User:Mistiryshak/sandbox5

THIS IS A DRAFT AND SHOULD NOT BE USED AS OFFICIAL POLICY OR GUIDELINES WHEN EDITING. IT IS NOT REVIEWED BY STAFF AND IS CURRENTLY THE OPINION OF THE AUTHOR.

This is an essay reflecting official policy on writing articles on Megami Tensei Wiki.

Megami Tensei Wiki's Manual of Style states the following maxim: "All articles on the wiki are to be written in a formal and encyclopedic style." This passage is meant to help uphold Megami Tensei Wiki's neutral point of view and maintain a consistent tone across articles. The problem with this statement is that what may seem informal to one is reasonable to another, depending on numerous factors such as familiarity with the English language, composition skills, and personal standards of what neutrality and dramatic writing look like. In cases of confusion or ambiguity, the guidelines set forth here should be used to help achieve consensus. It comes with several explanations of why a stylistic choice is preferred or not, as well as various short responses to questions or concerns that may arise after reading this article.

The policies presented here may use the language of encouraged versus discouraged and allowed versus disallowed. While they may seem interchangable, this is an intentional distinction. Readers of this article are encouraged to consider that which is discouraged to be generally within style guidelines, but may result in improper style or tone if it is a recurring pattern in the text body, and therefore should be avoided. That which is disallowed is considered improper automatically and is likely to be reverted or changed by other editors.

Throughout the article, there will also be links to other articles on Megami Tensei Wiki that at the time of writing are considered good examples of the subject matter. These can be used as further reference for your own writing.

General Advice

Level of detail

Example article: Serph

A good article does not go into too much detail, but still provides enough detail that it feels comprehensive. This is a difficult balance to achieve, especially in plot summaries. Here are some general tips for improving your level of detail:

Not Enough Detail

Too Much Detail

Describe who, what, when, where, why, and/or how. [boss] is fought in [location] is not as helpful for readers as [boss] is found [verb, such as "knitting", "sleeping", "blocking the way"] in (the) [room] while [character] is at [location] [reason character is there]. This is especially important for one-off characters. If you do not know the answer to one of these questions, do not try to answer it. What matters is filling in detail so the reader leaves feeling satisfied that they understand the circumstances. Ask someone to read over your work and see if they understand it from start to finish. Go over what you are describing and see if there are important details you omitted. Ask the question - do I really not have enough detail? If you read your work and already feel satisfied, you likely do not need more details.

Ask if you would understand the scene without mentioning a specific detail. Ask what the point of the scene is. Some scenes are meant to be tense, some heartwarming, and others comedic. Ignore any details that go against the point of that scene. An effective summary is trying to convey the same thing as the actual work stripped down to its core points. Draft and revise. Many editors often write story elements as they happen, perhaps not knowing what is and is not going to matter later. A solid approach is to write out in detail what happens early on, then revise to remove anything that is not important. Pay attention to how much detail you include when writing and cut anything that seems excessive. Look for sentences that sound awkward or repetitive, then remove or rewrite them.

Content placement

Content on Megami Tensei Wiki should be placed in the appropriate section. Here is a quick "cheat sheet" on what section each type of content is best suited for.

What it is	Section to place in
Basic character background	Profile
Characterization	Profile
Compendium entries	Compendium
Full plot summaries	Plot: namespace (see spoiler guidelines)
Gameplay information	Gameplay (see gameplay guidelines)
Information from the plot	[Game/Manga/etc.] Appearances (see guidelines on media sections)
Lists of fusion recipes	Nowhere, excepting Special Fusion recipes in Gameplay sections
Lists of titles that feature the subject	Categories (see category guidelines)
Meanings of names	Nomenclature (see translation guidelines)
Physical qualities	Profile
Spoilers of any kind	[Game/Manga/etc.] Appearance sections and any sections below (see spoiler guidelines)

Citations

Main article: Guidelines:Citations

Example article: Persona 5 Original Soundtrack

Citations are a useful tool that improve the verifiability of Megami Tensei Wiki. Citations are generally required (or requested) on one of three topics:

• Dubious or questionable claims
• Folklore, religion, and history
• Statistics and numbers

It is preferred to have reliable sources on-hand before adding information so that you can add a citation if requested. Ideally, you include the citation as part of your original edit. Citations are also useful for adding quotes from the source media or interview that support specific claims. The article on Marduk uses a citation with a quote to support the claim that he is a character mentioned in optional dialogue in Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. These sorts of easily-missed details should be backed up with citations. The guidelines on citations linked above are a helpful resource on how to add and format a citation. Additionally, before adding a citation that quotes Megami Tensei media, reference the guidelines on canonicity.

