurry/pixelated in my opinion. I think the background of  https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=1034358 presents a little better.

The featured examples you linked to are all very clear images. Abstract content isn't necessarily everyone's cup of tea - but technically those images are all very good.

You are correct that there is subjectiveness involved. Definitely let me know if you have any other questions about this!

David West
Alpha Coders

By Phaethon 4 years ago

I'm sad to say this because I really like the idea behind Alpha Coders but you have to change the moderating system at least a little bit.

Example no.1:

Again, almost the same situation like the last time, picture number 1, accepted by one moderator two weeks ago or so is totaly OK to be in Wallpaper section https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=1033459 but picture number 2 https://pics.alphacoders.com/pictures/view/261892 in second moderator opinion is not OK and it goes to Image section and AGAIN my submission score goes down. There's THE SAME background in both pictures and they are made using the same tools, light settings etc.

Other examples and of course again submission score down:

Here is ok to use tag "angel" https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=1033459 

Here "Deleted Tags: angel," https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=1033654 

Same character, same game. 

This one is ANIME/KOIKATU https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=1033782 not mentioning that it's a character created by me and it is not from Anime serie but....

A character from actuall Anime here is under VIDEO GAME/KOIKATU https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=1037063  

I honestly am tired of making and uploading wallpapers to your website just toi feel confused almost every single time. I ask the big boss here to do a brainstorm and either stop lowering people submission scores every single time when two moderators have a different opinion.  Honestly I don't care about the placement of my pictures, in my opinion they are all at least OK to be someones desktop wallpaper but they can go to Image abyss if you preffer, what hearts me the most is that I work hard on earning "Trusted" and my submission score is constantly lowered because you cannot decide between yourself if something is anime/video game/wallpaper or image. 

By KoikatuCenter 4 years ago

Hey KoikatuCenter!

For example #1, https://pics.alphacoders.com/pictures/view/261892 should be on Image Abyss because it is not family friendly.

The tag angel appears less relevant on https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=1033654 . I think someone looking through images won't necessarily know it's an angel. Rule #3 of the tag rules ( https://communities.alphacoders.com/topics/view/6766 ) talks about tagging main features of content. The moderator probably didn't see the character as an angel.

With very specific domain knowledge things like that, we have to cut moderators some slack.

I'm not seeing any moderator changes on https://wall.alphacoders.com/big.php?i=1037063 . It looks like it was submitted to the Video Game category. After that, a moderator merged the Video Game/Koikatu with Anime/Koikatu, so the video game version doesn't exist anymore. That merge doesn't count against anyone.

The largest impact to your submission score currently is just submitting content to Wallpaper Abyss that should be on Image Abyss, either due to moderator perceived quality, or the non-family friendly nature of the content.

Please let me know if you have additional questions or comments. I hope I clarified some things!

David West
Alpha Coders

By Phaethon 4 years ago

"The largest impact to your submission score currently is just submitting content to Wallpaper Abyss that should be on Image Abyss"  

But do you understand that sometimes my uploads go to Wallpaper abyss without any problems and sometimes they are switched to Image abyss even if they are the same character, the same game etc? That is illogical. Also all the images I upload are family friendly, none of them contains any nudity. Even when your internal system (twice) recognized my images as unfriendly your moderators switched them back as friendly after review. Furtheremore, I think you was the person who started this spiral when you decided that a picture with a girl in the locker room wearing swimming suit is not family friendly but what else do you think people use in swimming pools. Do you or that moderator think that people in swimming suits are not family friendly? But dozens of other pictures with lolis, girls in skimpy outfits etc that is ok? Also what is not so family friendly in a freakin Sailor Moon, c'mon men. 

Another example from an hour or so ago, just read:

"Our moderator cdd denied your content addition Twisted Tales II
For the following reason: I can't find any movie name Twisted Tales II on Google "

"Our moderator cdd denied your content addition Primal Species
For the following reason: I can't find any movie named Primal Species on Google"

I have the physical DVDs with both movies in front of my eyes. See for yourself:

Also it's not that hard to find info on both movies:

https://letterboxd.com/film/twisted-tales-2/ 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Primal-Species-aka-Carnosaur-Beneath/dp/B00BEUDJDA 

But whatever, I think I am just waisting my time. Don't want to recognize my work as wallpapers then don't. I will upload everything to Image abyss from now on if you think that your system works fine and dandy. 

Regards

By KoikatuCenter 4 years ago

KoikatuCenter,

A specific game or character isn't the criteria that we are looking at for whether something is showcase quality for Wallpaper Abyss. It's all about that specific image, and how it relates to its peers in its class (The first post in this topic).

