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IP discussion: thread reasons, policies, other stuff

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In an effort to keep the volume of threads in IP at a reasonable level, and to encourage creating threads that address genuine problems, we need to make some notes about when to request a thread and what constitutes valid reasons for a thread. These have been mentioned in some of the other IP procedure threads, but they're being listed here for quick reference.

    open/close all folders 

    Screening of new threads 
  • New IP threads don't require approval by the staff to be opened. Still, the staff can and will lock threads with improper reasoning and warn the troper if needed. Please take time to review the guidelines below and make sure your request is solid before submitting it.
  • A thread started within two weeks of the closing of a previous thread on the same page that doesn't have a concrete suggestion will be summarily closed.

    General notes 
  • Also refer to: About Images and Copyright, How to Pick a Good Image, and Images On Wiki Pages.
  • Going through IP for a page that doesn't have an image or an IP tag isn't obligatory, but it is strongly recommended. Otherwise, the image you put up may end up coming to the forum for work or replacement.
  • Pages that have gone through IP should have a commented-out tag showing the relevant thread(s) and any related information. Always check for these before adding a pic or requesting an IP thread for a page. If a page does have a tag, please note its information when you start a thread.
  • It's recommended to discuss image concerns and thread reasons in the threads that are pinned at the top of the forum before starting a new thread. They may be able to address the issue(s) without needing to start a dedicated thread.
  • Keep the quality criteria listed below in mind when making an image suggestion.
  • Work pages that don't have an image generally don't require an IP thread to upload one, but feel free to start a thread if you have multiple ideas.
  • Animated GIFs can't be uploaded as page pics, so don't bother trying. (The pic on Creepy Changing Painting is a bit of HTML magic and not a true GIF, in case you're wondering.)
  • In threads for specific pages, you may see people casting votes by referring to a post number and (if applicable) the number of the image in a given post. For example, "2" would refer to "the image in the second post", and "3.2" would refer to "the second image in post 3".
  • We try to operate on "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality, and we try not to change an image just for the sake of changing it. In reference to this, someone might call a suggestion a "lateral move". If the image on the page is not otherwise problematic, consider if your suggestion is a clear improvement before pitching it.
  • It usually takes 5-7 [tup] votes for a pic to be considered to have consensus in a thread; pics can be put up with less than this, but usually only at a moderator's discretion.
    In crowners:
    • An option has consensus if it has a minimum of a 2:1 vote ratio.
    • If a crowner ends with no options having consensus, the crowner and thread are considered to be failed and the thread will be closed unless there is significant ongoing discussion.
    • Crowners normally run for 5 days, but can go longer if more time is needed, and can be closed early for the following criteria:
      • At any point, if the leading option has a vote balance of 10 or more and no other options have consensus. This is considered "super-consensus".
      • After 3 days, if the leading option has a vote balance of at least 8 and no other options have consensus.
      • After 4 days, if the leading option is the only one that has consensus.
    • Crowners can only be made by moderators and engineers, usually after discussion has stalled for a few days. Crowners can be requested by regular users by compiling and linking options in a post and hollering for it to be made into a crowner.
    • Non-moderators can add crowner options to an ongoing crowner, but cannot edit options they didn't add, nor can they call or lock a crowner. If you add an entry to an ongoing crowner, please note this in the thread.

