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The following need to be discussed

Page (Article) Naming Conventions

The following are the options

• Capitalizing the first letter only (The article name)
• Capitalizing all the first letters of the words (The Article Name)
• Have all small letters (the article name)

Another point I'd like to see clarified is that should the page names have full names? e.g.

• 'Dresden System' instead of Dresden
• 'Ronneburg Base' instead of Ronneburg

Discussion: I think we should go with all first caps (The Article Name) since most of the pages are already following that format. I'm all for using the full name and use the piping technique in linking. Looqas 15:12, 6 August 2008 (GMT)

I agree. However the main reason that most pages are like that are because most of the pages are using proper names. As such I personally have been making sure each word is first-letter-capitalized, and it seems that other people have followed the idea. In addition to these points is, I think that page titles should have any proper nouns capitalized. But this causes problems when "of" or "a" are part of the title. To fix that inconsistency I suggest we use the "All First Letters Caps" approach.

I do know of other Wiki editors who would prefer to use the "First letter caps" approach, so to me this issue is not resolved.

The importance of having this issue resolved can be seen in the usage of: New York System versus New York system. Wiki capitalizes the first letter of any link. And any subsequent capitals will change the link. "New York system" is a different page to "New York System" In short, capitals matter.Chovynz 16:14, 6 August 2008 (GMT)

After having just clicked through the wiki and browsed around a bit, I have a very strong urge to just change the "New York" back to "New York System". I was in those system pages and I didn't know if I was at "Planet New London" or "New London System" until I read down a bit. I will refrain myself from changing them until at least a week and give people enough time to give their opinions. If no one else responds then I will change the system titles, yet again, and settle for the style of "New London System". Sorry about the mess and confusion regarding this, but as I mentioned on the forums, I've had little direction other than "Do what you will." So this is my decision - to put "System" at the end of those particular title pages - but I'll allow and expect other people to have their say as well. Chovynz 06:22, 7 August 2008 (GMT)

I agree. I really don't care which way we go as long as it's consistent and simple. Looqas 06:50, 7 August 2008 (GMT)

Sure, use full names "New London System", "New London Planet" as well as "New York System". Like I already said, I would create also the page with a short name, but only for a redirect to help people with searching. NOT FOR LINKING TO THEM. If multiple subjects with the same short name exist, I would use a disambiguation if subjects are similarly significant (the New London example) or a redirect if one is much more significant. It is also possible to include links to the other subjects on a prominent place in the article body (like "There is also a planet with the same name."), but it usually is already somewhere in the article. MarvinCZ 13:44, 7 August 2008 (GMT)

Overall Page Title Naming Discussion

Ok Here is what I would like to see for the main names of places, bases, systems, etc. Basically what the name is in Datastorm because that shows what is the ingame name. The exceptions to this is planets. Docking Rings = Planets, so instead of using "Dockring: Planet Baden Baden" we use "Planet Baden Baden". I'll take responsibilty for any flak we get. If anyone challenges the decision, point them here or towards me. I'm contactable via the Forums (Hyung Soong) or here on the wiki.

• Planet New London,
• New London System
• Ibiza Base
• Gustav Station
• Kansai Research Station
• Alster Shipyard
• Augusberg Docking Colony
• Battleship Essex
• Lancaster Trade Center

Also, the below is what I would like to see for the "Places Sold" or "Availability" headings for the four main house systems. Outcasts and Corsairs are exempt from this as their territory is often contested with each other, and it's not simple to define all those territories, alongside the contested systems with main houses. I think some discussion on the Outcasts and Corsairs would be beneficial.
(Preferably with links) (The below is an example; with the wiki format underneath)

• Planet New London, New London, Bretonia

*[[Planet New London]], [[New London System|New London]], [[Bretonia]]

• Darmstadt Depot, Stuttgart, Rheinland

*[[Darmstadt Depot]], [[Stuttgart]], [[Rheinland]]

Omegas, Omicrons, Sigmas, Taus

For the Omicrons, Omegas, Sigmas and Taus we should just have it simply the place, system. The reason for this it gets too complicated when defining a contested system. And most of these are in one form or another.
(Leave the dash in)
(The below is an example; with the wiki format underneath)

• Ibiza Base, Omicron Alpha

*[[Ibiza Base]], [[Omicron Alpha]]

• Java Station, Tau-23

*[[Java Station]], [[Tau-23]]

Comment on the Article names. Are we going to with _System in the end with all of the page names or not? And what about the Sigmas. Taus and Omega with or without a dash (char '-')? I think the concensus here is to have redirects to actual Articles, but what are those Article names exactly? I'm for having the long names in all our article names like you've written in example Kansai Research Station, but perhaps you forgot to write them out in your description of systems? Looqas 07:39, 8 August 2008 (GMT)

Linking to existing pages

Linking technique

There are variations.

