There is at least the advantage of the loading screens themselves being attractive while loading screens are a reality of life in City of Heroes.

Each screen highlights the variety of scenery within each zone, having been carefully picked out by the developers and the artists. But the developers don't want to force their opinions of the best parts of each zone upon the players, so the team at Paragon Studios has devised a contest for players to pick out their own best loading screenshots -- with the usual chance at fantastic prizes.

The official announcement includes Photoshop files for several loading templates, along with detailed instructions on assembling an eligible sceenshot. And the prizes are quite generous -- the top prize includes a six-month subscription to the game, as well as a copy of every single Super Booster. Take a look at the full list of rules and the list of eligible zones, and then log in to City of Heroes and get to work on your best Ansel Adams impersonation in-game.