Archives:Manual of style

This is an instruction manual that addresses the conventions adopted by Bulbagarden archives in size, filetype, and other aspects of selecting, processing, and uploading images. Please read it before you contribute images to any Bulbagarden project. Note, however, that this document is not updated frequently; survey prevailing conventions as well as reading these guidelines.

This manual attempts to address all issues of style in an objective manner, though there are inevitably cases where issues of style are subjective. If there are any unresolved disputes over what best adheres to the style of Bulbagarden Archives, please contact the moderators.

Categories

• Images containing single characters or Pokémon should be organized into that character or Pokémon's group.
• Images containing small or medium groups of characters and/or Pokémon should be categorized into each character and/or Pokémon groups, excluding any which are very small or very obscured in the image.
• Images containing large groups of characters or Pokémon should be placed in the Large group artwork category. The image should also be added to the categories of any characters and/or Pokémon particularly prominent in the group.
• Images containing items should be added to the Item artwork category. As the category becomes full, this category may be divided into sub-categories as necessary.

Bulbapedia images

Stock artwork

• Stock artwork may be taken from other websites. Remember to credit the source website.
• Stock artwork should be saved as .jpg, except when the background is transparent, in which case .png is preferred.
• Avoid any alteration to stock artwork, except removing backgrounds or intrustive text and resizing.
• Stock artwork should be made by official sources. If no such artwork is available yet, artwork by non-official sources may be used with permission.

Sugimori artwork

• Generally, Sugimori artwork is preferred over other stock artwork. However, other artwork from official sources is still acceptable. If there is room for both images in the article, please include both, but if not, please use the Sugimori artwork. For reference, articles are most often organized to associate Sugimori artwork with game information and other artwork, unless connected to another form of canon, to anime information.

Sprites

• Game sprites may be taken from other websites. Remember to credit the source website.
• All sprites should be either .png or .gif images with either white or transparent backgrounds.
• Please avoid trimming sprites, and never scale sprites. Sprites should be kept true to their original size; for example, Pokémon and trainer battle sprites from the first two generations should be 56x56, battle sprites from the third generation should be 64x64, and battle sprites from the fourth generation should be 80x80.
• Sprites should be made by official sources. If no such sprites are available yet, sprtes by non-official sources may be used with permission.

Pokémon

• Sprites should be named as follows, as decided by the members of the Bulbapedia Project Pokédex:
  • Red/Green (J)
    • Spr_1g_###
  • Blue (J) & Red/Blue (E)
    • Spr_1b_###
  • Yellow
    • Spr_1y_###
  • Gen I back
    • Spr_b_g1_###
  • Gold
    • Spr_2g_###[_s]
  • Silver
    • Spr_2s_###[_s]
  • Crystal (anim)
    • Spr_2c_###[_s]
  • Gen II back
    • Spr_b_g2_###[_s]
  • Ruby/Sapphire
    • Spr_3r_###[_s]
  • FireRed/LeafGreen (1-151 + 216)
    • Spr_3f_###[_s]
  • Emerald (anim)
    • Spr_3e_###[_s]
  • Gen III back
    • Spr_b_g3_###[_s]
  • Diamond/Pearl
    • Spr_4d_###[_g][_s]
  • Platinum
    • Spr_4p_###[_g][_s]
  • HeartGold/SoulSilver
    • Spr_4h_###[_g][_s]
  • Gen IV back
    • spr_b_g4_###[_g][_s]
  • Black/White
    • Spr_5b_###[_g][_s]
  • Gen V back
    • spr_b_g5_###[_g][_s]
  • [_g] is gender for 4th+ gen sprites
  • [_s] is shiny for 2nd+ gen sprites
  • [_a] at the end (but before _s) for Unown's letter
  • [_weather] (sun/rain/hail) at the end (but before _s) for Castform's forms
  • [_forme] at the end (but before _s) for Deoxys's forme
  • [_type] at the end (but before _s) for Burmy/Wormadam's 2nd type
  • [_region] at the end (but before _s) for Shellos/Gastrodon's region
  • [_type] at the end (but before _s) for Arceus's type

