User:RustyVanBurace/Sandbox5

The gameplay policy of Megami Tensei Wiki outlines how gameplay information should be covered. This page also explains the usage of stat table templates and skill data modules.

General

Gameplay coverage on the wiki should not be written as game guides and should not cover strategies, tips, or walkthroughs. They should only provide explanations of game mechanics or document essential data.

Relatedly, gameplay content must be written in an encyclopedic tone and avoid the use of "you". Use of "the player" or "players" is appropriate when detailing gameplay systems or other out-of-universe information. Otherwise, when covering in-universe gameplay elements such as stores or locations, it is preferable to refer to the player as the game's protagonist or party.

Gameplay Sections

In many content pages, the Gameplay section covers any gameplay-related information pertinent to the subject. This can include stat tables for playable characters or Demons, encounter lists, item lists, shops or other local services, etc. The Gameplay section is usually one of the first sections on most pages, allowing users to readily find gameplay information without having to scroll too far down or through potentially spoilery sections below.

Each game covered in this section should be given its own Level 3 subsection ===Level 3===. Remasters or enhanced ports can have their own subsection if there is substantial difference from the original's gameplay information to warrant its own coverage, such as the addition of new mechanics. Otherwise, a tab can suffice for minor version differences, such as differing stats for stat tables or other lists.

Gameplay Pages

If a subject's Gameplay section has over five subsections, particularly with stat tables or other intensive documentation, then the entire section's contents should be split into a separate Gameplay page. These pages have the Gameplay: prefix, such as Gameplay:Jack Frost or Gameplay:Ann Takamaki. They are linked to using Template:Gameplay {{Gameplay}} in the subject's Gameplay section.

Gameplay pages provide a dedicated space for documenting thorough information while keeping the main page brief. Gameplay pages can further organize its contents into series sections. For example:

=={{Link|Series|SMT-}}==
==={{Link|Game|SMT1}}===
==={{Link|Game|SMT2}}===

=={{Link|Series|P-}}==
==={{Link|Game|MIP}}===
==={{Link|Game|P2IS}}===

Characters with Social Link information in the Persona series should be given their own Gameplay pages due to the highly comprehensive nature of this mechanic. See (Section Name) for more information.

Listings

Main article: Listing guidelines

For most of the wiki, gameplay data is compiled into referential lists.

Most video games will usually have a number of dedicated list pages for listing various related content contained within them. These lists are linked to in the game page's Listings section. For most games, their Listings section may look like:

==Listings==
===[[Characters in {{PAGENAME}}|Characters]]===
===[[Demons in {{PAGENAME}}|Demons]]===
===[[Skills in {{PAGENAME}}|Skills]]===
===[[Items in {{PAGENAME}}|Items]]===
===[[Equipment in {{PAGENAME}}|Equipment]]===
===[[Locations in {{PAGENAME}}|Locations]]===
===[[Translations in {{PAGENAME}}|Translations]]===

Some games and series may require different listings from this to suit their own needs. List pages should only include content that can be found within a game, and should not include content explicitly outside of it. For instance: a Skill List for the original version of a game should only list skills included in that version, and should not include skills that were introduced in a major re-release. The re-release may have its own Skill List page in that case.

For Demons/Personas/Shadows, Skills, Items, and Equipment List pages, their listings are compiled into table templates to format and present information in an orderly manner. Because games in the Megami Tensei franchise can vary greatly from one another, often times a game will have its own set of list table templates to suit its needs.

Smaller lists are also used on some individual subject pages to compile targeted information, such as encounter or item location lists on location pages, the stock or services a shop offers, Demons within a Race, data pertaining to a specific skill, etc. These lists are also compiled using table templates, many of which are already included in page boilerplates for convenience.

Category:List Table Templates has a full list of available list templates. Be sure to read their documentation when using. For more information on formatting listings, consult the Listing guidelines.

Stat Tables

Stat tables are specialized templates used to display statistical information about playable characters, Demons, Personas, etc. This can include stat parameters, weaknesses and resistances, skills, passive traits, victory spoils, location information, and whatever else that is pertinent to the game and subject. Because of the specified nature of stat tables as well that games across the Megami Tensei franchise can vary greatly with their mechanics, each game has their own dedicated stat tables. A game may have separate stat tables used specifically for allies, enemies, bosses, and others depending on its individual needs.

Category:Stat Table Templates has a full list of available stat tables.

Stat tables have a range of information parameters that will display formatted data when filled. Any information added should be sourced from the games wherever possible, such as from a stat screen or from data-mining. Information can also be sourced from official guide publications as well; however, be aware that even some official guides have also been known to contain errors and may not always be 100% accurate. It is therefore recommended to cross-reference any sources used.

Skills are added differently. Skill information are stored in modules, which are called into the stat table and automatically adds the appropriate data. See the Skills subsection for a full explanation.

Information added to stat tables should be kept concise wherever possible, being no more than a sentence long. At times, there may be complicated information that would otherwise become too lengthy to explain within a stat table. In such cases, the information should instead be presented outside of the stat table as a short sentence or paragraph. For example: In Shin Megami Tensei, Fiends have a 1 in 256 chance of spawning on specific tile coordinates in dungeons. Because of this complexity, their encounter location should be explained as a paragraph before the stat table and not within it.

Parameters

Most stat tables have a common set of parameters for specific data. This section will outline those parameters and their usage guidelines. For stat tables with specific parameters, the table's own documentation should be consulted.

Name

For quick ease of use, most stat tables are automated where they will automatically fill in the name of the subject based on the article's title. It is possible, however, to override this and input a different name by using the name= parameter. This should be used if the subject's name differs in-game from the article's title, or if the article title has a discriminator in it.

