Guidelines:Article Writing

The article writing policy of Megami Tensei Wiki defines the manner and style of how articles should be written on the wiki. This policy is designed to keep content across the site consistent with one another while presenting information in an organized, intuitive manner.

General

Writing Style

All articles on the wiki are to be written in a formal and encyclopedic style.

• Avoid the use of casual/informal language, colloquialisms, and word contractions (e.g. can't, it's, let's) when writing.
• In most cases, all articles on the wiki must be written in an in-universe perspective, i.e. the use of "you", "the player", and other forms of breaking the fourth wall should be avoided. Instead it is highly preferred to write from a relevant character's perspective (mainly the protagonist's or the party's in most cases) over you/the player. (Examples: Aleph is approached by a demon. The party reaches the district.) There are certain exceptions where writing "the player" may be preferred for articles or sections detailing out-of-universe information, such as gameplay mechanics. In which case, "the player" or "players" must be used over "you".
• By extension, articles also should not be written as game guides or walkthroughs. Although the wiki covers detailed gameplay information as part of its initiative to document the games, which can include statistics or maps, the wiki is not meant to be a place to share game strategies or tips.
• Articles should also not be written as literary fiction and avoid the use of devices and styles associated with it, i.e. superfluous or flowery language, exaggeration, and dramatization should all be avoided. Pages must be written in a straightforward and formal manner.
• Articles should always be written in the present tense, unless an article's or section's content requires a different tense.
• Articles must be written from a neutral point of view, avoiding speculative or personal views of the editor. This includes any personal favor and dislike of media titles and characters.

Article Format

In general, all articles on the wiki should follow this basic format order:

Header
Infobox
Lede
Main body
Trivia
Nomenclature
Gallery
Footer

Not all of the above need to be present on every page and there may be some page types or subjects where some of these sections may not be applicable to them. Nonetheless, the above format is still a good rule of thumb to keep in mind when creating or editing an article. The above sections are:

• Header — The header space is reserved for notices intended to inform readers of the article ahead (such as About) and for maintenance templates, and as such precede all other content in a page.

• Infobox — Infoboxes are templates intended to provide readers a brief overview of the subject's basic information, which can include the subject's name(s), image(s), and any other supplemental facts in their appropriate parameter fields. Infoboxes are displayed in the top-right corner of a page, and as such these should always be placed near the top of a page (immediately following the header space if there is one). There are pre-made infobox templates for certain page types, including: Books, Characters, Companies, Demons, Games, Items, Locations, Manga, Movies, OVAs, People, Skills, Sound(tracks), TV series, and websites. (See Guidelines:Infoboxes for more information.)

• Lede — The lede is the opening statement at the top of a page and is meant to give readers a generalized, brief summary of the page subject as the first thing they read. These are usually formatted as '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a (type of subject) from (link template to media title or series page). This can be as short as a sentence or as long as a general paragraph, but all pages need to have one. The subject's name (along with any other alternate names mentioned) should be bolded in the lede, but not for every other instance on the page. The lede should also not go over comprehensive information that would be better suited in the main body and it should also be kept free of spoilers.

• Main body — The main body is where all of the article's comprehensive information goes, sorted into sections as necessary to the page type. How the main body should be written and organized is largely dependent on the subject's page type, which is outlined in the sections below. This is also outlined in the page boilerplates as well.

• Trivia — The Trivia section is intended for out-of-universe and obscure information on a subject that does not fit anywhere else in the main body. As such, general information should not be placed here and this section is subject to some scrutiny. If a page does not presently have any trivia, this section should be omitted.

• Nomenclature — The Nomenclature section is dedicated to documenting the origin and meaning of a subject's name/title. The Names template, which lists the subject's official names in other languages, should also be placed here. Nomenclature is preferred over etymology, as etymology concerns over the origin of words while nomenclature extends to names and titles.

• Gallery — The Gallery section is for displaying images and/or videos pertaining to the subject, such as official artwork, sprites or models, screenshots, trailer videos, and so on. These are kept in <gallery></gallery> tags. If a page does not presently need a gallery, this section should be omitted. (See Guidelines:Galleries for more information.)

• Footer — The footer space is at the very bottom of a page. This is where the Notes and References sections, any navigational templates, and finally page categories go, in that order. If a page does not presently cite any notes or references, those sections should be omitted. All pages need to be appropriately categorized.

