Довідка:Style Guide
![](/images/thumb/5/50/Bg3wiki_help.png/300px-Bg3wiki_help.png)
This page serves as a basic style reference for contributors to bg3.wiki. Everything written here is intended as a guideline to be referenced when needed, not as an unbreakable rule.
General wiki guidance
- Contributors should write articles using straightforward, succinct language. Remember: less is more.
- Always (briefly) describe the nature of your edits by filling out the 'Summary' field on the submission page.
- Regarding disputes and disagreements: Always prioritise fixing factual errors over rewriting articles to conform to a specific style. Please avoid getting into edit wars. Take disagreements to the Discussion/Talk page or the bg3.wiki Discord.
Article names
Guidelines for naming articles vary based on the type of article.
Concepts
When both singular and plural forms of a concept are viable, opt for the singular form. This enables easier linking while minimising the number of article redirects.
- Файл:Greencheck.png Saving Throw (Файл:Redx.pngSaving Throws)
- Link markup:
[[Saving Throw]]
and[[Saving Throw]]s
both lead to Saving Throw, allowing for easy plural usage
- Link markup:
Exception: When a concept is frequently searched for or described as a plural, use the plural form instead. Additionally, create a redirect for the singular form. This enables easier linking of articles.
Characters
Opt for the character's simplest name, without any titles, aliases, or nicknames. Titles and aliases can be described in the text of the article itself. If a title or alias is very frequently used in-game, consider adding a redirect for it.
- Файл:Greencheck.png Gut (Файл:Redx.pngTrue Soul Gut Файл:Redx.pngPriestess Gut)
- Файл:Greencheck.png Spaw (Файл:Redx.pngSovereign Spaw)
Firstname Lastname is also acceptable.
Items
Use the name of the item shown on the ingame tooltip, including the enchantment value, if any:
When an item has both an enchantment and a unique name, use the unique name without the enchantment value:
Locations
When a location has multiple names, opt for the name displayed on the minimap while standing in that location. Create redirects for alternative names.
- Файл:Greencheck.png Ebonlake Grotto (Файл:Redx.pngMyconid Colony)
If a notable location does not have a minimap name, opt for the name of the nearest Waypoint or fold the location into a larger region or area that encompasses that location (such as The Risen Road).
Terminology
Use the term Region to refer to multi-location areas that have their own map (e.g. Wilderness), and the term Location to refer to named places within those regions that appear on the minimap or the name of the save file, (e.g. Goblin Camp, Sacred Pool).
For other places at the lowest scale, describe the place based on what the in-game map calls it, such as Entrance, Waypoint, or Secret, or a similarly descriptive term if it's unmarked.
For Locations which themselves contain smaller Locations (e.g. Emerald Grove, Abandoned Refuge), the preferred term is area† when clarification is necessary.
† Areas are not defined as such in-game, but are used on the wiki to describe a collection of related locations, both as defined geographically and by the characters and lore within game. An example is the location Emerald Grove, which itself includes the locations The Hollow and Sacred Pool among others, while also being the name of save file should created on the ramparts or some of the connecting paths.
Wiki organisation
Various wiki organisation guidelines, plus generally agreed-upon word choices for organisational terms.
Chapters or acts?
Follow the 'Act' nomenclature used by Steam achievements, but spell out the act number. This has been generally agreed upon by wiki editors for formatting consistency and adherence to most style manuals.
- Файл:Greencheck.png Act Two (Файл:Redx.pngAct 2 / Файл:Redx.pngAct II / Файл:Redx.pngChapter Two)
Regarding divisions between acts: per Steam achievements, Act One begins when the party arrives on the Ravaged Beach at the start of the game and includes the Mountain Pass. Act Two begins when the party enters the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Act Three begins when the player exits the Shadow-Cursed Lands and takes a Long Rest.
Character locations
When noting a character's location(s), try to list all permutations of where that character may appear. Group and sort multiple appearances for the same character by Act.
