Gaiapedia:Policy/Image Guide

Changes to these policies should be proposed and discussed on the talk page.

=About Images=

Images on this wikia are used for illustration purposes, to depict what is often hard to describe in words. Any other uses of the images, on Wikia or elsewhere, might be copyright infringement. GAIA ONLINE and all related titles, logos, images and characters are ™ and © of AniHQ, GAIA Interactive Inc, Studio XD. 2003–2024. All Rights Reserved. Original Presentation 2003–2024 Gaia Interactive, Inc. Other related images presented on Gaia Online for temporary purposes such as titles, logos, images and characters are trademark and copyright of their respective owners.

Images here are on the English-language Gaiapedia, hosted on servers in the United States by Wikia.

If you are the copyright holder of this image and you feel that its use here does not fall under "fair use," please contact one of the Administrators.

Licenses
All images must have the appropriate license tag placed onto their description page. This tag can easily be selected from the drop down box so there is no excuse for not adding the tag. Images uploaded without the proper tags may be deleted and users who repeat these actions will be warned and possibly blocked.

Information
The most restrictive tag that describes an image should be selected from the drop down box and used to license the image.

Generally when an image comes from Gaia Online you use the Images website Gaia Online tag from the drop down box under (Gaia Fair-Use > Other Gaia Fair-Use) so that the image will fall under US fair-use law and Canada's fair-dealing laws. But when the images is something like a Item, NPC, or Ball Image, the appropriate tag should be grabbed from the drop down box.

Under other circumstances, most images not from Gaia use the General Fair Use tag.

Generally you can find the best tag by finding the category of the image under the sections, then picking the first descriptive tag because the less descriptive ones are listed at the bottom of the sections.

Image Quality

 * Format - There are several file extensions that can be uploaded to Wikis, with the most common being .JPG, .PNG, and .GIF


 * Size - When it comes to the size ratio of scanned work, please attempt to downsize ridiculously large images over 1000x1000. Remember, large images can cause loading issues for others.

Personal Images
Personal images such as Photos, Avatar images, Avi Art, Sketches, etc... are not allowed to be uploaded to The Gaiapedia. This rule is in place because The Gaiapedia is a place for documentation, not personal Image Storage or User listing and uploading images fills up ours, or our host's webspace with things that don't belong on the Wiki and in most cases pose potential copyright issues.

See the section on external linking and the Userpage Policy.

General

 * Do not use the Wikia as an image host-!!
 * • Personal pictures unrelated to the intent of this wiki or will be of no use, must be hosted to an image hosting site such as Photobucket, Tinypic, or Imageshack . If you require help on how to embed hot linked images then please contact the administrator or use the code provided.
 * • So, the various pictures of yourself or a representation of yourself can be linked from a real image host, not uploaded to here. But remember your linked image must adhere to the rules, so no images that violate the policy based on content.
 * • The only exception is if you intend to upload an image for use of the default infobox.
 * • Please understand, this wiki prefers on topic media rather than uploads done at random for User page decoration.
 * • See Policy/External Embedding


 * Do not upload spam images.
 * • Do not upload indiscriminate images or manipulated images. If they serve no purpose to the wiki then they will be deleted.
 * • Do not upload your personal fanart or graphics unless it has significant purpose to the wiki and its current articles that is the exception.
 * • Do not upload the fanart or photos of another for unsuitable purposes.
 * • Do not upload various screen caps or images of zOMG! or Monster Galaxy, each of these have their own respective wikis: zOMG! wiki and Monster Galaxy wiki. There are exception! When it is necessary for event articles, reported updates, and to illustrate what is often hard to describe in words.
 * • Do not upload pornographic materials. This goes against Wikia 'Term of Use' and is just outright inappropriate.


 * Please give uploaded images suitable names. These titles are common with new wiki contributors and due to it being common it will cause an uploading conflict, they will be renamed if discovered.
 * • Uploads with titles such as these are unacceptable. ofhgkdhgvk33tr35634vnih., 1234567890., thisismyimageblah., image., untitled., 1.png  and so on.

How to title your image upload

 * How to title images for specific articles. Images with the intention of being used for specific pages should receive appropriate names to the subject it relates to. Try to avoid uploading an image under its default file name/numbers, unless the original file name benefits the purpose of the image. Don't worry if you do, as the file name can be easily changed. For example NPC images from shops and Chance Items, as they are already properly titled.

You can use the Summary box to add Image Location links. The addition of these links isn't necessary but appreciated for special images that could be lost due to them being temporarily present during a Gaia Event.


 * Character Artwork


 * • npc_Name of NPC.
 * • npc_Name of NPC_2k*.

Character Avatar
 * • avatar_Name of NPC.
 * • avatar_Name of NPC_2k*.
 * • avatar_Name of NPC-Subject of avatar. (example, events they were in)


 * Storyline Manga / Mini Comics
 * • Manga number _p number
 * • Result - Manga01 p1.jpg (Manga number 1 _ page number 1)
 * • MiniComic_Title of Comic.