Boilerplates

Boilerplates are page format templates that can be used during page creation to instantly insert a format into any new page, thereby simplifying the creation process and ensuring that information across articles are kept consistent and organized. Boilerplates should thus always be used when creating a new page, even if only a little information is added at its initial creation. Boilerplates can be selected by pulling down the "Select boilerplate" menu above the editor, choosing an appropriate boilerplate to the subject, and clicking on "load". Note that boilerplates are only made available when creating new pages. If you want to add a boilerplate to an already created page, you will have to manually add its content in.

Pages that use boilerplates are added to the Pages created from boilerplates category. This allows wiki staff to verify that a page has and follows its proper formatting, whereupon the category will be removed from that page.

Page Types

Game Pages

(Infobox Game)
(Lede)
==Blurb==
==Synopsis==
{{SeePlot}}
==Gameplay==
==Updates==
==Downloadable Content==
==Version Differences==
==Listings==
===[[Characters in {{PAGENAME}}|Characters]]===
===[[Demons in {{PAGENAME}}|Demons]]===
===[[Skills in {{PAGENAME}}|Skills]]===
===[[Items in {{PAGENAME}}|Items]]===
===[[Locations in {{PAGENAME}}|Locations]]===
==Development==
==Trivia==
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
==Notes==
==References==

To use this page type's boilerplate, select "Game" under "Media". If a game is an upcoming title, add the Upcoming template to its header space above the infobox. This template should be swapped for New Release once the title has been released.

If a game or version for a certain platform was only released in Japan, that platform should only be referred to by its Japanese name. I.e. Famicom and not Nintendo Entertainment System; Super Famicom and not Super Nintendo Entertainment System. This rule also applies to system peripherals, i.e. the Mega-CD for the Mega Drive, and not Sega CD for the Sega Genesis; the CD-ROM² for the PC Engine, and not TurboGrafx-CD for the TurboGrafx-16. Platforms also should not include the developer's name unless that is part of the platform's marketed name. I.e. the PlayStation should not be referred to as "Sony PlayStation"; Nintendo DS is acceptable as this is part of its marketed name.

• Synopsis — The Synopsis section gives a brief summary of a game's beginning plot or story. For brevity and to avoid plot spoilers, the synopsis should detail no more than a basic summary of the game's opening exposition and initial conflict while providing a link to its full plot summary page. Plot summaries are linked to using Template:SeePlot, following the initial synopsis.

• Gameplay — The Gameplay section covers information regarding the game's gameplay systems and mechanics.

• Updates — The Updates section covers any version updates and free patches the game received. Template:Updates should be used to document each version, their initial release date, and their changes. If a game did not receive any updates, this section should be omitted.

• Downloadable Content — This section covers any paid downloadable content, including cosmetics, expansion packs, and season passes or DLC bundles. Template:DLC should be used to document each DLC item, including their initial release date, pricing, and additions. If a game does not have any paid downloadable content, this section should be omitted.

• Version Differences — Not to be confused with updates, the Version Differences section covers any notable differences between the game's re-releases, including ports, remasters, and/or remakes. A sub-section should be added for every notable release, titled after the release's title or the platform it was released for. If a remaster or remake has its own page, its sub-section should be kept brief and provide a link to its page for further reading using the Template:Main.

Straight ports of a game that have no significant differences should not be added to this section, which includes PlayStation Network, Virtual Console, Nintendo Switch Online, and dedicated console ports. Notable releases include those that add new content, revise its present content, have significant graphical or sound updates, or are full-on remakes. If a game does not have any releases that fit this criteria, this section should be omitted.

• Listings — The Listings section links to a game's dedicated listings of its characters, demons, items, etc. Links are formatted as ===[[Subjects in {{PAGENAME}}|Subjects]]===. The actual listings should not be present on the game page itself for brevity, unless deemed necessary for that particular title or release. For most Megami Tensei games, common listings include Characters, Demons, Skills, Items, and Locations, and these are the default in the Game Page boilerplate. However, certain games may require different listings to suit their relevant needs.

• Development — The Development section covers the development history of a game leading up to its release, including any post-release development (such as the development of other versions or DLCs). Information added here should be cited with pre-launch press release or developer quotes.

Remakes and Remasters

Re-releases of games do not tend to receive their own page unless a re-release adds significant new content or changes. For examples: Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Maniax and Persona 5 Royal, which are enhanced remasters with additional content as opposed to straight ports. However, because remakes and remasters are iterations of the original game and some may receive a lot of new content while others only a little, it is difficult to come up with a consistent standard for how their pages should be formatted and presented. As such, these should be approached on a case-by-case basis.

