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VGCollect Site Stuff => Video Game Database Discussion => Topic started by: betelgeuse on March 08, 2015, 10:21:27 pm

Title: Adding game scans, Edits etc.
Post by: betelgeuse on March 08, 2015, 10:21:27 pm
I'm going to be adding photos, barcodes, edits etc. as time permits to my collection items here. I would like to get it right the first time.

When I do the disc scans, I prefer to scan the entire inside of the package with the disc on spindle. Some get approved and some don't. I do them this way to avoid finger prints on both my scanner and discs. I didn't see any tips in the style guide referring to disk or cart artwork (unless I missed it  ::) ).

Let me know what you think. I'll skip these edits on my end if only the disk/cart photo by itself is wanted.
Title: Re: Adding game scans, Edits etc.
Post by: desocietas on March 08, 2015, 10:43:01 pm
I'm going to be adding photos, barcodes, edits etc. as time permits to my collection items here. I would like to get it right the first time.

When I do the disc scans, I prefer to scan the entire inside of the package with the disc on spindle. Some get approved and some don't. I do them this way to avoid finger prints on both my scanner and discs. I didn't see any tips in the style guide referring to disk or cart artwork (unless I missed it  ::) ).

Let me know what you think. I'll skip these edits on my end if only the disk/cart photo by itself is wanted.

That's a good question.  I've taken pictures of my games in-case when I don't have a scanner available, and there is no cart art added yet.  Usually it's fine, but yes, maybe the admins have a pref.
Title: Re: Adding game scans, Edits etc.
Post by: pacpix on March 08, 2015, 11:24:14 pm
Taking pictures is fine if a scan is not available.  Before I had a scanner I would often use pictures from eBay auctions for obscure variants that were not online.  I rejected your edits of the disc scans as only the disc should be used in the photo.  After you scan the item if you just crop out the other half of the picture and leave only the disc picture then that would be fine. :)
Title: Re: Adding game scans, Edits etc.
Post by: foxhack on March 09, 2015, 12:44:53 am
I'm going to be adding photos, barcodes, edits etc. as time permits to my collection items here. I would like to get it right the first time.

When I do the disc scans, I prefer to scan the entire inside of the package with the disc on spindle. Some get approved and some don't. I do them this way to avoid finger prints on both my scanner and discs. I didn't see any tips in the style guide referring to disk or cart artwork (unless I missed it  ::) ).

Let me know what you think. I'll skip these edits on my end if only the disk/cart photo by itself is wanted.

Get a clear, slim CD jewel case, stick the disc in there, then scan that. The disc should be close enough to the scanner glass and it should be scanned correctly.

Scanning stuff from the full tray can sometimes result in blurry, out of focus scans since the disc isn't exactly on top of the glass; this is a problem on more modern CIS scanners (the ones that give off that irritating purplish light instead of the oldschool white light.)
Title: Re: Adding game scans, Edits etc.
Post by: betelgeuse on March 09, 2015, 09:45:39 pm
Sounds good I'll give these suggestions a try. Still getting familiar with the scanner I bought recently too. The scans have been coming out dimmer (not as vibrant) than they should be.
Title: Re: Adding game scans, Edits etc.
Post by: foxhack on March 10, 2015, 01:39:02 pm
Sounds good I'll give these suggestions a try. Still getting familiar with the scanner I bought recently too. The scans have been coming out dimmer (not as vibrant) than they should be.

That's another issue with the CIS scanners.

I usually have to adjust the contrast and brightness -after- scanning. If you use it, GIMP's white balance filter works perfectly in most cases; Photoshop's filters love to adjust the colors based on whatever color shows up the most in the image.
Title: Re: Adding game scans, Edits etc.
Post by: betelgeuse on March 20, 2015, 11:42:12 pm
Sounds good I'll give these suggestions a try. Still getting familiar with the scanner I bought recently too. The scans have been coming out dimmer (not as vibrant) than they should be.

That's another issue with the CIS scanners.

I usually have to adjust the contrast and brightness -after- scanning. If you use it, GIMP's white balance filter works perfectly in most cases; Photoshop's filters love to adjust the colors based on whatever color shows up the most in the image.

New to this. Downloaded GIMP, not seeing "white balance filter" anywhere. The scanner I bought is a CIS 1200 dpi max, so I'm running into these issues. Really don't want to submit crappy looking pictures, even if there aren't any.

Edit: Deleted Gimp and all the other programs that were attached to it (storm watch, pro pc cleaner, freshy, crime watch etc.). It really started slowing me down here.
Title: Re: Adding game scans, Edits etc.
Post by: foxhack on March 22, 2015, 04:34:09 pm
Edit: Deleted Gimp and all the other programs that were attached to it (storm watch, pro pc cleaner, freshy, crime watch etc.). It really started slowing me down here.

... uh, you downloaded a crapware-filled version of the program, then. GIMP is free and has no adware. If you didn't get it from the link below or an authorized mirror, someone probably added crap to it.

http://www.gimp.org/downloads/

Run a spy/malware scan on your machine just in case.
Title: Re: Adding game scans, Edits etc.
Post by: pacpix on March 22, 2015, 04:54:33 pm
While I am pretty careful when I install programs, I still use this program: http://unchecky.com/ as a backup.  Helps stop you from installing all of the extra crap you don't want.  And as Foxhack said make sure to run a malware scan.  I recommend Malwarebytes as they have a very strong policy against the type of programs that get bundled with software.