StrategyWiki:Staff lounge: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 05:59, 3 April 2024

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. 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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Backward compatibility[edit]

Currently, there is a consideration to add all platforms that a game is playable on to its infobox. This includes platforms that offer backward compatibility (for example, all PS4 games can be purchased on the PS5's digital storefront, even though those games were not made for the PS5). The question then becomes how to handle this for platforms that offer limited backward compatibility (for example, the original DS and DS Lite models could play all GBA games, but this feature was discontinued with the DSi). Any thoughts? --Wario^Talk 19:01, 7 May 2021 (UTC)

I think we should cover this information, but with BC being inconsistent, we would need some kind of clarification. I think the easiest solution is a template like {{bc|ps5}} in the infobox, which links to the #Backwards compatibility section on the relevant system's page, which can go into how BC is supported on that system. The infobox could look something like this:

|systems=[[PlayStation 2]], {{bc|ps3}}

A related question would be purpose-built backwards compatibility like Super Game Boy, which allows you to play GB games on SNES. I think it supports everything that Game Boy supports, but some games have "special features", like special borders and colour schemes. Would these count as supported systems, or BC? -- Prod (talk) 19:42, 7 May 2021 (UTC)

Still hoping to get more feedback on this one. -- Prod (talk) 00:22, 12 September 2021 (UTC)

Now with {{syslist}}, perhaps we can have {{bclist}}? -- Prod (talk) 23:06, 30 July 2022 (UTC)

I'm thinking the best course of action is probably having a |bcsystems= parameter in the infobox with a {{bcsyslist}} template. This way we can modify the layout in the future (either show it with the systems, or as a separate row), and we can have more unique categorization options for each system. -- Prod (talk) 02:41, 8 August 2022 (UTC)

I think splitting them to two groups is fine. I would not treat hardware extensions like SGB the same as I would say the Wii playing GCN games. Trig - 17:11, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

A topic that came up on discord yesterday was the Wii Virtual Console situation where games were sold on new platforms, but using emulation. In particular the fact that without the category the main Wii category is filled with irrelevant entries. My opinion is that it was a mistake to remove the category, it is needed to keep the main system category free of clutter.--Henke37 (talk) 17:53, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

Multiplayer[edit]

This category should be split up into more specific categories. At least the following:

Local multiplayer
Local co-op
Local splitscreen multiplayer
Local hotseat multiplayer
Online multiplayer
Online co-op
MMO

Any others? -- Prod (talk) 17:29, 28 July 2022 (UTC)

Local splitscreen co-op, and maybe instead of "multiplayer" it should be "versus" or "PVP". Also it would be good to have a modelist template. -BrownDerby (talk) 19:21, 28 July 2022 (UTC)

I'm still a bit concerned about the "co-op" term at all. It's really useful to know which games have a co-op mode, but a game has to have multiplayer in some form to allow it, so I'm not sure it exactly fits in with all the other options. Perhaps it should only be a single option that says "yes there is some form of multiplayer co-op".

Single player
Email multiplayer (Civilization)
Multiplayer (Contra)
Hot-seat multiplayer (Super Mario World)
Split-screen multiplayer (GoldenEye 007)
Online multiplayer
Massively multiplayer online
Co-op

-- Prod (talk) 20:24, 28 July 2022 (UTC)

Going by this list, it looks like the "coop" designation is orthogonal to the rest. Coop describes the relationship between players, while the rest are how two players share the experience.--Henke37 (talk) 08:12, 11 August 2022 (UTC)

Being orthogonal, we could either create categories for every intersection (with multiplayer, so 13 total) or keep it as a separate entry and people could search based on some kind of query (DPL or Cargo). I feel these 8 categories should be enough of a split for most purposes, or is it over-categorization already? -- Prod (talk) 22:51, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

Delete all Days[edit]

As the various {{rd}} based templates are disappearing, nothing will be categorized by the days of the year. It makes sense to delete all the day sub-categories like January 1. This leaves the redirects, like January 1. Simplest would be to delink and delete them all. Does anyone see any potential uses for these pages otherwise? -- Prod (talk) 00:09, 10 August 2022 (UTC)

Honestly no, these categories rarely helped unless someone wanted to know what games were released on their birthday. I did wonder if a month/year category would be interesting, but probably only for people who religiously chronogame like I do, and I have other sources for that information. I say let 'em go. Pro cyon 01:07, 11 August 2022 (UTC)

I agree with the end of days. I think keep things in months as the smallest is fine. As for day pages, with the exception of April 1st which may have inter-site function (and should exclusively be used for that), games should not have listed days as links. Trig - 17:11, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

If you mean Category:March, I feel that's unnecessary since it doesn't really serve a purpose. If you mean at the year-specific level, like Category:March 2023, I feel it gets back to the original problem of us having verified data on specific months. Users shouldn't come to us as a source for release dates, even at a monthly level, the primary use of dates, since none of it is verified. -- Prod (talk) 22:22, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

This is now done. -- Prod (talk) 06:59, 23 April 2023 (UTC)

Fully gut supporting unplayable games[edit]

It does not make sense that we host coverage of games that are no longer playable in any capacity. Many of these guides were not even well completed either. I would like to nominate the deletion of all to most existing unplayable titles, and implementing a policy that would remove game that have shut down or recently become unplayable otherwise to be deleted after 1 month of its closure. Trig - 17:11, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

We should absolutely keep the front pages. The games existed, and we should show that we know of their (one-time) existence. I can see validity to discussing purging all subpages, but some of these games do come back as abandonware. -- Prod (talk) 22:55, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

And if they do, the main page can be undeleted. Nonexistant/unplayable titles are for Wikipedia, not StrategyWiki. Trig - 02:29, 24 March 2023 (UTC)

Bumping this conversation. Since then, I have also added several more titles to the list that weren't initially marked for unplayability. Trig - 13:10, 18 April 2023 (UTC)

Maybe it'd be better to have just made a new section, but I remain firm that we should remove these titles and they are not applicable to our scope. Trig - 05:20, 18 January 2024 (UTC)

Virtual Console[edit]

A discussion was had recently in the Discord about Virtual Console. To be more clear, in a categorical sense, games that were purchasable via Nintendo's Virtual Console should not list the console purchased on a game's infobox. An example is Albert Odyssey (1993), which while playable via the Super Famicom and Satellaview, were also able to be downloaded on the Japanese Virtual Consoles for Wii and Wii U. These Virtual Console releases are simply emulation, so I believe a consensus should be reached on whether the modern consoles names are completely removed, kept on there, or if a new category for Virtual Consoles should be added. Auxillify (talk) 22:01, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

Wii VC and similar were all removed since they're more like distributors than systems. You still play the game on your Wii system, though it is emulated (officially provided by the manufacturer, rather than 3rd party). There's a lot of systems that would need to be (re)created to re-categorize like this, and I'm not sure they're all as simple as running through an emulator.