Spoilers

Main article: Guidelines:Spoilers and Guidelines:Leaks

Spoilers are allowed on Megami Tensei Wiki, with two caveats:

• Unreleased content for live-service titles (currently: Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 and Persona 5: The Phantom X) is not allowed.
  • Content that is officially released for any version of the game is allowed, regardless of region locking or version exclusivity.
• Spoilers must be kept outside of the lead paragraph, infobox, Profile, and Gameplay sections, but can be included in the Appearances sections and the gallery.

Further information on how to handle spoilers can be found in our guidelines on spoilers linked above.

Trivia

The Trivia section on articles is not intended as a collection of fun and interesting tidbits; in this sense, the name is somewhat misleading. Rather, the Trivia section is used for notable information that has no place in any other section of an article; making it closer to a section on miscellaneous details.

The following is not considered acceptable trivia, but is not an exhaustive list:

• [x] is the first/only character/Demon/Persona/enemy with [y quality]
• Compare-and-constrast between a subject and another subject or set of subjects
  • This includes statements or comparisons about physical appearance, narrative, voice acting, and names, unless genuinely notable (such as if it was an intentional decision by Atlus)
• Restatements of events that happen in the plot, including plot analysis such as mentioning foreshadowing. Plot details should be placed in the Appearances section, while foreshadowing is media analysis and therefore disallowed
• Characterization, which should instead by placed in the Profile section
• Shared roles within Megami Tensei by the subject's voice actor, which should instead be placed on that voice actor's article
• Descriptions of physical appearance, which should be in the Profile section

The following are examples of acceptable trivia:

• Discrepancies between versions of a title that are not related to gameplay or narrative
• Unused content relating to a subject
• References to the subject in other Megami Tensei media, unless the appearance is notable enough to include in Gameplay or Appearances sections
• References to media outside of Megami Tensei, unless the appearance is notable enough to include in Appearances sections

As an additional note, the Trivia section is not intended to pad out a page and serves a practical function on Megami Tensei Wiki. Trivia should be notable information lacking a suitable section for its inclusion on the page, and should not be used to add a list of miscellaneous details for a subject.

Language and Stylization

Using American English

Megami Tensei Wiki is written in American English rather than any other variant. The following is a guide to some common differences between American English and British English:

Example
(-or/-our)	Color Odor	Colour Odour
(-ize/-ise)	Organize	Organise
(-er/-re)	Theater	Theatre
Date format	Month/Day/Year 12/31/1996December 31st, 1996	Day/Month/Year 31/12/1996
Specific Words
	Math	Maths
	Aluminum	Aluminium
	Gray	Grey
	Program	ProgrammeOnly for shows, schedules or events; computer program is spelled the same as in American English

Additionally, this also means that Megami Tensei Wiki is not written in other languages, such as Spanish or Japanese. However, these languages can still appear as part of a citation of a non-English source, within a quote, while documenting untranslated media, as part of a computer program used by the wiki, or within nomenclature. However, prose should always be written in American English.

Acronyms and abbreviations

Avoid acronyms when possible, with the following exceptions:

• Acronyms used within the body of the work being referenced, such as C.B.A.S., which is an acceptable substitute for the Central Bureau of Administrative Services. The acronym should either link to the appropriate page at least once in the article or be expanded to its full form upon its first use in the article. If possible, other terms such as "the Bureau" for C.B.A.S. or "the Department" for JP's should also be used.
  • Encouraged: (the) C.B.A.S., JP's, S.E.E.S. (Organizations referred to near-exclusively by their acronym)
  • Discouraged: JSDF, TMPD (Both are organizations with other ways to refer to them such as "the Self-Defense Force", "the military", "Tokyo Police", "the police", and so forth). Acronyms for such subjects should be used sparingly.
• Acronyms used because a character's identity is currently unknown and they are referred to by an acronym until their identity is revealed - in which case it is treated as their proper name until that point.
• Acronyms that are plot-relevant in some form.
• Acronyms for common game mechanics, such as HP, MP, SP, and so forth.
• Acronyms may be used in Template:Exp and its variants Exp Plat and Exp App to describe game consoles and provide miscellaneous notes, so long as the acronym's meaning is clear based on context.
• 1F, 2F, B1F, B2F etc. are allowed for describing dungeon floors in tables, but should be referred to using other methods within prose.

