Uploads never getting posted.

[segamer]

I tend to approve retail covers. Most users are trying to unify their collections. There were a series of Game Boy covers uploaded. For me, the issue I had was with the spines. They didn't use standardized TCP labels. They were also PAL territory and I can't verify German or some of the other languages. So, I leave those for other admins. However, the truth is, most submitted covers don't meet site standards. TCP requires a high level of cleaning, attention to detail and polish.

[PX0]

Yeah, others have critized the spines of my covers as well...
I have since changed them though, with the only real difference being the labels now.

I did not think this would be an issue, since people can easily swap them out with other labels if they do not like them.

But what labels would be considered the "standard"? (I have found at least two versions, that are frequently used by others. Can I pick either one?)

Do you have someone, that can verify german covers? Maybe I could contact them directly. 


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On a side note.
I can understand that you would have to draw the line somewhere and that you don't necessarily want to let through the worst qualtiy covers.
But come on. What is the deal with demanding "perfection"? 

I think having a cover of "mediocre" quality is still way better, then having none at all.

Most of the time I cannot find any decent ressource for my german covers. So I am often forced to recreate them from the englisch or french version.
It would have been easier to just retouch a "poor" quality cover, I found on TCP. 


Maybe you should consider implementing a system similar to what is being used on nintandbox.net.
Meaning some kind of quality meter and maybe a way for others to ask/provide for a retouched version.

[sheep2001]

I don't want to come across as being a dick here, but what is it with people coming to the site (presumably because of our quality), and then saying why do you demand quality. 

It's what we do.  End of.

We used to accept any old shit.  We don't any more.  Don't like it?  There are plenty of other sites will gladly accept covers less than perfect.  We have this same question time and time again.    I myself create plenty of covers from shit scans, they work for many people, but I don't submit them to the site.  Just showcase them in the forums, and share with box.com or similar.

With regards to verifying the German, tiktektak is Austrian, and I believe can do it.  I warn you though, he's our strictest at quality checks, and will probably be even more blunt than me.

I actually like your covers, and the spine thing wouldn't be an issue for me, but generally if it deviates from either retail, or what's been adopted as the site standard template for a system, it has limited appeal, unless you plan to do the whole library for that particular system.  Otherwise we would end up with hundreds of different styles and no uniformity.  That being said, you have done some complete series of games, which in my opinion could therefore be hosted (if they pass the quality checks).

[TDIRunner]

I think having a cover of "mediocre" quality is still way better, then having none at all.

I'm a believer that a bad cover is better than no cover, but that doesn't mean they should be hosted on the site.  That's what the forums are for.  I've made several covers that I've shared in the forums.  They are not even close to site quality, so I won't waste the Cover Admin's precious time trying to get them submitted.  But it's still helpful to have them available.

[CMDLineKing]

I think having a cover of "mediocre" quality is still way better, then having none at all.

I'm a believer that a bad cover is better than no cover, but that doesn't mean they should be hosted on the site.  That's what the forums are for.  I've made several covers that I've shared in the forums.  They are not even close to site quality, so I won't waste the Cover Admin's precious time trying to get them submitted.  But it's still helpful to have them available.

So, I agree with TDI, a bad cover is better that nothing.. Maybe there is a compromise?  Just have a dump for all the covers that "don't meet standards".  That way people can see what doesn't cut it, and the ones who just want something to put in a case can do so.  Keep everything with potential (B/C) and provide feedback. Trash everything Else (D/F).

A ratings system maybe?  S, A, B, C, D, F? 

S Class - Superb/Flawless
A Class - Acceptable
B Class - Barely Acceptable (w/ Notes from admins)
C Class - Can't accept  (w/ Notes from admins)
D Class - Didn't Even Try
F Class - For god sake, stop submitting this crap

Eitherway, sometimes I draw inspiration from a bad cover and want to make it better.  So I'll hunt down what I need to do it better and execute.  Seems sad they aren't just relegated to a folder or something.

[sheep2001]

If someone wants to host sub par covers, and grade them, go for it.......

[TDIRunner]

I don't know if I would take it that far (I certainly don't want to be the guy assigning the grades).  But if someone really wanted to do that, go for it.  I personally don't see why they can't just be shared in the forums.  If anything, we just need a better set of instructions on how to use the "advance search" option.  Although, I'm sure no one would read them. 