    IP thread reasons 

High-priority image issues

  • A pic has been changed or removed from a page for a reason that may not be valid, or no reason at all, especially if the pic was chosen by a previous IP thread. These changes can sometimes be simply reverted by a moderator without a need for further discussion.
  • Not Safe For Work (NSFW)
    • If you're unsure on whether a pic fits this or not, bring it up in the IP Discussion thread.
    • Classic works of art containing nudity, such as Michelangelo's David or Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, don't necessarily fall into this, but appropriateness for the page in question is the key factor, and SFW options should be considered whenever possible.
  • The image is a spoiler. The age and/or infamy of the work the image originates from may prevent this from being considered a valid issue.
  • Watermarking. A TV channel emblem on a screencap is a "bug", not a true watermark, and is permissible as long as it's not obtrusive.
  • Meme-based images are not permitted as page pics. The sole general exceptions are Image Macro (for obvious reasons) and a work's Memes page, where they should only be considered if there are no better options.Other exceptions 
  • A page has an image that is obviously from the wrong work / programming block / network / etc.
  • Copyright issues:
    • The pic implies TV Tropes is claiming the copyright.
    • The pic has been taken from a site that deals in copyrighted images or videos, especially if a watermark has been removed and/or the site is selling their content. Screencaps from videos from these sites are not permitted, either.
    • The image is the entirety of a product for sale, such as a t-shirt design.
    • Images from illegally obtained materials, such as leaks or camrips, are not allowed.
    • Using an entire work:
      • Basically, if it's copyrighted, we have to get permission to use it. This covers single-panel cartoons, photographs, entire comic strips and webcomics, and similar works. If permission is granted to use a work, it's always noted on the page in some fashion, usually in the caption and/or with the page tag. If an artist requests a specific way to display their connection to the pic, we'll do our best to honor it.
      • The creators of xkcd and Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal have given us carte blanche to use entire works as needed. Permission notices for such cases aren't required.
      • Entire cards from card-based games like Magic: The Gathering are impractical but can be used. Using the art from these cards is fine.
      • Any such work that's in the public domain is free to use.
    • Some creators do not want their work used outside their control at all, but fair use means that we are not legally bound to honor this for the wiki's purposes, aside from the aforementioned restrictions. We'll honor a take-down request, but it's up to them to send it. We're not obliged to chase them down and ask them what their policy is. Fair use also allows us to use excerpts of works without seeking permission. In this case, the minimum needed to get the trope across should be used.
    • Due to its dubious legality in regards of copyright, AI-generated artwork will not be allowed as options in IP discussions. See this Wiki Talk thread for reference on the decision.

General reasons

  • Multiple suggestions for a page without a pic. Single suggestions are currently being filtered through the Image Suggestion thread instead of getting their own threads right off the bat.
  • The current pic doesn't adequately demonstrate the trope. Examples of this include:
    • Just a Face and a Caption (JAFAAC)—the pic shows an example of the trope but relies on familiarity with its subject(s) to make the connection to the trope evident.
    • A pic that is nothing but text, or one where the text overwhelms the imagery. "May/Might as well be a page quote" is often used to describe this. There are exceptions (Spoof Aesop, for example), especially for dialogue-based tropes, but generally we want to have actual images as page pics with just enough text to support the expression of the trope.
  • Poor image quality. Graininess, motion blur, and compression artifacts are three of the most common problems. Before starting a thread for this reason, see if the Quality Upgrade thread can help find or create a nicer version of the image. Replacing images with a better-quality version is a free action, i.e. can be done without starting a thread.
If the size value in a pic's coding is larger than the actual size of the pic, it will stretch the pic to that width which will introduce artifacts. Check the image's properties before starting a thread; if this is the issue, a change to the coding will fix it.
The age of some works may make getting a truly high-quality image from them difficult. This will be taken into consideration when deciding on a pic.
  • The current pic is taken from a multi-panel work such as a comic strip or webcomic and uses more than half of the source material.
  • Fan-art on a work page instead of an image from the work itself.
  • The current pic is overly fanservicey, especially in the Creator/ namespace. In the case of Fanservice tropes, pics should be as low-key as possible while still getting the trope across.
  • Two trope pages have the same pic.
    • While it's preferred that they be separate, a trope page can have the same image as a work page or a character image from a Characters subpage. In these cases, a thread should have at least one replacement suggestion for either page.
    • Similarly, graphics can generally be reused among a work's subpages. Threads that address these will still be accepted, but should also have at least one replacement suggestion.
  • You believe you have a suggestion that better illustrates the trope than the current pic (by Image Pickin' standards, not "This is a cooler pic.")
  • A page marked as No Real Life Examples, Please! has a Real Life pic.Exceptions 
  • A YMMV or Audience Reaction page has a pic that is not In-Universe.Exceptions 
  • A page has an unusual image arrangement not chosen by an IP thread and you don't think it works well, e.g. having two images on a trope page or an image that's a janky collage. Some pages may have multiple pics for a reason, so check for an IP tag before starting a thread in this case.

