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It's 2016 now, and we've made some changes to the sidebar size. As such, we can now restart the Community Promotion Ads for 2016!

Keep in mind, we have updated some of the guidelines compared to previously - the changes are marked in bold in the Image Requirements section.

What are Community Promotion Ads?

Community Promotion Ads are community-vetted advertisements that will show up on the main site, in the right sidebar. The purpose of this question is the vetting process. Images of the advertisements are provided, and community voting will enable the advertisements to be shown.

Why do we have Community Promotion Ads?

This is a method for the community to control what gets promoted to visitors on the site. For example, you might promote the following things:

  • useful resources for both the GM and the player
  • utilities for running meets online
  • the site's twitter account
  • cool roleplaying events or conferences
  • anything else your community would genuinely be interested in

The goal is for future visitors to find out about the stuff your community deems important. This also serves as a way to promote information and resources that are relevant to your own community's interests, both for those already in the community and those yet to join.

Why do we reset the ads every year?

Some services will maintain usefulness over the years, while other things will wane to allow for new faces to show up. Resetting the ads every year helps accommodate this, and allows old ads that have served their purpose to be cycled out for fresher ads for newer things. This helps keep the material in the ads relevant to not just the subject matter of the community, but to the current status of the community. We reset the ads once a year, every December.

The community promotion ads have no restrictions against reposting an ad from a previous cycle. If a particular service or ad is very valuable to the community and will continue to be so, it is a good idea to repost it. It may be helpful to give it a new face in the process, so as to prevent the imagery of the ad from getting stale after a year of exposure.

How does it work?

The answers you post to this question must conform to the following rules, or they will be ignored.

  1. All answers should be in the exact form of:

    [![Tagline to show on mouseover][1]][2]

   [1]: http://image-url
   [2]: http://clickthrough-url

    Please do not add anything else to the body of the post. If you want to discuss something, do it in the comments.

  2. The question must always be tagged with the magic tag. In addition to enabling the functionality of the advertisements, this tag also pre-fills the answer form with the above required form.

Image requirements

  • The image that you create must be 300 x 250 pixels, or double that if high DPI.
  • Must be hosted through our standard image uploader (imgur)
  • Must be GIF or PNG
  • No animated GIFs
  • Absolute limit on file size of 150 KB
  • If the background of the image is white or partially white, there must be a 1px border (2px if high DPI) surrounding it.

Score Threshold

There is a minimum score threshold an answer must meet (currently 6) before it will be shown on the main site.

You can check out the ads that have met the threshold with basic click stats here.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Our ad placeholder's still using the classic dimensions rather than being 300 by 250. I've reported that as a bug. Incidentally the new dimensions look pretty good. \$\endgroup\$
    – doppelgreener
    Jan 15, 2016 at 10:46
  • \$\begingroup\$ Could you comment on whether this ad is OK, considering the 1px border rule? \$\endgroup\$
    – doppelgreener
    Jan 17, 2016 at 4:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ Wow, it's hard to get a decent PNG down to 40KB even with optimizers. \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 21, 2016 at 22:52
  • \$\begingroup\$ Many of our ads so far don't meet the new ≤40 KB file size requirements. :-/ \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 22, 2016 at 5:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ By the judicious application of Magic™ I've crushed them down to all fit in the 40 KB limit! \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 22, 2016 at 6:27
  • \$\begingroup\$ File-size limit has been raised to 150 KB \$\endgroup\$
    – user19667
    Jan 27, 2016 at 4:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MonicaCellio Has been raised or is to be raised? The linked post indicates that it will happen (future tense), but I can't tell whether it's been implemented yet and it's OK to edit this meta Q to suit. \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 29, 2016 at 22:26
  • \$\begingroup\$ It's fine to raise it - it's been effective as of the 18th, I've just been tarrying on updating the posts because of other verbiage changes that I'd like to group in one single sweep of 59 sites rather than having to do it in several passes. \$\endgroup\$
    – Grace Note StaffMod
    Feb 1, 2016 at 16:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ WOO! The new ads are live! \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Mar 9, 2016 at 6:08

11 Answers 11

Reset to default
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Great RPGs have great worlds!

