Matrix Games Forums

*** note for the admins: I have the feeling that I should have created this thread in the AAR or tech support sub forum, if you think the same would you be so kind to move it where you think it's more appropriate?

Hello again,

I wanted to take a screenshot of a recent game I have finished playing, but since I have been using a rather big monitor [8D] the image would be far too big to be posted without irritating whoever opens the thread...

I tried to reduce it in size, but I am not quite satisfied with the loss of quality and I wonder how you guys do it.

I would prefer to use Paint Shop Pro (I cannot possibly afford the real professional photo retouch programs).

So in a nutshell:
- what size do you recommend?
- what resolution?
- how can I get to this size/resolution without losing too much quality along the way?

Cheers,

RD

I usually try and crop screenshots to only show the sections I'm interested in. You can use layers and effects (like shadow or glow) to make it clear where the screenshot has been edited or elements of it rearranged.

I almost always save HTTR screenshots using GIF compression and a fairly low colour count, this seems to offer the best compromise between image size and accurate reproduction.

The other thing to try is save the game where you want to take a screenshot, then reload it using a lower resolution.

Regards
33

RedDevil,

I use PaintShopPro too ( Golf33 uses Photoshop ). I too have a large monitor ( well 19" at 1280 x 1024 ). I simply use the Print Screen button to grab the current screen and then paste this into PaintShopPro (PSP). I then save the image as a JPEG, adjusting the lossy value until I get the picture to be under the 200K max set for the forum. From memory I think the lossy value is like 30% off.

I play at 1024x768 on 20" CRT, but my eyes aren't so hot - that works for me. You can actually run up to 1600x1200. I have done that sometimes to make planning maps.

The full screen images in my stickied threads were taken at 1024x768, but they got down sampled to 800x600. If not doing an AAR but a tutorial, I tend to try to crop as much as possible. Partly to take pity on those without broadband and partly to try minimize the introduction of spoilers into my presentation.

One other suggestion for writing tutorials and AARs. Don't take screenshots while playing, but instead create save games (name the file with the day|time).

Then, after the battle is over, you can take the save games which reflect what you want to illustrate with the particular display options that make the most sense. Reload the appropriate save games and do your screenshots. I find this much easier than trying to know what is worth screenshoting while playing.

Some couples battle over the thermometer, but my wife and I battle over the desktop resolution settings on our computer, which have remained at 1024 x 768 for the past few years.

The reason I'm telling you this? The screens in AARs that are larger than 1024 wide make it hard to read because I'm constantly scrolling right and left to read the ends and beginnings of sentances.

1024 is what I'd prefer... thanks for asking [:)]