[{"id":"40","name":"* Custom Showcase Guidelines *","description":"<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Submission<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"padding: 5px;\">\r\n<UL>\r\n  <LI>You may submit as many of your custom figures as you like.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>Do not submit duplicate work. Resubmitting the same customs with different pictures, submitting group photos of customs that have already been submitted, submitting different customs that have the same finished look, or submitting customs made from the same recipe are all considered duplicate work.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>Only submit completed work. However, you are welcome to post \"works in progress\" in the forums to ask for help or suggestions.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>Only submit whole customs, meaning we don't want to see just a completed head, arm, etc.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>Make sure you are submitting your own work. Do not submit someone else's work unless they have asked you to do so.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>No adult-oriented figures. Almost everything else will be accepted.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>The Custom Showcase is only used for displaying custom action figures. However, accessories created for a specific action figure, such as Ghost Rider's cycle or Punisher's van, are also acceptable.  If you have any other custom creation you want to show off, please post it in the \"Other Custom Creations\" section of the forums.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>All submissions are reviewed and approved by a Regulator before they are added to the Custom Showcase.<\/LI>\r\n<\/UL>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Requirements<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"padding: 5px;\">\r\nA basic recipe of what you did to customize the figure is required!<br><br>\r\n\r\nYou will also notice little red asterisks next to some fields on the Custom Submit form, those areas MUST be filled-in with info for your custom to be accepted. It is very basic information like your custom's name, height, and what toy-series it best fits in with (Sailor Moon, Green Lantern, Spiderman -- you can even request a new series!). It is also strongly encouraged to tell us what parts you used to make your figure. People want to know how you made your custom! Please, for the love of Mitra, please tell us how you made your custom! A quick recipe is fine, a detailed account of how many hydras you had to slay to get that perfect head is much better and greatly appreciated by everyone who sees your custom! We understand not everyone knows what figures they used to make a custom, but you should still be able to write something informative about the custom. What was the hardest part to make? How long did it take? Whose art-work did you base it on? Answering even these simple questions will make your custom more interesting to look at and most likely get it approved.\r\n<\/div>\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Pictures<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"padding: 5px;\">\r\n<UL>\r\n  <LI>You may submit up to 3 different pictures for your custom figure. Only one is necessary, though.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>Make sure the file size of the pictures is under 2MB.  The smaller the pictures are, the less likely you are to have problems when you are submitting them.  The maximum dimension (either dimension) of each picture is 600 pixels.  The pictures will automatically be resized to 600 pixels when you submit them, but again, you are less likely to have problems submitting if you resize the pictures before you submit them.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>The preferred format for your images is jpg.  You may upload images in the format of jpg, gif or png. However, all images are converted to jpg before being displayed.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>You should include at least one full shot of your completed figure, preferably Picture #1. The rest of the pictures can be other angles, close ups of different features, work in progress pics, reference art or whatever compliments your work.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>When you attach your pictures for uploading, Picture #1 will always appear as the thumbnail image when you are browsing the Custom Showcase.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>The pictures do not have to be professional, or even great quality, but if they are too blurry, too small, or we can't make out the figure, we will discard them. Also, if two pictures are essentially the same shot, we will discard one of them to save server space.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>It's recommended that you crop all dead space from around the picture of your custom. Basically, you want the figure to take up as much of the image as possible by removing any unnecessary background aspects.  If you don't know how to crop a picture, there is an excellent <a class=\"link1\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"help#2-67\">tutorial here<\/a> that will show you step by step how to do this.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>If you need help taking clear photos, read <a class=\"link1\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"customtutorial?action=view&id=42\">this tutorial<\/a>.<\/LI>\r\n<\/UL>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Descriptions<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"padding: 5px;\">\r\nThe description can be used to describe your custom figure any way you like. You may include a background story, the recipe you used to create the figure, stories about creating your custom, the most difficult parts, etc. Remember, at least a minimum description of what you did to customize your figure is required.  