Exception: For the Characters infobox that appears at the bottom of named NPC pages (Template:NavCharacters), try to limit each character to only one location - whether that is the first location or the most common location for that character. For particularly significant characters who appear in multiple Acts and/or multiple locations in the same Act, use your best judgment to determine whether it's appropriate to list multiple appearances for the same character.
Links
Frequency of link usage
Linking to other articles is an important part of wiki information discoverability, but inserting too many inline links can break the flow of text. A general guideline to follow when a term is mentioned several times in quick succession is to link the first instance of that term in each section of an article.
TBA
Formatting, grammar, and spelling
Abbreviations
TBA
Capitalisation
Bg3Wiki uses two different capitalisation conventions: title case and sentence case.
The following conventions apply to both titles of articles as well as the text of articles.
Sentence case
Articles and their textual contents, including article names and headings, are given in sentence case, with the exception of names and titles.
Capitalise proper nouns (including specific items, locations, effects and conditions, and BG3 Wiki page names), titles (see Title Case below), as well as adjectives derived from proper nouns such as regional adjectives. Do no not capitalise common nouns unless it is warranted.
Game concepts and mechanics, including any adjectives derived from them, should be capitalised when they are used as proper nouns.
Example #1
- Файл:Greencheck.png The spell only affects Medium characters.
- Файл:Redx.png The Spell only affects medium characters.
In this example, the word spell should not be capitalised, because the concept of a spell is not a concept unique to this game, distinct from the meaning of the common noun spell.
The term Medium should be capitalised, because it is referring to the specific game concept of a Medium character – It is distinct from the common adjective medium.
Example #2
- Файл:Greencheck.png If the Longsword of Power is equipped, the character may no longer use potions.
- Файл:Redx.png If the longsword of power is equipped, the character may no longer use Potions.
The term Longsword of Power is referring to a specific named item in the game, and so it should be capitalised.
The term potions is referring to potions in general, and should not be capitalised.
Example #3
- Файл:Greencheck.png For more information about Baldurian beverages, see the Potions article.
- Файл:Redx.png For more information about baldurian beverages, see the potions article.
The term Baldurian is a regional adjective, and so it should be capitalised.
The term Potions should also be capitalised, because it is referring to the Potions article, not potions in general.
Names and titles
Use in-game capitalisation for capitalisation of names and titles of things from the game, such as item names or spell names. This does not include game mechanics or in-game concepts.
- Файл:Greencheck.png Circle of the Moon (Файл:Redx.pngCircle Of The Moon)
- Файл:Greencheck.png The Festering Cove (Файл:Redx.pngthe Festering Cove)
Follow the Chicago Manual of Style guidelines when the in-game capitalisation is inconsistent, as well as for titles and names of things not from the game (such as BG3Wiki).
In short:
- Capitalise nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs.
- Use lowercase for articles (a, an, the) and prepositions, except at the beginning of a proper noun clause.
Punctuation and grammar
Baldur's Gate 3 follows British English punctuation and grammatical rules (barring a few errors and inconsistencies). Aim to consistently employ these rules wiki-wide for consistency.
Quotes
- Файл:Greencheck.png 'Single quotes' (Файл:Redx.png"Double quotes")
Commas
Use Oxford commas (also known as Serial Commas) when listing three or more items, unless directly quoting game text that omits this comma.
- Файл:Greencheck.png Clerics, Rogues, and Barbarians (Файл:Redx.pngClerics, Rogues and Barbarians)
Perspective and objectivity
Write from a third-person, objective perspective. Ideally, omit the perspective entirely.
- Файл:Greencheck.png This item is bugged in Patch 9. (Файл:Redx.pngWe know this item is bugged in Patch 9.)
- Файл:Greencheck.png A Bard can use this to inspire allies. (Файл:Redx.pngWe can use this to inspire allies.)
Second-person is also acceptable when the tone of a statement benefits from a more direct addressing of the reader, but try not to switch between third- and second-person perspectives too often.