The following should not be expanded even if they are "short" for something unless the situation demands it:

• ISO codes for currencies, languages, and countries
• Ticker codes for publicly-traded stocks, though the name of the company is often preferred to the ticker code
• Acronyms used for record-keeping codes, such as ISBN, UPC, and catalogue numbers.
• Acronyms in titles that are part of the proper title, such as Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2 using Dx2 rather than Devil Downloader.
• The words "VHS", "CD", "CD-ROM", "DVD", and "BD".
• Acronyms that are also whole words such as laser, scuba, and sonar.
• Acronyms that are also names, such as in the name of the UMA race.
• Acronyms or abbreviations within the name of consoles, such as Nintendo DS.
• Acronyms in company names such as I.T.L.
• Items, locations, and skills and characters with acronyms and abbreviations in their name should not be expanded away from their in-game name when discussing them within the context of that game, even if it is fully expanded in another title.
  • Examples include Lu Incense, Western SMG, and Dodge Phys. It would be considered inappropriate to expand these to Luck Incense, Western Submachine Gun, and Dodge Physical if the abbreviations are their proper in-game names.

Additionally, the following special cases exist:

• The PC-8800 series and PC-9800 series should generally be shortened to PC-88 and PC-98. Additionally, the "PC" in both names should not be expanded to "personal computer."
• The Family Computer should generally be referred to by its abbreviated form, the Famicom. The Super Famicom is already in its proper expanded title and should never be rendered as Super Family Computer.

Bolded and italicized text

Bolded text should be reserved for the beginning of the article where the names and aliases of the subject are mentioned. Dates, organizations, items, weapons, specific words, and so forth need not be bolded. Usage of bold text for emphasis is discouraged, as is usage of bold text for names introduced outside of the lead paragraph. Italics may be used in the following scenarios:

• For the names of media, with the exception of short stories and journal articles, which should be encased in double quotes.
• Scientific names such as Leptailurus serval.
• Non-English words, but there are exceptions. It is recommended to use Template:Lang for this purpose instead of applying italics manually.
• To preserve the italicization of a quote.

Casual language

Casual language should not be used, including contractions (i.e., it's, wasn't, it'll, y'all) and slang/colloquialisms (i.e., 'cuz, doggo, lost your marbles, any profanity). Casual language is that which is used in informal speech and typical conversation. This type of language is not considered formal and should be avoided on any page intended to be part of the encyclopedia. Talk pages may still use casual language.

Contractions are the most common type of casual language and should be avoided. Apostrophes used to show possession such as in the Hero's are considered acceptable.

Slang and colloquialisms should not be used; and it is unwieldy to create a definitive list of words to avoid due to the breadth of the English lexicon. If one is unsure if a word or phrase is considered slang or colloquial, most modern dictionaries will indicate as such in the relevant entry; Urban Dictionary should not be used.

Puffery

Aggrandizing language - also known as puffery - is language which promotes specific importance and imparts bias, and is thus generally discouraged. If aggrandizing language is relevant to the plot in some form, it should be described as an in-universe quality rather than as an adjective.

Note is that puffery is not equivalent to "any qualifier or adjective that defines importance." The usage of a word that confers positive (or negative) qualities is not inherently unencyclopedic and an isolated usage is unlikely to cause an issue, unless it is severe; however, repeated usage may indicate bias on the editor's part and should be avoided.

Simply because a quality is noted in-universe does not mean it also needs to be mentioned in a summary or profile. In the below examples, Rise's popularity is plot relevant as it forms the basis of her character background, influencing how she is perceived and the actions she takes. Therefore, a mention of it must be included in some form. However, in the other example, while it is written in a proper tone in terms of aggrandizing language, it is not necessarily important to include that others find it wise, due to the clause of truncation for cause-and-effect (in other words, it is assumed that they accept because they at least agree with his reasoning, and therefore found it insightful).