• NPC Factions

  [[NPC Factions]]

• NPC Factions

  [[NPC Factions|NPC Factions]]

• These are the Bretonian non-player factions

  [[NPC Factions#Bretonia NPC Factions|These are the Bretonian non-player factions]]

Repeating the linking in an article

I find it a bit tedious to read if all the words are linked, so it could be

• First encounters in the whole article of the word should be linked?
• First encounter in a paragraph should be linked?
• Sprinkle them using common sense?

Discussion: One the first point: Personally I like links to be like of last format of linking since it's explicit and works in all cases allowing also to make the link text to be anything you like.

On the second point: Somehow I think sprinkling could be the best solution. Once in a paragraph is enough I think. If the article is long then it makes sense to have the linking done several times. Looqas 15:12, 6 August 2008 (GMT)

Perhaps "Sprinkle" with only one link of any particular word per article would do the trick? So for example, if there is a link in a Ships statistics for Corsairs then there need be no other Corsairs links on the page.Chovynz 16:14, 6 August 2008 (GMT)

Writing style conventions

• Are we gonna capitalize the text that are links e.g.

...this will lead to Jump Hole... or should we stick to English ...this will lead to jump hole...

• In-universe or out-of-universe style?

Discussion: I'm inclined to using the small letters, but whatever... Looqas 15:12, 6 August 2008 (GMT)

Same here. Just use the pipelines (linking technique of the link|name). And I don't really understand the difference between In-Universe versus Out-of-Universe. That's a Praetyre thing. Praetyre! please explain it to us!Chovynz 16:14, 6 August 2008 (GMT)

Page composition and templates

Page types

These are types that come to my mind and all should have some sort of common template of layout. We should have links into each page type in this very guide after we have decided upon a format.

• Ships, e.g. Odin Very heavy fighter (and their info boxes)
• Systems, e.g. New York System (I like this page and it looks good)
• Indivual pages for NPC Factions. All we have now is all of them grouped together NPC Factions
• Terms and definitions, e.g.[[Trade Lane|Trade Lane] (This is one of the page types I'd like to see more clarification on since we have multiple formats there)
• Misc pages

Templates

A long list of links to different templates below. Basically we should have some sort of template to cover all the page types.

• Template for systems
• Template for ships

etc.

Discussion: The list contains only of a few that came into my mind quickly. Looqas 15:12, 6 August 2008 (GMT)

Here are some that I have used. Bear in mind that as templates are being developed the things that we base them off will change. Case in point, Blodo has made a new actual template that renders my ship one obsolete. So this list would need to be updated to let people know which template to use. The good thing about using Blodos one is that any ship page that uses that template can easily and quickly be layout or style changed whilst still keeping the info, by only changing the template. Using my own, thats not possible, and it also means that any ship pages has to be converted to the Blodos one. The good thing about the ships issue specifically is that the info is already ON the wiki so it shouldnt take too much time to convert them. Chovynz 16:14, 6 August 2008 (GMT)

Using Categories

Another point that I'd like to raise is of the categories itself. Some sort of broad grouping would be an excellent idea, since some of the categories are really like article page names. Category is made for just that article in mind. What I suggest are at least these pretty straightforward "main" categories at least. Take a look at the example Interspace Commerce Houses (they are there already and in wide use. For handling corporations

• Corporations

Then houses

• Liberty Corporations (I made it already)
• Kusari Corporations
• Rheinland Corporations
• Bretonia Corporations

I also suggest we use the same scheme to Criminals and also in the same manner. But do we lump all the outlaws to Criminals not making a distinction between revolutionaries etc? IMO no. I suggest this kind of thing: I hope I'm not missing anything. Main category:Outlaws subs: Criminals Terrorists Revolutionaries

Another thing I think needs to be categorized are dockable places. Should we make a distinction between Bases, Stations, Battleships, Facilities etc. In my opinion yes, but it needs a bit of thought beforehand.

I've been trying to think out a category to encompass Sirius wide explanatory words like jump hole and all I could come up was a Terms and Definitions category. It's not too good and is pretty broad. Well someone can break it down into subcategories if the need arises. Looqas 06:48, 7 August 2008 (GMT)

Discussion: Should we include categories in all the pages? My personal opinion is yes. It would help. Looqas 15:12, 6 August 2008 (GMT)

Definitely yes.Chovynz 16:14, 6 August 2008 (GMT)