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  • \$\begingroup\$ ✓ File size: 37.88 KB \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 22, 2016 at 5:41
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Roll20 Virtual Tabletops

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Largely cribbed from the R20 ad @SevenSidedDie made last year. I'm no graphic designer, so please feel free to make suggestions. \$\endgroup\$
    – nitsua60 Mod
    Jan 16, 2016 at 16:47
  • \$\begingroup\$ To be fair that was just me reposting the ad originally made by Yolgie in 2012. :) (This could probably use reconstruction from high-res soures to make the edges cleaner, but even on this Retina screen it looks good enough for now. The image can always be update later.) \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 16, 2016 at 19:30
  • \$\begingroup\$ I just had a go at this myself, using the site's current main banner. Since that comes in 550 by 150 px, I went for the double resolution version. Available in a white and black version. \$\endgroup\$
    – MrLemon
    Jan 17, 2016 at 22:04
  • \$\begingroup\$ I just noticed that my versions are both about 54kB, which is too large :| But these gif versions should be fine: white black (I personally can't tell any difference). \$\endgroup\$
    – MrLemon
    Jan 17, 2016 at 22:08
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MrLemon The white ones are likely to be declined as they do not have a border \$\endgroup\$
    – Tritium21
    Jan 18, 2016 at 12:53
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ @Tritium21 that moment when you overlook the bolded rule. \$\endgroup\$
    – MrLemon
    Jan 18, 2016 at 13:33
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SevenSidedDie again, I'm no designer: are you saying that it'd be improved by building it out at 600x500? If that's the case, do I then upload it at 600x500, or somehow scale it down to 300x250? Thanks. \$\endgroup\$
    – nitsua60 Mod
    Jan 19, 2016 at 17:57
  • \$\begingroup\$ @nitsua60 Actually, on second thought I think it's just the original material—the logo has some jaggies that make it look lower resolution than it could be. However, I'm looking at it on a fancy screen and it probably looks much better on most screens, so the work required to make that tiny improvement is probably not time well spent! \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 19, 2016 at 18:07
  • \$\begingroup\$ ✓ File size: 15.15 KB \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 22, 2016 at 5:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MrLemon: Want to update now that the file size limit has been raised? \$\endgroup\$
    – user17995
    Jan 29, 2016 at 21:56
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MapTool Virtual Tabletop

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Updated for new requirements. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Jan 19, 2016 at 0:54
  • \$\begingroup\$ ✓ File size: 39.40 KB \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 22, 2016 at 5:42
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @SevenSidedDie Thanks! I was just about to do that. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Jan 22, 2016 at 14:22
  • \$\begingroup\$ I’ve noticed comments with credits, which are appropriate. So, credit where credit is due: the elements of this ad are all by RPTools, the gear being the icon on their website for MapTool, and the compass, “MapTool”, and “By RPTools” logos are from the splash screen when starting up MapTool itself. I rearranged these to fit as an ad. \$\endgroup\$
    – KRyan
    Feb 2, 2016 at 16:42
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RPG.SE Twitter

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  • \$\begingroup\$ This is a demonstration post to indicate how this should look when an ad is posted, now with 80px more width! It also doubles as your twitter ad, but it's up to you if you wish to promote it by voting. \$\endgroup\$
    – Grace Note StaffMod
    Jan 15, 2016 at 3:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ ✓ File size: 5.75 KB \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 22, 2016 at 5:43
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See all questions with active bounties
(source: herokuapp.com)

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  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Just bringing this forward from last year. I don't control it, or the app that powers it. It looks like it needs tweaking with the whole white background border thing \$\endgroup\$
    – Tritium21
    Jan 18, 2016 at 13:02
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Also needs tweaking to the new dimensions. \$\endgroup\$
    – doppelgreener
    Jan 19, 2016 at 3:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ ✓ File size: ~13 KB \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 22, 2016 at 5:41
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ I would actually like grace to chime in on this... This ad has gotten a pass from the rules in the past (it isn't on imgur, for example) ... it might get a pass on the other requirements. \$\endgroup\$
    – Tritium21
    Jan 22, 2016 at 5:56
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ It's not getting a pass on the size requirement. \$\endgroup\$
    – Grace Note StaffMod
    Feb 2, 2016 at 18:31
  • \$\begingroup\$ Undeleting now that the shape/size requirements are met. \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Mar 7, 2016 at 18:27
  • \$\begingroup\$ @zaq Broken how? \$\endgroup\$
    – Tritium21
    Nov 6, 2016 at 21:56
  • \$\begingroup\$ Tritium21, was there a trick to posting this last year? Copying and pasting the raw post into an answer on the 2017 community ads meta throws an error about images not on the official host being disallowed. \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Feb 2, 2017 at 22:01
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SevenSidedDie There was not. The actual restriction seams to be new. Ping grace with it \$\endgroup\$
    – Tritium21
    Feb 3, 2017 at 5:36
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Help support the Cartography SE in Area 51

