File talk:Male1SI.png

Ooops

I have no idea why I never saw that these couple were tinted like that. Oops. I have always triple check it and kept it in the centre with the size of 145 x 164. Please let me know if there are others and I shall fix it. --Arthgon (talk) 11:29, 16 January 2016 (UTC)

Don't sweat it. At 145 x 164 the portraits are horizontally offset by one pixel, but we're talking a minuscule detail here. In practical terms it's not noticeable on the wiki so I wouldn't go to the trouble of changing the others. --Terilem (talk) 12:56, 16 January 2016 (UTC)

It seems that at the same moment that I wanted to snap a photo of the portrait a cloud (lightning and all) came to spoil it. (Wow. they really are out to get me with such thing. ;)) However, there are still black backgrounds around the portraits and I actually want to remove them, because it looks much better. However, I am not sure about the centre of the portrait, therefore, I could first upload another version here so that everyone can see if it is okay. And if everyone finds it okay, I will upload them with the names MaleOneSI, etc. (Just to prevent that there are waaay too many versions of one portrait) Is it okay that I will do this? Sorry, if I am a bit unclear. --Arthgon (talk) 15:18, 16 January 2016 (UTC)

In the centre? --Arthgon (talk) 15:25, 16 January 2016 (UTC)

1. Hmm, it's odd that the background shows up as black for you; I saved it as transparent, which should appear the same color as the background it's displayed on. I've checked in three different browsers, as well as Windows' standard photo viewer, and I can see no issue. Are you sure your browser can properly display transparent PNGs and GIFs? This is how it should look:

Note the white background of your upload doesn't match the background of the gallery boxes. The flexibility of transparent backgrounds is an advantage in cases like this.

2. No, it's not centered. When your image width is 145 (or any odd number), one of the margins is going to end up one pixel too narrow. The version I uploaded has equal margins on all four sides.

3. I'd really rather you didn't upload completely new files with yet another naming scheme. There's absolutely nothing wrong with keeping a version history (in fact, I prefer it) and to be frank, it's kind of frustrating to have to go through this whole process every time someone wants to make changes to an image. The mix-up we've just had with Hazard is one example of why it's problematic. It also creates unnecessary work for whomever has to go through and delete all the redundant copies that have amassed. You're a very diligent contributor and I understand about being a perfectionist, but this might be excessive. --Terilem (talk) 17:04, 16 January 2016 (UTC)

1) It actually happened when I copy and paste it. Then the background became black. If you know what I mean. Oh well. I removed the whole background around every portraits (grass, water, carpets, ice, etc) with an eraser. So that is why they are white and all. Are the others okay? If not? Do tell me and O will fix it. Oh. Is it okay that I just keep the other portraits like that in case with the transparency and size? If you know what I mean.

2) Okay.

3a) Yeah. I know. I am a perfectionist indeed. Okay, even though it is a sore to my eyes, I will keep male1SI, etc like this.

3b) Filenames? The reason that I have changed the most of them is because their names were actually wrong and all. (Shriash, etc) Also, it is Yurel and NOT Yarrel. I will fix the other portraits (insert also the ones that are missing) and give them the proper names.

3c) Hazard? Ah. Now that was a "bit" of a mistake by me. I accidental created another filename. Ooops. --Arthgon (talk) 21:22, 16 January 2016 (UTC)

Edit: It seems to be that it does not matter that much with the transparency of all the portraits (excluding the Avatar's portraits of course) of the NPCs, because the backgrounds at the files are also white and all, right? --Arthgon (talk) 00:48, 17 January 2016 (UTC)

1) Okay, now that makes sense. To preserve transparency, you have to save the image to your drive first, rather than copy-and-paste directly into an image editor. Furthermore, I'd highly recommend downloading Exult Studio and exporting any U7/SI graphics from there in future. It's easy to use and allows you to export the raw game data as PNG (circumvents any tint from dusk, storms, etc.), and the backgrounds are transparent by default (no meticulous erasing required). Your method creates a lot of unnecessary work for yourself. But no, I wouldn't bother altering the others. It'd be a lot of work for little benefit, and what's done is done.

