Now you're probably thinking "We already have a screenshot thread, what's the point of this one?". Both myself and Sethos have been working with this idea for quite some time and feel we need a branching out from the High-res thread, to suit a more specific purpose. This thread is going to be a dedicated 'High Quality' thread where there's a no holds barred attitude for achieving the highest image quality possible in-game. We're talking about downsampling, lots of anti-aliasing, Nvidia Inspector bits, the whole nine yards. We have no interest in frame-rate or what's deemed playable, this is just about a feast for the eyes, nothing else.
In a time where the tools needed for reaching "bullshot" levels of image quality is ready at hand to the average pc-gamer, we feel like it would be nice with a dedicated thread for people who enjoy dabbling in that. This is the thread for people who start up games at extreme settings for the sole purpose of taking screenshots of games, to find those amazing areas that aren't just the mandatory 5 set-pieces from the games, it's about taking pictures of a toilet stall and be in awe at the quality, how the reflection falls and how clean the image is. With that said, we still encourage 'normal game shots' with the rule of clean IQ and striving towards removing the HUD.
This thread isn't meant to replace the regular High-Res as much as it's supposed to complement it, it's meant to form a symbiotic relationship where the focus of this thread is purely based on visuals derived from, more often than not, totally unplayable circumstances. Unless explicitly mentioned you can probably take for granted that the ingame settings are all cranked to their max.
To make it perfectly clear however, we look for the beauty in all games, new and old. So it doesn't have to be the prettiest games released in the last year. That's one of the great benefits of pc-gaming, the scalability and moddability of games, use it, show it.
So make sure you read the rules please, understand them and if something isn't clear feel free to PM me or Sethos.
Welcome to the bullshot thread.
- Format: 1920 pixel width, set in stone. Now whether you use a 16:9, 16:10 or 2.35:1 aspect ratio is up to you but we want the width to remain the same throughout all pictures. You can also link to the original non-resized picture if you feel like it.
- Quality: The thread is meant for high-quality shots, downsampled, LOTS of AA or what you deem required to make a clean image. So no compression, no lossy formats of any kind or 'blurry' AA-methods ( e.g FXAA : unless the given AA solution cannot be turned off or circumvented ). It's all about making the game look as beautiful as it gets before your pc crashes. As mentioned earlier, performance is a non-issue.
- No HUD: As we're here to behold the beauty of games, we require HUD-less screenshots or screenshots with minimal on-screen effects outside the game itself. Some games feature non-intrusive minimal HUDs which we also allow, however you should still strive to remove even that if possible.
- Limits: 1 Screenshot per post and NO consecutive posts. In other words cherry pick your shots AND game carefully and wait until others have had their turn. This is not the thread where you quickly dump your picture folder and the second someone posts, you are ready with a new one. Just settle down, find that magical screenshot and then share it with the people. And please don't just post pictures from a single game, try to change it up, which leads us to...
- Variation: Variety is the spice of life, this isn't a thread where flavor-of-the-month games is to be dumped. This is the thread where we look across the entire spectrum, try to find amazing quality in every game. So just because a game is new doesn't mean we need 3 pages of it. If you see one game being posted often, be creative and find something new. If you see a certain scene that has already been posted in a slight variation of yours? Don't post it.
- Include Information: Every post is to be labelled with the details of shot; that's the name of the game, resolution and any IQ enchancing effects ( Type of AA, how much, nvidia inspector bits, how the image is resized etc. ) also which mods have been used. Use the 'title' box to fill out any info that is pertinent, as much as you can possibly fit that is. While it might be annoying to fill out info every time you post a screen the information at hand will help others taking high quality 'bullshots' of their own. This goes for general SweetFX settings as well.
- Mods: Mods that enhance the look of the game are allowed, high-resolution textures, high-resolution characters etc.
- Injectors: ENBs and SweetFX are allowed with moderation. Feel free to use them but refrain from going overboard with sharpening, blurring and redundant color tweaking making the image resemble something that has been slapped with a bizarre photoshop filter.
- Emulators: Are not allowed, as we feel the majority of emulator shots end up going against the grain of the thread.
- Spoilers: Do not spoil a newly released games! This doesn't just refer to "that one twist in the end of the game" rather think of it as a grace period, let people be at least a couple of days LTTP before showing every nook and cranny of the game.
- Composition: With all said and done, the thread is still a game screenshot thread. There's no requirement of being a professional photographer and down-to-earth shots are what we want. HOWEVER, the entire point of the thread is to bring the best out in the games. We don't want to see a shot where 80% of the textures are 12x12 resolution stretches, some close up of a paper cutouts face or a bunch of cryptic garble.
Downsampling for Nvidia
Downsampling for AMD
2013 High-res thread
Have hardware/performance questions? The 'I need a PC thread'
The NeoGAF Screenshotter's Compendium Thread
To increase the incentive for members to post some high-quality shots, we decided to make a little monthly competition: Screenshot of the month.
At the end of every month, Sethos and me put our heads together and we pick a screenshot posted in the thread over the last month, which then gets posted underneath and stays there until the next winner is picked.