Items

• Sprites should be named as follows:
  • Bag XXX Sprite.png
• Sizes should be 24x24

Menu sprites

• Sprites should be named as follows:
  • Non-animated menu sprites:
    • ###MS.png
  • Animated menu sprites:
    • Ani###MS.png

Overworld sprites

• Sprites should be named as follows:
  • Non-animated overworld sprites:
    • ###OD.png
  • Animated overworld sprites:
    • Ani###OD.png

Screenshots

• Screenshots made and provided by a Bulbapedia user are highly preferred over ones taken from other websites. If, however, no other screenshots are currently available, ones from other websites may be used until if and when a user-created or otherwise improved screenshot is provided. When using screenshots from other websites, remember to credit the source website.
• Screenshots should be saved as .png files.
• Screenshots made with any sort of screen capture device are preferred over screenshots taken with a camera. However, in the event that screen captures are not currently available, quality photos are acceptable replacements.
• Minimal alteration of screenshots are preferred. Any changes should attempt to preserve the original content and quality of the image. In the case of notably low-quality screenshots, however, alterations which increase the quality of the screenshot are acceptable.

Episode and movie screenshots

• If used in the articles for the episode or movie that the screenshot was derived from, avoid trimming the image. Screenshots for episodes should be 320x240, or failing that, in another 4:3 ratio. Screenshots for movies should be 426x240, or failing that, in another 16:9 ratio, assuming the movie is in widescreen format. If the screenshot is used in another article, such as a character profile, trimming is allowed to focus the image on the article's subject.
• Episode screenshots should be as informative about the episode as possible. The best screenshots focus on major characters, depict the plot or major events of the episode, and display the episode's animation quality. Screenshots with watermarks or text on them should particularly be avoided, as should screenshots that spoil the episode's most important event.

Game screenshots

• If used in the articles for the game that the screenshot was derived from, avoid trimming the image. Screenshots should be 320x240, or failing that, in another 4:3 ratio. If the screenshot is used in another article, such as a character profile, trimming is allowed to focus the image on the article's subject.

Scans

• Scans made and provided by a Bulbapedia user are highly preferred over ones taken from other websites. If, however, no other scans are currently available, ones from other websites may be used until if and when a user-created or otherwise improved scan is provided. When using scans from other websites, remember to credit the source website.
• Scans should be saved as .jpg files.
• Scans are preferred over photos taken with a camera. However, in the event that scans are not currently available, quality photos are acceptable replacements.
• Minimal alteration of scans are preferred. Any changes should attempt to preserve the original content and quality of the image. In the case of notably low-quality scans, however, alterations which increase the quality of the scan are acceptable.

Photos

• Photos made and provided by a Bulbapedia user are highly preferred over ones taken from other websites. If, however, no other photos are currently available, ones from other websites may be used until if and when a user-created or otherwise improved photo is provided. When using photos from other websites, remember to credit the source website.
• Photos should be saved as .jpg files.
• Minimal alteration of photos are preferred. Any changes should attempt to preserve the original content and quality of the image. In the case of notably low-quality photos, however, alterations which increase the quality of the photo are acceptable.

TFG photos

• Photos of TFG figures should be taken at either a front-on or 3/4ths view, depending on which best captures the form of the figure.
• Photos should be taken with a white background.

Animated images

• Images should only be animated if the animation is helpful and informative in some manner.
• Animation is preferred to be as small and non-obtrusive as possible.

Personal images

• Personal images are limited to two for each User. Personal images include personal logos, personal trainer sprites, drawings, trainer cards and mostly any image that would only be used in the User: namespace and have no encyclopedic value to Bulbagarden and its affiliates. Under no circumstance should a photograph of one's self ever be uploaded onto Bulbapedia Archives.