View source for How To Contribute To The Wiki

==Greetings, New Editor==

So you want to help us improve the ToME Wiki! Excellent! We need all the help we can get.

Before you get started, please familiarize yourself with the basic standards and conventions which are being used for the ToME Wiki. This will ensure a more organized, more consistent, and easier to read Wiki. It will also save you time, and let you get back to playing more ToME.

==Before You Get Started==

In order to be able to add or edit anything on the wiki, you will need to get a wiki account. This is not hard; it is the same as your ToME online profile. Go to the [http://te4.org/user/register ToME website registration] and create yourself an account. You also need to do this to keep an online profile for your games when playing ToME - and will be asked for it when you start the game - so there isn't any reason not to do this.

Once you have an account, you should be able to login to the wiki with the same credentials you used above. If you log out of the ToME website, you will also be logged out of the wiki, so make sure to stay logged in!

==Basic Editing==

The ToME wiki uses [http://www.mediawiki.org/ MediaWiki]. This is the same software used by [http://www.wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia], and users familar with editing on Wikipedia will feel right at home. Please note, however, that the ToME wiki '''does not''' support all features, templates or special extensions used by wikipedia; only the most basic, common WikiMedia syntax is supported. 

For users new to editing a wiki, and MediaWiki in particular, please read these pages to learn "the basics":

* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Editing_pages Editing Pages]
* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Formatting Formatting]  '''really important!'''
* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Starting_a_new_page Starting a new page]
* [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Tracking_changes Tracking Changes]

==Standards, Norms, and Guidelines==

The ToME wiki is (currently) maintained by a small number of ToME enthusiasts. It's important for everyone to follow a rough set of standards, so we don't keep redoing or overdoing work. These standards can change with time, but it's best to ask first.

Here are some of the current standards and norms in place:


===ToME Version===

ToME is an evolving game. Information and advice from 2013 or 2014 can be wrong by 2016! In order to help users and editors know when a page was written, we use a version notice on pages. It looks like this: {{version}}.

'''How do I use the version notice?'''

* If you are ''creating a new page'', add <nowiki>{{subst:version}}</nowiki> just after the page title (top of the page)
* If you are ''updating a page'', find the version table and update it to the [[Template:CurVer|current version of ToME]]

If you are editing a page where the version block has been used, it will look like this:

 <nowiki>
<!-- Version of ToME when this page was written -->
{| class="wikitable" style="border: 1px solid gray; font-size: large;"
|ToME Version: || 1.4.3
|}
<!-- Please update if you update the page! --></nowiki>


===Names and Plurals===

With a very few special exceptions, names of pages and new pages should be in the '''singular''' form. Page about Orcs? The page name should be 'Orc'. Page about longswords? The page name should be 'Longsword'. 

Why do we use singular forms? Because we will be linking these pages from other pages. The wiki software is clever enough to turn singular into plural but not backwards. For example:

You create your 'Orc' page. You link it from another page: 
<blockquote>
<nowiki>The most common enemy in the Far East are [[orcs]]. Each [[orc]] is weak, but in groups are terribly strong</nowiki>. 
</blockquote>
Wikimedia is smart enough to take the plural 'orcs' and direct you to the singular 'orc' page. The reverse is not true. If you name your page 'orcs', this is what you have to do:
<blockquote>
<nowiki>The most common enemy in the Far East are [[orcs]]. Each [[orcs|orc]] is weak, but in groups are terribly strong</nowiki>. 
</blockquote>

Having to write the form <nowiki>[[orcs|orc]]</nowiki> is annoying for both writer and editor. Stick to singulars. If you find a page that already exists as a plural, you may wish to set up a [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Redirects| redirect] from the singular to the plural form. This has a few quirks, so don't do it unless you must.

===Talents===

[[Talent]] pages all contain the name of the talent '''and''' "(talent)". Therefore a talent page, like [[Gloom]] will have a full name of "Gloom (talent)". All talent pages should keep this format.