One idea brought up on discord was to handle these like the Super Game Boy. Categorize them, but don't list them in the infobox. They're similar to accessories to the base system that provide additional functionality (playing old games). -- Prod (talk) 23:14, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

I think VC should be identified as a sales platform and not a system, similar to Steam. Steam isn't a system, it's a distribution point. (To complicate matters more, we don't identify Steam games as belonging to the PC system, we say they're Windows and/or Linux games). We used to have this distinction in the Infobox but then it went away. I think it's a useful distinction, and I'd be in favor of bringing it back. Yeah it can become a headache to maintain all of the sources where a game can come from, but that's the point of the wiki; it's a collaborative effort, and it can be achieved through enough users' efforts. Pro cyon 00:51, 24 March 2023 (UTC)

Mods are Asleep[edit]

Write klondike walkthroughs. --45.72.205.4 04:17, 1 April 2023 (UTC)

Syscat/data.json[edit]

"360" for Xbox 360 doesn't work. -BrownDerby (talk) 04:25, 18 April 2023 (UTC)

I believe this should be fixed now. Thanks for bringing it up! -- Prod (talk) 05:37, 18 April 2023 (UTC)

Please add "pv1000" and "pv2000" for Casio PV-1000 and Casio PV-2000. -BrownDerby (talk) 21:30, 2 April 2024 (UTC)

Done. -- Prod (talk) 05:59, 3 April 2024 (UTC)

pokemon red generation 1 online trading[edit]

I recently started playing Pokémon generation 1 - red, and i wanted to know if there is any way I can trade online to complete pokedex? thank you! Bentho (talk) 06:18, 23 April 2023 (UTC)bentho

This really isn't an area of expertise for StrategyWiki. It's unclear by what method you are attempting to do this, but regardless, you would be better served posting this question to the r/pokemon subreddit on Reddit, as they are more likely to know the answer to your question. Pro cyon 02:56, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Image Category updates[edit]

Category:Company logos and Category:System logos are currently in Category:Logos Category:Logos directly seems to contain a mix of series and game-specific logos (mobile games).

I'd like to suggest we get rid of Category:Logos, and split it into the following 4 categories:

-- Prod (talk) 19:30, 11 May 2023 (UTC)

I retort with have all five. There will always be outliers and exceptions, plus it makes sense to have a unifying root category anyway. Logos/Game logos/Series logos/Company logos/System logos. Trig Jegman - 20:32, 11 May 2023 (UTC)

RetroAchievements inclusion[edit]

So, since RetroAchievements is a way to enjoy even more RetroGames, and that people on RA would be looking for guides of Retro games, why not include and add achievements/achievements guides to the related games pages?

Arkhane (talk) 18:54, 26 July 2023 (UTC)

Policy on WebP images?[edit]

I notice that the policy on image formats does not mention WebP. I assume PNGs are currently preferred over WebP for lossless raster images, correct? Iridium Context (talk) 16:28, 4 November 2023 (UTC)

It's generally better to stick to the original format an image is available in. I believe webp uploads are allowed, so if the image comes in that format it should be fine. It would be better not to convert to webp as it doesn't have as widespread support as the other formats. -- Prod (talk) 22:08, 25 November 2023 (UTC)

Proper image classification for sprites masquerading as 3D models?[edit]

Skaphander: Der Auftrag treats enemies and items as points (not polygonal models) in the 3D scene and renders them as distance-scaled sprites at the appropriate place in the Z order. For example, see this screenshot, where the viruses look like 3D models to try to blend in with the rest of the scene (which is true 3D), but if you look closely, they're actually both the same sprite just at different scales. Is "sprite" still the correct image type to use for uploads even if these are not sprites used in the traditional sense? Iridium Context (talk) 16:29, 4 November 2023 (UTC)

I would say they probably qualify still as sprites, yes. Trig Jegman - 19:32, 4 November 2023 (UTC)

Content variation by difficulty level?[edit]

At Skaphander: Der Auftrag I was thinking it would be nice to vary the walkthrough text and images by difficulty level, a lot like is done with {{Control selector}} and {{Control}} for different platforms, rather than constantly having to describe three possible cases (easy, medium, and hard) in the prose. However, those templates rely on MediaWiki:Gadget-ControlSelector.js to function. I could abuse it, making templates that provide a controller selector reskinned to look like a difficulty selector, but that wouldn't work if some hypothetical game wants to vary page content by both platform and difficulty level. Would StrategyWiki be open to having a new JavaScript gadget to support a {{Difficulty selector}}/{{Difficulty}} pair that plays nicely with the controls templates? I would be willing to write the JavaScript, and I would keep it short and readable so that it could be reviewed to allay any security concerns. Iridium Context (talk) 15:13, 18 November 2023 (UTC)

I'm not a fan of hiding content with js. With controls, it's not a big deal for someone to figure out an associated control if the wrong one is showing. But with walkthrough content, it could be frustrating if someone didn't notice the selector switch. Depending on how different the difficulty variations are, it could be simpler to just have sidebars to explain the differences (small changes), separate different sections on each page (large changes), or even separate pages for each difficulty (extensive changes). -- Prod (talk) 22:12, 25 November 2023 (UTC)

Attribute anonymous edit[edit]

Hi there, I just made an edit but forgot to log in. Is there any chance it could be linked to my username instead of the IP? The edit was at Battlefield 3/Table of Contents. Thank you. Hypolar (talk) 17:39, 24 November 2023 (UTC)

Unfortunately, it's not really straightforward to re-attribute edits. If you're concerned about the IP being visible, we can hide the IP. -- Prod (talk) 22:14, 25 November 2023 (UTC)

Yes, if you could hide it please that would be great, thank you! Hypolar (talk) 23:15, 25 November 2023 (UTC)

Done. -- Prod (talk) 01:26, 26 November 2023 (UTC)

Thank you so much! Hypolar (talk) 12:01, 26 November 2023 (UTC)

SVG, Motion Control, Mouse 4 & 5, PS Vita, and Steam button icons[edit]

I'd like to have the button icons to be in SVG file format because it is less blurry than PNG or JPG.
The Wii button template only has a shake icon for the Wii Remote, but there needs to be more motion control icons like tilt, thrust, and shake for each template that supports motion controls.
There are two mouse buttons on the side known as "Mouse 4" and "Mouse 5". It would be nice to include those two buttons in the mouse template.
I already did the L & R PlayStation buttons, but all I need next is the Rear Touch Pad on the PS Vita.
Valve's games' controls are different on Steam Controller and Steam Deck from their console versions, so it would be nice to include Steam Controller and Steam Deck button icons.

Gorilli09 (talk) 11:14, 18 January 2024 (UTC)

Great. When you find any, let us know and we'll import them.
Again, find a good source for them and we'll import them.
What games use a 4th and 5th mouse button? And how would you even represent them?
Find a model for what a rear touch pad icon should look like.
What's unique about Steam Deck and Steam Controllers that an X-Box One controller doesn't have?

