Gswiki:Style guide/Logs

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Log pages are articles that mainly consist of text copied from the game instance depicting real events that happened in-game which may be lightly or heavily edited. The format of these articles is specified in the Style Guide.

Style Guide Excerpt

Logs is the shorthand term for files containing a record of in-game events seen through the viewpoint of characters.

  • All log page titles should use the real year, not the Elanthian year, to help reduce confusion for other players. The content of log pages can reference either the real year or the Elanthian year.
  • All log page title dates should be in the format YYYY-MM-DD.
  • All log pages should begin with: This log is from the {storyline/event (page linked if applicable)} on {date} from the viewpoint of {character}.
  • Log page content can use headers to break up the length, have summaries, note characters involved, and otherwise be formatted however the poster would like. They can use the following code for consistency and ease of reading: <pre{{log2|border=none|font=arial}}> PASTE LOG HERE </pre> .
  • All logs should be categorized in [[Category: Logs]].

There are currently three different categories of logs with special rules for mainspace/subpage placement, categories, and article titles for the purposes of documenting events on the wiki: storyline logs, OOC meeting logs, and other logs.

Storyline Logs

Storyline logs should be tied to the storyline first by name, then by date. This mirrors standards in place for handling other logs, except that these should be set up as subpages to the storyline redirect page. Page naming standard should be as follows: Storyline redirect page name (storyline)/[Date] - [Title of Log, if applicable] (log)

It is on the contributor uploading the log to ensure the log is linked on the storyline catalog article space, and if done so, it must be under the Logs subheader. The storyline's category, as well as the log category, should be added to the log.

Storyline logs should additionally be categorized within the category or categories created specifically for that storyline. Only the storyline category, not the log, should be categorized into its relevant town storylines category (i.e. Wehnimer's Landing storylines), its relevant year (i.e. 2016 Storylines), and the [[Category: {Storyline}]] category.

OOC Meeting Logs

Page naming standard should be as follows:: [Date] - [Town Name or Subscription Type] - [Title of Log, if applicable] (log)

Other Logs

Other log page titles should be formatted like this: [Event Title, if applicable] - [Date] - [Title of Log, if applicable] (log). For example: Mist Harbor Library Lectures - 2022-01-30 - Ivas Provides (log)

Article Title

Log pages (also referred to as an article) will either be placed directly in the mainspace or will be subpaged off a storyline page. The mainspace is any article placed immediately after https://gswiki.play.net/ without being placed into a category or other namespace. Other namespaces can be viewed when an article starts with something such as 'Category:', 'Help:', or 'Template:' such as this article, which is in the help namespace.

When you are titling your log page, you will want it to follow the style guide so that it is formatted according to the type of log it is such as:

  • Storyline Log: Storyline redirect page name (storyline)/[Date] - [Title of Log, if applicable] (log)
  • OOC Meeting Log: [Date] - [Town Name or Subscription Type] - [Title of Log, if applicable] (log)
  • Other Log: [Event Title, if applicable] - [Date] - [Title of Log, if applicable] (log)

This means that one way you can create the page is by typing a URL into the address/search bar of your browser such as https://gswiki.play.net/Mist_Harbor_Library_Lectures_-_2022-01-30_-_Ivas_Provides_(log) or https://gswiki.play.net/Blood_Son_(storyline)/2020-01-01_-_Excitement_in_Wehnimer's_Landing_(log). In order to create spaces in the URL, if you are using this method to create the page, use an underscore (_). Once you hit enter, you will be brought to a new page that says there is no text created on the page and you can click the Create button on the top right.

The rationale for this method of titling logs is that:

  • by having the storyline page or event name first, it will group all similar logs from the same storyline in category pages and sortable lists, which makes it easier for people to find logs from the same storyline or event, (Note: OOC meeting logs are organized differently at the Event APM's request.)
  • by having the date next in the format of YYYY-MM-DD, it will chronologically order all logs from the same storyline or event in category pages and sortable lists,
  • by having the title of the log next, people will be able to see what the log is about from the category page or sortable list, and
  • by having (log) at the end, people know that it denotes actual events that happened in-game.