- Файл:Greencheck.png Your choice of reward does not matter here.
Never use first-person perspective in the main wiki namespace, even when making conjectures. If a statement is tentative and needs to be verified, that's okay - simply include the {{Verify}}
template to let readers and other wiki editors know.
- Файл:Greencheck.png This is also dropped by John Baldursgate.[Needs Verification] (Файл:Redx.pngI think this is also dropped by John Baldursgate.)
Exception for guides and walkthroughs: When writing content for the Guide: namespace, feel free to write subjectively and from any perspective. This namespace is your place to interject your opinions and recommendations for players. Additional guidelines tailored for this namespace may be added at a later date.
Present tense
Write in present tense, not past tense. bg3.wiki is first and foremost a 'snapshot' of the current version of BG3.
- Файл:Greencheck.png Wyll is a Companion. (Файл:Redx.pngWyll was a Companion.)
- Файл:Greencheck.png Mystra is the goddess of magic. (Файл:Redx.pngMystra was the goddess of magic.)
Exception: Past tense is acceptable when describing a notable change from a previous version of the game:
- Файл:Greencheck.png Prior to Early Access Patch 9, this weapon was dropped by Zevlor.
Try to avoid slipping into future tense unless absolutely necessary.
- Файл:Greencheck.png You regain 10 Hit Points. (Файл:Redx.pngYou will regain 10 Hit Points.)
Pronouns
Mimic pronoun usage from in-game text, where available. Otherwise, maintain gender neutrality when a pronoun is called for, and use 'they/them' for both singular and plural cases.
- Файл:Greencheck.png The Paladin can heal their allies. (Файл:Redx.pngThe Paladin can heal her allies.)
Spelling
Aim to consistently employ British spelling rules wiki-wide, particularly when copying text directly from the game, as with item, feature, and spell descriptions.
- Файл:Greencheck.png Armour (Файл:Redx.pngArmor)
- Файл:Greencheck.png Defence (Файл:Redx.pngDefense)
- Файл:Greencheck.png Colour Spray (Файл:Redx.pngColor Spray)
Content guidelines
Various guidelines to follow when adding content and information to the wiki.
'Where to find' sections
When describing where to find an item, include all of the following details:
- A description of the location of the item - or the source, if it's a quest reward or sold by a vendor
- Include both broad and specific information in this description, as needed (e.g. 'Found in Act One in the Underdark. The sword is near the Selûnite Outpost, embedded in a rock (X:116, Y:-192).')
- Instructions for any additional steps necessary to find or obtain the item (e.g. 'Jump up to the ledge behind the purple mushroom.')
- Map coordinates of the item, if applicable, in the format (X:123, Y:123)
- This can be done in the form of the 'Coords' template: {{Coords|123|123}}
When an item can be found in multiple places, list all known locations. Exception: For common and very plentiful items, don't worry about documenting every location via text. Instead, consider working with other wiki editors to generate a map of all locations or include a link to an external map resource.
Templates and category styles
Guidelines for templates and how to use them, and style consistency within page categories. For guidance on general template usage, see the Templates guide on How To Contribute.
Creating a new page
When creating a new page, whenever possible, try and use a Page Creation Template.
Visually Indistinct Items or Effects
Some items are visually identical but have differing descriptions or statistics, in this case:
- If the only difference is a single value (description/price/weight etc.), using a single template and using bullet points for that information is recommended.
- If multiple values for items of the same name vary, creating multiple pages with disambiguation parentheses are recommended. i.e. 'Item (Ice)' & 'Item (Fire)'.
- If all else fails, having two entries on the same page is considered an acceptable temporary solution.
Image naming
- This section is currently a WIP, and subject to change, though should still be usable as a reference of guidelines to follow
Trying to keep consistency with uploaded image naming conventions is encouraged.
