View source for Wuthering Waves Wiki:Manual of Style

This is the '''Manual of Style''' for all articles on the {{SITENAME}}. This wiki is generally written in American English &mdash; in accordance with the English localization of ''[[Wuthering Waves]]'' &mdash; and may use some specific rulesets which may be different from other wikis or communities. Please read this page carefully to maintain the consistency across the wiki.

More content should be added to this page should style issues arise.

Feel free to discuss improvements to this guide through the wiki's [https://wutheringwaves.fandom.com/f discussion board] or the wiki's [https://discord.gg/nFz3yYwYza Discord server].

==Sections Order==
For consistency, all articles must follow this general layout.
#Tabs
#Notices
#Hatnotes
#Infobox
#{{T|Quote}} or {{T|Description}}
#Introduction or general description
#Article content
#Gallery
#Trivia
#Video Guides
#Notes
#See Also
#{{T|Other Languages}}
#{{T|Change History}}
#References
#Navboxes
#Interwiki links

==Article Titles, Sections, and Headings==
===Title and Headings===
* Use {{w|title case}} for article titles and section headings, unless the in-game title is not in title case.
** For example: {{color|new|nobold=1|Yangyang's Backstory|link=1}}, not {{color|old|nobold=1|Yangyang's backstory}}
* Page titles must be singular by default; page introductions may be plural if desired.
** For example: {{color|new|Main Quest}}, not {{color|old|Main Quests}}.
** Exception are: Item names, Location names, Organization names
* Do not use "{{color|old|nobold=1|A}}," "{{color|old|nobold=1|An}}," or "{{color|old|nobold=1|The}}," as the first word of an article title or section heading, unless it is inseparable or part of the in-game title.
** For example: {{color|new|nobold=1|Resonators|link=1}}, not {{color|old|nobold=1|The Resonators}}
* Do not use links or references in section headings.
** Use {{T|Main}} right under it.
* Do not add whitespaces before or after section headings.
** For example: <code>==Section==</code>, not <code>== Section ==</code>.

===Section Organization===
{{#DPL:
|category=Page Layout Guides
|allowcachedresults=true
|order=sortkey
|format = ,* ,\n,
|noresultsheader=No Page Layout Guides available yet. 
}}

==Article Content==
* Bold the first use of the page title in the article, which is typically in the first sentence.
** Do not include links within this bolded portion.
* The usage of most [[mw:Help:Magic words|magic words]] in articles is disallowed, with the exception of the following:
** Behavioral Switches
*** {{F|<nowiki>__TOC__</nowiki>}} &mdash; shows the Table of Contents at the position of its usage
*** {{F|<nowiki>__NOTOC__</nowiki>}} &mdash; hides the Table of Contents
** Technical Metadata Variables
*** {{F|<nowiki>{{DISPLAYTITLE:</nowiki>((text to display as the page's title))<nowiki>}}</nowiki>}} &mdash; commonly handled by [[:Category:Infobox Templates|infoboxes]]
** Page Name Variables, only to be used with {{F|subst:}} to avoid issues on transclusion, should be used inside {{F|<nowiki>{{subst:#titleparts:</nowiki>((magic word))<nowiki>}}</nowiki>}} to avoid HTML entities being left on the article.
*** {{F|<nowiki>{{subst:PAGENAME}}</nowiki>}} &mdash; full page name without namespace (e.g., {{F|Template:Resonator Infobox}} → {{F|Resonator Infobox}})
*** {{F|<nowiki>{{subst:FULLPAGENAME}}</nowiki>}} &mdash; full page name with namespace (e.g., {{F|Template:Resonator Infobox}} → {{F|Template:Resonator Infobox}})
*** {{F|<nowiki>{{subst:BASEPAGENAME}}</nowiki>}} &mdash; full page name without the lowest subpage (e.g., {{F|Rover/Voicelines/Chinese}} → {{F|Rover/Voicelines}})
*** {{F|<nowiki>{{subst:SUBPAGENAME}}</nowiki>}} &mdash; lowest subpage's name (e.g., {{F|Rover/Voicelines/Chinese}} → {{F|Chinese}})
*** {{F|<nowiki>{{subst:ROOTPAGENAME}}</nowiki>}} &mdash; root page's name (e.g., {{F|Rover/Voicelines/Chinese}} → {{F|Rover}})

===Vocabulary===
* Avoid using second person (i.e., "{{color|old|nobold=1|you}}"). Possible alternatives include using "{{color|new|nobold=1|players}}" or "{{color|new|nobold=1|the Rover}}" or rephrasing the sentence to use passive voice.
** For example, replace "{{color|old|nobold=1|(If you have completed [[Clashing Blades]])}}" with "{{color|new|nobold=1|(If [[Clashing Blades]] has been completed)}}."
** Second person in the form of commands is acceptable in the following cases:
*** Navigational aids (e.g., "See also").
*** Additional instructions to help players in the "Steps" section of [[Quests|quest]] pages (e.g., when players must locate an NPC without a quest marker).

