StrategyWiki:Guide/Main game page: Difference between revisions

If there are multiple games with the same name that require different guides, the first release that was given the name should get the title. To help users find guides for other games with the same or similar names, disambiguation links should be added to the front page, with one blank line separating them from the end of the infobox. These links should either point to a series category which contains all the relevant guides using the {{t|series disambig}} template, or directly to each game using the {{t|game disambig}} template). For example, the [[Super Punch-Out!!]] page has a link at the top to the SNES version, and the [[Batman]] page has a link to the Batman category.

Games that were released with only a Japanese title (that include [[wp:hiragana|hiragana]], [[wp:katakana|katakana]], and/or [[wp:kanji|kanji]] characters) should be translated into English. This promotes readability and ease of use on the site (the translated titles can be typed on a normal English keyboard). The translation should omit [[wp:macron|macrons]] (which are commonly used in translations on Wikipedia) to also avoid the typing problem. Instead, translations should use the [[wp:on'yomi|on'yomi]] reading of the hiragana (when translating kanji) to determine which characters are used.

*There are multiple ways to romanize Japanese (that is, to transliterate the japanese characters into English).

*We do not allow macrons to be in page/guide titles.

#Any tags, such as {{t|upcoming}}, {{t|stub}}, etc.

#The {{t|Header Nav}}.

#A {{t|Game}} infobox.

#Any disambiguation templates, such as {{t|game disambig}} or {{t|series disambig}}.

#The {{t|marquee}} template for [[arcade]] games with a marquee image.

#Introduction section ''without'' a heading. It should be a paragraph or so in length and provide a general introduction to the game and its development. The first occurrence of the game name should be emboldened using <nowiki>'''</nowiki>, and the {{t|nihongo}} template should be used to add Japanese text where applicable. The first occurrences of items such as dates, systems, companies or other games should be linked.

#{{t|Continue Nav}}

#A short story or gameplay section, also without a heading. This section is not meant to be comprehensive, but should give a broad overview of the story or gameplay, or contain the relevant backstory for the game.

#An optional <nowiki><gallery></nowiki> of alternate box art, game flyers, etc.  

#{{t|ToC}}.

#An optional external links (<nowiki>==External links==</nowiki>) section. See the [[StrategyWiki:Guide/External links|external links policy]] for information on appropriate content for this section.

#The series navigation template, if one exists. These are in the form of '''<nowiki>{{</nowiki>''Series Name''}}'''.

#<nowiki>{{DEFAULTSORT:}}</nowiki> where applicable.

#Categories located at the bottom. See [[StrategyWiki:Guide/Categorization|Categorization]] for more information.

*''developer'': Add links to developers if they are companies. For an individual, just put the person's name in plain text.

*''publisher'': Add links to publishers if they are companies. For an individual, just put the person's name in plain text.

*''released'': Using [[:Category:Release date templates|release date templates]], add release dates by region. The minimum amount of information is the year of release.

*''systems'': Add links to all [[:Category:Systems|systems]] for which the game was produced. Systems are actual hardware on which the game is played. For digital distribution, e.g. [[WiiWare]] or [[PlayStation Network]], use the ''distributor'' field.

*''version'': Add the latest version to this field. This is meant for games that get usually downloadable updates.

*''players'': Add the number of players.

*''modes'': Add links to any [[:Category:Modes|modes]] for the game.

*''media'': Put any non-standard media on which the game can be played here. Don't add standard media here – a player would know that [[Nintendo 64]] games come on a cartridge, for example.

* {{t|c}}: Use this template to link directly to categories when a plain wikilink doesn't get there. For example [[[[Racing]]]] goes to a guide page, while <nowiki>{{c|</nowiki>{{c|Racing}}}} goes to the category.

The next section of writing, separated from the lead by the {{t|Continue Nav}}, is for a plot synopsis or overview on the game's mechanics. This section should include '''no spoilers''', and is meant to inform readers who may have no idea what the game is about. This is not the place to divulge what happens in the game, but merely information on the game's "universe" or backstory so that a reader can understand what the game is about.

Box artwork goes in the infobox, and should be at least 250px wide to prevent stretching. Also ensure that the cover image includes no watermarks, no borders and no "pending" rating symbols. Box art should also present a directly faced image, meaning it shouldn't be a 3-D box shown at an angle. Game logos and artwork are not acceptable substitutes for box artwork when a box for the game exists. If the game was never released in physical form, or never in a box, make sure the artwork chosen is official – either a logo, welcome screen or start screen. For games that are released on multiple systems, it is unimportant which version of the cover you use, as long as the actual artwork is the same. This means you can use the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 or Windows version of the cover, as long as the only differences are logos and symbols ''on top'' of the artwork. When this is the case, '''do not''' upload multiple versions. If no one has uploaded box art for the infobox yet, leave the parameter blank so the guide is categorized under [[:Category:Pages needing box artwork|Pages needing box artwork]].

For extra images not being used in the infobox, include them in a <nowiki><gallery></nowiki> between the plot synopsis and the {{t|ToC}} template. Images to include here are actual alternative covers (meaning the art is different, not the systems/developers/ratings/etc.), flyers, screenshots, or other interesting images. Don't go overboard with these, as they still need to add something to the reader's understanding of the game to comply with fair use.

There are two fields which you don't have to worry about: release dates and series. In the case of the former, you should only be using [[:Category:Release date templates|release date templates]], and they all automatically categorize by year and date. The series field automatically inserts the series category through the infobox template. Finally, the [[:Category:Games|Games]] category is also added to the page, through the Header Nav template.

Some of the helpful templates used in the infobox will also add categories for you. These are the {{t|sys}}, {{t|co}} and {{t|series disambig}} templates. When using these templates, don't also add categories manually, as they're redundant. On the other hand, if you need to show system and/or company information without adding a category, use the {{t|sys/nocat}} and {{t|co/nocat}} templates. (There's no logical reason to use the {{t|series disambig}} template without also adding the category.)

The purpose of categorized redirects is to get the redirect's name into the proper categories. For instance, if a game was released as Game A on the PlayStation and as Game B on the GameCube, and the main game page was going to reside at Game A, Game B would need the GameCube category on its redirect, or it wouldn't show up in the GameCube category. If Game A got the GameCube category, then Game A would show up when it was never released for GameCube under that name. To still display information about Game B on Game A's page, you can use {{t|sys/nocat}}, {{t|co/nocat}} and {{t|rd/nocat}}, which won't put those categories on Game A's page.

A single-page guide contains all its information on the main game page under multiple sections. In this case, the {{t|Continue Nav}} and {{t|ToC}} templates aren't used. The single-page layout covers absolutely everything on a single page. Such games might include:

If the game can be feasibly covered in full on a single page, add the <tt>onepage=true</tt> variable to {{t|Header Nav}}; this will disable the [[#Walkthrough|Walkthrough]] and [[#Table of Contents|Table of Contents]] links that appear by default. [[Boxing]] is an example of a single-page guide.