Invalid reasons

  • Trying to solicit ideas for an image. IP has a cap of 60 threads and is usually at or near capacity on any given day, so space can't be allotted for threads whose only purpose is to brainstorm.
  • Not liking an image's art style, layout/design, or any Photoshopping or similar alterations that may have been made, provided they don't impact the pic's quality.
  • Claiming that a particular work is over-/under-represented. This can have some impact on deciding on a pic, but should never be the main gist of a thread.
  • Trying to argue that a pic you liked wasn't chosen in a previous thread, especially if it lost in a crowner, or trying to make an invalid argument that a pic doesn't work for a page even though it was chosen by a thread. Repeatedly doing this is considered griefing and is grounds for suspension from the workshop forums.
  • Some trope pages feature Visual Puns or other jokey pics rather than something that actually demonstrates the trope, usually because these pages have been very hard to find a better pic for.Example  Don't request a thread just because you don't like the joke; if you've got an actual example, that's fine. Also, see the "Don't change the pic" section on the page mentioned below.

    Special cases 
For a list of pages that have unique statuses, see Image Pickin' Special Cases

General cases:

  • Pages within the FanficRecs/, Fridge/, Haiku/, Headscratchers/, ImageLinks/, Laconic/, PlayingWith/, Quotes/, Trivia/, WMG/, and YMMV/ namespaces and disambiguations default to no pic; YMMV.Home Page and Headscratchers.Home Page are the only exceptions. Pages in the Analysis/ namespace default to BUPKIS status (meaning they won't have a pic unless a really good one is found; see Image Pickin' Special Cases for more details)
  • Due to their exceptional subjectivity and persistent problems with images being poor quality and/or not illustrative, Moments pages (Awesome/, Funny/, Heartwarming/, NightmareFuel/, Shocking/, TearJerker/) are limited to one image.
  • Pages for unreleased works shall keep the first image that is uploaded to the page when it's created, with further pre-release images relegated to an Image Links page. Once the work is released, a thread may be created to decide which image is to be officially used on the page. See this Wiki Talk thread for details. Note that the first image may still be removed if it falls afoul of any of the aforementioned guidelines.

    Image Pickin' flowchart 

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ip_flowchartdrawio_8_transformed.png

Text version:

Is the page on Image Pickin' Special Cases?

  • If yes, start a thread.
  • If no, does it already have an image?

Edited by Willbyr on Jan 20th 2024 at 9:11:31 AM

rjd1922 he/him | Image Pickin' regular from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
he/him | Image Pickin' regular
#2101: Aug 7th 2018 at 5:33:59 PM

[up] The "McLOVIN" name is the part that illustrates the trope. Not pure JAFAAC but not very good either. Wait to make a thread on it.

Keet cleanup
Berrenta How sweet it is from Texas Since: Apr, 2015 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
How sweet it is
#2102: Aug 9th 2018 at 9:56:56 AM

Funny.Super Smash Bros Ultimate had its image changed without discussion. Culprit already messaged. Thinking of changing it back, but the new image does also work... Thoughts?

Original pic 

Note: In addition, some subpages of that work have multiple images (Nightmare Fuel, for example), with the other images in the folders. We'll probably need to wait on when the IP forum opens up to new threads before we decide what can be kept.

she/her | TRS needs your help! | Contributor of Trope Report
rjd1922 he/him | Image Pickin' regular from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
he/him | Image Pickin' regular
#2103: Aug 12th 2018 at 8:22:09 AM

I removed the image I added to KnightOfCerebus.Video Games since it was pointed out that it's not an example.

Keet cleanup
rjd1922 he/him | Image Pickin' regular from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
he/him | Image Pickin' regular
#2104: Aug 12th 2018 at 4:34:54 PM

In the pinned thread, both YKTTW Bump and TLP Bump need to be changed to TLP Bump. Also, four users including myself agreed to move Little Miss Snarker from the "no pic" list to the BUPKIS list, and two more didn't even think it deserved BUPKIS.