This stuff doesn't appear out of thin air. Someone would actually have to make all of this, and I'm a little uncertain as to how useful they would be under general circumstances. Pro cyon 01:41, 18 January 2024 (UTC)

I have a set of icons for the Steam Deck that I'll upload when I can get around to them. I do have icon sets for PS3/PS4/PS5/Vita, but they have different colour schemes between them, and are very different from all our other styles. They're also all PNG. -- Prod (talk) 03:54, 18 January 2024 (UTC)

I tried making SVG versions of Switch button icons, but it looks like the MW software just turns it into a PNG anyway. Some of them might work as HTML + CSS, though. Wanderer (talk) 01:17, 27 February 2024 (UTC)

The mediawiki software will convert it to png, but it'll scale it first, so it should still have many of the SVG benefits. MediaWiki will support native SVG starting in 1.41, but it may be some time before we can enable that setting. -- Prod (talk) 01:05, 29 February 2024 (UTC)

Launchbox Images[edit]

Hello! Just wanted to ask a question regarding images from LaunchBox Games Database. Are they off-limits? Can I use specific ones? Please let me know. Thank you for your time. GamingBound (talk) 13:13, 15 February 2024 (UTC)

Suggestion: Steam link in game infobox[edit]

E.G. |steam=2731870 would link to this. This could also automatically link to PCGW. -BrownDerby (talk) 17:00, 19 February 2024 (UTC)

I've avoided linking steam directly since I'd rather leave it to users to figure out how to procure their games, without promoting a specific storefront. Steam is the largest online game store, and is generally just a search away, so I don't think the additional effort from editors would help users as much. One thing I've been considering is linking to archive.org's archives of some of the very old games that are much harder to find these days, which are playable online (example). I've been tempted to remove ~~Twitter~~X (28 uses) due to recent changes on the platform, and re-assessing twitch (37 uses)/fb (18 uses) as well.

I'd be much more inclined to link to wikidata though, which should be available for all games, not just PC. They currently link to almost 3k of our guides, so it wouldn't be too hard to have a bot connect those up. However, most of those are from PCGW already. -- Prod (talk) 01:27, 29 February 2024 (UTC)

Creating too many articles at a time[edit]

I'm getting concerned about getting banned on the website, because I created too many articles at a time. Is this a problem? Gorilli09 (talk) 15:44, 26 March 2024 (UTC)

What matters is not quantity, but quality. And we are lenient on good faith edits.--Henke37 (talk)

Your edits are positive, so low chance of being banned. However, if you could fill in the main pages a bit, that would be appreciated. Just a few sentences about the release (contents of the infobox in sentence form) and maybe a paragraph of what gameplay is like would help a lot. -- Prod (talk) 20:52, 26 March 2024 (UTC)

