The Style Guide is a descriptive standard for Yume Wiki style, conventions, and formatting to help users edit consistently. The proper venue to discuss these guidelines is in the talk page. Many questions of style are left "to the discretion of the editor," but it should be noted that these choices should be consistent within an article, and that just because an edit isn't outlawed by the Style Guide doesn't mean that it can't be reverted. It should also be noted that in certain circumstances there can be exceptions to possibly any rule here.
Spelling and Grammar
Pronouns
For actions done by the game protagonist, use the name (e.g. "Madotsuki") or the appropriate gendered pronouns (usually she/her). For example, the protagonist falls asleep, not the player, so you would say "Madotsuki falls asleep."
Use the phrase "the player" or 2nd person pronouns when referring to actions done by or to the player. For example, the player interacts with the user interface, such as menus. Another context in which 2nd person pronouns can be used is when something is visible on the screen, as it is the player who sees the top-down view displayed on the screen, not the protagonist.
Note that this policy is contested in the cases of using effects and interacting with objects or NPCs, as it is something that the protagonist does in-game, but also a choice made by the player. It is up to the editor's discretion to decide, based on the context, when it is appropriate to refer to the protagonist or to the player. Individual articles should be consistent in their use of pronouns.
Variations in Standard English
It is up to the editor's discretion whether they use American, British, or other spellings, as long as all spellings are standard across an article. Rare spelling variations and slang should be avoided, unless it is used by communities users are likely to be a part of, such as general gaming, RPG Maker, or YNFG vocabulary and slang.
The Oxford comma is also up to the editor's discretion, as long as its use or lack thereof is consistent within an article.
Numbers
Numbers from 0-12 should be written out as words, e.g. "six" unless in a mathematical or statistical context. Large numbers should be written in using numerals, e.g. "123". The cut off is generally between twenty and twenty-one, because hyphenated numbers are best written using numerals for ease of reading and spelling. Exceptions can be made at the editor's discretion, but be consistent.
Version Numbers
The preferred way to refer to versions is the version number and letter, e.g. "0.100a". Don't use ".100a" or "100a" or "ver0.100a" in articles. The long way of referring to a version is "version 0.100a", with version uncapitalized (unless at the beginning of a sentence or as part of a header). In the case of patches, write out the word patch then the number, e.g. "0.100a patch 3."
Effects
The capitalization convention for effect names is to capitalize the name of the effect, but not the word "effect", e.g. "Wolf effect".
Media
Animated Media
As a safety measure, exercise caution in including animated images and videos pertinent to the game, especially those containing rapid flashes, for the sake of any readers who have photosensitive epilepsy. Consider using the Photosensitive Epilepsy Analysis Tool (PEAT) to test if the animated content is safe for viewing given such conditions. An additional guide can be found here.
Galleries and Slideshows
Pictures in galleries should be present in the current version of the game or else moved to the "Trivia" section in accordance with Outdated or Unused Content.
Slideshows shouldn't be used for articles in which there are many images so the user isn't forced to click excessively. For that reason, and also because slideshows don't allow the user to know what images are present until it is clicked through completely, it is probably best to use normal galleries in articles, although this is left at the discretion of the editor.
Captions
While humorous captions on images can be acceptable, they shouldn't be used if useful information or descriptions can be given instead. YumeWiki strives to be informative and professional first and foremost, so practice good judgment in caption selection.
Links
When using internal links to other wiki pages in articles, only the first mention of the page should be a link. An exception is for pages using Locationbox or NPCBox, where the pages listed in the boxes should be links even if the link exists on the article. Another exception is that every location listed in the "Directions" section of world pages should be links.
When linking to Wikipedia or other external wikis, it is preferred to use interwiki links rather than linking their URL, as it is a much cleaner and simpler way to link to such pages. Currently the only interwiki link is [[wikipedia:Example]].
World Pages
Naming
When naming a new world, the name of the world should generally be based on its original (probably Japanese) name, which can be found in a few possible ways:
- Opening the game using RPG Maker (2000 or 2003) and checking the name.
- Checking the name of the Chipset used by the world.
- For Yume 2kki, in the changelog (found in the file changelog.txt)
There are many exceptions to using the original name, such as if the name is too similar to another name (in which case it should be something else to avoid confusion), if the Japanese name sounds awkward when translated into English, or if the world name is missing/generic. When creating a page for a world, it is good policy to check the names other people are using if any. Yume 2kki worlds may have world names suggested in Map IDs and Version History.