The Custom Showcase is meant to display works for hobbyists, providing an opportunity to show off creations, exchange ideas and trade feedback. The Custom Showcase is not meant to be used as a means to sell customs or commission work. For this reason, we ask that you not make references in your descriptions, or any other aspects of the Custom Showcase, that infer such ideas. This includes comments such as \"buy my custom\" or \"commission me\".\r\n\r\nHTML syntax and links are not allowed.\r\n<\/div>\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Group Submissions<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"padding: 5px;\">\r\nThe highly preferred method for submitting customs to the Custom Showcase is to submit one custom with each submission. This allows the recipe and specific details of each custom to be correctly tracked, more photos for each individual custom, and keeps comments and questions streamlined for the appropriate custom. However, there may be a circumstance where you feel two or more customs belong together as a team or group. We still strongly encourage you to submit them separately, but if you feel they need to be represented together, you may do so as long as you follow these guidelines:\r\n\r\n<ul><li>Custom submissions can not be duplicated. Customs should either be submitted individually, or once as one group, not both.<\/li>\r\n    <li>Make sure you include some kind of recipe for the customs so we know what's been customized in the group. If each custom has a big recipe, it's probably better to submit these individually.<\/li>\r\n    <li>Group photos are allowed on individual submissions, as long as the group photo isn't your first picture.<\/li>\r\n    <li>Customs in the Showcase can always be updated to include group photos at a later time.<\/li>\r\n    <li>Tip - Did you know you can increase the number of pictures you can include with each submission by making a small contribution?<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Protecting your Work<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"padding: 5px;\">\r\nYou are welcome to add your logo to your custom pictures so no one else can take credit for your work. It's not required, but you can put your logo on the pictures you submit as long as it's not advertising anything. This means do NOT make your logo have a website's or store's name in it, or the custom will be rejected. A small transparent icon or even something as simple as your name in fancy letters is just fine and will discourage theft.\r\n<\/div>\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Updating Customs<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"padding: 5px;\">\r\nIf you see any errors in your custom description, or even if you'd like to submit some better pictures, you can do it by using the Monkey Wrench located at the top of that custom's page (Note: you must be logged in to the site to see it). You can edit almost everything about your custom! This feature should also be utilized if you have made updates to a custom.  Remember, you must update your existing entry in the Showcase.  Do not resubmit your work, or this is considered duplicate content and can get you in trouble with the Regulators.\r\n<\/div>\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Disclaimer<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"padding: 5px;\">\r\nBy submitting your work, you are giving Figure Realm permission to use your images and display your work as they see fit for any given period of time. In other words, each custom submitted is treated separately; consequently, once a custom is displayed on the site, it will be displayed there as long as the folks at Figure Realm want it there. Figure Realm expends a lot of time and effort posting customs, and we do not want to repeat that time and effort by removing them.  This also discourages improper submission practices.\r\n<\/div>"},{"id":"52","name":"Can I advertise my Customs?","description":"<div style=\"padding: 5px;\">\r\nThe Custom Showcase offers an advertising package that allows your customs to become featured in the Showcase.  This is an excellent opportunity for you to drive traffic to your website, generate bids for auctions, or simply have your work display prominently in the Showcase to generate more views and comments.\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\nWith the advertising package, you will have the ability to:\r\n\r\n<UL>\r\n  <LI>Include more pictures with each of your custom submissions.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>Submit more customs in a day.<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>Feature customs on the Custom Showcase main page.<br><br><img class=\"help maxsize\" src=\"images\/help\/customDonate1.jpg\"><br> &nbsp;<\/LI>\r\n  <LI>Include website or advertising links on your custom page.<br><br><img  class=\"help maxsize\" src=\"images\/help\/customDonate2.jpg\"><br> &nbsp;<\/LI>\r\n<\/UL>\r\n\r\nRemember, advertising is not allowed anywhere else on the Figure Realm website, so if you want to do it, be sure to make your <a class=\"link1\" target=\"_top\" href=\"customdonate\">contribution now<\/a>!\r\n<br><br>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Disclaimer<\/div>\r\n<div style=\"padding: 5px;\">\r\nIf you are selling customs, Figure Realm's advertising only provides a means for you to drive traffic to your website or auctions.  Figure Realm does not facilitate the selling of customs through its website.  All aspects of the business transaction are the sole responsibility of the seller.  This includes, and is not limited to; product quality, customer service and satisfaction, proper licenses, etc.\r\n<br><br>\r\n<\/div>"},{"id":"62","name":"Can I update my Customs?","description":"Yes.  You can edit almost everything about your custom. If you see any errors in your custom description, or even if you'd like to submit some better pictures. This feature should also be utilized if you have made updates to a custom. Remember, you must update your existing entry in the Showcase. Do not resubmit your work, or this is considered duplicate content and can get you in trouble with the Regulators.\r\n\r\nTo update your custom:\r\n\r\n<ol>\r\n<li>Make sure you are signed into the website.<\/li>\r\n<li>Navigate to the custom you want to update.  