Our definition of family friendly revolves around what Google and other advertisers consider family friendly. We, quite literally, base our definition of it based on the bots Google and others have checking our content. So it's pretty normal for someone to not agree with our specific family friendly standards, but complying with it is part of life. If you are unsure about why a specific piece of content is not considered family friendly, I can definitely answer that for you. In the Sailor Moon example, it was the clothing amount + female presenting nipples, even when covered ( https://communities.alphacoders.com/topics/view/6771 ).

We get a lot of incorrect movie suggestions. Normally we look up the movie, and if the Google results don't immediately know what the movie is, we consider it either too obscure, or figure the user suggested an incorrect name. A simple Google search for ' Twisted Tales II' does not indicate it was a correct/non obscure movie. Again - gotta cut moderators some slack.

As a final note - we are a community that's working together to create a really wonderfully curated site. It's important that we treat everyone with respect. At least to me, your tone is coming across as somewhat hostile. Whether intentional or not, please make sure to be kind to everyone here smiley

David West
Alpha Coders

By Phaethon 4 years ago

"At least to me, your tone is coming across as somewhat hostile. "

You see how a perspective of one person can differ from a perspective of someone else? First of all I already stated before that english is not my native language and sometimes it is not so easy to formulate a proper sentence also from my perspective for example you are acting hostile towards me trying to make excuses about bots, Google and stuff when I clearly showed you examples of human mistakes that can be corrected without a harm to human submission score but instead of setteling situation like for example "oh, ok he's kinda right, our system is not perfect, let's give the guy back his 1 or 2 percents of score and lets close the case" you chose to make a lenghty discussion with excuses. Secondly, is it really that surprising to you? How would YOU feel after having a problem after problem with such a simple task as uploading a wallpaper? And it is not a problem with me because I really have other options and I'm using other websites as well where such problems does not occur. 

 "Again - gotta cut moderators some slack." - lets switch it a little don't you think? Maybe for once give some slack to uploaders hmm? 

"As a final note - we are a community that's working together to create a really wonderfully curated site." 

Yeah, and I wanted to be a part of that comunity too with doing alot of good job because at the first sight it look like a friendly place worth doing so. So I spent a lot of time while doing it (almost 2.000 wallpaper ratings, adding tags, commenting, filling the Movie abyss etc) but I can see now that it is great when I do stuff like this but when there is a problem with a stupid picture that can be easilly fixed with two clicks the community leader choose to build a brick wall. Well ok, that's your right. Just remember, community is build on users that are willing to build it. Basic economics.  Thank you for your time adn I'm sorry that I took yours. It simply seems that a madman like me simply does not fit in your community. wink Have a nice day. 

By KoikatuCenter 4 years ago

In a way,  I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one suffering through inconsistent moderation followed by a sense of unhelpfulness as it relates to the images I have worked hard on.  I have been made to feel as though my work is subpar and seeking clarification on how to improve my work in their subjective eyes comes across as though I am bothering them.  I feel as though my initial excitement for creating content here has been quickly squashed by the very creator of this site.  I suppose I'll just take my work elsewhere and look for a community organizer that is more helpful and positive with his support.  I've had a very unfortunate experience imo.

By theinvid 4 years ago

theinvid,

I agree with you that I should have been more positive and constructive, especially in my first PM to you. I apologize for starting off things on the wrong foot. There's a lot of rule enforcement that me and the moderator team have to do - and the goal is always to be pleasant while upholding the strict standards of Wallpaper Abyss. I didn't achieve that goal in regards to my interactions with you. I do wish you the best in all your endeavors!

By Phaethon 4 years ago

DavidWest,

I genuinely appreciate this response.  I was feeling so positive about my creations (which of course take time and effort) and then found myself feeling very downtrodden by my interactions with you.  And in the spirit of being fully honest, I even felt a bit targeted afterward.  Happy to go into more detail privately regarding that.

Anyhow, I am also perfectly willing to see if we can't just move forward in a more positive light.  I have questions about some of my submissions as it relates to the feedback that was provided.  I do not feel as though I fully understand (I apologize if that frustrates you) the reasoning, nor the actual solution necessary.

By theinvid 4 years ago

theinvid,

Definitely feel free to PM me with any questions you have. I'm happy to go into more detail, and get to a point where things make sense.

By Phaethon 4 years ago

Update! Added in

For media, no cinematic black borders.

This has long been a rule, but has gotten a bit buried as we've clarified other things.

By Phaethon 3 years ago


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