Help:Style Guide

This is a guideline on how to write standard articles on this wiki. Please note that other types of pages, such as user pages and talk pages, can be written differently.

Also see the Help:Getting Started and Help:Formatting pages, along with other help articles, for more info on writing articles.

Language and Capitalization

English is the primary language of the server and this wiki. Pages should typically be in English, although the style (American or British) may be based on the writers preference. Other languages may be used as well, although a translation of the page into English should be added. (See Freedoninsk.)

Capitalization should follow normal conventions. Do not use capital letters for emphasis; Use bold or italics instead. Offices and positions should not start with a capital unless attached to a name.
For example:

• Awesome Castle Is A Fort Made by Bob (Incorrect)
• Awesome Castle is a fort made by Bob (Correct)

Article Titles

Usually, the title is derived from the subject of the article. However, pages detailing events or stories may be subjective, and should be based on a consensus.

Page names should be capitalized unless specifically specified otherwise. (See townbuildthing)

Page names should also avoid using the definite ("the") and indefinite ("a"/"an") articles or prepositions ("of", "on", "for", etc.) The exception to this rule is for the names of stories and other works, as well as official names of something.
For example:

• "Benjamese Empire" is preferable to "The Benjamese Empire"
• In contrast, a group named "The Accord" is perfectly acceptable.

Use the full name of an organization rather than an acronym.

Some special characters should not be used due to limitations with wiki formatting, such as braces ([] and {}) or asterisks (*).

Maintenance Tags

Further information: Help:Useful templates

There are special templates that can be used or are automatically applied that note if a page is lacking in some way. These can be used to indicate a page or project is still being worked on.

Stub

The stub tag (written as {{stub}})is used on pages that are very short or lack enough relevant info. To remove this tag, page writers should have an infobox, a brief overview of the content, and details explaining its history, progress, functions, etc, in more depth.

Images

The images tag (written as {{images}}) is used on pages without images or with inadequate images. Note that map screenshots are not suitable as the sole or primary image for a page, since the same thing can easily be viewed on the map itself.

Deletion

The deletion tag (written as {{afd}})is used on pages that the author wishes to remove or are no longer relevant to the server. An admin will typically review pages marked with this tag and delete them. Users should put this tag instead of blanking a page. Additionally, pages with historic value that otherwise might be deleted should not be.

POV

The POV tag (written as {{pov}}) is used on pages that are written in first person (using "I" and "me") or reflect opinions or views that are not endorsed by the server staff. In general, all pages tagged with the POV tag should be rewritten and their undesirable content either removed or moved to a subpage or talk page.

Categories

There are a large number of unique categories for different types of builds. Filling in the infobox will usually automatically add any relevant categories to the page. See the categories page for a full list of valid categories.

In general, be cautious about manually adding categories unless you know what you are doing.

Layout Guide

Infoboxes

Infoboxes are a quick and convenient way of organizing and accessing relevant information. They should be present in almost all articles, save in situations where they would not apply.

For more information on infoboxes and how to use them, see the Getting Started page.

Article Body Organization

There are some guidelines for writing articles on this wiki. They should have several main sections, with subsections where needed.

Settlement/Location Articles

1. History: An account of when and by who a settlement was founded and its evolution over time
2. Features/Locations: A list of notable structures, amenities, or features the owner wishes to showcase
3. Significance: Deals with why a settlement was created or what it is known for.
4. How to get there: An explanation of how to best reach the settlement

Building/Sculpture Articles

1. History: An account of who made it, and its creation.
2. Features: Details what is inside a particular building or structure.
3. Relevant Details: Can be about inspiration for the build, why it exists, or other information the creator sees fit to include.

Organization Articles

1. History: An account of how a group came to be, how it changed, and what it accomplished.
2. Goals/General Information: Details what a group does, how it functions, and why.
3. Rules: Lists the rules of an organization.
4. Members: Lists the members of an organization.

Event/Invasion Articles

1. Summary: An account of what happened during the event or invasion.
2. Causes (optional): Details why or how an event came to be
3. Location: Where the event happened or how to get there.
4. Participants: A list of participants in the event.

General sections

Galleries

Galleries can be added to any type of article to include relevant media in large quantities.

Trivia and notes

Trivia or notes can be added to the end of any type of articles that can help the user to understand the article or add extra detail that does not fit in the rest of the article. They are generally bulleted

Good Practices

As this wiki is a cumulative group effort, there are several things that are good to do to help it improve.

Fixing Mistakes

If you come across a page with an error, whether in spelling, wiki markup, or anything else, you should correct it. Errors can be hard to catch, and many persist for years if neglected. Fixing these problems when they arise will help produce a better wiki experience for everyone.

Collaborating

Where appropriate, it is encouraged to add your own contribution to a page. Things such as unique screenshots you have taken, quotes you have heard, or other valuable information or history should be added to a page to help improve it.

Avoid Edit Wars

While edit wars are a common problem on wikis, they rarely help anyone and should be avoided, especially on a main page. If a disagreement occurs, first discuss it on the article's talk page, and if no conclusion can be reached, contact an admin to help resolve the issue.

Avoid Vandalization

It is good to improve pages and correct mistakes, but be sure not to remove information the page author wishes to keep, or add anything attacking the page content. Avoid large-scale revisions if they might disrupt the purpose of the article, and work with the page author instead.