Help:Manual of Style/Modifications

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SRB2 modifications (mods for short) may be documented on the SRB2 Wiki if they are considered notable by the community. These mods are listed in the Modifications article with a short description. Some mods warrant their own article (possibly including sub-articles). For others, a link to the release thread on the SRB2 Message Board is sufficient. This page outlines the criteria for determining notability and some guidelines for documenting notable mods.

Notability

All users are free to write about any mod regardless of its notability in their own userspace. However, documentation in mainspace is reserved for notable mods which are likely to be of interest to many readers. Which mods are considered notable is decided by community consensus. The following factors may be relevant when reaching a decision:

• Popularity: The more popular a mod is, the more likely users are to request information about it. Some indicators of popularity are the amount of activity (e.g., downloads, replies, positive ratings) in the SRB2MB release thread, frequent usage in netgames (e.g., SRB2 Battle), and frequent discussion on Discord. For levels or level packs that originated in the Official Level Design Contest (e.g., Acid Missile, Dumbventure), positive reviews may also be an indicator. For newly released mods, keep in mind that it takes some time to determine if they will achieve lasting popularity.
• Historical significance: Some older mods, even if they are no longer popular now or were never among the most popular mods, may be historically significant because they influenced many other mods or SRB2 itself. For example, Botanic Serenity was the first custom NiGHTS level, inspired many subsequent NiGHTS levels, and is now included in SRB2 itself.

Before documenting a mod on the Wiki, ask yourself if others would consider it notable as well, especially if you were involved in its creation. If you are unsure about a mod's notability, you can open a discussion about it either on Talk:Modifications or by creating a talk page for the mod. If a consensus is reached for acceptability, the article can be created afterwards. References to non-notable mods in mainspace are removed or moved into userspace by Wiki staff. Repeatedly adding non-notable mods to the Wiki is frowned upon and may result in being blocked from editing.

Modifications article

Once it has been decided that a mod is notable, it should be listed in the Modifications article. A short description should be added that names the author(s), summarizes the contents and explains why it is notable. Usually, notable mods warrant their own article, which should be linked to. If there is not enough content for a full article, or if nobody is available to write a full article at the moment, a link to the SRB2MB release thread should be included to point readers to further information and a download.

Main article

The main article should start with a basic description of the modification. This includes the same information that is already included in the Modifications page, but can be more in-depth. Links to a direct download of the most recent version of the modification, as well as a forum topic (if applicable), should always be included. Otherwise, any relevant information about the mod can be included. If sub-articles exist, they should be linked from here and given a short summary.

Categories

The main article should be part of two or three categories: Every mod is part of the Modifications category. Depending on the type of the modification, it should also be either in Addons or Source code modifications. If the mod has sub-articles, it should also have its own category, in which every page pertaining to the mod should be listed. That category itself is also part of either Addons or Source code modifications.

Sub-articles

Depending on the size of the modification, additional articles can be made, covering more specific information on its features. For level packs, these are usually articles for the maps that are included. For modifications that add editing features, these might be documentation articles on specific features. When documenting features for which comparable pages on SRB2 features already exist, their format should generally be followed.

Maps

Generally, all maps included in a level pack should have their own article. However, there are some exceptions: Maps that are considered non-notable, such as hidden maps that cannot be unlocked, test maps or archival maps, do not need their own article. Sometimes, it is more convenient to document several maps together in a single article. Which maps warrant an article and which do not should be decided on a case-by-case basis.

The titles of the map articles should follow a specific naming convention: "Mod name/Levels/Level name. There should also be a list of the levels included in the mod, called "Mod name/Levels". This article should list all maps, even the ones that do not have their own article, along with a thumbnail picture of the level.

When making map articles, follow the format of the official maps, such as Greenflower Zone Act 1. Map pages should always include detailed information about the map, including a walkthrough, a list of secrets and hidden items, technical data and the map header. A variation of this navigation template should be made for the mod and put at the top of every map article. If you do not know how to edit this template, you may ask others to create an edit of it on the mod's talk page.

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Manual of Style	Main page • Modifications
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