[CMDLineKing]

If someone wants to host sub par covers, and grade them, go for it.......

If I can get access to the rejects from TCP submissions I'll download and move them to a OneDrive account and just do as I said, keep the stuff with potential and trash the complete crap.  Superb and Acceptable covers will be posted, obviously, to TCP so they aren't in scope.  The B/C stuff can live on the OneDrive, and the D/F stuff maybe gets added to the drive for 1 week and is deleted.

The Forums are a great place to host custom covers, but some people just submit anything.  Totally get that is a problem.  Just knowing a few covers I had posted never made it sucked.  Having a place for that stuff to go to would be good overall for people to pick through, and maybe even clean up to meet standards.  Assigning the grade would be easy for rejects. the best stuff won't even see the queue, as it's approved. Then all the rejects will likely be noticeably flawed.

[Arseen]

I personally don't see why they can't just be shared in the forums.

[IN MOST AUTHORITATIVE OVERSIGHT/COVER ADMIN VOICE:]
This is how it shall continue.
We WILL NOT host sub-par on the site.
If one wants their covers hosted on site the do the work and do great ones.

If great one can't be done due to lack of skill: Learn!!!
If the cause is lack of raws: Try to get them (buy or request) or do as good cover as you can and post it to the boards.
Cover gets lost in the boards: Post to correct topic and include games name in the post so it can be searched. Also good covers are saved by members and can easily repost them if asked.

I and few other members have tried the ranking system and result has always been the same: Whiny assholes crying that we don't accept shit as perfect covers.
If someone posts cover to the boards and asks feedback it will be given by someone.
If normal member comments on cover (good or bad review) and no Admin disagrees it means Admin agrees with said feedback.

[PX0]

So I have tried to contact tiktektak.
Unfortunately he is not responding to my messages (despite having been online numerous times). 

Do I really need an admin, who is able to speak german?
This makes things kinda difficult. Especially wiht the multi-language covers. Some of them have up to 6 different languages on the back. I don't suppose you have someone who is able to speak english, french, spanish, german, portugese and dutch?   

It would be nice, if we could find another solution.
If you have to check the language yourself, could you not take scans for comparison? This way anyone could check if the words look alike (without having to speak the language).

Or would posting them to the fourms be enough? I guess other people might say, if there are any major flaws in the text (or if I am hiding some secret messages in there)?
I could post my covers to the forums and upload them to the site a couple days later, if there are no complaints from the forum-users.

[Arseen]

We can check any language back texts.

And if all other things fail: Google translate for the win...

But posting covers to boards first is good idea for many reasons, so please do that.

Thank you.

[TDIRunner]

I don't want to speak for tiktektak, but you are almost certainly more likely to get better responses from sharing scans and covers on the forums for all members to see rather than sending PMs to one single member.  It's not that tiktektak won't respond.  It's that PMs are meant for discussion that should be private.  Questions about cover quality or translations don't need to be private. 

[PX0]

@TDIRunner

I don't think your comment makes a lot of sense...  

Another cover-admin referred me to tiktektak. I simply asked him to take a look at my covers and give me some feedback.
Then send another message a couple days later to ask if he had recieved the first one...

If he does not want to (or cannot) help me, or if he thinks PMs are not the right place for this ( ), he could have told me at least that much.

I don't know... I was simply a little bit disappointed not to get any response at all to either message... just silence...again...  


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Anyway I am sorry if this is annoying, but I kinda feel like I am still at square one.  

Yes, I got this stuff about "quality" in general. (Although I disagree with a lot that has been said here.)
You can check any language, good.

But then would someone be so kind to point out to me what specifically the problem is with my covers (->link to my forum-thread)!? Or what needs to be done for them to get approved?
Thank you.  

[Arseen]

Checked Links awakening.

Apart from your custom spine logo (or at least I assume it's yours as I don't recognise it) and assuming that there are no typos, I don't see anything that would prevent approval.

So unless others object I'll try to log in tomorrow or day after and start approviing the ones that are OK unless someone beats me to it.
I prefer your spine logos over the old ones so I'll approve them with them.
Those that want to use the old ones can swap them or ask for swap.

AS I DON'T SPEAK GERMAN, PLEASE RE-READ THEM CAREFULLY AND FIX ALL TYPOS.

[PX0]

Thank you, that sounds great. 

Yes, I will go over them once more and re-upload the covers to the site.