Where applicable though, content from the original game should not be duplicated on the remake/remaster's page if they share the same content. I.e. the Synopsis and Gameplay sections should not be repeated on the remake/remaster's page unless these deviate from the original's; the remake/remaster page should not have its own Listings unless necessary to that release. Unnecessary or redundant sections may be omitted or otherwise link back to the original game's using Template:Main.

Remake/remaster pages still need to have Gameplay Changes, Development, Nomenclature, and Gallery as sections. Where applicable, a remake/remaster's Synopsis section and Plot Page should only briefly recap the original story followed by any new or diverging story content. Unique List Pages are only required if the re-release has enough new or revised content to warrant having its own; otherwise the original List Pages should simply have a dedicated section covering content exclusive to the re-release.

Series Pages

(Lede)
==History==
==Media==
==Trivia==
==Nomenclature==
==Notes==
==References==

To use this page type's boilerplate, select "Series" under "Media". This page type covers individual media series within the Megami Tensei franchise, such as the Shin Megami Tensei and Persona series. Because new series are rare, what is presented here is mostly an editing guideline.

• History — The History section entails the media series's developmental and ongoing history since its inception.

• Media — The Media section lists all the media that are part of or related to the series. This section should be divided into sub-sections for each media type (Video Games, Audio Dramas, Novels, TV Series, Movies, Manga) and use Template:Media to list media and their initial Japanese release dates. The "Video Games" sub-section should also be further divided into smaller sub-sections for Remasters and Remakes, Spin-off Games, and Mobile Games.

Character Pages

(Infobox Character)
(Lede)
==Profile==
==Gameplay==
==Game Appearances==
==Audio Drama Appearances==
==Novel Appearances==
==Anime Appearances==
==Manga Appearances==
==Other Appearances==
==Trivia==
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
==Notes==
==References==

To use this page type's boilerplate, select "Character" under "Content".

• Profile — The Profile section describes the character's qualities, including their physical appearance, personality, beliefs, and other such things pertaining to them. This section can also include any developer design notes.

• Gameplay — The Gameplay section covers any gameplay information or mechanics that are relevant to the character. If the character is playable or participates in battles, this may cover their statistics and skill learnsets. This section also applies to non-playable characters (NPCs) if that character has a gameplay role, such as offering a service. If a character has gameplay mechanics in more than one game, this section should be divided into sub-sections by game. Otherwise, if the character has no gameplay information to document or has only appeared in non-game media, omit this section.

The Gameplay section should always precede the Appearances sections, so that readers can quickly find gameplay information without having to scroll through potentially spoilery information below. Verily though, there may be cases where gameplay information may itself be spoilery. In such an event, consult the Spoilers guidelines.

• Game Appearances — This section covers every game that character has appeared in, divided into sub-sections by game. If the character has only appeared in one game, it should still be given a sub-section for clarity. If the character has only appeared in non-game media, omit this section.

• Audio Drama Appearances — If the character has appeared in any audio dramas, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Novel Appearances — If the character has appeared in any novels or short stories, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Anime Appearances — If the character has appeared in any animated media, including televised anime series, movies, or OVAs, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Manga Appearances — If the character has appeared in any manga, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Other Appearances — This section is reserved for any crossover or cameo appearances the character has made outside of Megami Tensei media. This can include media appearances in Atlus's or Sega's other intellectual properties (such as Etrian Odyssey), or in media created by other companies (such as Nintendo's Super Smash Bros.). Otherwise, omit this section if none.

Demon Pages

(Infobox Demon)
(Lede)
==Profile==
===Origin===
===Design===
==Gameplay==
==Compendium==
==Game Appearances==
==Audio Drama Appearances==
==Novel Appearances==
==Anime Appearances==
==Manga Appearances==
==Other Appearances==
==Trivia==
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
==Notes==
==References==

To use this page type's boilerplate, select "Demon" under "Content". This page type also extends to Personas and Shadows.

• Profile — Profile is divided into two sub-sections:
  • Origin — The Origin section covers the cultural, historical, and/or folklore origins that the demon is based on or inspired by.
  • Design — The Design section details the demon's portrayal as depicted in the Megami Tensei franchise and media, including their physical appearance, personality, beliefs, and other such qualities pertaining to them. This section can also include any developer design notes.