The preference is to use the real date in log article titles, not the Elanthian date. When there is a mix of both kinds of dates, they do not properly group in chronological order inside category pages and sortable lists.

Introduction

All log pages should start with 'This log is from the {storyline/event (page linked if applicable)} on {date} from the viewpoint of {character}.' This consistency helps people to find the information to place the log into context and immediately directs them where to go to find more information about the storyline or event. For example:

This log is from [[:Category:Blood Son|the Blood Son storyline]] on 01/01/2020 from the viewpoint of [[User:MOD-GSMOTTE|Motte]].

Remember that if you are directing people to a category page, you will want to make sure you put the colon at the front of the link and then add a pipe (|) and the text you want for your link. For example: [[:Category:Blood Son|Blood Son]]. This is only necessary for category pages. The colon makes it so that instead of adding the article to the category, you link to the category.

Content

Below the introduction is the main content space. The bulk of the log article can be formatted however the editor prefers. Editors can use headers to break up the length of the log and to create a Table of Contents. Please remember that all headers on wiki pages should start with the level two header, which means they start with two equal signs on either side of the header. Example: ==Summary==. Another example would be: ===Blood Son Gets Bloody===. These headers can also be used to create links to direct people to content. For example: https://gswiki.play.net/Blood_Son_(storyline)/2020-01-01_-_Excitement_in_Wehnimer's_Landing_(log)#Blood_Son_Gets_Bloody would take you directly to that section of the log.

People may want to add additional headers so that their log has a summary, notes characters in attendance or their appearance, or some other valuable or interesting information. An example could look like:

==Summary==
In this log, the Blood Son proselytized to his followers and suggested that there would be some Big Bad Event happening later in the week.
==Characters in Attendance==
List of characters linked to their pages using the formatting shown in Help:Character_pages.
==Log==
===The Blood Son Proselytized===
<pre{{log2|border=none|font=arial}}>PASTE LOG HERE</pre>
===The Blood Son Gets Bloody===
<pre{{log2|border=none|font=arial}}>PASTE LOG HERE</pre>

While not required, using the log2 template provides consistency to readers that what they're reading inside of that visual block is text that came directly from the game. It also eliminates the need for people to place line break (<br/>) tags at the end of single-spaced game text such as room descriptions or character descriptions as the template will automatically ensure that it is formatted correctly.

Categories

Log pages should have the following categories placed at the bottom of the page:

  • [[Category:Logs]]
  • Storyline, OOC meetings, or event category, if applicable, such as: [[Category:Blood Son]], [[Category:OOC meetings]], or [[Category:Mist Harbor Library Lectures]].

Storyline logs should not be categorized into the town storylines or dated storylines categories. Instead, the storyline category page itself should be placed into both of those. So for example, a log from the Blood Sons storyline would not be in Category:Wehnimer's Landing storylines or Category:2020 storylines. Instead, Category:Blood Son will be placed into both of those. This cuts down on clutter inside of the town storylines and dated storylines categories so that people can easily find the storyline they want without having to wade through pages of logs.

Example, All Together

The article title for this example would be: https://gswiki.play.net/Blood_Son_(storyline)/2020-01-01_-_Excitement_in_Wehnimer's_Landing_(log)

The formatting of the log for this example could look like: 

This log is from the Blood Son storyline on 01/01/2020 from the viewpoint of Motte.
==Summary==
In this log, the Blood Son proselytized to his followers and suggested that there would be some Big Bad Event happening later in the week.
==Characters in Attendance==
List of characters linked to their pages using the formatting shown in Help:Character_pages.
==Log==
===The Blood Son Proselytized===
<pre{{log2|border=none|font=arial}}>PASTE LOG HERE</pre>
===The Blood Son Gets Bloody===
<pre{{log2|border=none|font=arial}}>PASTE LOG HERE</pre>
[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Blood Son]]

See Also

Questions?

If you have any questions, please leave them on the discussion/talk page.

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