With thousands of images to reference, following this basic principle makes it a lot easier for other editors to find and reference images intuitively, and reduces the chances of multiple identical images being uploaded under different names. All this in turn makes it less likely that pages will break, or show incorrect images if anything is changed. It also reduces the need for multiple pages to be manually edited when information needs to be updated, or new information is added.
Using your best judgement in this regard will usually mean you can stop reading this section for now. Read on for specific guidance and examples.
General guidelines
If you are unsure, making a note of, and following any clear convention already present within file categories you may be adding to, may also indicate best practices. If, in a specific scenario, you are uploading images, and there is no clear consensus, or the naming convention is unclear, the following are some general guidelines to reference:
- Preferred image format: If in doubt, .png is usually the preferred file type for images, or alternatively .jpg.
- Condition and Passive Feature icons are an exception, the preferred format for these is .webp.
- Try and keep image names clear, but concise.
- In most cases, spaces, or optionally, underscores ( _ ), should be used between words.
Naming style
The most basic image naming convention would be the image name, clearly but concisely describing what the image depicts. In some cases this may be preceded by a descriptive prefix, or followed by an indication of the image category, depending on the page category, or context it is likely to be used in.
Some objects and concepts in the game share names, and some have multiple image variations. If you are uploading multiple images that share a name, the use of a suffix after the image name but before the image category is highly recommended.
- By convention this is usually in the form of a single character*, ( 'A' 'B' 'C' etc. ), although there may be good reason to break from this convention depending on context.
*The 'rule of thumb' to follow is that the image name stays consistent, followed by a unique suffix for each image sharing a name.
Category names
The images should be categorized according to how they look visually and their size:
- Apple_Faded.png - Faded pictures, in 380x380.
- Apple_Unfaded.png - Unfaded pictures in 144x144.
- Apple_Unfaded_Icon.png - Unfaded pictures in 64x64
Apple in this case is a stand in for any other item name. Only the ending categories Faded, Unfaded and Unfaded_Icon should remain a constant.
Style and syntax examples
To reiterate, the most basic image naming convention would be the image name, clearly but concisely describing what the image depicts. In many cases, for specific types of image used in the wiki, there might be additional considerations when naming an image for upload.
- If you find yourself in a situation lacking a naming convention, and you think there should be, start one; Most naming conventions have evolved from other editors doing the same thing (and it never hurts to leave a comment somewhere too).
The following are some, often hypothetical, naming examples for reference, and not an exhaustive list:
Multiple images
Two different backpack icons:
- Backpack_A_Icon.png
- Backpack_B_Icon.png
Screenshots* of the Underdark region:
- Underdark_Sussur_Tree.png
- Underdark_Mushrooms.png
- Underdark_Mush_Bibberbang.png
- Underdark_Arcane_Tower_NE.png
- Underdark_Arcane_Tower_S.png
*By convention, screenshots have a more free-form naming style. This is probably due to their descriptive nature, and lower use per-image across multiple pages.
Categories
New spell and action icons:
- Action_Stomp_Icon.png
- Spell_Implode_Self_Icon.png
Same name but different categories*:
- PassiveFeature_Tenacity_Icon.png
- Tenacity_Condition_Icon.webp
*Both of these categories currently break strict file naming conventions, partly as a result of game file naming.
- *Conditions are a special case, as they are both a concept and an image category; Note the use of the .webp file format.
Image layout and presentation
Character images
For character pages, whenever possible, include both a cinematic portrait/screenshot and a 3D model of the character. Display the cinematic portrait first and ensure the PageSeo template has been invoked with the cinematic portrait as the image parameter. This will help ensure consistency across character pages and external link previews (e.g. social media sites and Discord).
-
Cinematic Portrait Example - display this first.
-
3D Model Example
Exception: When an official render or character art is available - as in the case of Origin characters such as Lae'zel - display that image first.
-
Official 3D Art - display this first.
Exception: For common, non-named creatures, it is okay to display a 3D model first.
-
3D model for the common, non-named Lesser Imp
Image placement
TBA
Item and ability icons
TBA