Pages for a talent category (also called a 'tree') always have "(Category)" in the page name. Pages for a category type, which contain an entire set of categories (or trees), will include the text "(category type)" in the name. Examples are category [[Cursed form (category)]], and category type [[Cursed (category type)]]. This is necessary because talents, categories, and entire category types can all have the same name.

If you need or wish an easy way to make links to these, we've got a solution for that! Wiki editor [[User:Vyn|Vyn]] thoughtfully created shortcuts that you can use:

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Talent Link Shortcuts
! Type 
! Actual Name of Page
! How To Link
! Example
|-
|Talent||Solipsism (talent)||<nowiki>{{t|Name of Talent}}</nowiki>||<nowiki>{{t|Solipsism}}</nowiki> produces {{t|Solipsism}}
|-
|Category||Solipsism (category)||<nowiki>{{c|Name of Category}}</nowiki>||<nowiki>{{c|Solipsism}}</nowiki> produces {{c|Solipsism}}
|-
|Category Type||Chronomancy (category type)||<nowiki>{{Ct|Name of Category Type}}</nowiki>||<nowiki>{{Ct|Chronomancy}}</nowiki> produces {{Ct|Chronomancy}}
|}



When filling in details about talents, please make sure you have the '''correct formula''' for the effect; if you don't have it, '''LEAVE IT ALONE'''. Incomplete data is better than false data; an editor who knows how to search the code source and find the correct data. If you'd like to know how to search the code, please head over to the Developer's section of [http://forums.te4.org the forums] and ask. 

Please also use the templates created for Talent Requirements for the |require= section of the talent template. This allows for consistency of formatting and space saving. See [[Template:TalentReq]] and the various subpages for these templates.

===Classes and Races===

To keep consistency, the individual pages for each [[Class]] and [[Race]] have a specific format. You should stick to this format. You should not add additional sections to those pages. Include the relevant information, fill in missing information, and leave it alone.

====Class Page Format====

# ''Title'' of page should be the name of the class, in  singular (eg. [[Berserker]])
# ToME Version indicator
# Class infobox, described under [[Template:Class]]
# ''Description'': Basic description of the class. Use in-game text if possible. Should include '''most important stats''' as described by the game.
# ''Starting Equipment'' 
# ''Talents'' table with locked and unlocked talent trees
# Very last thing on page is the classes table box: {{[[Template:Class|classes]]}}

====Race Page Format====

# ''Title'' of page should be the name of the race, in singular (eg. [[Halfling]])
# ToME Version indicator
# Race infobox, described under [[Template:Race]]
# ''Description'': Basic description of the race. Use in-game text if possible. 
# ''Starting Equipment''
# ''Starting Location''
# ''Racial Talents'' table of full talent descriptions
# Very last thing on page is the races table box: {{[[Template:Race|races]]}}

===Quests===

[[Quests]] have two names: One that is visible to the player inside the game, and another which is visible to the developers who are writing the code. If you're one of these, you already know about it; either way, the consistent rule when talking about quests is to use ''the name of the quest seen inside the game''. For example, the final quest of the game should be called [[Falling Toward Apotheosis]]. The name inside the code is "high peak", but we do not use that, as mostly players read the Wiki, not developers.

===Templates===

Wikimedia allows use of powerful time saving tools called [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Templates templates]. If you're not familiar with these, go read that page I just linked. You can also try [[wikipedia:Help:A_quick_guide_to_templates| A quick guide to templates]].

The ToME wiki uses templates for consistency with a number of things that all share similar features. A short list included:

# [[:Category:Bosses|Bosses]] (Guardians) - template [[Template:Guardian]]
# [[Zones]] - template [[Template:Zone]]
# [[Artifacts]] - template [[Template:Artifact]]
# [[Talents]] - template [[Template:Ability_box]] (also works for abilities not strictly talents)
# [[Classes]] - template [[Template:Class]]
# [[Race]] - template [[Template:Race]] 

If you are editing or adding any of the above, you should become familiar with how the template works, and use it! A full list of templates can be found on the page [[:Category:Templates]].