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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 <span class="plainlinks">[http://forums.abxy.org/viewforum.php?f=20 community issues forum]</span> instead.
+'''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. <span class="plainlinks">[http://strategywiki.org/w/index.php?title=StrategyWiki:Staff_lounge&action=edit&section=new New issues are entered here]</span>, 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.
-<span class="plainlinks">[http://strategywiki.org/w/index.php?title=StrategyWiki:Staff_lounge&action=edit&section=new New issues are entered here]</span>, 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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-== Remove PC system requirements ==
+== Backward compatibility ==
+Currently, there is a consideration to add all platforms that a game is playable on to its infobox. This includes platforms that offer backward compatibility (for example, all PS4 games can be purchased on the PS5's digital storefront, even though those games were not made for the PS5). The question then becomes how to handle this for platforms that offer limited backward compatibility (for example, the original DS and DS Lite models could play all GBA games, but this feature was discontinued with the DSi). Any thoughts? --[[User:E-123Wario54|<span style="color:Purple">'''Wario'''</span>]]<sup>[[User talk:E-123Wario54|<span style="color:Blue">'''Talk'''</span>]]</sup> 19:01, 7 May 2021 (UTC)
+:I think we should cover this information, but with BC being inconsistent, we would need some kind of clarification. I think the easiest solution is a template like {{t|bc|ps5}} in the infobox, which links to the <code>#Backwards compatibility</code> section on the relevant system's page, which can go into how BC is supported on that system. The infobox could look something like this:
+:<pre>|systems=[[PlayStation 2]], {{bc|ps3}}</pre>
+:A related question would be purpose-built backwards compatibility like [[Super Game Boy]], which allows you to play GB games on SNES. I think it supports everything that [[Game Boy]] supports, but some games have "special features", like special borders and colour schemes. Would these count as supported systems, or BC? -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 19:42, 7 May 2021 (UTC)
+::Still hoping to get more feedback on this one. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 00:22, 12 September 2021 (UTC)
+:::Now with {{t|syslist}}, perhaps we can have {{t|bclist}}? -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 23:06, 30 July 2022 (UTC)
+:::I'm thinking the best course of action is probably having a <code>|bcsystems=</code> parameter in the infobox with a {{t|bcsyslist}} template. This way we can modify the layout in the future (either show it with the systems, or as a separate row), and we can have more unique categorization options for each system. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 02:41, 8 August 2022 (UTC)
+:I think splitting them to two groups is fine. I would not treat hardware extensions like SGB the same as I would say the Wii playing GCN games. [[User:Trig Jegman|Trig]] - 17:11, 23 March 2023 (UTC)
+A topic that came up on discord yesterday was the {{c|Wii Virtual Console}} situation where games were sold on new platforms, but using emulation. In particular the fact that without the category the main {{c|Wii}} category is filled with irrelevant entries. My opinion is that it was a mistake to remove the category, it is needed to keep the main system category free of clutter.--[[User:Henke37|Henke37]] ([[User talk:Henke37|talk]]) 17:53, 23 March 2023 (UTC)
+== {{c|Multiplayer}} ==
+This category should be split up into more specific categories. At least the following:
+* Local multiplayer
+* Local co-op
+* Local splitscreen multiplayer
+* Local hotseat multiplayer
+* Online multiplayer
+* Online co-op
+* MMO
+Any others? -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 17:29, 28 July 2022 (UTC)
+:Local splitscreen co-op, and maybe instead of "multiplayer" it should be "versus" or "PVP". Also it would be good to have a modelist template. -[[User:BrownDerby|BrownDerby]] ([[User talk:BrownDerby|talk]]) 19:21, 28 July 2022 (UTC)
+::I'm still a bit concerned about the "co-op" term at all. It's really useful to know which games have a co-op mode, but a game has to have multiplayer in some form to allow it, so I'm not sure it exactly fits in with all the other options. Perhaps it should only be a single option that says "yes there is some form of multiplayer co-op".
+::* Single player
+::* Email multiplayer ([[Civilization]])
+::* Multiplayer ([[Contra]])
+::* Hot-seat multiplayer ([[Super Mario World]])
+::* Split-screen multiplayer ([[GoldenEye 007]])
+::* Online multiplayer
+::* Massively multiplayer online
+::* Co-op
+::-- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 20:24, 28 July 2022 (UTC)
+::: Going by this list, it looks like the "coop" designation is orthogonal to the rest. Coop describes the relationship between players, while the rest are how two players share the experience.--[[User:Henke37|Henke37]] ([[User talk:Henke37|talk]]) 08:12, 11 August 2022 (UTC)
+::::Being orthogonal, we could either create categories for every intersection (with multiplayer, so 13 total) or keep it as a separate entry and people could search based on some kind of query (DPL or Cargo). I feel these 8 categories should be enough of a split for most purposes, or is it over-categorization already? -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 22:51, 23 March 2023 (UTC)
+== Delete all {{c|Days}} ==
+As the various {{t|rd}} based templates are disappearing, nothing will be categorized by the days of the year. It makes sense to delete all the day sub-categories like {{c|January 1}}. This leaves the redirects, like [[January 1]]. Simplest would be to delink and delete them all. Does anyone see any potential uses for these pages otherwise? -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 00:09, 10 August 2022 (UTC)
+:Honestly no, these categories rarely helped unless someone wanted to know what games were released on their birthday.  I did wonder if a month/year category would be interesting, but probably only for people who religiously chronogame like I do, and I have other sources for that information.  I say let 'em go.  '''[[User:Procyon|<span style="color:red">Pro</span>]][[User talk:Procyon|<span style="color:grey">cyon</span>]]''' 01:07, 11 August 2022 (UTC)
+::I agree with the end of days. I think keep things in months as the smallest is fine. As for day pages, with the exception of April 1st which may have inter-site function (and should exclusively be used for that), games should not have listed days as links. [[User:Trig Jegman|Trig]] - 17:11, 23 March 2023 (UTC)
+:::If you mean <tt>Category:March</tt>, I feel that's unnecessary since it doesn't really serve a purpose. If you mean at the year-specific level, like <tt>Category:March 2023</tt>, I feel it gets back to the original problem of us having verified data on specific months. Users shouldn't come to us as a source for release dates, even at a monthly level, the primary use of dates, since none of it is verified. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 22:22, 23 March 2023 (UTC)
+:This is now done. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 06:59, 23 April 2023 (UTC)
+== Fully gut supporting unplayable games ==
-I'd like to suggest we remove all pc game requirements from our infoboxes. Essentially every instance of {{t|pcreq}} (almost 400 uses).  The template is inflexible and needs updating over time as computing power increases, and often the template isn't used (properly). The information doesn't help users play the game or find new games to play. It's not frequently updated by users anymore, and Steam covers all this information more directly/accurately. PCGW also covers it much better than we do if it's something a user needs. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 13:09, 10 July 2016 (UTC)
+It does not make sense that we host coverage of games that are [[:Category:Unplayable games|no longer playable in any capacity]]. Many of these guides were not even well completed either. I would like to nominate the deletion of all to most existing unplayable titles, and implementing a policy that would remove game that have shut down or recently become unplayable otherwise to be deleted after 1 month of its closure. [[User:Trig Jegman|Trig]] - 17:11, 23 March 2023 (UTC)
