StrategyWiki:Staff lounge

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Welcome to all users! This page is where you can ask StrategyWiki-related questions to the staff and senior community figures, and they will do their best to answer. If you want to raise a topic for discussion (rather than just ask about it), please use the community issues forum instead. New issues are entered here, with the most recent at the bottom of the page. If your question does not pertain to editing StrategyWiki (e.g. asking for hints or game-specific information), please ask on the guide's talk page or on the forums.

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Allow free games bundled in video game magazines gain coverage?
--RAP (talk) 02:52, 21 September 2013 (UTC)
 * What the title says.
 * There's a Czech game called "Berusky", a free game that is bundled with various Czech video game magazines. The source regarding this info is this website:  anakreon.cz/?q=node/1 
 * Talking to, he notes that: The game is qualified for "being mentioned in a notable third-party source", but wasn't sure about games given as free gifts in game magazines being accepted for coverage in StrategyWiki.
 * I vaguely recall European video game magazines having disks distributed, but wasn't sure if it is commercial; to which Moydow brought up this nifty nugget: Sinclair magazines at one point gave out complete code of games in which requires the input of being typed into the magazine. He recalls that StrategyWiki game articles have been accepted before by this notion.
 * Wanting to hear the final call, Moydow wanted me to post it here for further discussion.
 * Yay or nay? Discuss.


 * It is allowable. Since the game is freely available online there is low chance of its availability disappearing any time soon (someone is likely to mirror it). The guide must be in English. A translations page is acceptable (and necessary for non-Czech readers) if you're into that. PC Gamer used to send discs with their magazine in the late 90's. I have a few, but I haven't spotted any demos on these, just custom maps (for Warcraft, Doom2, Hexen, etc.) and such. -- 23:39, 21 September 2013 (UTC)

MapleStory skill template overhaul vote
Hi all, we need your input. After the long discussion and sandboxing, as seen here and here, we need to vote on the features that we are proposing. Please see MapleStory/Warrior/Skills for implemented templates at the top. -- 16:18, 24 October 2013 (UTC)

There are two main sections we are discussing here:

1) Table of contents
The thing to vote on here is how the table of contents will be laid out. On MapleStory/Warrior/Skills we currently have two table of contents. The first is a simplified table with links to each section. The second table is a highly detailed skill matrix. It looks cool, but takes up a lot of space. It also allows people to skip directly to what skill they want by hovering their mouse over an icon and looking at the skill name in the form of "MapleStory/Warrior/Skills#Shout" where #Shout is the name of the skill that popped up when I put my mouse over a particular icon.

Let's keep this vote simple. If you vote for the simple table of contents, sign here:
 * Prod (talk) 16:42, 24 October 2013 (UTC)

If you vote for the detailed skill matrix, sign here:
 * 16:18, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * Paco (talk) 16:30, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * PirateIzzy (talk) 20:54, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * RAP (talk) 06:27, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
 * T.testLP(talk) 07:01, 25 October 2013 (UTC)

2) Skill tables
Under MapleStory/Warrior/Skills we have four versions of the layout. RAP's, NMH's (2 and 3 column versions), and the Old template. There are four elements to vote on here.

We differ on our preference of where to put the skill icon. RAP wants it above the skill name, so it is centered along with the rest of the text in a triangle-like shape. I prefer that it be in-line with the text, like we do with items and other features in guides like Dragon Warrior III and Castlevania: Circle of the Moon. It also saves a line of white space.
 * a) Icon placement

If you vote on icon above text, vote here:
 * RAP (talk) 06:27, 25 October 2013 (UTC)

If you vote on icon in-line with text, vote here:
 * 16:18, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * Paco (talk) 16:30, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * Prod (talk) 16:52, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * PirateIzzy (talk) 20:54, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 *  Pro cyon  02:29, 25 October 2013 (UTC)

This is what we used on the old template. I propose that we do not use collapsible lists, as it adds additional clicks for readers to find the info they want. This is even more unnecessary if we make the icon matrix table of contents the permanent one (which takes you right to where you want to be). The collapsible table also requires javascript to display.
 * b) Collapsible tables

If you prefer collapsible tables, vote here:
 * Prod (talk) 16:52, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * PirateIzzy (talk) 20:54, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 *  Pro cyon  02:29, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
 * RAP (talk) 06:27, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
 * T.testLP(talk) 07:01, 25 October 2013 (UTC)

