231:—even for in-universe sections. If it's not said plainly in the script or the strategy guide, then it could very well be original research. Editors who add obvious bias and original research are usually reverted and referred to the talkpage. I like to deliver a firm but reasonable response, emphasizing our policies as well as specific points to refute their claims. By bringing other project members into the discussion, the novice will hopefully realize that policies and consensus are enforced
82:
198:. This is true for all articles, but the line is especially blurry with video games. Most users fall into three categories: those who advocate a brief treatment of "in-universe" aspects, those who encourage the inclusion of every detail, and those who try to strike a balance. I have spent many hours of my life trimming and expanding article sections to satisfy as many extremes as possible; it can get quite stressful. I'd say the best example of attaining such a balance is the
418:
109:
99:
33:
119:
79:
187:. Most out-of-universe content must come from professional gaming websites, which offer only a handful of English interviews, reviews, and essays. Because sources are so scarce, many articles fall into two extremes: comprehensive with a few questionable sources, or poorly developed with only the most reliable references. It's hard to forge an article that is both comprehensive and reliably sourced
129:
89:
179:"; consequently, the challenge has become twofold. First, it can be difficult to find reliable sources for the non-technical aspects of video games; for instance, video game mechanics and storylines are unlikely to be featured in scholarly works. Plus, many video games are created in countries that don't speak English, such as
381:
I also suggest that users work on articles that have not yet reached good or featured status. Maintaining healthy articles is always necessary, but it should be a low priority when there are other articles on life support. Instead of ten users spending a week debating the length of a plot summary,
316:
during most of the discussion, but I've seen it coming for a while. Both projects had nearly identical rosters and philosophies, so the merger provides a broader and more streamlined jurisdiction without any major sacrifices. Discussions and collaborations can now be centralized, and the broader
247:
and deletion for two reasons. First, our project adamantly enforces the inclusion criteria. Second, we set an example by redirecting every "minor" keyword or character to the most relevant article; this shows newcomers that we are discouraging a stand-alone article on such a topic, and that it's
353:
guideline. Thanks to this practice, I've become effective at writing concise synopses as well as balanced articles. Third, I've learned that debates on
Knowledge can be very intense; like every topic, video games (and fiction in general) has several points of controversy, such as the inclusion
483:
270:
is notable, but the same cannot be said of the virtual weapons and armor (for the most part), topics better covered in strategy guides and fansites. This is the sort of logic we try to present to our newest members, though almost all of them agree with our philosophies to begin with.
259:. This adherence to policies and guidelines is a major factor in our success; without endless debates and scattered information, we have been able to create tightly focused and comprehensive parent articles with decent potential. In short, high standards yield high results.
390:
of users. Everyone's opinion is important, but nobody's opinion is absolute; that is why everyone needs to come together and form a consensus, which usually requires a compromise. Users who believe in this philosophy will help forge great articles and gainful discussions.
385:
Lastly, all editors — not just newcomers — should understand that editing
Knowledge is a team activity. An article will never reach its potential if only one person works on it; we need researchers, copy-editors, image specialists, and — most importantly — feedback from
275:
4. Most of the high-quality video game-related articles seem to be either characters from games or the games themselves. Has there been any discussion of collaboration, either amongst members of the project or between multiple projects, on the makers of
102:
222:
articles must fall victim to unregistered or novice editors adding original research and personal anecdotes, especially to the "in-universe" sections that you mentioned. How have you and the project members learned to deal with
435:
122:
92:
132:
214:
to polish as much prose as possible. I'm a copy-editor myself, but it takes an entire team of word nerds to polish an article—especially when it features dense information such as gameplay mechanics.
349:). Second, our project was one of the first to balance real-world and in-universe content within an article. We also helped to popularize succinct plot summaries, a concept now presented in the
227:
Most issues of bias/original research are nipped in the bud by referencing strategy guides and game scripts. Although many video game articles avoid such sourcing, it helps to establish that
239:
3. As for articles of somewhat smaller scope, such as those pertaining to specific characters, do you find that progress is ever disrupted by deletion debates and questions of notability?
300:. Many are focused on elevating our game articles and subarticles to good or featured status; after this goal is reached, I'm sure members will shift their focus to the designers.
