Faction Thread Formatting Guide
Faction threads are a space where factions are encouraged to post to showcase RP and is considered one of the best ways to update others on the types of things a faction is getting up to in-game. This guide will cover how to format and edit your forum post so that it is readable on the ECRP forums.
Please note that you DO NOT need to follow the guide below to create good quality forum posts and you don't have to be a graphics designer to make great posts. Your RP showcase and content of the post is more important than the way you decide to design it. Simply writing and posting photos is enough! This guide is just to assist people that want to take extra steps and gather formatting ideas for their posts.
You can use any photo editing software. For the purpose of this guide, I will be using Photoshop.
1. Establishing Dimensions
The dimensions are very important. If the design is too wide or too long, the post will shrink when uploaded, which will make it difficult for your readers.
The dimensions that I personally follow by is 1013 x 545. If you wish to do other dimensions, this might require some trial and error.
2. Designing & Write-up
Once you have your dimensions and have a clean slate, you can begin designing. You should ask yourself:
What font do I want to use? You should make sure this is legible. Cursive is advised against for large bodies of text for the purpose of easy readability.
Do you want to use the same background for every section?
Do you want to have beginning, middle, and end sections?
Do you want your thread to share the same design every time, or do you want it to vary?
What RP are you trying to showcase?
We recommend that you explore old and new faction threads for inspiration. But remember, the server encourages individuality and faction differences, so you shouldn’t copy another faction and call it a day! Create something that is unique to your own faction and remember that there are countless mediums you can use to portray your RP. Feel free to expand the below for some ideas!
* TIP! You can find your screenshots by going to Steam > View > Screenshots > Select GTA 5 > Show on Disk
3. Posting on the thread
Once you’ve made your design, you are ready to post. There is a maximum size of 149.51 kB, but you can bypass this by using imgur.
Save your design as a PNG.
Upload these onto Imgur.com.
Right-click on the image, select copy image, and paste it.
You can also follow the screen-recorded guide below.
TIP 1: Fitting / carrying on pictures between two sections of a forum post. If you’re unlucky enough, some images get cut off halfway. However, you can follow the video guide below so that images continue when you copy and paste the images into your thread!
*TIP: You can use Shift and drag to move an image directly up and down without having to use your arrow keys.
*TIP: You can use CTRL+T to select the layer to move it around.
TIP 2: Having a beginning, middle, and end piece. Some factions will have templates for their beginning, middle, and end pieces. If you want to design your thread in this style, you want to make sure the borders are lined up with each other so that it flows when all the pieces are uploaded together.
TIP 3: Adding RP lines. This amazing guide by @Vince Torelli shows how to showcase lines of RP. Another useful tool is the LSRP+ screenshot editing tool. A guide on how to use it can be read here. Showcasing RP has never been so easy!
When using this tool, be advised that you should not make up RP. The RP should be genuine and to the best of your knowledge. It's recommended you take screenshots and clips as RP goes on so that you have an accurate re-collection of the RP that took place.
Links & Resources
Below are the links to the programs and websites mentioned under this thread.
Canva - This is a free graphic design tool that can be used to design things such as posters, menus. With Premium, you can also use this to set dimensions and make backgrounds transparent, which might be easier if you prefer an easier tool to Photoshop.
Photopea - This helps you edit screenshots to showcase your RP. You can refer to this guide on how to use it.
LSRP - Similar to Photopea. A guide on how to use it can be read here.
Free Animation Apps - Animations are a great way to make your forum posts more dynamic.
Free fonts - You may use different fonts that fit your faction lore or for titles.
PNGtree - PNG images are useful for posting images with transparent backgrounds.
If you think there is anything missing from this, feel free to DM me to let me know at skeletee#7283!