Storyline Manga / Mini Comics - isolated edit
 * • Manga number _p number -Subject of image
 * • Result - Manga01 p1-Ian.jpg (Manga number 1 _ page number 1 - Ian)
 * • MiniComic_Title of Comic-Subject of image


 * Events
 * These starter files must be placed before the image name. An alternate title to use would be the name of the current event.


 * • Vday2k*_
 * • Easter2k*_
 * • AprilFools2k*
 * • Prom2k*_
 * • Summer2k*_
 * • Olympics2k*_
 * • H2k*_
 * • Xmas2k*_
 * • Ganniv2k*_
 * • Gannu2k*_

Miscellaneous Events


 * Notice, on some occasions Gaia will have a mini event, these are usually just for community activity purposes and rarely have impact on the storyline. Such an event is Saint Patrick's Day.
 * • 2k*_
 * • StPD2k*_
 * • Spring2k*_
 * • Autumn2k*_
 * • Winter2k*_


 * Items

Chance Item images
 * • ci_announcebanner_Name of Chance Item.
 * • ci_announcepromo_Name of Chance Item.
 * • ci_icon_Name of Chance Item (done abbreviated)
 * • Result - Ci_icon_FoEg. (Fortune Egg)
 * • ci_gif_Name of Chance Item_Subject of Gif.gif
 * • ci_header_Name of Chance Item.
 * • ci_promotop_Name of Chance Item.
 * • ci_promomiddle_Name of Chance Item.
 * • ci_promobottom_Name of Chance Item.

Chance Item artwork
 * • Name of Chance Item_Original file name.
 * • Result - FortuneEgg_choose.jpg It is important that the original file name is kept

Evolving Item images
 * • eir_banner_month date 2k*.
 * • eir_promo_month date 2k*_Name of Evolving item(s).
 * • ei_icon_Name of Evolving item.
 * • Result - Ei_icon_Fausto'sBottle.
 * • eir_art_month date 2k*_Name of Evolving item(s).
 * • ei_stage_Name of Evolving item- stage number.

Monthly Collectibles images
 * • mc_banner_month date 2k*.
 * • mc_promo_month date 2k*_Name of Monthly Collectible items.
 * • month year-Name of MC.
 * • Result - 0603-AngelicHalo.
 * • mc_art_month date 2k*.
 * • mc_poses_month date 2k*_Name of Monthly Collectible items.


 * Notice, that updating of shop announcements and articles is on delay. As the wiki is still unorganized. Also notice that sometimes when Cash Shop and Gold Shop are updated at the same time, the items will be within the same promo. Tagging the promo as "gs (gold shop)" is acceptable or an alternate of "gscs_promo_Name of item_month date 2k*."

Cash Shop items
 * • cs_banner_month date 2k*.
 * • cs_promo_month date 2k*_Name of Set.
 * • cs_announcebanner_. (non-bundle banners, rarely used)

Gold Shop items
 * • gs_banner_month date 2k*.
 * • gs_promo_month date 2k*_Name of Set.


 * Other features

Gaia Games & Features
 * • game_Name of Game. (titling of game_ images is optional)
 * • ft_Name of Feature.

Virtual Spaces (aka Hangouts)
 * • vs_Name of Virtual Space
 * • vs_gaiatown_.
 * • vs_gaiarally_.

Gaia Achievements
 * • GA_Name of Achievement.


 * Other

Gaia Contests
 * • contest_banner_month date 2k*_Name of Contest.
 * • contest_promo_month date 2k*_Name of Contest.
 * • contest_winner_month date 2k*_Name of Contest.
 * • contest_Name of Contest_Subject of Image.

Gaia Merchandise
 * • gstore_Name of Merchandise


 * Sponsorships


 * Notice, that updating of sponsors images and articles is on delay. As the wiki is still unorganized. Also there is a new method of keeping track of sponsors, they will no longer have their own articles unless they had a significant role on Gaia Online or had longevity.
 * • sponsoravatar_Name of NPC.
 * • sponsorbanner_Name of Sponsor.
 * • sponsortheater_Name of Sponsor.
 * • vs_sponsor_Name of Sponsor.

About uploading your avatar
As previously stated above, it is recommended that personal images be uploaded to a real image host, that would include your Avatar or any other image that will be of no use to an actual article. However, if you intend to upload an Avatar, it must be...
 * • 1) Your Avatar and from Gaia Online, no other sites
 * • 2) The image should be titled 9-GaianAvatar_Your User name.
 * • 3) The license Images misc 9-GaianAvatar must be used
 * • 4) No more than ONE avatar at any given time, anymore than it must be linked else where or a previous uploads will be deleted


 * Notice, this may seem like a strict rule, but understand that this particular wiki prefers official images in relation to Gaia Online rather than be bombarded with thousands of Avatar and random images that will be of no use to the wiki. This site is an encyclopedia for information, it is not Gaia Online itself.

There are alternatives if you feel as if you must have your Avatar or various images on a Wiki, you can do the following...
 * • Create your own Wiki
 * • Gaia Online Profiles Wiki
 * • crosslink your template or profile to Gaiapedia