• Gameplay — The Gameplay section covers the demon's statistics by game, including their base level, stats, skill learnsets, attribute weaknesses and resistances, where they are found or how to obtain, evolutions, and other such relevant gameplay information. Otherwise, if the demon has only appeared in non-game media, omit this section.

The Gameplay section should always precede the Appearances sections, so that readers can quickly find gameplay information without having to scroll through potentially spoilery information below. Verily though, there may be cases where gameplay information may itself be spoilery. In such an event, consult the Spoilers guidelines.

• Compendium — The Compendium section documents the demon's in-game Demon Compendium entries or equivalent descriptions, using Template:Compendium. Game parameters in the template should be omitted if a demon does not appear in that game or has no entry in that. If the demon has no entries whatsoever, this section should be omitted.

If the section has more than five entries listed, the Compendium template must be made collapsed by adding the parameter collapse= with any value (such as "1" or "y").

Remasters and remakes of games are included in the Compendium template to cover new demons introduced in that release, or if a demon's entry differs between releases. If the entries are identical, do not use both parameters and instead delegate the entry to the original game.

• Game Appearances — The Game Appearances section is only used if a demon has a significant role in a game outside of simply being a general enemy, such as playing a role in the game's story or as a quest-related NPC. As the Gameplay and Compendium sections already document a demon's gameplay information, the Game Appearances section should not be used for that purpose. If there are no significant story or quest appearances, omit this section. Otherwise, this section should be divided into sub-sections by game. If the demon only has a significant role in one game, it should still be given a sub-section for clarity.

• Audio Drama Appearances — If the demon has appeared in any audio dramas, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Novel Appearances — If the demon has appeared in any novels or short stories, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Anime Appearances — If the demon has appeared in any animated media, including televised anime series, movies, or OVAs, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Manga Appearances — If the demon has appeared in any manga, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Other Appearances — This section is reserved for any crossover or cameo appearances the demon has made outside of Megami Tensei media. This can include media appearances in Atlus's or Sega's other intellectual properties (such as Etrian Odyssey), or in media created by other companies (such as Nintendo's Super Smash Bros.). Otherwise, omit this section if none.

Race Pages

(Lede)
==Profile==
==List of Demons==
==Game Appearances==
==Trivia==
==Nomenclature==
==Notes==
==References==

To use this page type's boilerplate, select "Race" under "Content". This page type also extends to Arcanas and Orders.

• Profile — The Profile section gives a brief description of the demon race, including what they are based on and any other commonality between them, such as statistics, attribute affinity, or Alignment.

• List of Demons — This section lists all of the race's demons by game, divided into sub-sections for each game. The sub-sections should use Template:Level to list demons within that game by base level. Some games, however, may require their own list templates to suit their needs.

• Game Appearances — The Game Appearances section is only used if a demon race has a significant role in a game, such as playing a role in the game's story or in a quest. This section should not be used to list demons. If there are no significant appearances, omit this section. Otherwise, this section should be divided into sub-sections by game. If the race only has a significant role in one game, it should still be given a sub-section for clarity.

Skill Pages

(Infobox Skill)
(Lede)
==Profile==
==Gameplay==
==Learnsets==
===Party Members===
===Demons===
==Audio Drama Appearances==
==Novel Appearances==
==Anime Appearances==
==Manga Appearances==
==Other Appearances==
==Trivia==
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
==Notes==
==References==

To use this page type's boilerplate, select "Skill" under "Content". This page type also extends to passive skills or Traits.

• Profile — The Profile section gives a brief, general overview of the skill and its common mechanics. This is mainly its effect when used or activated.

• Gameplay — The Gameplay section documents the skill's detailed information by game. This section should use Template:SkillEfct to cover the skill's attribute, effect, targeting, and MP cost. Otherwise, if the skill has only appeared in non-game media, omit this section.

Complex explanations of a skill's mechanics that would not fit in the template can also be documented in this section. These should be kept in sub-sections by relevant game.