Example	Validity	Why?
The popular idol Rise Kujikawa	✘ Discouraged	Being "popular" is subjective in most cases. This frames Rise as not an "idol" but a "popular idol". While it is true in-universe, one would not list her occupation as "popular idol" but simply as "idol". Furthermore, popularity is not a universal or eternal descriptor. Popularity exists "in the moment" and "in a place" and therefore should be treated as such, as do most qualifiers of scale. The film Spring in a Small Town is considered by some notable critics to be among the best films ever made - but barely has any renown outside of its domestic audience in China. Avoiding implying universal or eternal qualities makes writing feel more informed and accurate.
The idol Rise Kujikawa's popularity	✔ Encouraged	With this change, Rise's popularity is now framed as an in-universe quality rather than an inherent quality. It still establishes the same important information, but does so in a way that does not apply the adjective to Rise herself; rather, it describes her in the moment. In isolation, Megami Tensei Wiki will not apply suspensions, bans, or aggressive reverts over this matter; however, it improves the quality of the text and avoids bias.
He wisely proposes that [...] and the others accept.	✘ Discouraged	The quality of the subject's proposal being wise is not inherent. It is applied by the editor based on their subjective beliefs about the proposal, straying from a neutral point of view.
He proposes [...] and the others, finding it wise, accept.	✔ Sometimes Encouraged	In the scenario that the wisdom in question is mentioned verbally by others in the text, it may still be puffery to include it. The response should be notable rather than incidental dialogue (i.e., "Wow, so cool..." is incidental) and the dialogue must also be relevant to the summary (i.e., the proposal must be "wise" to meet some condition, or the speaker is typically regarded as foolish by the group). In other cases, it is enough to state the proposal and the acceptance without the potential embellishment. Additionally, the phrasing should reflect the in-universe scenario. The phrase finding it wise is neutral as a statement of objective (in-universe) reality, but becomes biased when it imparts undue weight. If the statement is presented in a biased manner (such as making the speaker look better or the group worse), then it should be removed or replaced with a neutral phrase.

Flowery language and purple prose

Flowery language of any kind is disallowed. Flowery language is that which is meant to invoke an emotion - often sadness or excitement - in the reader rather than present the facts of the matter. It may be difficult to initially identify some flowery language, as it is often describing events that actually occur within the narrative, which is allowed. In these scenarios, it is best to question if there is a more matter-of-fact way to describe the events unfolding.

Example	Validity	Why?
Afterwards, he died alone	✘ Disallowed	Megami Tensei Wiki is not an obituary; it serves no encyclopedic purpose to include statements about the exact circumstances of one's death, be they real or fictional. The phrase "survived by" is also disallowed for these reasons, though biographies of real people may include information about family members. Indications that someone died alone (or peacefully, or surrounded by loved ones, or so on) are typically not relevant to a biography or a storyline. If it is, then the author should be discouraged from being protective of specific phrasings, and encouraged to have an argument for their inclusion if it may be contentious.
Afterwards, he died	✔ Allowed	See above for reasoning.
They go silent with shock as his gun is pointed at them.	✘ Disallowed	This passage is presented in a dramatic fashion; despite this, the subject's gun being pointed at his targets is the only relevant part. If someone pointed a gun at you, would you keep talking and be completely unsurprised? Examples such as these implicate that the reader needs to have their hand held throughout the text to follow what is happening. It may also be including excessive detail; a good summary should not read like a full, unedited script.
He points a gun at them.	✔ Allowed	The reader should be able to understand what happens next from this alone.
Luckily, she was smarter than that.	✘ Disallowed	Passages such as this serve no purpose whatsoever in formal text. Any such statements that read more like scriptwriting will automatically be removed.

Stating the obvious

Another element of article writing is truncating or shortening "cause-and-effect" when the two are plainly obvious by preceding context:

Example	Validity	Why?
He makes a decision and begins to run [...]	✘ Discouraged	He is only running because he made a choice or decided to do so; making it superfluous to mention that a decision was made. Additionally, "begins to" is an unnecessary extra verb in this scenario. Similar verbs like "starts to", "chooses to", "in response", and "goes on to" are also discouraged. Text that is filled with these phrases feels stiff and repetitive, which is not the goal of an encyclopedic style. An encyclopedic style is not intentionally dry and repetitive but a "matter-of-fact" style that states things as they are. Statements like this may also feel too concerned with prose that makes a statement "bigger" rather than better.
He runs [...]	✔ Encouraged	This text is shorter, removes unnecessary verbs, says the same thing to the reader as the above example in fewer words. Truncating cause-and-effect statements is an effective way to improve the quality of not just encyclopedic writing, but writing in general.
Because he cannot stand, he is unable to fight, and so [...]	✘ Discouraged	"Because" statements are also generally discouraged for similar reasons. The reader should be able to infer the reason from previous text. If they cannot, you should go back and make sure to mention it earlier so that it makes sense. Including a "because" statement to only explain something important at the exact moment it becomes relevant is not proper summarization.
[...], pinning him to the ground. Now unable to fight, he [...]	✔ Encouraged	The cause for the subject being unable to fight is now made clear earlier in the text as it became relevant, and more than that, the scene is being described much more vividly. It also presents it as a clear cause-and-effect rather than "cause-and-cause-and-effect". Recall that the encyclopedic style is not meant to be dry but matter-of-fact. These are purely descriptive terms that paint the scene to the reader.
[...], pinning him to the ground. He [...]	✔ Encouraged	The above example works, but can still be improved. Is it relevant that he is unable to fight now? If not, there is no need to mention it. Is it relevant later, such as if the subject is apologetic about his lack of combat assistance or competence in a future scene? In that scenario, this example may still be preferred, because the reader should be expected to know the circumstances of the scenario by reading the preceding text.
He proposes [...] and the others, finding it wise, accept.	✔/✘ Sometimes	The earlier section on puffery used this example, but it is also an example of where we can evaluate a detail that could be omitted to see if it truly is stating the obvious. Assume that the suggestion is a very bad idea to a reader, such as jumping directly into lava. A reader may find it hard to understand why the group decided on this course of action. The phrase "finding it wise" in that case provides a clear path from A to B by explaining that the group had very poor judgement. This is often not the case; in most scenarios, it would be better to simply remove the "finding it wise" clause entirely.