===Formatting Helpers===

There are a few (and growing) templates designed to help do things like color font text without having to write ugly HTML code.

* {{[[Template:fontcolor|fontcolor]]}} - used to provide {{fontcolor|red|black|Foreground and background color}}
* {{[[Template:color|color]]}} - used for just basic {{color|blue|foreground color}}
* {{[[Template:Break|break]]}} - add a forced newline {{break}}
{{break}}
Item power type coloring: Use the following templates when you need to indicate an item's power source (eg. Arcane, psionic, antimagic)

{| class="wikitable"
!Template
!Produces
|-
||<nowiki>{{Arc}}</nowiki>||{{Arc}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{Am}}</nowiki>||{{Am}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{Nat}}</nowiki>||{{Nat}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{Unk}}</nowiki>||{{Unk}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{Psi}}</nowiki>||{{Psi}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{Mas}}</nowiki>||{{Mas}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{Ste}}</nowiki>||{{Mas}}
|-
|}

Use these!

===Damage Templates===
<!-- I added templates for damage types -PvtOBrien -->
When you put a damage on the wiki such as "+50 fire", please instead use "+50 <nowiki>{{fire}}</nowiki>". This will produce the result "+50 {{fire}}"

If there isn't a template for something and you still feel inclined to color it you can do something like this <nowiki>{{color|[either a color or a hex #123456]|[damage type]}}</nowiki>.

so <nowiki>{{color|red|fire}}</nowiki> will look like {{color|red|fire}}. To use a hex value insert a # before it such as <nowiki>{{color|#FF0068|fire}}</nowiki> which will appear as {{color|#FF0068|fire}}.

To make it bold simply change it to <nowiki>'''{{color|red|fire}}'''</nowiki> which will look like '''{{color|red|fire}}'''.

I've added the HEX values ToME uses below, note that light and mind damage both use #FFFF00, but this is difficult to see on a white background (e.x. {{color|#FFFF00|Light}}), so I've used gold instead.

NOTE: sometimes, particularly with two word damage types, there are issues if you capitalize the second word, so just leave everything inside the curly brackets lowercase.

Damage Templates I have created:

{| class="wikitable"
!Template
!Produces
!Color
|-
||<nowiki>{{physical}}</nowiki>||{{physical}}||#000000
|-
||<nowiki>{{arcane}}</nowiki>||{{arcane}}||#80008B
|-
||<nowiki>{{fire}}</nowiki>||{{fire}}||#FF0068
|-
||<nowiki>{{cold}}</nowiki>||{{cold}}||#1133F3
|-
||<nowiki>{{lightning}}</nowiki>||{{lightning}}||#006CFF
|-
||<nowiki>{{acid}}</nowiki>||{{acid}}||#008645
|-
||<nowiki>{{nature}}</nowiki>||{{nature}}||#00FF00
|-
||<nowiki>{{blight}}</nowiki>||{{blight}}||#324D0C
|-
||<nowiki>{{light}}</nowiki>||{{light}}||gold
|-
||<nowiki>{{darkness}}</nowiki>||{{darkness}}||#7F7F7F
|-
||<nowiki>{{mind}}</nowiki>||{{mind}}||gold
|-
||<nowiki>{{temporal}}</nowiki>||{{temporal}}||#B0C4DE
|}

And I've also created templates for special damage types. Only the ones I've actually seen on items however.

