Get your cameras out! Faceplate Database Assistance Program

[SpaceGhost2K]

Hi there. :}

Kamshaft and FragMasterB just about have the data entry part of the Database completed. While they continue working on the visual interface and "searching" aspect of the database, I will be populating it. That means putting the data into it.

I have over 150 pictures of faceplates in a folder on my desktop, and there are very few of them that are the quality I was hoping for for the database. Please don't take this as me just not being happy with your efforts. I'm including myself in this, too. I want to have the nicest pictures we can get, and there are very few where I would say that applies.

Here are some of the issues I'm seeing with the pictures I have:



Perspective. One of these was taken from the side so that the other side of the plate can't be seen. I did that one. The other one was taken from the bottom so that the top is shrunk. Makes a nice picture of the character end of the plate, but the plate doesn't look like it's shaped properly.



Fingerprints. Also background. If it's dark and glossy, the fingerprints need to be wiped off. Plates also need to be on a background that is complementary. Light plates should have a dark background, dark plates should have a light background, and "busy" plates with a lot of detail or bright colors should be on a neutral background, like gray or tan. Kamshaft suggested that I go get some Bristol Boards 'cause they're cheap.



Flash. This plate is rotated a bit, which can be fixed, but it was taken directly above or in front of the plate so it's the same size at both ends. The issues this pic has is that the flash is fading out the picture, plus it's bouncing off the shiny, uneven background.



Lighting and focus. This plate looks like it was photographed without enough light, washing the colors out and making it look like it is out of focus.

Next post, some plates that work.

[SpaceGhost2K]

The only thing I would change about any of these is that I'd put the Gears plate on a light background. They're all square, nice and sharp, plenty of light with little to no glare. There's a little glare on the K-OS plate but barely. It's a lot easier to accept something like that when the plate is a one of a kind than something like the Gears plate where there are 500 of them out there.

I will be retaking - with care - a lot of my own plates. I know a lot of you have handsome collections, and probably pretty nice cameras too in some cases. If that's you, I humbly ask you to help me "kick it up a notch" with the quality of pictures.

Also, this data entry is going to take a while. I have a list of 100 plates without really even having to stop and think about them. There's easily 100 more and that still wouldn't get them all. I guess what I'm saying is that I can't do it all, so anything you can help me with is greatly appreciated. Having said that, one extra step that I would like to request from you is that all of the pictures you submit be 800 pixels long. They can be any width less than 800, but the longest side has to be right at 800.

I know this is a lot of work, but there's a lot of work on our end, too, that isn't so easily seen.

Below this, I'll make a post of some of the plates that I need pictures of. TO begin with, I'm looking for "loose" photos of every faceplate, that will be what we call "the money shot" of the plate. No packaging to get in the way so it can be seen as well as it can be seen. Once that is done, THEN we'll go back and look for pictures of packaged plates, as well as additional pictures for variations in plates like the orange swirl, variations in packaging like the PGR3, comparison photos of bootlegs and so on. First things first, and first I need a "money shot."

[SpaceGhost2K]

Here is a list of plates that I DON'T have, so if I get pictures, they're going to have to come from all y'all. Rememeber, they all need to be shots of unpackaged plates:

If you have a Gorillaz plate, I need a pic. I want to show as many as I can get pics of.
Glossy UK Bioshock (one guy in here has it)
Madden 08 Vince Young Championship Edition (red)
Saints Row - New Zealand
GRAW 1
Call of Duty 2 NOT bootleg
Quake IV NOT bootleg
X05 Canada Large Maple Leaf
X05 Canada Small Maple Leaf
X05 Canada Many Small Leaves
War of the Worlds
X-Men
Moto GP '06
TMNT
Devil May Dry 4
Eragon (Tom, lol)
The Outfit NOT bootleg
Korean Launch
Quake IV RARE
Full Auto
F.E.A.R.
Prey
Prey LE
Dark Sector: all my pics are bad
Assassin's Creed: Three common retail plates, opened. We have two, but send me all three anyway.
Blacksite: Area 51
Gameplay.co.uk: Mine is cracked
Halo plates: all of them
Gears of War plates: All of them except the E3 Emergence Day LE.
Zero Hour Dead or Alive 4 Tournament Airbrushed plate
Medal of Honor: Airborne (no flash glare)

There are plenty more but this will get us off the ground.