-: Yeah, I'm in favor of removing the requirements.  It's good info, but I don't think people use our site to preview games and therefore need sys req recommendations.  They likely already have, and are playing, the game, so they must already meet the reqs.  If it will simplify our infobox, I'm for it.  '''[[User:Procyon|<span style="color:red">Pro</span>]][[User talk:Procyon|<span style="color:grey">cyon</span>]]''' 01:07, 13 July 2016 (UTC)
+:We should absolutely keep the front pages. The games existed, and we should show that we know of their (one-time) existence. I can see validity to discussing purging all subpages, but some of these games do come back as abandonware. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 22:55, 23 March 2023 (UTC)
-:: Indeed it seems way out of place and takes up a lot of vertical space in it's current form. [[User:Matthias|Matthias]] ([[User talk:Matthias|talk]]) 13:41, 17 July 2016 (UTC)
+::And if they do, the main page can be undeleted. Nonexistant/unplayable titles are for Wikipedia, not StrategyWiki. [[User:Trig Jegman|Trig]] - 02:29, 24 March 2023 (UTC)
-:::There were only two instances of the requirements parameter in the infobox which weren't for PC games, so I've removed them and added the info to the page directly.  the template and all uses has now been deleted. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 04:36, 17 August 2016 (UTC)
+:::Bumping this conversation. Since then, I have also added several more titles to the list that weren't initially marked for unplayability. [[User:Trig Jegman|Trig]] - 13:10, 18 April 2023 (UTC)
+::::Maybe it'd be better to have just made a new section, but I remain firm that we should remove these titles and they are not applicable to our scope. [[User:Trig Jegman|Trig]] - 05:20, 18 January 2024 (UTC)
-== Templates ==
+== Virtual Console ==
-Why does {{T|~}} exist? It's a quick way to link subpages within the current project but, [http://strategywiki.org/w/index.php?title=Star_Wars:_Knights_of_the_Old_Republic/Utility_items&curid=71739&diff=787741&oldid=787722 as Prod has just pointed out to me], <nowiki>[[../page name/]] and {{~|page name}} have the same result, and by extension so do [[../page name|label]] and {{~|page name|label}}.</nowiki> Is it redundant, and should usage be avoided?
+A discussion was had recently in the Discord about Virtual Console. To be more clear, in a categorical sense, games that were purchasable via Nintendo's Virtual Console should not list the console purchased on a game's infobox. An example is [[Albert Odyssey]] (1993), which while playable via the Super Famicom and Satellaview, were also able to be downloaded on the Japanese Virtual Consoles for Wii and Wii U. These Virtual Console releases are simply emulation, so I believe a consensus should be reached on whether the modern consoles names are completely removed, kept on there, or if a new category for Virtual Consoles should be added.
+[[User:Auxillify|Auxillify]] ([[User talk:Auxillify|talk]]) 22:01, 23 March 2023 (UTC)
+:Wii VC and similar were all removed since they're more like distributors than systems. You still play the game on your Wii system, though it is emulated (officially provided by the manufacturer, rather than 3rd party). There's a lot of systems that would need to be (re)created to re-categorize like this, and I'm not sure they're all as simple as running through an emulator.
+:* [[Nintendo Switch Online]] + Expansion Pack
+:* [[PlayStation Network]]
+:* [[Xbox Live Arcade]]
+:* [[Wii Virtual Console]]
+:* [[Wii U Virtual Console]]
+:* [[Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console]]
+:One idea brought up on discord was to handle these like the [[Super Game Boy]]. Categorize them, but don't list them in the infobox. They're similar to accessories to the base system that provide additional functionality (playing old games). -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 23:14, 23 March 2023 (UTC)
+::I think VC should be identified as a sales platform and not a system, similar to Steam.  Steam isn't a system, it's a distribution point.  (To complicate matters more, we don't identify Steam games as belonging to the PC system, we say they're Windows and/or Linux games).  We used to have this distinction in the Infobox but then it went away.  I think it's a useful distinction, and I'd be in favor of bringing it back.  Yeah it can become a headache to maintain all of the sources where a game can come from, but that's the point of the wiki; it's a collaborative effort, and it can be achieved through enough users' efforts. '''[[User:Procyon|<span style="color:red">Pro</span>]][[User talk:Procyon|<span style="color:grey">cyon</span>]]''' 00:51, 24 March 2023 (UTC)
-I ask because I've been considering making a more generic version of <nowiki>{{KotOR}}</nowiki>, which is a quick way of linking to page ''sections'' within the [[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic]] project: for example, to link to [[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic/Implants#Nerve Enhancement Package|Nerve Enhancement Package]] I can just use <nowiki>{{KotOR|Implants|Nerve Enhancement Package}} instead of [[../Implants#Nerve Enhancement Package|Nerve Enhancement Package]]</nowiki>.
+==Mods are Asleep==
+Write [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Klondike_lost_game.jpg klondike] walkthroughs. --[[Special:Contributions/45.72.205.4|45.72.205.4]] '''04:17, 1 April 2023 (UTC)'''
-I ''was'' considering editing {{T|~}} to achieve this, but the new parameter order would be counter-intuitive ( <nowiki>{{~|page name|label|section name}}, not {{~|page name|section name|label}}</nowiki> ) and it's already linked to over 500 pages (although it'll be less than 500 once I remove it from pages I edit).
+== Syscat/data.json ==
-If I created a new template, provisionally ?, to allow a quick way to link page sections within the current project, then I'm pretty sure ''I'd'' use it on multiple projects, even if no one else did... or does such a template or other functionality already exist? [[User:Onderduiker|Onderduiker]] ([[User talk:Onderduiker|talk]]) 10:20, 13 August 2016 (UTC)
+"360" for Xbox 360 doesn't work. -[[User:BrownDerby|BrownDerby]] ([[User talk:BrownDerby|talk]]) 04:25, 18 April 2023 (UTC)
+:I believe this should be fixed now. Thanks for bringing it up! -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 05:37, 18 April 2023 (UTC)
-:In theory (and not in practice because we don't typically go two sub-directories deep), {{T|~}} has and advantage over the .. usage in that it can be used to refer to a link off of the main guide, even if you were two sub-directory levels deep.  With the .. approach, you'd have to use "../..", etc.  That's really about the only advantage I can think of.  Your approach to changing the behavior of {{T|~}} seems weird to me because in just about every wiki convention, the label comes last.  You are definitely more than welcome to make a custom template that supports your work, regardless of whether anyone else might use it.  If it's useful to you, it's useful to the site.  I'm just not sure about "?" for the name, although I don't have a better suggestion.  '''[[User:Procyon|<span style="color:red">Pro</span>]][[User talk:Procyon|<span style="color:grey">cyon</span>]]''' 01:07, 14 August 2016 (UTC)
+Please add "pv1000" and "pv2000" for Casio PV-1000 and Casio PV-2000. -[[User:BrownDerby|BrownDerby]] ([[User talk:BrownDerby|talk]]) 21:30, 2 April 2024 (UTC)
+:Done. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 05:59, 3 April 2024 (UTC)
-::{{T|~}} is already in use on just over 500 pages and already has two parameters (1 = page name, 2 = optional label), so adding a third would be problematic. I ''could'' add an optional S parameter to maintain the conventional order ( <nowiki>{{~|page name|S=section name|label}} or {{~|1|S|2}}</nowiki> ) but that's not ideal either.
+== pokemon red generation 1 online trading ==
-::Hence I'm leaning towards creating a new template. Due to the frequency with which I'll use it, its name should ideally be a single character, and I suggested "?" because the links will often be used to answer the question, "What's that (again)?" (for example, items listed in merchant inventories).
+I recently started playing Pokémon generation 1 - red, and i wanted to know if there is any way I can trade online to complete pokedex?
+thank you!
+[[User:Bentho|Bentho]] ([[User talk:Bentho|talk]]) 06:18, 23 April 2023 (UTC)bentho
+:This really isn't an area of expertise for StrategyWiki.  It's unclear by what method you are attempting to do this, but regardless, you would be better served posting this question to the r/pokemon subreddit on Reddit, as they are more likely to know the answer to your question.  '''[[User:Procyon|<span style="color:red">Pro</span>]][[User talk:Procyon|<span style="color:grey">cyon</span>]]''' 02:56, 24 April 2023 (UTC)