Speaking in the third person

In an article such as this one, where the author is intentionally speaking to the reader, the words you and I are acceptable, as it takes on a second-person tone to address the reader. The advantage of second-person for this article is that it allows the reader to understand the text as a dialogue between the author and the audience. However, on typical articles on Megami Tensei Wiki, the Manual of Style dictates that articles be written from an in-universe (or third-person) perspective. In the third person perspective, the author and the audience are removed from the text. Words like I, you, me, we, us, and so forth are not allowed in this perspective. Statements of personal opinion such as I think and In my opinion are also not allowed.

A common pitfall in third-person writing is ambiguity in pronouns. Pronouns are terms that refer to specific individuals. Examples include he, she, it and the singular they. When referring to any group of people or organization, the plural they is also used. The singular they must use the same language as the plural they - for example, they are is correct for both forms, and they is is never correct. When referring to individuals in third-person, in cases of ambiguity, the individual's name should be used. For example, "John and Paul are dancing. He is also tired." is not correct, while "John and Paul are dancing. Paul is also tired." is correct. Names should also be used when switching subjects, as in: "Rose is happy and she is friendly. Mary is unhappy." If Mary was referred to as she here, the reader would assume that Rose is unhappy and happy at the same time.

Names can also be substituted for titles and groups in rare instances, such as the word experts instead of every single professor on a research paper or the company. Because Megami Tensei Wiki is primarily focused on video games, the phrase player is sometimes used. This is an acceptable third-person modifier, but should be used sparingly, because the player is not in-universe. More information about the proper usage of player can be found in the later section on not writing walkthroughs.

Titles

Titles should also be avoided, such as "Doctor", "General", and "Sir/Madam", as these titles are not the subject's legal name. In some cases, it is acceptable to include the title in the lead paragraph if it is notable (such as if the character is referred to near-exclusively with their title), but consistent with Megami Tensei Wiki's stance on titles in article names, they should not be used within the majority of the body text, i.e. Takuto Maruki should not be referred to as Dr. Maruki. Redirects should still be created for these titles as appropriate. Additionally, titles with aggrandizing language such as His Royal Highness should be avoided altogether. Exceptions exist - Lord Nandou and King Frost, for example, cannot be referred to any other way. The same goes for honorifics, which are generally excluded but may be required, as in Oshira-sama.

Labels and wording for folklore

In a scholarly sense, the term myth refers to a specific genre of folklore that has great societal meaning. In ordinary life, however, myth means "something that is untrue". Megami Tensei is almost entirely about myths, often obscure in the Western canon, which means many readers will encounter a myth for the first time by viewing this wiki. For this reason, Megami Tensei Wiki is very strict about how myths should be described, starting with what may seem like a contradiction: Myths should not be called myths. They should be called by a variety of other descriptors that take neutral points of view rather than using loaded language, such as belief, religion, and folklore. Many of these stories come from religions, many of which are still practiced today and/or hold cultural value for indigenous groups. This practice is not intended to censor Megami Tensei Wiki - rather, it is an acceptance of its unique position as many people's first exposure to the belief systems of others.

