VGBoxArt
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| File:VGBoxartLogo.png | |
| File:VGBAlong.png Screenshot of VGBoxart's homepage | |
Type of site | Artist community |
|---|---|
| Created by | Reed |
| URL | www.vgboxart.com |
| Registration | Free |
VGBoxart (nicknamed VGBA) is an online community for video game hobbyists to showcase and discuss their mock-up boxarts. Works are organized by gaming console, including Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo DS, Playstation Portable, among others. As of 2008 it has also been extended to accustom art of other nature such as Posters, Album covers and DVD covers. As of February 2009, the website has over 14,000 members, over 16,000 box art submissions, and over 195,000 comments.[1]
Terminology
The following terms are used throughout the website:
- VGBA
- A common abbreviation of the site's name
- Box/Boxart
- short for "Video Game Boxart"
- Boxartist
- A user who creates boxarts
- Vet/Veteran
- A common term often used to describe one as "experienced".
- Official
- The retail video game boxart of a certain game. (e.g. Official Grand Theft Auto IV boxart)
- +fav
- short for "favorite"
- +author fav
- short for "author favorite"
- Template
- An accurate depiction of the unified logos and graphics seen on official boxarts.
- Printable
- A boxart in a 2D template that can be printed out and used.
- Mod
- A moderator of the VGBoxart forums (e.g. E_G, Ladykiller, Mist)
- Admin
- An administrator of VGBoxArt (e.g. Reed, Syrneus)
- HoF
- short for "Hall of Fame"
- Bumping
- A user commenting on his/her box so that it appears on the front page and receives more attention.
Features
Boxart Submissions
Video Game Boxarts are normally submitted as high resolution .png or .jpeg images. Once submitted, they are added to the VGBA database and get a deticated page for users to view, favorite, or comment on the box. A newly submitted box will stay on the front page for an average of about 1 day and will eventually "disappear" from the front page[2], but can still be easily accessed through the VGBA database or through the Author's Page.
When the site began, it was strictly Video Game Boxarts, but as of recently, the administrator has added the Music Section, Movie Section, and Miscellaneous Section so that users may upload other types of designs as well. This section is considered an excellent addition to the website.
Author Pages
Every user has a personal page at the URL http://www.vgboxart.com/author/username/, where username is replaced with his/her username. This page exhibits the user's box art submissions in chronological order, as well as his/her fans, favorite authors, and favorite box art submissions. Each user also has the choice to add a personalized banner at the top of their Author Page.
Favorites
Any user may add another user’s boxart to their Favorites. This places the author’s boxart in their “Favorites” section on their Author Page. Once a boxart gets enough favorites, it is added to the Hall of Fame. A favorite is considered as a symbol of admiration and liking of a boxart.
Users also have the ability to have Favorite Authors, who are also shown on their Author Page. The home page of VGBoxart also has an automatically updating “Latest Additions from Favorite Authors” section which lists one’s favorite authors’ latest boxarts.
Hall of Fame
Having a boxart get placed in the Hall of Fame is the highest honor on VGBoxart. Once a boxart earns enough favorites, it is added to the Hall of Fame. Requirements for a box to get into the Hall of Fame have varied since the concept's creation. Originally, thirteen (13) favorites were necessary before a box would be placed in the Hall of Fame. It was later increased to twenty (20). The HoF system now requires a combination of the number of favorites and the rank of each user who favorited the boxart. This feature was added in June of 2007.
"Humor" Hall of Fame
Once called the "Satire Hall of Fame", the Humor Hall of Fame is for boxes with a satirical, funny or humorous theme. Usually consisting of puns, jokes, inside jokes, or plays on titles (e.g. Hola 3, Pokemon: Oh Snap! and Call of Beauty 3), this feature was added in June of 2007.
Controversy of the HoF
There were issues with "unworthy" boxes getting in, so a point system was implemented. As users mature on the site (Submit more boxes, gain favorites, etc.) their user rank increases (Users are ranked on a scale of one to nine). Once a user marks a box as a favorite, the box gains a number of points equal to that user's rank. It was originally believed that one hundred points were required to get into the Hall of Fame. At a later date, it was increased again to require 150 points. This system was created to discourage people from counting up how close his/her box is to the Hall, but it hasn't completely succeeded. There has been controversy over whether the system should be changed or not.
Ratings
VGBoxArt used to have a rating feature before the addition of the Hall of Fame in which users could rate boxes based on a 1-5 basis. This feature was abused and soon after removed.
Forums
The VGBoxart forums is an online forum, similar to other websites. Members can share box ideas or their box art for critiquing, host or take part in box art competitions, or ask questions. Members also chat about things unrelated to box arts. The forums have been known to be the place of many large fights, sometimes resulting in banning.
Users have forum profiles in which they can post artwork of their making and discuss things via the comments feature. Users may also befriend other users and create social groups about their interests, in which they may discuss topics. One may also view his/her own personal stats such as forum posts, his/her avatar and signature, his/her age and his/her interests.
This feature was introduced several years after the site was created and has become a place where users can talk to their friends without the use of a personal messenger.
Reception
Many mockup boxarts posted on the site have been regarded as equal to or better than their official counterparts. In fact, several outside websites and retailers, toy store giant Toys Я Us including[3] , have used fan-made boxart from VGBoxart to promote a game.
Also mock boxarts are featured in many online video gaming articles such as Joystiq[4], GamerBlips, and Blogged.
Legal Issues and Copyright Infringement
Recently, Reed, the owner of VGBoxart, was forced to remove all LEGO boxes on the website due to copyright infringement issues. LEGO boxes are now not allowed on the site and will be removed if posted.
References
- ^ "VGBA's Stats". Retrieved 2009-02-4.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "VGBA's Homepage". Retrieved 2009-02-5.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "GoNintendo - "Toys R' Us using fan-made Mario Kart Wii boxart to promote game"". Retrieved 2009-02-5.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "joystiq - "Nintendo secures a dozen Pokemon trademarks"". Retrieved 2009-02-6.
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