Have you decided to participate and would like to create game articles on MB? Great, it will help a lot of people, and will be a reference in data research, not only here.
To do this, we need to write a good article, with correct and relevant information. Maybe you have your own research and writing method, but I'll leave you with a suggestion.
To start, remember that...
We are not the Wikipedia
Repeat it: "We are not the Wikipedia".
There is no reason to simply copy and paste content. Why would a reader come here to read the same thing? Not to mention Google and Bing, which would treat us as mere copycats.
This does not mean that you should ignore Wikipedia. On the contrary: by checking the sources, you can treat it as a "backbone" and "link center" of information.
Building the article
Create a new post, give it the category "Games" and the subcategory of the system it runs on. Cross-platform game? Choose one of them.
Don't give the post any other categories. If it's a PlayStation 3 game, for example, the article should only have the categories "Games" and "PlayStation 3", nothing else.
1. Search for material
Wikipedia's articles are not exactly the best choice, but they can help to build the basic structure of your article. Check other wikis, too, or any website, magazine, whatever source where you can get important information like release dates, names of producers, etc.
2. Improve the article
Now that you have a good structure, let's build it up. Check informations. Wikis often cite references; if you have doubts about information you've seen in them, check that and other sources to confirm it.
More important than having an article about the game, is that it is better than the others. You won't be better than Wikipedia just by repeating what's there. Correct and add relevant information. Research. Pay attention to sources: in the case of news, choose reliable sites; avoid obscure blogs and be careful with humor sites and fake news.
3. Info fields
The MB offers multiple fields in the game entry editor. Note: these fields become visible only after you assign the "Games" category to your post.
Fill out as many fields as possible, including details such as the number of players, genre, age rating, and more. The more information you provide, the higher the quality of the entry.
When uploading images, prefer the WEBP format. It creates smaller files without significant quality loss compared to JPG. For pixel art images, such as screenshots from classic 16-bit games or earlier, use the PNG format for even smaller and sharper images.
For 3D games (or general image excluding 2D pixel art), WEBP is the ideal format. If you know how to produce optimized image sizes, that's even better.
4. Sources
Cite sources. There are specific fields for this; add the URL, the name of the website and the name of the article from which you got the information for your text or images.
Please DO NOT MAKE UP DATA. If you don't know something, it is fair to say nothing and a collaborator will complete the article at another time.
5. Ctrl C + Ctrl V only for quotes
Even when citing sources, avoid copying and pasting text, especially from websites in English. For obvious reasons, this does not apply to quotes.
Did you read something important in an article somewhere? Rewrite it in your own words to convey the information and then cite the source.
6. Do not give opinions
Game articles need information, not opinions. Be careful not to turn your article into a review. Be careful with adjectives. Avoid things like "it was the best game of its kind" or "it had poor gameplay" unless such statements are supported by context.
7. Apply the layout
Finished your beautiful article? Scroll down the editor page to the templates box and select the "Games" template and activate the sidebar on the right. Without this, no data will be loaded into the published page.
8. Work in group
Remember: your article will be modified by site contributors eventually. This will happen if new information comes to light, to make corrections or improve it.
Game articles are not personal, so do not expect to have your signature on them. It is a joint effort, for the good of the community that researches games.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
