What are the rules for Hatmas photo albums?

Question

Over the past few years, RPG.SE has celebrated surviving the chaos of Hatmas by posting photo albums to the meta.

The photo albums are here:

• The Large Hatron Collider Woolly Hatastrophe 2018: Winterbash Photo Album

• The Hatmas Interdimensional Breach 2017 Photo Album

• Hatocalypse 2016 Survivors' Photo Album

• The Winterbash 2015 Hatmas “Photo” Album (& maybe embarrassing yearbook)

In addition to common sense rules like "have fun" and "be nice", do we have any specific rules for making these photo albums?

What does each photo need to include?

Do the photos need to be generated as screenshots?

Can image editors be used to alter the hat's appearance?

Can a user's photos include hats that the user hasn't earned?

Answer 1

There aren't any specific rules; this is not such a rigorously developed thing as to have them. I do think you might be overthinking it a bit.

In 2014 we had some super cool hats but then they vanished and I lost a couple of screenshots I took. In 2015 I just opened a thread so we could preserve some memories (as screenshots) and laid down some suggestions to keep it orderly, and to make it fun to participate in and not a competition or an exercise of public judgement. I left an answer and to my delight others joined in as well. I've done the same every year since.

Fundamentally I started it to be about the hats you've worn and seen that you liked. I dunno what you'd add that isn't a screenshot, there is no must/mustn't include, there are no rules about the scenarios you've asked and I'd prefer there not be any; policing things would compromise the nature of this as a fun exercise. If you're excited enough about any hats (locked or unlocked) you'd like to do some editing you have my blessing; nobody's going to win anything and there's nothing at stake so if you want to see your avatar in a hat you don't have yet and show how great it might look there's no harm done.