You can email them to me, but the easiest way would be to actually host there somewhere like Flickr or photobucket, and then link them here in this thread. That way, everybody knows what plates we have and what plates we still need, OR what plate there's a picture of that they think they can get a BETTER picture of. This isn't a competition. It's about being proud of this place and making the database the best it can be. Gracias.

[cheezymonkey999]

Ive got a good camera and as you know a pretty decent sized collection. I know you have alot of the same plates as me, so i dont know which plates you need pics of. When you have your pics done let me know what your missing that i can help with. Im looking forward to this database so im glad to help.

[cheezymonkey999]

didnt see that second post somehow....

[cheezymonkey999]

ill get you GRAW 1, the outfit, and full auto... do you want some rare misc plates i have? like this gray one, and another with tiny hexagons all over it?

[SpaceGhost2K]

Yeah, it took a while to get it all typed out.

Besides those plates, the same thing goes for customs if you make them, and I know you do cheezy. We'll be able to put ALL of your customs into the database, and they'll be searchable along with the corporate plates.

Oh, hey... while I'm thinking of it and because it's database related. What manufactureres of corporate plates are all you guys aware of?

Microsoft
MatCatz
Pelican
Nyko
Pegasus Technologies

Who else? Who makes the clear colored ones?

[SpaceGhost2K]

ill get you GRAW 1, the outfit, and full auto... do you want some rare misc plates i have? like this gray one, and another with tiny hexagons all over it?

Heck yeah. If it's not on the list but you KNOW it's a hard-to-find plate, stick it up there. I won't yell at you because it's not on the list. Jak might, but I won't.

[KatamariKutie]

As with all things you are quite thorough. Good job Spacey! You are like the bestest explainanator 2000 there ever was.

[JarkMan]

i can get you one of the halo 3 plates and one of the Assains Creed pics

[SpaceGhost2K]

i can get you one of the halo 3 plates and one of the Assains Creed pics

Bring 'em on. Dancing girls, too. This place needs more dancing girls. Kat and 'luv can't do it all.

[JakofallAces]

Heck yeah. If it's not on the list but you KNOW it's a hard-to-find plate, stick it up there. I won't yell at you because it's not on the list. Jak might, but I won't.

i wouldnt do that

As with all things you are quite thorough. Good job Spacey! You are like the bestest explainanator 2000 there ever was.

so your saying he is a computer....
anyways i will try my hand at taking pictures of my MS experiences my X05 canada my X06 canada and my Maadcatz train if i dont send them to wasabi first

[Enamelized420]

a true faceplate database w/ pics will be great for reference and a help for everyone....

[Ranzo]

The Namco plates like ace combat and eternal are made by HORI. And the gamestop plate is made by joytech

[SpaceGhost2K]

The Namco plates like ace combat and eternal are made by HORI. And the gamestop plate is made by joytech

Which Gamestop plate? The ones like the red/black, Army Green and black w/ white skater skull?

[Ranzo]

sorry the gamestop/ubi trade show one

[SpaceGhost2K]

sorry the gamestop/ubi trade show one

OK, thanks

[gameking28]

I'm out of town all this week, but when I get home I'll see if I can take some better pictures. My first efforts had a lot of flash reflection and angling problems that I've since figured out how to fix (natural light rocks).
I'll set a day aside and go through it all.

[SpaceGhost2K]

I took more pictures of my own collection today, and got 60 plates into the database. At this rate, that's 300 by the end of the week. I do have to work on customs and a game design document somewhere in there, too.

Customizers will NOT have faceplates listed unless they're members of the forums. Part of it is a matter of acknowledging permission to show the plates. The other part is why pimp their warez if they're not around and don't care?

IF YOU ARE A CUSTOMIZER AND WANT YOUR FACE ADDED TO THE DATABASE, I NEED THE FOLLOWING INFO:



------------

Your forum name:

The name of the faceplate:

Is it related to a game and which game?

Any other details you want to share about the inspiration, creation, etc. of the plate:

URL link to the uploaded image. We won't link to it. We'll upload it here. But I need a link for grabbing the image.

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Once it is up and going, we will either ceate a single sticky thread, or a whole sepearate forum, just for suggesting changes/additions to the database. There will be a blank form you can fill in that will expedite the addition of a plate to the database. If you see something in the database that is wrong and needs to be corrected, or if you want to provide a better image than the one we're using, there will be an opportunity to provide that feedback as well.

[Kamshaft]

Not to let any cats out of the bag here! But, the faceplate database is coming along quite nicely. Spaceghost and I think you guys will like it.


Soon, folks, very soon! Thanks in advance for the photo help!