-::I've checked Wikipedia templates and there doesn't appear to be one by this name, so it shouldn't cause confusion. I'm open to other suggestions though (S for section? Also looks like ~ once flipped horizontally and rotated 90°), and I plan to work on model screenshots for the next week or so, so a decision isn't that urgent. [[User:Onderduiker|Onderduiker]] ([[User talk:Onderduiker|talk]]) 11:07, 14 August 2016 (UTC)
+== Image Category updates ==
-:::I also thought {{t|~}} would be pretty cool until {{user|Najzere}} showed me <nowiki>[[../Page/]]</nowiki>.  I'd rather switch to that instead of the template since it's part of the software and probably more efficient. {{t|s}} is probably a good option, with usage like {{t|s|page|section}}. Adding a parameter for label is redundant with the ../ syntax and I think only saves 1 character.
-<pre>
-{{~|Page#section Name|Label}}
-{{s|Page|section Name|Label}}
-[[../Page#Section name|Label]]
-</pre>
-:::-- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 16:23, 14 August 2016 (UTC)
-::::Thanks for pointing out the redundancy of the label parameter for my proposed template. I'll create {{T|s}} shortly for use when section name = label... although I'm a little surprised something like this doesn't already exist here, since you can't just create pages for everything for ease of linkage (although even when you can, you probably shouldn't: hundreds or ''thousands'' of pages can be harder to organize, maintain and navigate). [[User:Onderduiker|Onderduiker]] ([[User talk:Onderduiker|talk]]) 19:38, 15 August 2016 (UTC)
+[[:Category:Company logos]] and [[:Category:System logos]] are currently in [[:Category:Logos]]
+Category:Logos directly seems to contain a mix of series and game-specific logos (mobile games).
-----
+I'd like to suggest we get rid of Category:Logos, and split it into the following 4 categories:
+* [[:Category:Logos (game)]]
+* [[:Category:Logos (series)]]
+* [[:Category:Logos (company)]]
+* [[:Category:Logos (system)]]
+-- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 19:30, 11 May 2023 (UTC)
-I've now created and used {{T|s}}, and I'll use it to replace {{T|~}} and <nowiki>{{KotOR}}</nowiki> going forward: I think two similar templates I created earlier, {{T|DII}} and {{T|DIILoD}}, are still necessary since they allow linking to [[Diablo II]] pages on [[Diablo II: Lord of Destruction]] pages, and vice versa. [[User:Onderduiker|Onderduiker]] ([[User talk:Onderduiker|talk]]) 19:13, 28 August 2016 (UTC)
+::I retort with have all five. There will always be outliers and exceptions, plus it makes sense to have a unifying root category anyway. Logos/Game logos/Series logos/Company logos/System logos. [[User:Trig Jegman|Trig Jegman]] - 20:32, 11 May 2023 (UTC)
-:Cool!  If you want to do a simple template switch, I can set my bot to do basic search/replace. Or, you could try [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] for anything more complicated. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 20:39, 28 August 2016 (UTC)
-::Thanks for the offer, but I'll most likely be editing all 100 or so pages on which I've used <nowiki>{{KotOR}}</nowiki> for other reasons over the next month or so, and it has a third parameter (albeit an optional and redundant one) which the new template does not. I'm happy to do it manually, killing two birds with one stone. [[User:Onderduiker|Onderduiker]] ([[User talk:Onderduiker|talk]]) 17:48, 29 August 2016 (UTC)
+== RetroAchievements inclusion ==
-== Remove media parameter from game infoboxes ==
+So, since RetroAchievements is a way to enjoy even more RetroGames, and that people on RA would be looking for guides of Retro games, why not include and add achievements/achievements guides to the related games pages?
-I'm thinking of getting rid of the |media parameter from infoboxes. We have less than 100 games which use the parameter.  I feel it's unnecessary information, that is better covered elsewhere. Console games generally have only one possible media, apart from eShops which are listed as a method of distribution. The only distinguishing point is the size of the media (256 Megabit cartridge), which is not useful for guides, and should be listed elsewhere. PC games are slightly more [[Ancient Glory|interesting]] (floppies), but all modern games are generally available via digital distribution (Steam). -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 01:38, 19 August 2016 (UTC)
+[[User:Arkhane|Arkhane]] ([[User talk:Arkhane|talk]]) 18:54, 26 July 2023 (UTC)
-: I'd agree. It's only useful for a very few cases, and that can be handled on the Getting Started page or PCGamingWiki when it's relevant.  For other computer platforms supporting multiple media formats, such as Commodore 64, the worry about whether you have the needed tape or disk drive is no longer important simply because of the current situation. Even PC games might not be that interesting, as most floppy/CD games can be installed on the hard disk, as opposed to the unique ones that run directly from disk. --[[User:Sigma 7|Sigma 7]] ([[User talk:Sigma 7|talk]]) 01:59, 19 August 2016 (UTC)
+== Policy on WebP images? ==
-::Also agree, but primarily because I don't really work on too many computer games, so it doesn't affect me greatly.  Sigma's points about the PCGamingWiki are valid, but only for DOS/Windows games, and probably won't be applicable to older Atari and Commodore systems.  That being said, I really don't know who would come here seeking that specific information.  Presumably, they're coming here because they already possess in the game, in whatever format, and are here to learn how to play the game, not how to load it.  '''[[User:Procyon|<span style="color:red">Pro</span>]][[User talk:Procyon|<span style="color:grey">cyon</span>]]''' 17:46, 19 August 2016 (UTC)
+I notice that [[Help:Images#Image_Formats|the policy on image formats]] does not mention [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WebP WebP]. I assume PNGs are currently preferred over WebP for lossless raster images, correct? [[User:Iridium Context|Iridium Context]] ([[User talk:Iridium Context|talk]]) 16:28, 4 November 2023 (UTC)
-:::The media parameter is now gone. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 22:09, 26 August 2016 (UTC)
+:It's generally better to stick to the original format an image is available in. I believe webp uploads are allowed, so if the image comes in that format it should be fine. It would be better not to convert to webp as it doesn't have as widespread support as the other formats. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 22:08, 25 November 2023 (UTC)
-== NES Classic Edition ==
+== Proper image classification for sprites masquerading as 3D models? ==
-A user made [http://strategywiki.org/w/index.php?title=Category:NES&curid=1508&diff=788616&oldid=726611 this] change. This seems like it should be it's own system, since it's completely standalone and connects directly to the TV. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 16:51, 19 August 2016 (UTC)
+[[Skaphander: Der Auftrag]] treats enemies and items as points (not polygonal models) in the 3D scene and renders them as distance-scaled sprites at the appropriate place in the Z order. For example, see [https://www.myabandonware.com/media/screenshots/s/skaphander-der-auftrag-xzt/skaphander-der-auftrag_5.png this screenshot], where the viruses look like 3D models to try to blend in with the rest of the scene (which is true 3D), but if you look closely, they're actually both the same sprite just at different scales. Is "sprite" still the correct [[Template:File#Parameters|image type]] to use for uploads even if these are not sprites used in the traditional sense? [[User:Iridium Context|Iridium Context]] ([[User talk:Iridium Context|talk]]) 16:29, 4 November 2023 (UTC)
-:That begs the question of whether standalone, non-expandable systems are systems in the traditional sense at all.  An arguable alternative is that the whole system could be treated as a compilation cartridge with no system at all.  I think the footnote is worth leaving on the Category page, linking to a main game page similar to [[Namco Museum]] or something similar.  '''[[User:Procyon|<span style="color:red">Pro</span>]][[User talk:Procyon|<span style="color:grey">cyon</span>]]''' 17:46, 19 August 2016 (UTC)
+:I would say they probably qualify still as sprites, yes. [[User:Trig Jegman|Trig Jegman]] - 19:32, 4 November 2023 (UTC)
-:: I'd treat them similar to compilation disks - only difference is that it's a hardware device rather than a collection of software. --[[User:Sigma 7|Sigma 7]] ([[User talk:Sigma 7|talk]]) 01:19, 27 August 2016 (UTC)