262:
For instance, why have a dozen articles on every weapon, item, and monster in the Final
Fantasy series when everything can be summed up succinctly and professionally in a single
498:
65:
549:
462:
472:
405:
396:
112:
467:
447:
534:
148:
In this week's edition of the WikiProject Report, we focus on a project that hits close to home for many of
Knowledge's nerdy editors (we know who we are):
442:
251:
Virtually everyone in the project believes that articles must include significant real-world content and multiple reliable sources. We want to ensure that
452:
429:
248:
either already covered elsewhere or too trivial. As a matter of fact, most of our merge discussions involve articles that already pass notability.
616:
524:, the other interviewer, has finished and posted his interview for this week, so mine (this one) won't be due until April 27th. Cheers! --
503:
292:
Actually, there hasn't been much discussion of such a collaboration. The project has only two designer articles of at least GA status:
510:
59:
21:
591:
487:
346:
586:
581:
560:
378:. A basic understanding of these procedures prevents redundant discussion and reversions, which are common with newcomers.
576:
375:
371:
285:
194:
Second, our coverage of the "in-universe" aspects of games (mechanics, storyline, characters, and so on) must be
325:
articles, you've also worked on various other video games. What lessons or skills have you learned from editing
571:
417:
41:
32:
17:
200:
168:
A few years ago, it was quite challenging to convince
Wikipedians that video game articles could be of
382:
I'd like to see users spend that very same time sourcing a poor article or merging redundant content.
362:
7. Finally, what advice can you give to inexperienced users who are looking to start contributing to
263:
176:
540:
Excellent—that will give me time to revisit, tighten, and clarify my answers with a fresh mind. —
338:
160:, who has contributed to most of those FAs, has volunteered to tell us more about the project.
530:
358:. One must keep a cool head and help form a compromise; the truth is usually in the middle.
597:
355:
8:
545:
313:
255:
article can reach good or featured status, a belief made clear to newcomers and on our
494:
164:
1. What do you find challenging or frustrating about working on video game articles?
526:
142:
293:
542:
172:. It took dozens of Featured Article promotions for that stigma to dissipate.
157:
304:
5. During the course of this interview, WikiProject Final
Fantasy merged into
610:
350:
334:
297:
195:
305:
256:
204:
169:
153:
149:
521:
281:
244:
228:
211:
184:
175:
As we all know, quality standards have risen sharply since the days of "
342:
329:
articles that apply to other video games? Or to editing in general?
152:. The project has been around since July 2005 and currently has 11
333:
First, I've become a decent copy-editor, thanks to the numerous
180:
341:
we've gone through (and more than a little help from
508:If your comment has not appeared here, you can try
266:article? We can prove that Final Fantasy gameplay
608:
229:exceptional claims require exceptional sources
366:, Square Enix, or other video games articles?
140:
317:range of topics may entice others to join.
511:
376:specific guidelines for the WikiProject
14:
609:
559:Explore Knowledge history by browsing
308:. Can you tell us a little about that?
60:Interview on WikiProject Final Fantasy
617:Knowledge Signpost archives 2009-04
27:
416:
210:Of course, we're always enlisting
31:
28:
628:
493:These comments are automatically
286:Category:Final Fantasy designers
127:
117:
107:
97:
87:
77:
243:We have very few debates about
504:add the page to your watchlist
13:
1:
479:
370:Users should understand our
235:the project's jurisdiction.
18:Knowledge:Knowledge Signpost
7:
347:guide to professional prose
218:2. With its large fanbase,
10:
633:
550:18:58, 16 April 2009 (UTC)
535:22:21, 15 April 2009 (UTC)
264:Gameplay of Final Fantasy
150:Wikiproject Final Fantasy
372:policies and guidelines
306:WikiProject Square Enix
501:. To follow comments,
421:
409:"WikiProject report" →
36:
420:
351:Writing about Fiction
196:brief yet informative
35:
497:from this article's
401:"WikiProject report"
463:Features and admins
488:Discuss this story
473:Arbitration report
458:WikiProject report
422:
321:6. In addition to
201:Final Fantasy VIII
57:WikiProject report
46:WikiProject report
37:
512:purging the cache
468:Technology report
374:, as well as the
154:Featured Articles
624:
600:
515:
513:
507:
486:
440:
432:
425:
408:
400:
145:
131:
130:
121:
120:
111:
110:
101:
100:
91:
90:
81:
80:
48:
632:
631:
627:
626:
625:
623:
622:
621:
607:
606:
605:
604:
603:
602:
601:
596:
594:
589:
584:
579:
574:
567:
556:
555:
520:Hey Deckiller.