If you prefer non-collapsible tables, vote here:
 * 16:18, 24 October 2013 (UTC)

The template Notmyhandle proposed can be shortened so that two or more columns can be used. This saves vertical space considerably (50% or more).
 * c) Columns

If you vote for single column template, vote here:

If you vote for multi-column template, vote here:
 * 16:18, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * Paco (talk) 16:30, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * Prod (talk) 16:52, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * PirateIzzy (talk) 20:54, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 *  Pro cyon  02:29, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
 * RAP (talk) 06:27, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
 * T.testLP(talk) 07:01, 25 October 2013 (UTC)

The data in our existing skill templates exist in one big block of text. This is handy because a lot of the data we get comes from other people posting around the internet, so a quick copy/paste of a list of text can be formatted easily with a few preceding asterisks to turn it into a bulleted list. Both of the proposed templates here suggest forcing additional formatting.
 * d) Table content/colors

Notmyhande's table is simpler, and more like the existing template. Instead of using a bulleted list, each row would be preceded with a template parameter like row1= and everything after that would be in that row. Also, the rows only appear if the row parameters are used, so the table can be up to the maximum a skill can have (I think 20 is the maximum).

RAP's table is more complicated, has to be created after the ID/collapsible template, but allows for more customizations - more columns and colored cells.

If you vote for Notmyhandle's template (under "New template"; multi column), vote here:
 * Prod (talk) 16:52, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * PirateIzzy (talk) 20:54, 24 October 2013 (UTC)

If you vote for RAP's template (colored tables), vote here:
 * Paco (talk) 16:30, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
 * RAP (talk) 06:27, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
 * T.testLP(talk) 07:01, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
 * 18:17, 25 October 2013 (UTC)

Abstain (or, the collaborative editors have to come to some consensus)
 *  Pro cyon  02:29, 25 October 2013 (UTC)

Results
Thank you all for your input. We have clear decisions on all but the most important part: the tables. Proc, if you see this, your thoughts would be much appreciated - the table that I suggested has two things that are very important. 1) It is simple. This makes it easy to update and, more important, makes it easy for temporary viewers to correct small mistakes (very little formatting in comparison to the elaborate table). 2) We have never supported colored tables except for where yes and no are used. I feel like this would set a precedent that all future tables could be expanded to more complex, colored versions. Neither option is bad. The more complex, colored ones, however, do require tweaking for color blind support - possibly making the colored areas optional rather than part of how you read the table. They also require more work. I think we can make the complex ones into a template, but figuring out how to do that will be painful. -- 16:24, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
 * I think it would be best if I just vote for the colored table and help RAP to optimize it and then template it. We allow colors elsewhere (e.g. Chrono Trigger's boss template, Knights of the Old Republic party page, MapleStory feature tables utilizing yes/no template,s etc.). It's not about color, it's about making things simple. Color just helps cells stick out. As long as we keep simplicity in mind I think it will be ok. -- 18:17, 25 October 2013 (UTC)

Should unplayable games be upgraded to completion stage 4?
Example: Green Beret (1980) will likely never be playable. I upgraded it to CS4 as an example/possible permanent status. We could make it a policy to make all unplayable games CS4. Thoughts? I think it is better than leaving them as stubs. It would slightly, artificially from one perspective, inflate our CS4 total seen on the main page. -- 17:25, 28 October 2013 (UTC)


 * The guide for an unplayable game is technically complete since the guide can't be improved further. While it technically inflates CS4, it's not be an issue in the long run as guides get completed.  The only other option is creating a new completion class (e.g. CSX) for the unplayable installments, which is simply a duplicate category. --Sigma 7 (talk) 15:19, 20 November 2013 (UTC)


 * On the flip side, however, the reason that there's a claim that Green Beret is unplayable is simply because the ROMs have yet to be located and dumped, which means that it could conceivably be playable at a future date. I think the reason why a game is unplayable needs to be examined more closely.  For example, there are a number of now defunct MMOs, and that number will only continue to grow.  Those games are truly unplayable, and yet I imagine it wouldn't be impossible to dig up information on them and include them on this site.  Another example might be old laser disc games.  Those I might say, "screw it, no one is ever going to be able to fire them up and play them, so mark them complete."  So I don't know...  I do really like S7's suggestion for CSX.  What do you think about that NMH?   Pro  cyon  01:52, 21 November 2013 (UTC)