3b) I wasn't referring to cases like Shriash (who is tinted, by the way), where the spelling was wrong and renaming was absolutely justified (and well-caught on your part, thank you). I just mean your practice of throwing out the current file and uploading a whole new one every time the image itself is iterated upon, like you were proposing with the Avatar portraits. It's happened a number of times now (Fenyx discussed it with you awhile back), and as a consequence it feels like I'd be stirring up a hornet's nest any time some small detail has to be changed, so most of the time I just don't bother.

Lastly, no, as things stand it doesn't really matter that the rest of the portraits aren't transparent. Transparency is just more flexible and future-proof than a solid background. It's really something that should have been standard here from the very beginning for all wiki images, not just portraits. Oh well. --Terilem (talk) 04:50, 17 January 2016 (UTC)

1) I actually don't mind to remove the background like that, because it is done very quickly, looks much better and I am really really good at it. The thing with Exult is that I am a bit wary about the quality of the portraits. As you can see with the older versions of the portraits they are waaay to smooth and I am not sure if it actually was that way on DOS. And I want the same look as then. If you know what I mean. However, I will look at it.

1a) "But no, I wouldn't bother altering the others. It'd be a lot of work for little benefit, and what's done is done." Maybe it is the lack of caffeine, but what do you mean? The portraits that are already done or those who still needed to be done. The portraits, who still need to be done (Skyrise, Fiend, etc) are mutilated beyond believe. Complete chunks are missing. As if the person who did it did it in a hurry and out of laziness. If you know what I mean. Sorry if there are any miscommunications if you meant something else.

1b) Shriash is a bit odd. First I waited until there are no rain, clouds, etc and then I checked it with talking with Shamino to look if there are no tints and THEN I walk through the wall (until everything is lighted as outside) and then click on Shriash to talk. (I am really sorry if I unclear, but I have no idea to say this) It looks like this. There could be a possibility that it looks like this and that it is differently in Exult because of the graphics. I will double-check it later. Are there any other tinted? I have checked it with the older portraits to see if the are the same. (I have messed up some (Avatar portraits, Vasculio, Hazard) but that should have been prevented by me. Oops. Sorry for that. The weather gods of Serpent Isle are really against me or something. --Arthgon (talk) 12:04, 17 January 2016 (UTC)

1) The smoothing effect you're referring to is from a scaler, which can be toggled on or off in Exult (and DOSBox, for that matter). Yes, unfortunately many of our early uploads had a scaler enabled. However, I'm talking about Exult Studio, which is a separate editor application that only displays the raw game data exactly as it would be when played in DOS (here's a screenshot). It would make your workflow significantly more efficient at no cost to the end result.

1a) I meant making the other portrait backgrounds transparent, which is what I thought you were asking about. Perhaps I misinterpreted.

1b) Apart from Shriash, I can't see any others that are tinted among your uploads. There's just Fiend, Fitch, Ssithnos, and Yurel, all of whom are due to be replaced anyway. --Terilem (talk) 12:52, 17 January 2016 (UTC)

What happened? (http://exult.sourceforge.net/images/screenshots/blackgate.png here's a screenshot]) Is a scaler used or someone did something to the graphics here? Good god!!! As if it is redrawn by someone else and all. In my humble opinion I do not like it at all. If you know what I mean. --Arthgon (talk) 15:23, 17 January 2016 (UTC)

Yep, that's a scaler (although with heavy dithering; here's a cleaner example). I experimented with them for awhile and some algorithms are better than others, but none are perfect at retaining detail. Nevertheless, there are players who prefer the look of scalers over pixellation. It's a matter of taste. --Terilem (talk) 15:43, 17 January 2016 (UTC)