Since there is a massive overhaul project with respect to the Wiki going on, I thought I might throw out a few pointers to those interested in editing or contributing to the ongoing Wiki project.
Table of Contents
- Edit Summaries
- Anonymous/Registered Users
- Orphaned Pages
- Unencyclopedic Content
- Minor/Major Edits
- Credits
- The "Show Preview" Button
- Advertising
- Scholarly Language
- Discussion Pages
- Signing
- Notability
- Vandalism
- Uploading
- Edit/Reversion Wars
1. Edit Summaries
A great majority of the Wiki edits that occur in the Wiki do not contain an edit summary. Whereas it is not mandatory to enter a summary upon editing, it is considered good etiquette to do so. A brief edit summary is better than no edit summary.
Uploads are no different. Again, it is considered good etiquette to attach an edit summary to a certain upload that you might make.
The reasoning behind this? Sometimes it's best to let people know what you did.
2. Anonymous/Registered Users
Previously, users were able to edit the Wiki using their IP addresses as identification, resulting in significant levels of spam. This problem has been corrected, as you are now required to log in to edit the Wiki.
As of 11 August 2009, however, this was deactivated due updates to the Wiki software. It may or may not be implemented in the near future, depending on the spam levels.
This was deactivated 11 August 2009.
3. Orphaned Pages
Recently, it has come to light that users with the intent of doing good often create "orphaned" pages, or pages with no links redirecting to them. These orphaned pages are often individual pages dedicated to a certain item or occurance. Since neither are likely to have the exact same outcome more than once, these pages are generally considered obsolete and therefore unnecessary.
4. Unencyclopedic Content
There have been occurences in the past where individuals have created pages that are dedicated to guilds, people, or other various in-game entities. Whereas there is no harm in doing so on your own user page, keep in mind the Wiki is like an encyclopedia: It is for strictly instructional purposes, not a database for free advertising.
5. Minor/Major Edits
Minor edits are edits that do not affect the integrity of the main passage very much. These edits are generally grammar fixes, disambiguation edits, or other formatting issues that need to be fixed.
Major edits are edits that directly modify content inside the passage. These edits are edits that introduce new content, or corrections to old content that has either become incorrect or obsolete.
6. Credits
Since the Wiki is a collaborative project involving multiple users, it is considered unnecessary and insofar as bad etiquette to include a small post about yourself as the author. As the history of each article in the Wiki can be viewed by everyone, it naturally is redundant to include a credits section in each page.
This page will be updated as more issues come to mind.
7. The "Show Preview" Button
One of the most uncommonly used buttons is the "Show Preview" button, which is to the right of the "Save Page" button as shown below:
This button, unsurprisingly, allows you to see a preview of the results of your edit session. The use of the button goes deeper than that, however. As each edit logged in the server takes up a little more memory, over time these insignificant edits will begin to add up, and start to slowly eat away at the memory. The memory usage may appear to be minor, but as stated before - it
will add up. Basically, the use of this button avoids a large number of insignificant edits, and allows edits to be more meaningful and more constructive.
8. Advertising
A Wiki is an informational encyclopedia, provided under the GNU Free Documentation License. Consequently,
only informational content should be provided. Consequently, it is not a place to submit content in regards to specific guilds, personages, help pages, or the like. Pages like such that are created will be deleted, and multiple occurences may result in a temporary or permanent ban.
9. Scholarly Language
As stated prior, a Wiki is an informational encyclopedia. As it stands, the language within should be of the definition of "scholarly." That is to say, the language inside should be like what you would find in an encyclopedia: formal diction. Granted, there is no offense for typing in colloquial terms, such as shorthand, all capitals, etc; however, you should strive to maintain an officious and pompous tone, as it is considered better to sound like a textbook rather than an informal conversation with a friend.
10. Discussion Pages
Discussion pages are pages where users can confer with one another in terms of what needs the page in question has. For instance, a discussion page may contain the debate as to what information is or is not needed, or changes that may be requested for a page that has been restricted from editing access by unregistered and/or registered members. To respond to a person's comment, use one extra colon : more than the person above you. For example:
I think the Wiki needs to be updated more often. Person A
:There are people already working on it. Person B
::Yes, but more people should work on it. Person A
If you wish to create a new subject for debate, add three equal signs === around the title of your new discussion. For example:
===More admins?===
We need more admins. Person A
11. Signing
Signing is generally considered good etiquette when in the midst of a discussion. Granted, it
is possible to determine who said what, but it is generally much easier on everyone if you simply sign your name. Your default signature can be triggered, along with a time stamp, with the use of four tildes ~~~~. The formatting for a typical comment and signature are as follows:
There should be more pictures. ~~~~
What this will translate to is:
There should be more pictures. Your name xx:xx (time), Day Month Year CDT
The admins generally try to tag all unsigned comments, but it cuts down the work for us if everyone signs their comments.
12. Notability
What is or is not notable is often an issue of debate. This issue is relatively simple.
Only content that is related to the actual gameplay of Fiesta itself is considered notable; information such as individual personages, guilds, or staff of any company pertaining to Fiesta is not considered meritorious for an article in the Wiki. Whereas this is not a bannable offense, please refrain from creating pages that are insignificant. You may feel something is important, but when observed from the scope of the entire consumer base, it is insignificant. Repeated violations may result in a temporary ban.
13. Vandalism
Spam, disparaging comments, racial slurs, advertising, and various other forms of editing generally found unacceptable on the forums are equally unacceptable in the Wiki. The Wiki is an encyclopedia, not a messaging board. Failure to comply will result in the following penalty system:
First offense: Warning.
Second offense: Two week reprieve of editing privileges to read the rules.
Third offense: One month reprieve of editing privileges to read the rules.
Fourth offense: Two month reprieve of editing privileges to read the rules.
Fifth offense: Permanent ban.
Any advertisement of pornography will result in an permanent ban.
14. Uploading
Many of you may have noticed that the Wiki is comprised of hundreds of high resolution images. This is intentional—PNGs and GIFs have a high picture resolution that bitmaps have, but aren't huge like bitmaps. There are certain guidelines, and they will be addressed below.
First, it is best to use PNGs or GIFs when uploading—avoid JPEGs, as they have a lower quality resolution. Ideally, Adobe Photoshop® or Adobe Fireworks® is recommended to edit pictures. Use Paint
only as a last resort.
Now, for tagging. The guidelines are as follows:
Icons: "Icon-" prefix.
Items: "Item-" prefix.
Loading screens: "Loading-" prefix.
Maps: "Map-" prefix.
Monsters: "Monster-" prefix.
NPCs: "NPC-" prefix.
Skillls: "Skill-" prefix.
Example: Uploading a Recipe's image should be named:
Item-Recipe X.png
Finally, personal uploads. Users are welcome to upload their own personal images to the Wiki, provided that they remain tied solely to their user page and/or user talk page. We should not be seeing, for example, Rightclaw's Hamtaro advertisements popping up on every page of the Wiki.
Sorry Rightclaw, you're the scapegoat for this part.
15. Edit/Reversion Wars
In simple terms, these are battles in which a minimum of two parties repeatedly revert, or undo, each other's work. These are generally pointless and a waste of time, not to mention a waste of memory. If you want to take someone's ideas, first ask, and then give credit, or it's plagiarism.
Deal or No Deal Champion!
Linear Mode