The term mythology can be replaced with a specific reference, such as a religious or cultural text where that story can be found, or a reference to that culture or their pantheon. For example, the phrase "Maya mythology" could be replaced with any of the following:

• Maya religion
• Maya pantheon
• Maya belief
• Specific references to texts such as the Popol Vuh

Additionally, Megami Tensei Wiki generally does not use the following specific descriptive terms when referring to folklore:

• Judeo-Christian, as it has been widely criticized for treating Judaism as "lesser Christianity"
  • The term Abrahamic, while still imperfect, is used instead. This term refers to religions that believe in the God of Abraham, and unlike Judeo-Christian includes Muslim, Gnostic, and Baháʼí, alongside numerous other traditions. Megami Tensei Wiki's usage of this term is intended to recognize figures shared between numerous Abrahamic religions, which Megami Tensei itself often draws from, not to treat these religions as identical or similar. For example, the Islamic angel Israfel is listed as being Islamic, while Michael, who appears in the traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, is described as Abrahamic. Abrahamic should only be used when appropriate and the more specific Judaism, Christianity, Islam etc. is not appropriate.
• Mayan, as the term Mayan refers to the language, not the culture, which is the Maya.
  • K'iche' Maya should not be rendered as the Spanish spelling Quiché, except in quotations.
• Arabic, as this also refers to a language, where the proper term for the cultural group is Arab. Arabian, while it can refer to the region or peoples of Arabia, should also be avoided, if possible.
• Native American as a singular identifier, unless the subject is present across a wide multitude of indigenous American cultures. Category:Demons from Native American Culture currently only includes Thunderbird, with figures from specific cultures being in a specific category. It should be kept that way. This also applies to Aboriginal Australian and Canadian First Nations origins. The term "Native American" (and its equivalents) can still be used in the broader sense, but it should be avoided if what one really means is a specific nation or group.
• African. It is preferred to use the name of the specific nation or peoples. This applies to all Demons from all regions, but especially applies to cultures found in Africa.
  • If you do not know what to attribute, rather than using "African", leave Template:Research on the page asking for a culture identification. We have plenty of editors who will gladly spend time doing this kind of research.
  • If you are a researcher who cannot find a specific attribution past "African" within your research, then the label is permitted so long as there is page text making clear that a more specific origin is currently unknown. The Research template should still be applied.
• Greco-Roman. Greece and Rome should be listed separately, as should Etruscan civilization, if it ever becomes relevant. If a term to describe the region absolutely has to be used, Mediterranean is preferred.
• Voodoo, except when referring to Louisiana Voodoo. The preferred term is Vodou.
• The term American, while it is allowed in some cases, should be avoided and replaced with specific terms such as North America, South America, United States, the Americas, American Continent or any term with less cultural ambiguity.

The following are final notes to keep in mind:

• Ryukyuan and Ainu beliefs are indigenous beliefs, not Japanese beliefs, and should be referred to as such.
• The Inca are not Mesoamerican, meaning they are also not Maya or Aztec. And the Maya and Aztec are not each other, but are both Mesoamerican, but not the only Mesoamerican cultures.
• Demons that come from specific practices not tied to culture or religion such as cryptozoology, Occultism, modern media and alchemy should only have cultural or religious tags if they share those qualities. Arsène is considered to belong to both popular culture and French culture; while Assassin is separate from the Order of Assassins and is listed as being a generic assassin.
• Because of their high prevalence, subjects from the Cthulhu Mythos and/or Dungeons & Dragons use that as their category rather than popular culture.

Research and citations for folklore

Before writing any information about the origin of anything from folklore, find reliable sources, preferably sources that include interviews with experts as well as citations and reference lists. Folklore is one of the most misrepresented and sensationalized topics in popular culture and in research you will find many, many articles from reputable publications repeating an unsourced claim that may be untrue. While this may seem cliché and hypocritical coming from another wiki, Wikipedia is not a reliable source in this regard, per Wikipedia itself. The use of citations from academic sources is heavily encouraged for folklore topics, preferably with quotes and/or page numbers that explicitly back up a claim. Citations from books or academic journals written by experts are preferred, but other sources may be acceptable depending on the topic. Using magazines or news agencies such as the BBC, Reuters, and Time Magazine for folklore citations is discouraged.

Using the past, present, and future tense

Articles should be written in the present tense as if events are currently happening. The phrase "it is" is an example of the present tense; the phrases "it was" and "it will" (or "it will be") are examples of the past tense and future tense, respectively. For example, the phrase "it is raining" versus "it was raining" or "it will rain" (or "it will be raining"). There are, however, some exceptions to writing in the present tense.

The following should use the tense most appropriate for the situation, with upcoming events in the future tense and events that have already happened in the past tense:

• In-person events (concerts, festivals, etc.)
• Release dates, announcement dates, and on-sale dates
• Details of a real person's life in their Biography section
• Historical events
• Certain portions of plot summaries
  • The majority of the summary should utilize present tense; however, past and future tense may be utilized as the situation demands it
• Cause-and-effect explanations in Gameplay sections (i.e. "If a Fire skill is used, the boss will...")