For contest entries, you can find your custom by viewing the contest entries from the contest page.<\/li>\r\n<li>Click the big \"Update Your Custom\" button located at the bottom of the customs specifications box.  This button will only appear for your customs.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n"},{"id":"67","name":"How do I resize my pictures?","description":"Here's a tutorial showing you how to resize your pictures with the Image Viewer software from <a class=\"link1\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.faststone.org\/FSViewerDetail.htm\">http:\/\/www.faststone.org\/FSViewerDetail.htm<\/a>.<br><br>\r\n<img src=\"images\/help\/resize1.jpg\"><br><br>\r\n<img src=\"images\/help\/resize2.jpg\"><br><br>\r\n<img src=\"images\/help\/resize3.jpg\"><br><br>\r\n<img src=\"images\/help\/resize4.jpg\"><br><br>\r\n<img src=\"images\/help\/resize5.jpg\"><br><br>\r\n<img src=\"images\/help\/resize6.jpg\"><br><br>\r\n<img src=\"images\/help\/resize7.jpg\"><br><br>"},{"id":"65","name":"How do I upload pictures for my Custom?","description":"Below are the steps to upload a picture with your Custom submission.  The screenshots are taken using the Firefox browser.  The layout may look slightly different in other browsers, but the idea is the same.\r\n<ol>\r\n<li>Choose the \"Submit Your Custom\" option in the \"Custom Showcase\".<\/li>\r\n<li>Look for the section of the form titled \"Picture Details\" towards the bottom.  It looks something like this: <br><img class=\"help maxsize\" src=\"images\/help\/customUploadPic1.jpg\"><\/li>\r\n<li>Click the \"Browse\" button.<\/li>\r\n<li>Select the file (your picture) you wish to attach with this submission.  The file must exist on your computer or device.  Using urls or links to other websites will not work.  After the file has been selected, you should see the filename appear in the textbox next to the \"Browse\" button.<\/li>\r\n<li>Click the \"Upload Picture\" button.<\/li>\r\n<li>You should now see a preview of the image you just attached to the submission.  It should look something like this:<br><img class=\"help maxsize\" src=\"images\/help\/customUploadPic2.jpg\"><\/li>\r\n<li>Repeat this process for any remaining pictures you wish to attach to your submission.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n"},{"id":"70","name":"Request a new Custom Toy Series","description":"If the Toy Series is missing that your custom figure falls into, you may request it by clicking the \"Contact Us\" link below.  We prefer not to add generalized or vagure series, but more specific ones.  For example, we won't add a series called \"Video Games\" because it is too general.  We would rather add specific ones such as \"Final Fantasy\" or \"Call of Duty\"."},{"id":"49","name":"What are the Custom Contests?","description":"Figure Realm holds custom contests on a regular basis to help encourage the hobby and to challenge customizers of all skill sets.  The contests are always free to enter and open to anybody who wants to enter and can create a respectable custom.\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\nThe current contests are always advertised in the <a class=\"link1\" href=\"customfigure\" target=\"_top\">\r\nCustom Showcase<\/a> on the left side of the page.\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Contest Rules<\/div>\r\nTo keep the contest fun and enjoyable for everyone, we ask that you please abide by these rules when submitting your entries into the contest:\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Please use the form here to submit your custom figure.<\/li>\r\n<li>At least a paragraph description is required with your entry. This paragraph, at a minimum, should answer the following questions:<\/li>\r\n    <ul><li>How was this custom customized?<\/li>\r\n        <li>How does the custom fit into the contest theme?<\/li><\/ul>\r\n<li>You may submit up to three different entries for the contest.<\/li>\r\n<li>Please only submit figures that were created for this contest, not old figures from past contests.<\/li>\r\n<li>Your entry should not be posted on any other website, until the contest is completely over.<\/li>\r\n<li>The pictures for your entry will remain hidden until the contest ends and the voting begins.<\/li>\r\n<li>Your identity will remain hidden until after the voting completes.<\/li>\r\n<li>Do not include names, logos, signatures or anything on the pictures that will give you away as the creator of the custom. We want to keep the customizer's identity a secret until the contest is over.<\/li>\r\n<li>The contest is purely for fun... well... and bragging rights!<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Secret Identity<\/div>\r\nTo help built up anticipation and keep the element of surprise, the Custom Showcase will keep all the pictures for the contest entries hidden and the identity of the creator hidden until the contest is completely over and the voting is completed.\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\nTo help keep the identities a secret, we ask you to not include any signatures or comments in the custom descriptions that will give away the creator.  We also ask you not to place watermarks on your images that will make the creator obvious.  You can always update your images with watermarks after the contest is over if wish.\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Be Respectful<\/div>\r\nNow the part we always hate that we have to mention, but please make sure you follow the rules and be respectful of the other customizers and users of this website.  If you do not follow the rules, we will take whatever action we feel appropriate, at any time, with or without warning, to keep things fun and enjoyable for the rest of the community.\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">Contest Voting<\/div>\r\nAnyone can vote for their favorite customs in the contest, you don't even have to submit anything to the contest! You do have to be logged-in to your Figure Realm account though so we can keep track of the votes. Only appointed Figure Realm staff can see the votes, so anonymity is guaranteed. Voting begins once the entry deadline is met and lasts for a week. \r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\nIt's hard to choose just one custom to vote on when there are tons of great entries, so Figure Realm has a unique voting system where you can vote on ALL the customs! When you click on an entry to view, there's a bar with buttons on it that lets you give the custom anywhere from 1 to 5 Stars. 