Edited by rjd1922 on Aug 13th 2018 at 11:58:15 AM

Keet cleanup
LB7979 from the Netherlands Since: Apr, 2016 Relationship Status: Complex: I'm real, they are imaginary
#2105: Aug 13th 2018 at 2:24:55 AM

On Characters.Up, the image for the Ellie Fredricksen character is very bad quality. Proposals for an upgrade (I'm most partial to the 2nd, but since the main character is old throughout most of the movie maybe it would make more sense to show her as her older self?):

1.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ellie_old_263.jpg

2.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ellie_young_350.jpg

(If this needs an official new thread I can start one, but wanted to quickly ask here first)

Edited by LB7979 on Aug 13th 2018 at 11:27:42 AM

Willbyr Hi (Y2K) Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
Hi
#2106: Aug 13th 2018 at 3:25:21 AM

[up] I'd go with the first one, to stay consistent with Karl.

Edited by Willbyr on Aug 13th 2018 at 5:27:13 AM

TheUnsquished Filthy casual from Southern Limey Land (Life not ruined yet) Relationship Status: Married to the job
Filthy casual
Primis Since: Nov, 2010
#2108: Aug 13th 2018 at 9:45:36 AM

Is there any set rule or even a strong preference that individual work pages for a series should have consistent images (i.e. Every page for the series should use its respective box art)?

Synchronicity (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#2110: Aug 15th 2018 at 1:15:17 AM

I am currently looking at the Image Pickin' forum page and there are so many stickied threads that the actual discussions need to be scrolled down to. Is there a way to reduce the number?

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Primis Since: Nov, 2010
#2111: Aug 15th 2018 at 12:00:49 PM

[up][up] Okay, thanks.

Would swapping out this image on NiGHTS into Dreams… with this version count as a quality upgrade? It's technically the same image, just minus all the company logos. I think it would look better.

Edited by Primis on Aug 15th 2018 at 6:18:17 AM

Piterpicher Veteran Editor IV from Poland, for real (Series 2) Relationship Status: Armed with the Power of Love
Veteran Editor IV
#2112: Aug 15th 2018 at 12:34:30 PM

[up][up]I'm not really sure if we need this sticky thread anymore… It was meant to be a thread used to provide replacement suggestions for Images Without a Source that are from actual works or are made in graphic programs by ourselves. But it's pretty stalled now, and I don't know if it will start going on again.

Currently mostly inactive. An incremental game I tested: https://galaxy.click/play/176 (Gods of Incremental)
Karxrida The Unknown from Eureka, the Forbidden Land Since: May, 2012 Relationship Status: I LOVE THIS DOCTOR!
The Unknown
#2113: Aug 15th 2018 at 2:01:42 PM

Characters.Super Smash Bros Melee might need a quality upgrade. A bigger version would also be nice.

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody remembers it, who else will you have ice cream with?
rjd1922 he/him | Image Pickin' regular from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
he/him | Image Pickin' regular
#2114: Aug 15th 2018 at 5:11:33 PM

Primus, I think that would be OK, but it should probably include the game's logo.

Keet cleanup
Primis Since: Nov, 2010
#2115: Aug 15th 2018 at 5:53:06 PM

[up] Like this?

[up][up] I can't seem find any high-quality pictures of that, and even if I did, scaling it down to 350px would probably just wind up the same level of quality. I could try making a collage of those characters, like the page image for Doctor Who.

Edited by Primis on Aug 15th 2018 at 6:14:36 AM

Karxrida The Unknown from Eureka, the Forbidden Land Since: May, 2012 Relationship Status: I LOVE THIS DOCTOR!
The Unknown
#2116: Aug 15th 2018 at 6:51:34 PM

A collage wouldn't be consistent with the other playable character pages.

Somebody would probably have to get a better rip by themselves somehow.