The following events, while it may make sense to use another tense, should continue to use present tense regardless:

• Limited-time events in video games that have ended
• Descriptions of lost media

Avoiding guide-like writing

Megami Tensei Wiki disallows guide-like writing, omitting any elements that resemble a walkthrough, gameplay advice, or how-to guide. The easiest way to do so is to speak from an in-universe perspective and avoid the words you and player, when possible. Here are some examples of improvements that can be made to "guide-like" writing:

Example	Improvement
The player can find a chest on 1F with a strong sword. You can find a chest on 1F with a strong sword.	[Protagonist] can find a chest on the first floor containing the Luna Blade.
If the player decides to kill the Demon, they gain 25 Chaos alignment points. You'll gain more points for Chaos if you kill the Demon.	[Protagonist] can choose to kill the Demon, affecting their alignment. (In this scenario, we do have pages for detailing how specific choices affect alignment, which may be linked accordingly.)
You'll confront them and then be thrust into a boss battle.	[Protagonist] will confront them and then be thrust into a battle.
If you have 128 or more points in Law: If the player is Law-aligned:	If [protagonist]'s alignment is Law then [the results of this condition].

Often the answer to making gameplay mechanics sound encyclopedic is to use less casual and "gamey" language alongside using the protagonist as the frame of reference instead of the reader. Even complicated game mechanics can be handled this way; for example, at the time of writing, this is the opening sentence to Fusion (Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II): Fusion can be performed at the Manor of Heresy, which appears in various towns. Using the 2x Fusion option, the Hero can combine two demons to create a new one. In certain towns, a 3x Fusion option is also available, though it is limited to demons of the Good alignment. Before a demon can be used in fusion, it must first be revived. The Hero cannot fuse demons that are in the active party or whose level exceeds his own.

However, some game mechanics cannot be described via in-universe terms. For example, New Game+ exists only from the player's perspective, and the protagonist cannot start a new save file. In the circumstance that a game mechanic does not exist in-universe and directly relates to the user, "the player" can be used. However, any in-universe events relating to such mechanics should still be described as such.

Even when described in-universe, writing should not be treated like a set of instructions; for example, "the protagonist must regularly heal to keep up with these powerful attacks" is just as guide-like as "the player must regularly heal to keep up with these powerful attacks". Restrictions or circumstances should be matter-of-fact rather than presented as a problem the reader is getting advice for, and framing tips or advice as in-universe actions does not necessarily make them more formal or encyclopedic. Typically, only that which is relevant to triggering conditions should be mentioned; it is not necessary to inform the reader how they (or the protagonist) should react to the circumstances for victory. In some cases, the two are tied together, and care should be taken to avoid framing these scenarios as battle actions that must be taken. Instead, they should be framed as circumstances and properties. Consider the following example:

Example	Improvement
After being inflicted with the Zombie status, the protagonist must use a revival item to cure the condition.	[enemy] can inflict the protagonist with the Zombie status, which will remain unless removed with a revival item.

Some more general points on this style of writing:

• Choices the player can make, as above, should be framed as a possible consequence of the protagonist's prior actions. If they are based on alignment, it is still acceptable to say that the character has a particular alignment, as the concepts of alignments are not entirely out-of-universe. In-universe characters often talk about the difference between Light, Dark, Law, Chaos, and Neutral Demons.
• Scenes where the player takes control of another character (for any amount of time) should not be treated like scene transitions. Phrases like "the scene changes to" are not "in-universe". Instead, smoothly move on to the scene with the new character without indicating a change in player control.
  • Scenes that act as intermissions that explain events that occur at the same time should be made clear chronologically.
  • The Gameplay section should be used to indicate that portions of the game involve controlling a different "main character", and explaining this change is another acceptable use of "the player".
• Presenting game information as matter-of-fact documentation is perfectly acceptable, and therefore Megami Tensei Wiki allows statistical data, images of maps, lists of skills and so forth.
• Usage of gaming jargon should be avoided when describing in-universe events (battles should be described as battles rather than boss battles, etc.) but can be used to a limited degree when explaining battle mechanics or titling subsections.
  • As they describe an adventuring group, the terms "party member" and "party" are not considered gaming jargon for these purposes, though should not be used exclusively.
  • Casual jargon such as "loot" or "high score" as well as gaming slang like "pwn" and "frag" should be avoided altogether.
• While allowed in Gameplay sections, "the player" should never be used in the Game Appearances section, as this section entirely revolves around in-universe events.
• It cannot be avoided if in-game text uses phrasing such as "you" or "the player", such as in skill or item descriptions. These should be considered exceptions.