+== Content variation by difficulty level? ==
-:::Maybe we should have [[:Category:Single-use systems]]? That way it's clear you don't actually need an NES to play the games. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 20:17, 8 September 2016 (UTC)
-== Tabbed navigation bar covers and hides on-page link targets ==
+At [[Skaphander: Der Auftrag]] I was thinking it would be nice to vary the walkthrough text and images by difficulty level, a lot like is done with {{t|Control selector}} and {{t|Control}} for different platforms, rather than constantly having to describe three possible cases (easy, medium, and hard) in the prose. However, those templates rely on [[MediaWiki:Gadget-ControlSelector.js]] to function. I could abuse it, making templates that provide a controller selector reskinned to look like a difficulty selector, but that wouldn't work if some hypothetical game wants to vary page content by both platform and difficulty level. Would StrategyWiki be open to having a new JavaScript gadget to support a {{t|Difficulty selector}}/{{t|Difficulty}} pair that plays nicely with the controls templates? I would be willing to write the JavaScript, and I would keep it short and readable so that it could be reviewed to allay any security concerns. [[User:Iridium Context|Iridium Context]] ([[User talk:Iridium Context|talk]]) 15:13, 18 November 2023 (UTC)
+:I'm not a fan of hiding content with js. With controls, it's not a big deal for someone to figure out an associated control if the wrong one is showing. But with walkthrough content, it could be frustrating if someone didn't notice the selector switch. Depending on how different the difficulty variations are, it could be simpler to just have sidebars to explain the differences (small changes), separate different sections on each page (large changes), or even separate pages for each difficulty (extensive changes). -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 22:12, 25 November 2023 (UTC)
-OK, I may not be using the correct terminology here.  Also, the question may have been asked before because I am too lazy to review 120 months of past discussion, especially since there is no table of contents on archived pages of the Staff Lounge.
+== Attribute anonymous edit ==
-Anyway, when I click an on-page link (or a link to another page with a specific section as a target, like this: [[Quake II/Items#Combat_Armor]]), the link target is positioned at the top of the browser window, as one would expect, but the navigation bar with the tabs on it is frequently repositioned from near the top of the page, after the banner ad and page title, also to the top of the browser window and there it covers and hides the target.  I can't find any information on how to deal with this.  Suggestions, please? [[User:Bayram|Bayram]] ([[User talk:Bayram|talk]]) 14:18, 28 August 2016 (UTC)
+Hi there, I just made an edit but forgot to log in. Is there any chance it could be linked to my username instead of the IP? The edit was at [[Battlefield 3/Table of Contents]]. Thank you. [[User:Hypolar|Hypolar]] ([[User talk:Hypolar|talk]]) 17:39, 24 November 2023 (UTC)
-:[[StrategyWiki:Staff lounge/2015/January#Non-section jumplink skin bug]]. Unfortunately, it's a difficult problem to fix. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 14:35, 28 August 2016 (UTC)
+:Unfortunately, it's not really straightforward to re-attribute edits. If you're concerned about the IP being visible, we can hide the IP. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 22:14, 25 November 2023 (UTC)
+::Yes, if you could hide it please that would be great, thank you! [[User:Hypolar|Hypolar]] ([[User talk:Hypolar|talk]]) 23:15, 25 November 2023 (UTC)
+:::Done. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 01:26, 26 November 2023 (UTC)
+::::Thank you so much! [[User:Hypolar|Hypolar]] ([[User talk:Hypolar|talk]]) 12:01, 26 November 2023 (UTC)
-== Simplify {{t|Series}} further ==
+== SVG, Motion Control, Mouse 4 & 5, PS Vita, and Steam button icons ==
+# I'd like to have the button icons to be in SVG file format because it is less blurry than PNG or JPG.<br>
+# The Wii button template only has a shake icon for the Wii Remote, but there needs to be more motion control icons like tilt, thrust, and shake for each template that supports motion controls.<br>
+# There are two mouse buttons on the side known as "Mouse 4" and "Mouse 5". It would be nice to include those two buttons in the mouse template.<br>
+# I already did the L & R PlayStation buttons, but all I need next is the Rear Touch Pad on the PS Vita.<br>
+# Valve's games' controls are different on Steam Controller and Steam Deck from their console versions, so it would be nice to include Steam Controller and Steam Deck button icons.<br>
+[[User:Gorilli09|Gorilli09]] ([[User talk:Gorilli09|talk]]) 11:14, 18 January 2024 (UTC)
-Following up on [[StrategyWiki:Staff_lounge/2016/May#Series template cleanup|May cleanup]], I'd like to suggest getting rid of a few more entries from our series templates.
+:# Great.  When you find any, let us know and we'll import them.
-* Distributor - Doesn't really define a series.  More relevant to each game. Only used on 10 pages (4 correctly).
+:# Again, find a good source for them and we'll import them.
-* {{c|Modes}} - If it's important to the series it can be mentioned in the text, otherwise it doesn't help tie a series together. Used on 375 pages. Generally says "Single Player" and "multiplayer", 2 say "MMOG", 22 say "co-op".
+:# What games use a 4th and 5th mouse button?  And how would you even represent them?
--- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 04:46, 1 September 2016 (UTC)
+:# Find a model for what a rear touch pad icon should look like.
+:# What's unique about Steam Deck and Steam Controllers that an X-Box One controller doesn't have?
+:This stuff doesn't appear out of thin air.  Someone would actually have to make all of this, and I'm a little uncertain as to how useful they would be under general circumstances.  '''[[User:Procyon|<span style="color:red">Pro</span>]][[User talk:Procyon|<span style="color:grey">cyon</span>]]''' 01:41, 18 January 2024 (UTC)
+::I have a set of icons for the Steam Deck that I'll upload when I can get around to them. I do have icon sets for PS3/PS4/PS5/Vita, but they have different colour schemes between them, and are very different from all our other styles. They're also all PNG. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 03:54, 18 January 2024 (UTC)
+:::I tried making SVG versions of Switch button icons, but it looks like the MW software just turns it into a PNG anyway. Some of them might work as HTML + CSS, though. [[User:Wanderer|Wanderer]] ([[User talk:Wanderer|talk]]) 01:17, 27 February 2024 (UTC)
+::::The mediawiki software will convert it to png, but it'll scale it first, so it should still have many of the SVG benefits. MediaWiki will support native SVG starting in 1.41, but it may be some time before we can enable that setting. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 01:05, 29 February 2024 (UTC)
-== Main Page Rendering Issue ==
+==Launchbox Images==
-When I go to the Main Page, I see that the header text in the "NIWA" and "SEIWA" sections is wrapped (apparently to the width of the image that sits next to the text in question). I’m using Safari 10.0 on a Mac, if it matters. I would have posted a screenshot of this, but seeing as I haven’t edited here for a while, I am unsure about the proper protocol for doing such. If you could advise me of it for future reference, that would be great. Thanks! [[User:Wjk|Wjk]] ([[User talk:Wjk|talk]]) 00:42, 3 September 2016 (UTC)
+Hello! Just wanted to ask a question regarding images from LaunchBox Games Database. Are they off-limits? Can I use specific ones? Please let me know. Thank you for your time. [[User:GamingBound|GamingBound]] ([[User talk:GamingBound|talk]]) 13:13, 15 February 2024 (UTC)
-:I see the issue as well, thanks for pointing it out!  I'll look into fixing it. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 04:55, 5 September 2016 (UTC)
-== Third-party cheating devices ==
+== Suggestion: Steam link in game infobox ==
-I'd like to delete all pages that are about codes for the various cheating devices (Game Genie, Game Shark, Code Breaker, Action Replay).  They're not part of the game and essentially defeat the purpose of using a walkthrough. '''Cheat codes that come with the game and console commands (steam) should be fine to keep'''. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 14:02, 6 September 2016 (UTC)
+E.G. |steam=2731870 would link to [https://store.steampowered.com/app/2731870/ this]. This could also automatically link to [https://pcgamingwiki.com/api/appid.php?appid=2731870 PCGW]. -[[User:BrownDerby|BrownDerby]] ([[User talk:BrownDerby|talk]]) 17:00, 19 February 2024 (UTC)
