Reference Database is a free collection of tagged game screenshots. Reference pictures can help you plan and execute the art and design ideas or the look of your graphics by setting up a benchmark – the quality bar from different games. You can also use it as a form of inspiration. Remember that you can’t copy the image content in any form.
Image tag describes the image content but it does not judge what is good, bad, pretty or ugly. This database let you analyze game environment assets and answer the questions “How was it made?” and “How it looks like?“. For example, if you look for reference pictures of the rocks in games, just type “rock” or “rocks” it in the search box. Currently the tag list is a bit small and a lot of screenshots have tags missing but the website is growing with new tags and screenshots.
The website is available here:
refdb.level-design.org
Participation Rules
I can post your screenshots from games collection in the Reference Database. Before sending me your screenshots, make sure your collection follows these rules:
- Game from which you took screenshots from have to be bought from legal source and publicly available. This means you can’t send screenshots from a game that is not yet officially released or stolen.
- Screenshots have to present only the real-time rendered and in-game environments, objects, effects, characters or menus. There’s no need to take screenshots from pre-rendered cinematics.
- Make sure that your screenshots are taken with the best graphics settings available. Use highest quality settings with all the graphics features, like Anti-Aliasing or Ambient Occlusion turned on.
- Make sure that you’re running the game with the latest patch or update available.
- Game and screenshots can’t be modified in any way. This means that you can’t use any mods or hacks that are changing graphics or adding custom content that was not released by the game’s developer.
- Screenshots collection should cover as much game walkthrough and content as possible. Complete walkthroughs are marked with “Complete SP/MP Campaign” and “Including DLC” text in the album description. Let me know how much content you’ve covered with your screenshots.
- Screenshots should be high quality 1080p or 720p saved in JPG format.
If your screenshots meet these rules and you want to publish your collection, contact me (See About LD.org page for more information).