Help for the Editor

Why you may have been linked here

There are two possibilities. The first is that the editor believes this is a helpful resource that encourages good editing habits and will improve your writing. The second is that the editor that linked this page disagrees with your edit and wants to "prove" it is incorrect. It is unwise to assume one or the other; all editors should read this page and understand its advice. If, however, after reading you feel this page is being sent to you unfairly, please speak with a member of staff. For those sending this page to others, assume good faith. We do not want to scare potential editors with our rules and regulations; rather, we want to build an encyclopedia with a particular style. Treat this page as a helpful guide to writing in that style.

What to do if you don't know how to fix your own writing

There is no shame in admitting that your work is imperfect or that your writing style may not match an encyclopedic style. Editors who recognize that their article writing does not match our standards are still encouraged to fill in holes in the wiki's coverage and utilize maintenance templates such as Template:Cleanup, Template:Guide, Template:Story, and Template:You when publishing their work. Note, however, that this does not mean it is acceptable to add flowery or non-encyclopedic language to already-existing text if you include these templates. You are still responsible for the content of your edits, and there is a difference between leaving an imperfect start with an invitation for improvement, and editing a body of text to include extraneous details, colloqualisms, and speculation while tasking other editors with trimming out the fat. Efforts should still be made to improve your article content before publication.

This is not the only viable solution. For example, one could publish their work in a sandbox and subsequently have it be reviewed by other editors. Asking for feedback on our Discord server or approaching users with similar interests via their talk page is also encouraged.

What to do if you spot a contradiction

A contradiction may exist because a break of style is actually better for that specific article. For example, it may have been determined that following the style guidelines made an article more confusing, and so it was decided that it should ignore certain guidelines or policies for the purposes of clarity. This is only done for practicality, however, and not for aesthetics. Furthermore, policies and guidelines evolve, while articles already written retain their contents until an editor revises the text. It should be expected that contradictions occur as community consensus and staff decisions review past rulings.

What to do if you find an example of a break of style

If you find a break of style, no matter how egregious, you should absolutely not:

• Become angry at the user who added it
• Leave a disparaging remark in the edit summary or on the contributor's talk page
• Post it on social media to make fun of the contributor or the wiki
• Climb the Reichstag dressed as Spider-Man
• Go to a staff member's talk page and request a ban or restriction on the page

Rather, you should fix the edit yourself, preferably with a helpful note about what the issue is so that onlookers and the original contributor alike can understand the problem, and leave a helpful message directing the contributor to either this page or a relevant guideline. Actions such as suspensions and blocks are done after contemplation from wiki staff with second chances and attempts at providing guidance, and are not meant to be knee-jerk reactions to poor conduct. If all else has been exhausted, then you should speak with a member of staff and ask for a serious conduct investigation.

What to do if you think what you wrote should still be on the wiki, even if it goes against this page

What you are encouraged to do in this scenario is to use the talk page of that particular article to discuss and argue your points. If you already tried to make edits and they were undone, you should not directly engage with any user who reverted your edits on their own user talk page; if the matter of contention is the content of the article, it should stay with that article and not be spread throughout the wiki. Users may also leave messages informing you of policies and guidelines; arguments for inclusion should not be replies to those notices. On that talk page, you should include a title for your topic (all talk pages include a helpful "Add Topic" button that makes this easy). In calm and reasonable terms, lay out your argument for why your edit should stay. The reasons should be sound and about improving the encyclopedia, not matters of preference. As this is a wiki about fiction, your arguments should also not be interpretive or analytical in nature; they should be statements that can be proven in objective terms if the text is quoted or a scene is viewed.

In short, to argue for inclusion:

• Be calm; avoid speaking in all-caps, inflammatory language, accusations of attacks, attacks on others, obscenities, or passive-aggressive behavior.
• Argue for an objective improvement that is not based on a personal preference.
• Be sure to argue for an inclusion that is rooted in evidence and facts, not a hypothetical.

If any of these three are not met, unfortunately, your argument is likely to be rejected on the spot. Editors typically do not want to hear arguments from someone who just said something rude about their mother (she is a very nice lady, after all). If your argument is rooted in preference, it may be accepted if people decide what you prefer is better in that instance. However, this is not permission to make this edit across the entire wiki; rather, it is permission to break style in that specific instance.

If you do meet all three conditions, however, please make your argument. If you don't meet them but think you do, go ahead then too. Assuming you aren't breaking any major style rules (such as suggesting that the wiki be written like a walkthrough), the article will be shaped by the community's consensus. Asking for feedback or arguing for specific points helps build that consensus, regardless of whether or not the community agrees, and improves the wiki as a whole. Therefore, we encourage editors to argue for specific changes.