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This section of the Style Guide concerns grammar and usage. This page provides guidance on the use of pronouns, tense, and contractions.
Pronouns
The First Person
Do not use first person pronouns (I, we, our, etc.) to refer to the editor(s) or reader(s) of an article.
The Second Person
Avoid the use of the second-person pronoun "you" when referring to the player or reader(s) of an article.
Prefer the use of "one", "a person", or the passive voice when referring to "anyone" or a generic person as a subject. For example, write "The door can be opened.", not "You can open the door."
The Third Person
Gender
When referring to a person or character, use the pronouns that match their self-identification (or official sources in the case of a character). If the person or character is non-binary, use singular they.
If a person or character's gender identity is not known, use singular they.
Protagonist Versus Player
For actions done by the game protagonist, use the name or the appropriate gendered pronouns (such as she/her). For example, in Yume Nikki, the protagonist falls asleep, not the player, so use "Madotsuki falls asleep."
For actions done by or to the player, use the phrase "the player" or the passive voice. For example, the player interacts with the menu, not the protagonist, so use "The player can open the menu." or "The menu can be opened."
In cases where either the player or the protagonist are valid actors in a sentence, use your discretion. Be consistent. For example, if a section states the protagonist interacted with an NPC, ensure all text in this section refers to the protagonist and does not suddenly switch to referring to the player.
Tense
By default, when referring to content that is currently available, use the present tense. For example, "The FC Worlds are a set of worlds that all feature simplified, NES/Famicom-styled graphics."
When referring to content that is no longer available or present, or when discussing something that no longer exists, use the past tense. For example, "The Droplets World was an area accessible from Character World."
Contractions
Where possible, avoid using contractions. For example, use "do not", instead of "don't", "it is" instead of "it's", and so on.
Contractions which are compulsory in the English language, such as "o'clock" and "'s" for possessives, are of course allowed.