-: I would second this proposal. StrategyWiki's purpose is to give gamers a hand by providing strategy and other methods to, "lawfully" beat a particularly tricky part. Cheats rob gamers of the struggle, and truth be told, there are numerous other sites that hold cheats. Those people that like to cheat are free to seek them out, but we shouldn't be providing them in the first place.[[User:Orion35|Orion35]] ([[User talk:Orion35|talk]]) 04:58, 7 September 2016 (UTC)
+:I've avoided linking steam directly since I'd rather leave it to users to figure out how to procure their games, without promoting a specific storefront. Steam is the largest online game store, and is generally just a search away, so I don't think the additional effort from editors would help users as much. One thing I've been considering is linking to archive.org's archives of some of the very old games that are much harder to find these days, which are playable online ([https://archive.org/details/msdos_Super_Solvers_Treasure_Mountain_1990 example]). I've been tempted to remove <s>Twitter</s>X (28 uses) due to recent changes on the platform, and re-assessing twitch (37 uses)/fb (18 uses) as well.
-:: I disagree.  When it comes to completing games, you may need to use cheating or debugging techniques in order to figure out how to win the game, or otherwise make it easier to practice a rather difficult section in the game.   With knowledge that can be obtained from cheating, you may at least personally witness how the game actually works in the late stages (better than just reading text), and can at least plan better for regular play.  Close variations of this have been done in the past with the TAS community (memory scanning is closely related), before the knowledge gained leaked its way into regular speedruns. They're simply yet another tool to eventually to complete a game. <br/>Of course, there's not that much of a need to create further cheat pages, since they've mostly fallen out in favor of quicksaves or other alternate tools.  The only need to list them is to get past the rare bug.  --[[User:Sigma 7|Sigma 7]] ([[User talk:Sigma 7|talk]]) 05:04, 8 September 2016 (UTC)
+:I'd be much more inclined to link to [[wikidata:Property:P9075|wikidata]] though, which should be available for all games, not just PC. They currently link to almost 3k of our guides, so it wouldn't be too hard to have a bot connect those up. However, most of those are from PCGW already. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 01:27, 29 February 2024 (UTC)
-:::If it's required to play the game then we can include it.  We don't need pages like [[Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire/GameShark]]. I think the mention of the beta world on [[The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Cheats|this page]] should stay since it's inaccessible otherwise. But everything else on the page should be wiped out. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 13:40, 8 September 2016 (UTC)
-::::I agree with Sigma7 here.  There's two kinds of cheating: cheating the game, and cheating against another player.  While I'm against the second, I think that for a self-contained single player game, if a player wants to know how to cheat in order to make something easier for themselves, and potentially more enjoyable for them, who are we to judge whether that's right or wrong?  Furthermore, from a business perspective, I'd rather see SW be a one-stop-shop for any and all information about a game, as opposed to saying, "Here's a walkthrough on how to beat the game so that you don't have to figure anything out for yourself, but if you want to cheat, you'll have to go to Google and find some other site for that information."  Seems kind of hypocritical, and it gives some other site traffic that would otherwise be ours.  '''[[User:Procyon|<span style="color:red">Pro</span>]][[User talk:Procyon|<span style="color:grey">cyon</span>]]''' 13:49, 8 September 2016 (UTC)
-:I can't comment on those third party cheating devices, but I think built-in cheats and console commands should still be covered since they can be used for more than just completing the game. Aside from the debugging and research already mentioned, people don't just complete games, they replay them: when they do, they may just want to replay their favourite levels, and not all previous ones to get to them; or they may want to have fun with a rocket launcher on a level where they don't normally have one. There are also people who aren't interested in every aspect of a game: for example, they may play it for the dialog and story but have little or no interest in its combat, so cheats allow them to trivialize the latter while concentrating on the former.
-:Cheats can also help contribute to guides, beyond debugging and research: for example, noclip and notarget cheats allow screenshots to be taken from positions with a better view of an area than might otherwise be possible, without enemies converging on you to attack.  [[:File:KotOR_Screenshot_Sand_People_Territory.jpg|This screenshot]] wasn't taken using such cheats, thanks to Stealth (although it ''was'' taken with a character edited to be a Rancor, for extra elevation), but it ''is'' the kind of screenshot that could be taken in other games with them... and it can be much easier to take screenshots of enemies themselves when they're not trying to kill you (or they can't). I've also used cheats to skip levels to quickly expand Tables of Contents, giving a better idea of how much work needs to be done before a game and its guide are completed properly.
+== Creating too many articles at a time ==
-:While other sites may have cheats, even in my limited experience I've found they can be wrong, supplying the wrong way to activate cheats, codes which don't actually work, or inadequate descriptions (for example, infiniteuses for [[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic]] applies to your enemies as well: ''everybody'' with  grenades and medpacs gets an endless supply!). It ''might'' be possible to get these updated on other sites, but I find it much easier just to add information I've personally verified to this wiki, and if I get it wrong then it's much easier for me or someone else to correct it later. [[User:Onderduiker|Onderduiker]] ([[User talk:Onderduiker|talk]]) 19:13, 8 September 2016 (UTC)
+I'm getting concerned about getting banned on the website, because I created too many articles at a time. Is this a problem? [[User:Gorilli09|Gorilli09]] ([[User talk:Gorilli09|talk]]) 15:44, 26 March 2024 (UTC)
-::I completely agree that the built-in cheats should be covered.  [[StarCraft/Cheats]] and similar pages are part of the game the developers delivered.  My issue is that we should get rid of all these codes for Game Genie/Game Shark when there could be thousands of codes that are almost impossible for people to fully verify. I've bolded/clarified this in my original comment.
+: What matters is not quantity, but quality. And we are lenient on good faith edits.--[[User:Henke37|Henke37]] ([[User talk:Henke37|talk]])
-::@{{User|Procyon}} These codes don't get checked very often, and if too many new users come to us and find bad codes, it could make us look bad. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 20:09, 8 September 2016 (UTC)
+:Your edits are positive, so low chance of being banned. However, if you could fill in the main pages a bit, that would be appreciated. Just a few sentences about the release (contents of the infobox in sentence form) and maybe a paragraph of what gameplay is like would help a lot. -- [[User:Prod|Prod]] ([[User talk:Prod|talk]]) 20:52, 26 March 2024 (UTC)
-:::As some of you may know, I'm in the process of editing the [[Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen]] guide. One of the pages is "Action replay codes". Of course, once you go in there is a large list of codes, but little explanation of their use. I saw no Master Codes, which are essential to using cheats in this way, nor did I see an explanation on what the "Move" section was supposed to do, or how to make them affect the game.
-:::I added a Master code I found on the web, but I still don't know if it will work anyway. This is just one sample of how "Cheats" make our wiki look bad. I say that either we delete these pages (again I talk about Gameshark or the like only, not cheats that come with the game or command codes), or at the very least we make a serious effort to edit them or replace them with something worthwhile.[[User:Orion35|Orion35]] ([[User talk:Orion35|talk]]) 14:13, 10 September 2016 (UTC)