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Note: the way that you submit screenshots is identical to Screenshot of the Week - so if you know the rules, just hop over to the Screen Rebirth Dropbox to get started!
This thread will serve to provide more information about the contest and how to submit for it. Please be sure to read through the information within before making any submissions, as you may be contacted to resubmit your entry if it does not follow the guidelines.
Submitting your Screenshot
- There are various ways of creating the image of the screen you have made. Note that these instructions are current for ZC 2.55. In the ZC Player, simply navigate to ZC --> Take Snapshot at the top to produce an image of pixel size 256 x 224 that includes the subscreen. In the ZQuest Editor, simply navigate to ZC --> Take Screen Snapshot at the top. This will produce an image of pixel size 256 x 176 that does not include the subscreen (but note that it does include the extra 8 pixels at the bottom of the screen that are normally clipped off while playing the quest itself in the ZC Player).
- You should not need to crop or resize the screenshot in any way unless you are removing the subscreen from a ZC Player screenshot (which reduces the image pixel size to 256 x 168 by removing the top 56 pixels). Therefore, any submitted screenshots should have a final pixel size of either 256 x 224, 256 x 176, or 256 x 168. These requirements are there to ensure consistency. The Screen Rebirth staff will resize the submission screenshots for you (currently, we double the image size using nearest neighbor resampling).
- Please ensure that the images use a lossless image format such as PNG. You can change the image format created by the ZC Player or the ZQuest Editor in the respective settings for each application. Animated GIF images are allowed to be submitted so long as the animations are simple (such as rain falling, flora moving, etc.) and the filesize is kept minimal.
- You are allowed to submit one screenshot per contest. Once your submission screenshot follows the guidelines as mentioned above, upload your image to the file-hosting website of your choice and copy the direct link to the image (not the link to a page that contains your image amongst other things).
- Create a topic in the Screen Rebirth Dropbox. The title of the post should contain the number of the contest you are entering (for example, "SR 001"). In the body of the post, please post the image using the Image function in the rich text toolbar. You may provide an optional italicized caption if you so choose. Please consult the example We need an example submission if you are confused.
- Once you post the topic in the dropbox, it will vanish from view. Do not be alarmed as this is intentional. The Screen Rebirth staff will be able to see the topic and process your submission for the next contest. If you have any doubts, feel free to send a personal message (PM) to the Screen Rebirth staff and they will assist you.
- Your submission can be in any tileset you choose - even Classic!
- Your submission can also interpret the screen as literally or as abstractly as your choose - but keep in mind that the further you stray from the base screen, the more you risk losing votes because the inspiration isn't recognizable.
- Occasionally, we may try shaking things up with a unique spin on the contest with unique rules - please check the current base screen announcement post for any contest-specific guidelines.
- The base screen will be posted on Mondays according to the current year's Screen Rebirth Schedule. This will be a locked topic containing the base screen, the date that the poll will open, and any special rules for that contest. You will have one to two weeks (according to the same schedule) to create your submissions.
- The Screen Rebirth staff will do its best to communicate when more screenshots are required to commence the contest (a minimum of three screenshots are needed, ideally) or if any other issues occur that cause delays in the contest. Any delays will be communicated transparently in the Screen Rebirth Announcements topic.
- As soon as each poll closes, another base screen will be posted, so you can get ready for the next contest.
- In regards to voting, there are many different qualities that comprise a screenshot, including, but not limited to, its tileset, layout, details, and palette. It is up to the voter to select the best entry based on whatever metric they choose.
- If you enter the contest, you may vote for yourself if you want. Of course, you may also vote for a competitor or decline to vote altogether.
- When commenting on screenshots, please leave constructive feedback. The contestant will find it most helpful if you list both the positive and negative aspects of their screen in a clear, polite manner.
- Overall, be sure to have fun! Whether you participate as a contestant, commenter, voter, or all three, please do what you can to keep the contest enjoyable for everybody who is a part of it.