{| class="wikitable"
!Template
!Produces
!Color
|-
||<nowiki>{{acid blind}}</nowiki>||{{acid blind}}||#008645
|-
||<nowiki>{{arcane silence}}</nowiki>||{{arcane silence}}||#80008B
|-
||<nowiki>{{bleed}}</nowiki>||{{bleed}}||#000000
|-
||<nowiki>{{blinding light}}</nowiki>||{{blinding light}}||gold
|-
||<nowiki>{{corrode armour}}</nowiki>||{{corrode armour}}||#008645
|-
||<nowiki>{{dazing lightning}}</nowiki>||{{dazing lightning}}||#006CFF
|-
||<nowiki>{{disarming acid}}</nowiki>||{{Disarming Acid}}||#008645
|-
||<nowiki>{{flameshock}}</nowiki>||{{Flameshock}}||#FF0068
|-
||<nowiki>{{gravity}}</nowiki>||{{gravity}}||#000000
|-
||<nowiki>{{ice}}</nowiki>||{{ice}}||#1133F3
|-
||<nowiki>{{insidious poison}}</nowiki>||{{insidious poison}}||#00FF00
|-
||<nowiki>{{manaburn}}</nowiki>||{{manaburn}}||#80008B
|-
||<nowiki>{{nature slow}}</nowiki>||{{nature slow}}||#00FF00
|-
||<nowiki>{{poison}}</nowiki>||{{poison}}||#00FF00
|-
||<nowiki>{{shadowflame}}</nowiki>||{{shadowflame}}||#BF7F73
|-
||<nowiki>{{spydric poison}}</nowiki>||{{spydric poison}}||#00FF00
|-
|}

===Item special effects templates===
Some items have chances to apply special effects, instead of dealing flat damage, on hit or being hit. These templates are created to maintain the consistency of each effect's wording, and hopefully to make further attempts at source-diving easier, as the assignment of items' having an effect and the in-game description of what an effect does are put in different files.

{| class="wikitable"
!Template
!Produces
|-
||<nowiki>{{item acid corrode|20|10}}</nowiki>||{{item acid corrode|20|10}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{item antimagic manaburn|5|9}}</nowiki>||{{item antimagic manaburn|5|9}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{item antimagic scouring|20|15}}</nowiki>||{{item antimagic scouring|20|15}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{item blight disease|15|5}}</nowiki>||{{item blight disease|15|5}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{item darkness numbing|9|5}}</nowiki>||{{item darkness numbing|9|5}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{item light blind|30|10}}</nowiki>||{{item light blind|30|10}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{item lightning daze|10|4}}</nowiki>||{{item lightning daze|10|4}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{item mind gloom|25|10}}</nowiki>||{{item mind gloom|25|10}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{item nature slow|7|3}}</nowiki>||{{item nature slow|7|3}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{item temporal energize|13|10}}</nowiki>||{{item temporal energize|13|10}}
|-
||<nowiki>{{random confusion|8|4}}</nowiki>||{{random confusion|8|4}}
|}

==Things To Do==

Here are a list of things that you can start doing right away and are super-helpful:

* Look at the special page [[:Special:WantedPages]]. This page shows a list of pages that don't exist yet, but DO have a link to them. The higher on the list, the more links; these are pages that we really need because there are links from all over to the page! Go ahead and create a page with the best information you have. 

* Keep an eye on [[:Special:RecentChanges]], also found on the sidebar of the wiki under "Recent changes". This will show you who has been working on the wiki, and what they've done; it's a good to know who else is working on the wiki and what they might have taken on as a project.

* If you find typos, go ahead and correct them. This is easy and helpful all around.

* Add new content! We could really use help filling out the details for [[Artifacts]], and for details about some [[Zones]]. We also need help filling out details for [[Talents]]! Look at individual talents to see which ones need added info.

==Things Not To Do==

Try not to - or think REALLY CAREFULLY ABOUT:

* Making changes to a template, particularly one used in many places (like [[Template:Artifact]]). 

* Moving a page to another name. This should only be done to correct a bad name for the article, and you can't over-write a page name that already has content.

* Making a table or a chart that could be used in more than one place, or more than once. Make a template instead!

==Asking For Help==

If you need help, your best resources are:

# Ask on [[How_To_Contribute_To_The_Wiki/Questions| the Questions page]]
# The [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Project:Help MediaWiki help pages]
# Other editors - post on their Talk pages
# The ToME forums - http://forums.te4.org]
# The chat in the game itself!