• Learnsets — Learnsets is divided into two sub-sections:
  • Party Members — If any playable characters or party members can learn the skill, this sub-section covers that. This section should be further divided into smaller sub-sections by game and use Template:Learnset to document who can learn the skill and their criteria. If the skill is known by default, add "Base" for the learn criteria. If there are no games where a playable character or party member can learn the skill, omit this sub-section.
  • Demons — This sub-section lists demons and Personas that can learn the skill along with their criteria. This section should be further divided into smaller sub-sections by game. Template:Learnset Race should be used for the Shin Megami Tensei series, Template:Learnset Arcana for the Persona series, and Template:Learnset for games that do not categorize demons. If the skill is known by default, add "Base" for the level criteria. If no demon can learn the skill, omit this sub-section.

• Audio Drama Appearances — If the skill was used in any audio dramas, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Novel Appearances — If the skill was used in any novels or short stories, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Anime Appearances — If the skill was used in any animated media, including televised anime series, movies, or OVAs, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Manga Appearances — If the skill was used in any manga, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Other Appearances — This section is reserved for any crossover or cameo appearances the skill has made outside of Megami Tensei media. This can include media appearances in Atlus's or Sega's other intellectual properties (such as Etrian Odyssey), or in media created by other companies (such as Nintendo's Super Smash Bros.). Otherwise, omit this section if none.

Item Pages

(Infobox Item)
(Lede)
==Profile==
==Gameplay==
==Descriptions==
==Audio Drama Appearances==
==Novel Appearances==
==Anime Appearances==
==Manga Appearances==
==Other Appearances==
==Trivia==
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
==Notes==
==References==

To use this page type's boilerplate, select "Item" under "Content".

• Profile — The Profile section describes the item's qualities, including its physical appearance or in-universe or story significance. This section can also include developer design notes.

• Gameplay — The Gameplay section documents the item's detailed information by game. This section should use Template:ItemEfct to cover the item's effect or purpose, usage, pricing, and carrying stock. Otherwise, if the item has only appeared in non-game media, omit this section.

Complex explanations of an item's mechanics that would not fit in the template can also be documented in this section. These should be kept in sub-sections by relevant game.

• Descriptions — The Descriptions section documents the item's in-game descriptions using Template:GameDesc. If the item is not from a video game, omit this section.

• Audio Drama Appearances — If the item has appeared in any audio dramas, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Novel Appearances — If the item has appeared in any novels or short stories, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Anime Appearances — If the item has appeared in any animated media, including televised anime series, movies, or OVAs, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Manga Appearances — If the item has appeared in any manga, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Other Appearances — This section is reserved for any crossover or cameo appearances the item has made outside of Megami Tensei media. This can include media appearances in Atlus's or Sega's other intellectual properties (such as Etrian Odyssey), or in media created by other companies (such as Nintendo's Super Smash Bros.). Otherwise, omit this section if none.

Location Pages

(Infobox Location)
(Lede)
==Gameplay==
==Game Appearances==
==Audio Drama Appearances==
==Novel Appearances==
==Anime Appearances==
==Manga Appearances==
==Other Appearances==
==Trivia==
==Nomenclature==
==Gallery==
==Notes==
==References==

To use this page type's boilerplate, select "Location" under "Content". This page type also extends to dungeons.

• Gameplay — The Gameplay section covers any gameplay information relevant to the location, including shops and other local services, enemy encounters, and items found. Each of these should be given their own respective sub-section: Stores, Encounters, Items. Otherwise, if the location has no gameplay information to document or has only appeared in non-game media, omit this section.

Encounters should be listed using the appropriate table template for the particular game or series. Template:SMTEnctr for the Shin Megami Tensei series.

The Gameplay section should always precede the Appearances sections, so that readers can quickly find gameplay information without having to scroll through potentially spoilery information below. Verily though, there may be cases where gameplay information may itself be spoilery. In such an event, consult the Spoilers guidelines.

• Game Appearances — This section covers every game the location has appeared in, divided into sub-sections by game. If the location has only appeared in one game, it should still be given a sub-section for clarity. If the location has only appeared in non-game media, omit this section.

• Audio Drama Appearances — If the location has appeared in any audio dramas, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Novel Appearances — If the location has appeared in any novels or short stories, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Anime Appearances — If the location has appeared in any animated media, including televised anime series, movies, or OVAs, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Manga Appearances — If the location has appeared in any manga, this section covers that. Otherwise, omit this section if none.

• Other Appearances — This section is reserved for any crossover or cameo appearances the location has made outside of Megami Tensei media. This can include media appearances in Atlus's or Sega's other intellectual properties (such as Etrian Odyssey), or in media created by other companies (such as Nintendo's Super Smash Bros.). Otherwise, omit this section if none.