Do not start a world name with "The" even if it would make sense: doing so makes it hard to find, sort, and link to. For example, Yume 2kki:Spaceship is always referred to as "the Spaceship," but does not include "The" in the page name.
Avoid using special characters like & or ?; these are reserved URL parameter delimiters, and doing otherwise will break APIs (e.g. those used in external projects like Yume 2kki Explorer or YNOproject) making use of wiki content.
Locationboxes
Each world page should use the Locationbox template, including an image of the world, often the entrance.
Original Names
A map's original names, along with their corresponding romanizations and/or translations (if needed) should be provided in the Name field.
For Yume 2kki maps, the JapaneseName field should be filled in with exactly one value, which is the map's original name written in Japanese. If the map's equivalent name is available on the JP wiki, use the name provided there, and if the map is counted as a sub-area there, include the parent area's name, separating the names with the ： full-width colon (e.g. Parent area name：Child area name). This field is used in displaying an area's Japanese name in the Yume 2kki Explorer.
Connections
The Connections field (and RemovedConnections field) of the Locationbox template makes use of the Connection template for each connection; the parameters are explained in the template documentation (found on the link page).
BGM
The BGM list must use the BGM template. The title of the BGM is usually the name used in the game files. The filename is instead the name of the uploaded audio file on the wiki. It is recommended to always upload the audio file and include the filename. More information can be found on the template page.
Blank template:
{{BGM|title = (e.g. examplesong)|filename = (e.g. Example.ogg)|label = |soundroom = }}
Authors
The following applies to games with multiple authors, such as Yume 2kki and Uneven Dream.
When specifying a map's Primary author, use the original capitalization of the author's name.
If an author has made additions to an existing map that isn't theirs, or has only implemented a map by proxy without actually "authoring" it, the Contributing field should provide the author(s) who have performed such additions, formatted in a comma-separated list. Again, use the original capitalizations of the names.
Maps
All world maps intended for use in navigation are inserted using the LocationMap template.
Example:
{{LocationMap|filename=Eyeball_World.png|caption=Map of Eyeball World}}
Maps should have connections labeled. Labels are usually white bubbles with the names in black text, using a simple font like Arial or Century Gothic. Teleporters and important items such as effects and notable NPCs should also be labelled. For mazes, paths should be drawn from the entrance(s) of the world to its exit(s). This policy is especially important for maps with many entrances, exits, and teleporters. Labels and paths should keep in mind accessibility concerns (for example, using only colors will make it hard to read for those who are colorblind).
Maps can be edited to make the content more clear. This includes:
- Changing the background from the panorama to a solid color
- Dimming/hiding useless paths in mazes
- Circling notable content that is hard to see
- Moving rooms around to better draw paths between them.
Remember that although maps are supposed to be as accurate to the game as possible, an unreadable map is useless and must be changed.
Maps that are included for trivia or other purposes, such as maps of older versions, do not have the same policies as described above, and should not use the LocationMap template.
Examples of free image editing and digital painting software are GIMP and Medibang.
Directions
When listing the directions to an area, always consider the shortest possible path (in terms of worlds visited) that does not require any prerequisites (e.g. effects or unlockable shortcuts) to entry. If there is a shorter path that has prerequisites to reaching it, it should be listed as secondary, specifying what would be required to follow that path. As an example:
Nexus → Location A → Location B → Location C → Location D → Location E *With the <effectname> effect equipped: Nexus → Location A → Location X → Location E
There may be even more alternate paths for worlds with multiple shortcuts, that rely on different prequisites to become available. If these exists, list them too.
All world names in the "Directions" section must be links to the location pages, excluding the name of the world the page is about. This applies even if a world name appears multiple times across the multiple paths.
Categorization
Worlds must be categorized as In Development if a future update to the world is confirmed. Removed worlds should be categorized as Removed Content.
The Locationbox template used in world pages automatically inserts the appropriate Locations category for that game, as well as inserting the primary author's category if one specified.
Outdated or Unused Content
Outdated or unused content should go in the "Trivia" section of the article if it may interest users, or else be removed completely.
If a whole world is removed, then change the connections of that world to removed connections. This includes changing the connections from other world pages to the removed world. In the article's introductory paragraph, note that the world is removed.
In addition, if you are writing a page for a world that has already been removed (for example, the page Yume 2kki:Droplets World was written long after the world itself was removed), you should use past tense. Changing all the tenses from present to past in world page that was removed later on is not an urgent matter, but does improve the article.