===Names===
* The {{T|Lang}} template should only be used in the introduction sentence for characters whose names are in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, or Thai. The template should contain the name of the character in the corresponding localization.
** Characters whose names are not unambiguously in one of the aforementioned languages, should not have the template used.
** Characters whose names are partially translated, such as [[Uncle Wei]], should have the template used if the rest of their name is in one of the aforementioned languages.
** Romanization should be included, even if it is the same as the English localization.
** No translations should be included. Translations can be added in Trivia or Etymology instead. For playable resonators, these sections are on their Lore subpages.
* The inclusion of the surnames and titles of a character depends on where it is used.

===Italics===
Italics must be used in the following types of names or titles:
* Trophy categories
* Trophy titles
* Albums
* Book titles
* Quest names
* Act names
* Scientific names
* Ship/vessel names
* Video games

==Grammar and Spelling==
{{See also|Wuthering Waves Wiki:Chinese|Wuthering Waves Wiki:Japanese|Wuthering Waves Wiki:Korean}}
In accordance with the English localization of the game, the Wuthering Waves Wiki follows the following rules:
* Use the {{w|American and British English spelling differences|American spelling}} of words.
* Use the {{w|serial comma}} (also known as the Oxford comma).
* Use "neutral" (straight) quotation marks ({{color|new|nobold=1|" "}} and {{color|new|nobold=1|' '}}, not {{color|old|nobold=1|“ ”}} and {{color|old|nobold=1|‘ ’}}) and apostrophes ({{color|new|nobold=1|'}}, not {{color|old|nobold=1|’}}).
* Use double quotation marks for quotations. When nesting quotations, use single quotations. For example: {{color|new|nobold=1|Rover exclaimed: "What do you mean 'hehe'!?"}}
* Place commas and periods {{w|Quotation marks in English#American style|within}} the quotation marks. ({{color|new|nobold=1|"Like this,"}} not {{color|old|nobold=1|"Like this".}}) This does not apply to other punctuation.

===Date and Numbers===
* Present dates in the format {{F|YYYY/MM/DD}}, or {{F|Month DD, YYYY}} when written out.
* Present times in the format {{F|HH:MM AM/PM (UTC±X)}}.
* The hour should always include a leading zero when it is a single digit. When presenting a time in the 24-hour clock format, omit the AM/PM.
* Delimit numbers exceeding 999 into {{w|Decimal separator#Digit grouping|groups}} of three digits with a comma.

===Symbols===
* Use a proper multiplication symbol ({{color|new|nobold=1|×}} or {{color|new|nobold=1|{{F|&<wbr>times;}}}}), not the letter X ({{color|old|nobold=1|x}}).
* Transcribe {{w|em dash}}es (&mdash;) as they are shown in the game (written {{color|new|nobold=1|{{F|&<wbr>mdash;}}}}). Do not replace it with the en dash ({{color|old|nobold=1|&ndash;}}) or two hyphen-minuses ({{color|old|nobold=1|--}}).

===Deviation from In-Game Text===
Because ''Wuthering Waves'' was created by a Chinese business and subsequently localized into other languages, there are occasionally errors in the English version of the game (usually grammar or mistranslation of words.) Grammar and spelling errors should not be corrected, but rather highlighted using the {{t|sic}} template. Mistranslations should also be noted in the reference section or added to the Trivia section. The Wiki will be updated after Kuro Games corrects the localization errors.

==References==
* Do not add explanatory notes into references. Create a reference group for these notes and display them separately.
** The reference group and the section heading for these notes should usually be named {{F|Note}} and {{F|Notes}}, respectively.
* No more than 2 references should be used for the same claim.
* When placing references or notes in the same group together, they must be ordered in ascending numerical order. (E.g., {{color|new|nobold=1|[2][5]}} and {{color|new|nobold=1|[Note 2][Note 5]}}, not {{color|old|nobold=1|[5][2]}} or {{color|old|nobold=1|[Note 5][Note 2]}}.) Note that numbers are automatically assigned, so it is strongly recommended to preview the page to help order references.
* When references and notes are used together, references must be placed before notes. (E.g., {{color|new|nobold=1|[2][Note 1]}}, not {{color|old|nobold=1|[Note 1][2]}}.)
* When placing notes in different groups together, they must have the same order as the invoked lists of notes. For example, if a page lists notes from the Note group first and the Assumption group second, then a claim that has notes from both groups should look like {{color|new|nobold=1|[Note 5][Assumption 3]}}, not {{color|old|nobold=1|[Assumption 3][Note 5]}}.
* Notes should be used sparingly. While attaching something like {{F|[1][5][Note 2][Note 3][Assumption 2]}} to a claim would technically be correct and compliant, there might be better ways to present that information. Alternatives that can be considered are condensing notes, directing readers to Trivia, and even integrating the information into the article body when appropriate.
* {{T|Ref}} templates are used to automate reference formatting for editors. In addition to [[quests]], most in-game items have templates.
<!-- Formatting template here, to be created -->
==Interwiki==
* Interwikis must be added at the end of the page inside a {{F|<nowiki><noinclude></nowiki>}}, after categories if there are any.
* Do not add interwikis in File namespace.

==See Also==
* [[Wuthering Waves Wiki:Wiki Syntax Formatting Guidelines|Wiki Syntax Formatting Guidelines]]

[[Category:General Style Guides]]