Help:Taking Screenshots

Screenshots are a vital part of the Wiki, due to it covering a game series. Here are some tips to create good quality screenshots for use on the Wiki.

Enabling the Console
To take the best screenshots, enable the developer console by starting your game, and going to Options >> Keyboard. In Portal, click advanced and tick the select box that says Enable Developer Console. In Portal 2, set Allow Developer Console to Enabled.

Disabling the HUD, Crosshair and Portal Gun Model
Next, open the console (~ by default) and enter "cl_drawhud 0" and hit enter. Next, type "r_drawviewmodel 0" and hit enter. This will disable the HUD/Crosshair, and portal gun. To get the hud and crosshair back, simply type "cl_drawhud 1" and "r_drawviewmodel 1" respectively.

Noclip
To get special angles, type in "sv_cheats 1", and then "noclip". This will enable noclip, allowing you to fly across the room looking for the best angles. When done flying, simply type "noclip" again.

In-game Screenshots Function (preferred)
All Source Engine games are able to take their own Screenshots via the  key (by default). Screenshots are saved in the Targa format in the   folder of the relevant game:
 * Portal:
 * Portal 2:

This method is preferred as Targa files suffer less compression artefacts than  files.

Steam Screenshots function
Players can take screenshots within a game and upload them either during or after play onto the Steam Cloud. These can be made open for anyone to view, restrict to friends only or be private. They are also saved onto your local drive. Steam Screenshots are saved in the  format.

Windows Users
When in-game, players can press the Screenshot key to take the screen capture. By default this is ; if changed a player can find out what it is via.

In Windows, Steam saves Portal screenshots to  and Portal 2 screenshots to.

Mac
By pressing, OSX will automatically take a full screen screenshot. Any images taken via this method will appear on the Desktop.

Converting images to meet the Wiki's Image guidelines.
The Wiki requires screenshots to be uploaded in the  format. Most image-editing applications can open and re-save images from both Targa and  into. Here are a few examples of free image editors capable of doing the conversion:
 * Gimp
 * Paint.net