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody remembers it, who else will you have ice cream with?
rjd1922 he/him | Image Pickin' regular from the United States Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Love is for the living, Sal
he/him | Image Pickin' regular
#2117: Aug 15th 2018 at 8:41:44 PM

[up][up] I uploaded the 360 arcade "box" art.

I also swapped out Ellie's picture with the first suggestion.

Edited by rjd1922 on Aug 15th 2018 at 10:43:40 AM

Keet cleanup
Primis Since: Nov, 2010
#2118: Aug 15th 2018 at 10:46:00 PM

[up] I still prefer the logo-less version, but that's a good compromise. [tup]

Willbyr Hi (Y2K) Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
Hi
#2119: Aug 19th 2018 at 3:20:05 AM

Going back to ~Septimus Heap's question: Of the pinned threads, the ones that it's probably safe to lose are the "oversized pics" thread (we still need to cull such pics out but with the site overhaul they're not going to cause as much of an issue anymore), the "pics awaiting permission" thread (the issues that one was started to ease have been taken care of), and the "images without a source" thread (that discussion can probably be rolled into this thread). The "no new threads" thread will eventually be removed when the backlog of requests is caught up, although as slowly as this first batch is being processed, that could take a while.

Thoughts?

Edited by Willbyr on Aug 19th 2018 at 5:22:59 AM

SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#2120: Aug 19th 2018 at 3:28:57 AM

(Just for reference, the auto-PM markup only works if it's in the post from the get-go, not if you edit it in afterwards)

Personally, I think that only "IP discussion: thread reasons, policies, other stuff" should stay stickied. As for the others:

  • "Image Suggestion Thread (new crowner 18 June 2018)" is pretty active (and for the time being broken) and can probably be left floating.
  • "Image source needed" I'd send this to Long Term Projects.
  • "PLEASE DO NOT MAKE ANY NEW THREADS FOR THE TIME BEING!!!" is going to go away once the bug is solved, but it really effective?
  • "General Caption Repair Thread" can probably also be left floating. Or punted into Long Term Projects.
  • "Pages with oversized pics" and "Pics awaiting permission" can probably be canned.
  • "Needs Help: Administrivia.Images Without A Source" is this still an active effort.

Keep in mind that I generally prefer to have as few pinned threads as possible, so I am probably more aggressive than folks at trimming them.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Willbyr Hi (Y2K) Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
Hi
#2121: Aug 19th 2018 at 3:38:59 AM

[up] I'm tentatively okay with moving the image source and caption repair threads to Long Term Projects, although I'd prefer to keep the latter here since caption work is so integral to the IP process. The "images without a source" thread could possibly be moved to Long Term Projects as well, or simply closed if it's not needed anymore. As to the "no new threads" thread, it hasn't proved to be very effective, so on one hand I'm kinda okay with closing it, but at the same time it not being there could give the impression that there's a green light to start making new threads which isn't the case at all...kinda stuck either way on that one.

Karxrida The Unknown from Eureka, the Forbidden Land Since: May, 2012 Relationship Status: I LOVE THIS DOCTOR!
The Unknown
#2122: Aug 19th 2018 at 6:20:40 PM

The image for VideoGame.Super Smash Bros has been changed again by ~Unknownlight. Already sent a message to the culprit.

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody remembers it, who else will you have ice cream with?
eroock Since: Sep, 2012
#2123: Aug 19th 2018 at 6:35:00 PM

I am all for making all sticky threads unsticky apart from the IP discussion thread. [tup]

Karxrida The Unknown from Eureka, the Forbidden Land Since: May, 2012 Relationship Status: I LOVE THIS DOCTOR!
The Unknown
#2124: Aug 19th 2018 at 6:46:50 PM

Oh yeah that. I'm also good with it.

If a tree falls in the forest and nobody remembers it, who else will you have ice cream with?
TheUnsquished Filthy casual from Southern Limey Land (Life not ruined yet) Relationship Status: Married to the job
Filthy casual
#2125: Aug 19th 2018 at 10:30:43 PM

[up][up]I can go with that.

Edited by TheUnsquished on Aug 19th 2018 at 6:33:15 PM

(Annoyed grunt)

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