518:== April 27 ==
517:
509:
502:
491:
490:
484:+ Add a comment
482:
478:
477:
476:
433:
428:
426:
423:
412:
411:
406:
403:
398:
294:Masashi Hamauzu
189:in its entirety
177:brilliant prose
146:
139:
138:
137:
128:
118:
108:
98:
88:
78:
72:
69:
58:
51:
49:
45:
44:
42:← Current issue
38:
26:
25:
24:
12:
11:
5:
630:
620:
619:
595:
590:
585:
580:
575:
570:
569:
568:
558:
557:
554:
553:
552:
492:
489:
481:
480:
475:
470:
465:
460:
455:
450:
448:News and notes
445:
439:
427:
415:
414:
413:
404:
395:
394:
393:
205:featured topic
136:
135:
125:
115:
105:
95:
85:
74:
73:
70:
64:
63:
62:
61:
56:
55:
53:
50:
47:
40:
39:
30:
29:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
629:
618:
615:
614:
612:
599:
593:
588:
583:
578:
573:
565:
563:
551:
548:
547:
544:
539:
538:
537:
536:
533:
532:
528:
523:
514:
505:
500:
496:
485:
474:
471:
469:
466:
464:
461:
459:
456:
454:
451:
449:
446:
444:
441:
437:
431:
430:27 April 2009
424:In this issue
419:
410:
402:
392:
389:
383:
379:
377:
373:
368:
367:
365:
364:Final Fantasy
359:
357:
354:criteria for
352:
348:
344:
340:
336:
331:
330:
328:
327:Final Fantasy
324:
323:Final Fantasy
318:
315:
310:
309:
307:
301:
299:
298:Nobuo Uematsu
295:
290:
289:
287:
283:
279:
278:Final Fantasy
272:
269:
265:
260:
258:
257:project pages
254:
249:
246:
241:
240:
236:
234:
230:
225:
224:
221:
220:Final Fantasy
215:
213:
208:
206:
203:
202:
197:
192:
190:
186:
182:
178:
173:
171:
166:
165:
161:
159:
155:
151:
144:
134:
126:
124:
116:
114:
106:
104:
96:
94:
86:
84:
76:
75:
67:
54:
43:
34:
23:
19:
562:The Signpost
561:
541:
525:
519:
457:
443:Lazy Virtues
436:all comments
387:
384:
380:
369:
363:
361:
360:
339:peer reviews
332:
326:
322:
320:
319:
311:
303:
302:
291:
277:
274:
273:
267:
261:
252:
250:
242:
238:
237:
232:
226:
219:
217:
216:
212:copy-editors
209:
199:
193:
188:
174:
170:high quality
167:
163:
162:
147:
52:
598:Suggestions
527:Cryptic C62
495:transcluded
453:In the news
356:subarticles
345:'s amazing
282:Square Enix
185:South Korea
143:Cryptic C62
280:, such as
268:as a whole
245:notability
233:throughout
71:Share this
66:Contribute
22:2009-04-27
592:Subscribe
499:talk page
388:a variety
314:Wikibreak
312:I was on
158:Deckiller
611:Category
587:Newsroom
582:Archives
564:archives
399:Previous
113:LinkedIn
93:Facebook
20: |
543:Deckill
103:Twitter
522:Garden
123:Reddit
83:E-mail
577:About
343:Tony1
253:every
223:this?
181:Japan
16:<
572:Home
531:Talk
407:Next
337:and
335:FACs
296:and
284:and
133:Digg
183:or
141:By
68:—
613::
546:er
529:·
397:←
207:.
191:.
156:.
566:.
516:.
506:.
438:)
434:(
288:?
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
