Browsing Visible Cover Images · 2:32pm Jul 27th, 2013
Knighty posted a blog asking if he should remove the ability to see a story's cover art from the front page of the site. He's received complaints that the cover images are too influential and are a large contributing factor when someone decides to read a story.
Removing the cover images from the front page would require stories to rise or fall on the quality of their descriptions. The question is, are cover images good, bad or both?
Personally, I'm not in favor of anything that restricts of stifles creative expression. Plenty of writers on the site have custom made cover art for their stories. This policy change would punish those who use art to help promote their writing.
It may seem unrelated, but this recent Game Theory video compares YouTube to a strategy game and what people do to 'win.'
One of the things Game Theory talked about is how 'deceptive cover images' were used on YouTube to trick people into clicking on certain videos.
I still think people should be able to see the cover art on the front page of FIMfiction.
Maybe as a compromise, have it where the cover art is hidden on the front page, but there's also a 'click for cover art' button.
That way, it's up to the writer to catch someone's attention by the description of their story, but those who want a more visual representation of the fanfic still have the option of clicking to reveal the cover art from the front page.
Do images on the front page negatively affect the site? As with all art, I think it's a matter of perspective.
This is an awesome idea
Personally, I think it's not a very good idea that cover images should be removed from the front page. I mean, I am not exempted from being fooled by cover images...
But that's the thing. Cover images are sort of like advertisements. Every once in a while, you will come across false advertisement. No need to be pissed off about it. That's what labels and descriptions are for as well. Read them too.
But, if cover images are to be removed, having a link that allows you to see the images before you actually go to the actual story would be helpful.
That second video is blocked?
I think both the description and the cover are important, the two give the reader an idea of the story, obviously there are many users who are going to judge the story just by the image without reading the story or the description.
If you ask me, depends of the liking of each readers and the ability of the writer to make a good description and a image that suit the story.
The cover image provides substance to the description, but should it have to be inherently necessary to make the description good? No.
Has it become almost necessary? Yeah, unfortunately. I mean, what percentage of the feature box doesn't have cover art?
I think that whoever wants the cover art removed is a whiny bitch who needs to get over themselves. I like having my cover art. My cover art is nice, and my cover art makes my stories look better. I am more likely to read a story WITH cover art. So instead of having the vocal minority come in and bawl about their inability to look around on google for a suitable image and ruin it for the rest of us, I think that THEY should get off their ass and search for five god damn minutes.
1240647
The second video is an image
1242134
Oh.
I for one mostly use custom art. Removing art from the front age would definitely hurt me.
I think like mature fics, we should be able to toggle cover art.
It's not like we ban real books from having covers. They're meant to catch your eye.