The name of the subject should reflect the name used in the game's localization. I.e. Jack-o'-Lantern should be referred to as "Pyro Jack" in games that use this name. The exceptions to this are Megami Ibunroku Persona, Last Bible, and Devil Children Light Book and Dark Book, which should instead prioritize the original names of characters and enemies, as opposed to their Revelations and DemiKids localization names (as per our canon policy). However, these games also have additional parameters to list their localization names separately as well.

Image

Stat tables with image functionality can be accompanied with an in-game image of the subject. This will usually be of the subject's sprite, icon, model, or otherwise another type of file as required by the stat table. Stat tables without this functionality cannot have an image added.

Like the subject's name, stat table images are generally automated and will automatically insert the appropriate image if one is available that matches the file naming scheme. For instance, the SMT5 Party Stats table will automatically add the Demon's icon if there is a file titled SMT5 {{{PAGENAME}}} Icon.png, with "PAGENAME" being the same as the Demon's article title.

It is possible to add a different subject name to the file name by using the img= parameter. This should be used if the Demon's name differs from its article title, or if the article title has a discriminator in it. For instance, adding img=Feng Huang to a stat table will make it so that the table will specifically search for and add an image with this subject name.

Stats

In this context, "stats" refer to the inherent data with each character that are often used for battle. This can include the common array of stat values: Level, HP, MP, Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, Magic, Agility, Luck, etc. This also includes miscellaneous data such as Race, behavioral types such as Speech Pattern or Moon Phase, associative summoning costs, and so on.

Stat data are added simply by entering them into their appropriate parameters. Stats that have a visual gauge in-game will also have these rendered automatically. Some stat parameters in stat tables are optional; if a particular stat is not applicable to a subject, its parameter should be omitted from usage. This will either hide the parameter or otherwise add an em dash to denote as non-applicable.

Stats that can grow or change should only reflect the base / default value inherent to the subject.

Stats should always preferably be taken straight from the games wherever possible, such as from a status screen for allies or from an Analyze screen for enemies and bosses. Other times, especially for enemies / bosses with hidden values, this may require data-mining. If you are unable to retrieve certain information yourself, you should mark unknown fields with "?" and tag the game's section with Template:Research to request that the data be found and added by another. Data can also be taken from verified guides as well.

Bear in mind that in many Megami Tensei games, ally and enemy Demons often have different stats, resistances, and/or skill sets and should not be assumed to always be identical unless verified. It is for this reason that that the wiki usually splits ally and enemy stat tables.

Locations

A subject's encounter location (or how it is obtained) can be added to the location= parameter. This should merely state the name of the location with a link to its page, immediately followed by any floor numbers. For example: location=[[Daedalus Tower]] 1F. For allied subjects who can only be obtained through certain means, the location parameter can also be used to briefly describe the method. Examples: location=[[Fusion]] only (for standard fusions), location=[[Fusion Accident]], location=Event at [[Old Suidobashi]], location=Clear "[[Osiris' Resurrection]]" (for sidequests).

Otherwise, the location parameter must be kept concise and be no longer than a short sentence. Any locations that would require a lengthier explanation should be explained outside of and prior to the stat table.

If a subject appears in more than one location, the earliest appearance should be added to the parameter. Subsequent locations can be added to an Exp tooltip after the initial appearance. For example: {{Exp|Location 2F-3F<br/>Location 5F, 7F}}.

Formatting

Additional wikitext can be used to format and present gameplay information in certain ways as necessary.

Tabs

Information can be placed into tabs, allowing users to switch between different sets of information by clicking or tapping on tabber buttons. This helps to keep information organized while also keeping a page's contents brief.

Tabs are created using tabber tags and giving each tab a label. The code for this is:

<tabber>
Tab 1=
Tab 1's information here.
|-|
Tab 2=
Tab 2's information here.
</tabber>

Tabs can be used to switch between templates, such as different list tables or stat tables. This is especially used to display information between different versions of games or subjects.

To achieve this, simply add the template's code as the contents with each tab. For example, for list templates:

<tabber>
P3=
{{Enctr/Header}}
{{Enctr|name=|race=|level=|note=}}
{{Enctr|name=|race=|level=|note=}}
|}
|-|
P3R=
{{Enctr/Header}}
{{Enctr|name=|race=|level=|note=}}
{{Enctr|name=|race=|level=|note=}}
|}
</tabber>

And for stat tables:

<tabber>
Ally=
{{SMT5 Party Stats
|level=
|st=
|vi=
|ma=
|ag=
|lu=
|race=
|hp=
|mp=
|cost=
|fusioncondition=
|gifttype=
|location=
|skills=
}}
|-|
Enemy=
{{SMT5 Demon Stats
|level=
|st=
|vi=
|ma=
|ag=
|lu=
|race=
|hp=
|mp=
|exp=
|macca=
|talk=
|tone=
|location=
|drop1=
|droprate1=
|skills=
}}
</tabber>

Tabs should each be given a short label reflecting the specific source or subject they cover.

• For information from different versions of games, label after each game's media abbreviation. E.g. P3, P3P, P3R.
• If the game's title stays the same between versions, label after the platform's abbreviation. E.g. SFC, CD2, MCD, GBA. If a version is multi-platform, label as a re-release with the release date. E.g. 2023 Re-release.
• For different stat tables of the same subject, label after the relevant role. E.g. Partner (for main character party members), Enemy, Ally (for allied Demons), Boss, Persona, Shadow.
• For specific versions of a subject, such as Demon stats from a specific game version or a boss with multiple forms or phases, clarify this in parentheses. E.g. Enemy (PSP), Boss (Phase 1).