Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Newsletter/20130703/Feature

Feature: Featured Pictures and why the project should focus on obtaining more

Submitted by GamerPro64

A photo of video game designer Robin Hunicke is one of the project's few Featured Pictures and the only one involving a person.

A screenshot of the game Incredipede is one of two screenshots that has obtained Featured status.

In the four years (hitting five this July) that I've been part of Video Game WikiProject, I have seen plenty of milestones. One example is seeing the project go past 500 Good Articles (including ones that are also A-class). I have also seen a couple articles related to this project used as Featured Content. Right now we stand at 158 Featured Articles and 56 Featured Lists. We also have seven Featured Topics under our belt. Yet, even though we are one of the largest WikiProjects on Wikipedia, there is one thing that we tend to overlook: Featured Pictures.

What exactly are Featured Pictures? According to the main page for FPs, they are "images that the Wikipedia community finds beautiful, stunning, impressive, or informative." As of this writing there are 3,472 images at Featured Status. They include, among others, famous paintings, old maps, iconic photos, and cheese. And of these pictures, only six are video game related (seven if you add the debatable File:Personal computer, exploded 5.svg.)

For more insight on video game-related FPs, I turned to User:Crisco 1492 to get some details on the process:

“ Recently, users such as Sven Manguard have been negotiating OTRS releases for screenshots (and even trailers) from indie video game companies; they recognise that file donations benefit not just us, but them in the long run. Evan Amos has likewise done a fantastic job taking pictures of game consoles (as I'm sure many members of the project already know), and if I'm not mistaken every last mainstream game console article has at least one image by him. At least two screenshots and two console pictures are already featured, and I'm sure there are more on the way. However, other aspects related to gaming are poorly developed; what about diagrams illustrating concepts such as aggro, for instance? That is an area which certainly has room for development, and which project members may be able to provide spectacular results through the creation of SVG diagrams and GIF or OGG videos; we had File:Circlestrafing animation.gif, and it's still quite useful, but it was ultimately removed. Video game editors should remember that the concepts behind the games themselves may prove more difficult to understand for lay readers than the games themselves. ”

As of 2011, there has developed an interest in getting images to FP status in the project. In fact, the oldest for the images that got promoted is of former thatgamecompany producer Robin Hunicke (image top right). What Crisco says is right on the money when it comes to screenshots and trailers. But what would be ever more helpful is getting images of video game developers to better show off the faces behind beloved franchises.

If you the reader would like to get involved with getting video game-related pictures to Featured status, please read the Featured picture criteria to get an understanding on what would be able to qualify for the status.