Site Forum

Been a while since I posted something that irritated a bunch of people and I guess I feel like getting my hand slapped today.

If you're going to choose a sample image for a set, please pay attention to a few things.

First, whoever continues to add a photographed card image as the sample for a recent Upper Deck hockey Update set, please STOP. This image is horribly photographed, and images tagged for replacement should never be used as a sample. Just because an image is available doesn't make it a good one. I've just submitted a third IR to get it removed again. Check the image you're choosing to be the sample. If you see a pink box around it, it probably isn't a good choice. 

Second, please remember that samples should show the set design. Subset cards do not meet this criteria, and should not be used. This is actually spelled out in the FAQ: Sample cards should be representative of the overall design of the set. 

Finally, please consider using some variety in sample images. I'm not going to sit here and make up some guideline about how sample images "can't all be the same person/card". But variety is much nicer, and I know I have had discussions with more than one member who has shared that they would like to see more than the same 3-4 players represented in a sport. I too share this sentiment, and while my opinion is ultimately worth less than the value of any particular 1990 Donruss baseball card I have, I know I'm not the only one sharing the standpoint. Have fun choosing a card with colors that pop, or one that has a unique image. Don't just slap the same player up there over and over again just to do it, especially when other great images exist. 

Every time someone goes to add a sample image, they get the following line on the page: You have access to select the sample card for this set. Choose wisely. Please heed these words. It's a little thing that makes the site so much nicer.

Absolutely agree on the first two. On the third one, unfortunately sometimes that's all we have available to choose from. For example, if we get a collector that has most/all of a specific player's parallels uploaded, including 1/1, SN2, SN5, etc., I'd rather have a nice image in place than wait for a different player image that may never be uploaded. Also sometimes it helps when comparing background colors and seeing images from the same collector, like knowing this user's scanner shows this as Blue vs this as Purple, for example. In general, I try to choose a neat action shot, a prominent player from that particular year, etc., but if all I have available are ten Scott Rolens and half the parallels are unlikely to get a second image upload, that's what I'm picking.

I can get behind the Scott Rolen statement. But I may be a bit biased.

All three points are spot on.

"Images tagged for replacement should never be used as a sample."

I think this one can surely be added as a feature, ensuring that the backend automatically filters out flagged images from appearing in the sample image choices.

After the debacle with the hockey set I referred to, I immediately submitted a feature request for exactly this.