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Proposed Q&A site for those interested in maps and map-making, historical or contemporary, real or fictional. I believe this would be a good fit for the RPG community for resources on maps and map-making ideas and methods for games, novels, and well... anything, really. \$\endgroup\$
    – Jesse Williams
    Aug 11, 2016 at 18:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SevenSidedDie understood. I'll work on it. Thanks for the feedback. \$\endgroup\$
    – Jesse Williams
    Aug 11, 2016 at 19:42
  • 3
    \$\begingroup\$ I do agree that a cartography Stack would be a natural partner with RPG.se though. :) \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Aug 11, 2016 at 19:44
  • \$\begingroup\$ Hopefully this is a bit better? \$\endgroup\$
    – Jesse Williams
    Aug 11, 2016 at 20:19
  • \$\begingroup\$ It gets my vote! \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Aug 11, 2016 at 20:20
  • \$\begingroup\$ And hopefully your follow over on Area 51! :) \$\endgroup\$
    – Jesse Williams
    Aug 11, 2016 at 20:21
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Community Promotion Ads - 2016

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Based on the ad designed by dpatchery in 2012. \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 21, 2016 at 23:35
  • \$\begingroup\$ ✓ File size: 26.74 KB \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 22, 2016 at 5:38
  • \$\begingroup\$ @doppelgreener Whoops! I was being so careful to update the link too, but looks like I still flubbed it while juggling copy-pastes. Thanks for catching that. \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 30, 2016 at 22:09
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writers.se weekly chat event

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  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Image used in this ad is used by permission from the creator, Michele Maule, who has some really cool stuff for sale on Etsy. \$\endgroup\$
    – BESW
    Jan 16, 2016 at 2:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ Technically this doesn't follow the rules: “If the background of the image is white or partially white, there must be a 1px border surrounding it.” I'm not sure whether the hand-drawn inner border satisfies the purpose for that rule. \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 16, 2016 at 19:35
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @SevenSidedDie I pointed this out to them, and this is what they updated it to. \$\endgroup\$
    – BESW
    Jan 19, 2016 at 5:27
  • \$\begingroup\$ ✓ File size: 26.15 KB \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Jan 22, 2016 at 5:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ Are this ad's details still accurate for 2017? \$\endgroup\$
    – SevenSidedDie
    Feb 2, 2017 at 21:55
  • \$\begingroup\$ @SevenSidedDie Since it's being reposted elsewhere, I'm guessing yes. \$\endgroup\$
    – BESW
    Feb 2, 2017 at 22:19
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Put some points in crafting!

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  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ This is a really cool looking ad, and we definitely get some craft questions, so +1 from me! \$\endgroup\$
    – Miniman
    Oct 28, 2016 at 22:07
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Miniman Thanks! I'm not terribly experienced in graphic design, so it's nice to hear that! \$\endgroup\$
    – user32130
    Oct 28, 2016 at 22:47
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Support the Literature.SE Proposal

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EN World RPG News & Reviews

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  • \$\begingroup\$ For those who weren't watching last time, this ad started with a pretty jaggy graphic, and picked up a bunch of downvotes; later replaced with a good image, it picked a half-dozen upvotes, but never net-cleared the bar for ad-time. \$\endgroup\$
    – nitsua60 Mod
    Aug 11, 2016 at 22:49
  • \$\begingroup\$ Deleted and reposted with new image. (See comments to that effect.) EnWorld is a site that daily posts RPG news and articles. Lots of WotC/Paizo coverage due to those games' popularity, but good (IMO) coverage of others, including indie columns. Enworld articles currently feed into the ticker in RPG General Chat, by popular acclaim. \$\endgroup\$
    – nitsua60 Mod
    Aug 12, 2016 at 2:04

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