User talk:Semako

Advice On Good Quality Screenshots

Your screenshot uploads for Super Mario 64 aren't very good quality. Ever try emulation? I have a WIP guide that helps with all consoles. Hopefully you run Microsoft Windows, as some emulators haven't been compiled for other operating systems. That's a common problem I get told by other users that I give this advice to. --Wildgoosespeeder (talk) ^{(Stats - Contribs)} 04:29, 9 October 2017 (EDT)

Yes, I have a high-end Windows PC, so emulating shouldn't be a problem - however, I don't have a controller for the PC, and playing Super Mario 64 with mouse and keyboard is not exactly what I want to do ;-) Also, shouldn't it be possible to get higher quality screenshots from a N64 game via a capture card? When I record videos or screenshots from Wii U or Switch games, where the console can be connected to the capture card via HDMI rather than Cinch, I never have quality problems. Semako (talk) 04:34, 9 October 2017 (EDT)

Yeah, that's another hurdle with emulators that rely on the analog stick. The sooner you get an XInput device, such as an Xbox 360 (wired over wireless because a wireless adaptor is needed) or Xbox One controller (uses MicroUSB without the need to insert AA batteries or Bluetooth, but haven't tried the Bluetooth option), the better. HDMI is digital so that is a good option for screenshots for Wii U or Nintendo Switch. However, the Wii and older uses composite video, and that is analog, and that is a degredation of image quality no matter what you do. I recommend emulators because hardmodding to get the internal render is not a route I recommend taking. Internal render is the process that takes place before each frame is sent to the digital-to-analog converter of each console so a TV can understand. --Wildgoosespeeder (talk) ^{(Stats - Contribs)} 04:43, 9 October 2017 (EDT)

Switch Pro Controllers can be connected to the PC too using Bluetooth - and as I'm going to order a custom one from Controller Chaos, I won't need to get an Xbox one. Then I will redo those screenshots using Project64 1.6 (1.7 is banned on Speedrun.com, as it is possible to change the VI refresh rate in this version). But for now, I will have to use the current versions when I continue working on the SM64 glitch list, which will most likely be today afternoon after university ends. Thanks for your advices ;-) Semako (talk) 04:52, 9 October 2017 (EDT)

I've had issues using Nintendo controllers on non-Nintendo hardware. Nintendo actively goes out of its way to make their accessories incompatible with Windows (like with the Wii U GameCube adaptor that came bundled with Super Smash Bros. 4, but Dolphin emulator has a solution for that), but then again, I don't have a Bluetooth receiver. Actually, Project64 is on 2.3.2, it is on GitHub, and supports 64DD emulation (latest stable build available on the website has a bug that was fixed later). 1.7 is a very dated release. I highly recommend reading the N64 section of my guide. There are some important details there. I wouldn't worry too much about speedrun valid emulators on Super Mario Wiki. My guide is more for the casual editor. However, there are some minimum standards in place. For example, I advise not using ZSNES for SNES emulation. Edge cases, I guess there is no choice (had to do that with a replacement for a Yoshi's Safari image because a save was only available for ZSNES), but for general use, no ZSNES. --Wildgoosespeeder (talk) ^{(Stats - Contribs)} 16:33, 9 October 2017 (EDT)

You might not worry about speedrun-valid emulators, but I do as a Mario 64 speedrunner ;) And the emulator's version shouldn't really have an impact on the image quality. I never had problems using my Nintendo hardware on my PC (ran GCCs with the original nintendo adapter for both Dolphin and Rivals of Aether), and according to other users, the Switch Pro works well under Windows, so I'm not worried. Semako (talk) 16:39, 9 October 2017 (EDT)

You can have both the speedrun valid and more wiki valid installations of the emulators. To be fair, my page isn't any sort of policy to go by (I said "wiki valid"), but it is a great start so that way you or others don't submit images that need to be retaken later down the line. Reduced maintenance in the longrun. There are just so many images that need to be redone, many of which aren't tagged or even known to be faulty. I've gotten complaints that I use {{image-quality}} too often. I can understand that. I live by "get it right the first time" because then, the tag doesn't need to be used in the first place. Granted, having something that is of poor quality is better than having nothing at all, so I think in most cases, the tag can be avoided. --Wildgoosespeeder (talk) ^{(Stats - Contribs)} 19:38, 9 October 2017 (EDT)

Regarding file names.

In this proposal, you stated "in my opinion, file names should always be preferred over other sources." - however, that contradicts your position on this proposal. You may have not been aware since the proposer neglected it, but the file name for Morty Mole, "Indy", is the Japanese romanization for Mega Mole. I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were talking about when voting. LinkTheLefty (talk) 11:15, 10 October 2017 (EDT)

I did not neglect that. I said it at the top. I may have not surrounded it with a neon sign, but it was up there when I first made the proposal. Doc von Schmeltwick (talk) 19:28, 12 October 2017 (EDT)