1 Star means you think they could have done a better job on the custom while 5 Stars means you think they did a perfect job. The votes for each entry are added up when voting is closed and averaged-out to determine the winners. \r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\nSome points you might consider when casting your vote: Is the figure well-made? Is the paint smooth or crusty? Are there noticeable fingerprints on the sculpted parts? Is it an original custom? Is it accurate to the source-material (comics, photos, description in a book)? Are the pictures clear enough to see the details? Did the creator take the time to include a back-story or recipe? Is the custom so unbelievably awesome that you'd trade your girlfriend for it? \r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\nCraftsmanship and creativity are major factors to consider, but ultimately your vote should depend on how much you like the custom, and how well you feel it fits the contest theme.\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\nWhatever you do, don't abuse the system. The contests are held for fun and the last thing we want is someone to try and cheat the system or make the contests unfair.  Be honest and be respectful when you are voting.  For example, don't give your own custom a high rating and then give all the other customs a low rating. We call this negative voting and will not tolerate it.  We also will not tolerate cheaters of any kind.  If you are caught, you will be removed from the contest and\/or the website without warning!  Remember, the votes are monitored.\r\n\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"pagesubhdr\">After Contest<\/div>\r\nAfter the contest is finished, your custom will automatically display in the Showcase as a normal custom.  Please do not resubmit your custom."},{"id":"66","name":"Why am I having problems uploading pictures?","description":"When uploading a picture, the website should inform you with the appropriate error if your picture does not follow the basic guidelines, such as the file is too large, it's not a supported format, or the dimensions are greater than the allowed size.  If you are receiving one of these errors, they can easily be corrected by editing your picture.  If you need help doing this, see the \"Resizing your Picture\" tutorial below.\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\nIf you are sure your picture follows the basic guidelines, it is possible you might receive an error that looks like the following:\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\n &nbsp; &nbsp; <i>\"There was an error converting or resizing your picture\"<\/i>\r\n<br><br>\r\n\r\nWhat causes the above error?  Well, unfortunately, it could be any number of things.  Your camera, cell phone, webcam, or whatever device you used to take the picture, uses it's own algorithms and compression routines to save the picture to a file.  Sure, they are all supposed to use these so called \"standards\", but not everything always plays nicely.  Luckily, hint number 1 listed below, will usually solve this issue.  If not, there are several other suggestions listed for you to try.\r\n\r\n<UL>\r\n<LI>Open the picture with a imaging software package, then turn around and save it as a JPG picture (with correct dimensions), even if it already is a JPG picture.  This will use the software's algorithms to save and compress the picture.  We recommend the free Image Viewer software from <a class=\"link1\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.faststone.org\/FSViewerDetail.htm\">http:\/\/www.faststone.org\/FSViewerDetail.htm<\/a>, but you can use any other popular imaging software package, like Gimp, Photoshop, etc.<\/LI>\r\n<LI>Upload a JPG, as opposed to another format.  In most instances, the website is going to convert your picture from the format that was uploaded to a JPG.  If it's already a JPG, it's less likely to have any issues.<\/LI>\r\n<LI>Take the picture with a different device or camera.<\/LI>\r\n<LI>Cropping all the dead space (unimportant area) from the picture will make it smaller, thus more likely to convert.<\/LI>\r\n<LI>Resize the picture so the longest side is 600 pixels or less.  The website will automatically resize the picture if it's too large, but if you are experiencing problems, it's best to do this step yourself.<\/LI>\r\n<LI>Make sure you used a software package to convert the picture from one format to another, such as GIF to JPG.  Simply renaming the file from xyz.gif to xyz.jpg does not convert anything.<\/LI>\r\n<LI>Almost any camera you buy at the store these days, even if it's not considered a super-fancy hi-tech camera, will by default take a picture that is far too large for internet purposes.  Most can be adjusted to take the pictures at a lesser size or resolution.  You might consult your camera's manual if you don't know how to adjust this setting.<\/LI>\r\n<\/UL>"},{"id":"60","name":"Why are my updated pictures not showing?","description":"Did you submit an update to a Custom in the updated pictures are not showing?  There could be two reasons for this.  The first one is a Regulator hasn't approved your update yet, but if several hours have passed, then that's probably not the case.  The more likely reason is your browser is still caching the old pictures.  Since the pictures will have the same name as before, your browser may not detect right away that the pictures have changed.  To see the updated pictures, clear your file cache and then reload the page.  In most browsers you can do this by:\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>View the page that contains the pictures you think should be updated.<\/li>\r\n<li>Pressing CTRL+F5 while you are viewing that page.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n\r\nThat should force the browser to reload the page and refresh the cache."}]