User:343TheGuiltyProphet/Sandbox

is capable of hosting images for the use on article pages and user pages. To allow for smooth operation of the site, prevent offence of readers, and to allow for easy tracking of images, this policy has been put in place to guide uses on uploading and usage of images on the site.

Uploading an Image
Before you upload an image, you need to question whether it's actually necessary to upload the image! Images should only be uploaded to Halo Nation when they are going to be used on one of the following spaces:


 * 1) Articles
 * 2) Userpage
 * 3) Talkpage
 * 4) Blogs
 * 5) Templates
 * 6) MediaWiki Pages
 * 7) Categories (On rare occasions)

If the image is not going to be used on one of the above spaces, then please use an independent image hosting site, an example being tinypic. Images which are uploaded that are not to be used on the site itself will be deleted -  is not an image hosting site!.

Image Quality
All images should be of the highest quality possible - users should avoid images which are pixelated, contain watermarks, or are under 300x300px. Image renders are preferable over non-rendered images when the image is of an object or character.

Here is an example of Sarah Palmer from Halo 4 and which images are and are not acceptable qualities for upload:

Uploading
Uploading images can be done at the Upload file page. A walk-through on the use of this page can be found at the Image help section.

The most preferred file extensions are .PNG for images with transparent backgrounds, high quality .JPEG for all other images, or .SVG when applicable.

Duplicate Images
When uploading an image, you should make sure you are not uploading a duplicate. If the image already exists but is of a lower quality, then use the "Upload a new version of this file" feature found under an image's "File History" section on its file page, this will improve the image that is currently being used on the wiki.

There should be no excuse for not adhering to this request as the Wiki automatically warns individuals of when they are uploading a duplicate image, and therefore users are not left unaware of their actions. Duplicate images, regardless of quality, are at risk of being deleted by an admin.

Image Names
If you have decided that the image is necessary for upload, and that the image is not a duplicate, then you will need to appropriately name the image - it goes without saying that image names should not be rude or vulgar, any images which are named as such will be deleted and the uploader warned or punished, depending on severity.

Descriptive Names
Image names should be as descriptive and short as possible. An example of this can be seen in this image of a ghost as it appears in Halo: Combat Evolved:



The file was named "Ghost_HCE.png", describing that the image is of a Ghost from Halo: Combat Evolved. As the image is a render it could be made more descriptive by naming the file "Ghost_HCE_Render.png" - however this is not a necessity. File names such as "ghir8heoi.png" or "USERNAME_390.png" are not acceptable, and are at risk of deletion.

User Images
If a file is not going to be used on an article or template, and is planned for use on a personal userspace, then the image must be uploaded with the following prefix: "USER_". An example of this can be seen with a user's Halo: Reach player model which will be used on that users profile page:



The image was previously named "T3CHNOCIDE-Image.png" but has now been renamed to "USER_T3CHNOCIDE-Image.png". This allows for user images to be tracked by administrator bots, helping to prevent accidental deletion when any image maintenance is performed.

Leaked Images
Images of leaked content will be removed immediately, and the users banned. does not condone illegal activity, and support the secrecy of game releases to help uphold the integrity of the wiki. Users who upload leaked images are at risk of being reported to Microsoft!

Not Following Guidelines
Images which do not follow these guidelines are at risk of being deleted and the uploader warned. Multiple offences can lead to an exclusion for the wiki. The criteria for upload may seem small, however they will help to ensure that Halo Nation achieves the best results; and remember, when in doubt, ask an Admin.