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ArchMagus Orodalf -> DF Pedia Entries (1/28/2012 9:18:18)

In my absence from the DragonFable Pedia, it seems things have changed a lot. Change isn't necessarily a bad thing-- it brings about progress, and in the case of the Pedia, specificity-- like all of these amazingly made location/questline tags.

However, there is one change that I'm confused about. It seems that, in Quest and NPC entries, every NPC has a color. I have to say that this change is absolutely bizarre-- it makes every single entry considerably more work, and the colors distract and detract from the entry, especially when two NPCs of similarly assigned color appear. I suggest a return to the old "bold every NPCs name and leave it at that" approach. The AQ Pedia has been using it for aeons.



UltraGuy -> RE: DF Pedia Entries (1/28/2012 11:26:55)

I also find the change weird to be honest. I honestly don't see the point of NPC color tags.
Sometimes the colors of the name of NPCs that the write-up makers use are completely completely unrelated to the NPCs personality. For instance, an evil NPC gets a yellow color tag. :3



Niki -> RE: DF Pedia Entries (1/28/2012 14:38:24)

As most things, it was started voluntarily by people that wanted to emphasize a given NPC text, and in time made it into a standard.
Yes, it is more work to create each quest entry, but the ending result IMO is more readble.

The DF Pedia currently use a format which is more strict than the AQ Pedia. It is more burthen to the writers and AKs but I believe it is easier for the reader who look at those entries to find the info he/she is looking for.



ArchMagus Orodalf -> RE: DF Pedia Entries (1/28/2012 16:53:37)

I understand the tags at the top of each entry-- knowing something is part of Bacon Origin, or is a Titan Fight quest, etc. would obviously help your navigation. However, coloration of NPC names does nothing for organization and can prove distracting. Blinding colors, for example -- http://forums2.battleon.com/f/tm.asp?m=19896330 and http://forums2.battleon.com/f/tm.asp?m=19774687 Furthermore, the only reason one would use color-coded NPCs is to find a specific NPC's lines-- but that's why the NPC entries exist. Color isn't needed to distinguish NPC names from that which is said, because boldness and a colon already separate them.

AQ Quest Entries only very rarely use color-- Red to indicate bugs in-game, orange to indicate a Stat Roll, and the color the text takes in-game. Lack of any other coloration in these entries allows for emphasis on the parts that need emphasis, and not the NPC names, which are easily distinguished, anyway, especially with use of either the Search or Ctrl + F functions.



Ash -> RE: DF Pedia Entries (1/28/2012 20:55:40)

The two are separate sections though. While we both have the same basic premise of providing accurate and reliable information the ways we go about it are different. I could, by what you're saying, say that the MQ Pedia is odd because they have a different way of doing entries where I can't find where a certain enemy is likely to appear. That's their approach to the Pedia format.

The color deal is only there to provide a bit more to the entry. It's something we use to make the Pedia different than all the others. Each area is separate and what AQ does doesn't affect what we do. Yes it is a bit more work, but nobody has seemed to mind putting the little bit extra in.



ArchMagus Orodalf -> RE: DF Pedia Entries (1/28/2012 21:04:09)

quote:

I could, by what you're saying, say that the MQ Pedia is odd because they have a different way of doing entries where I can't find where a certain enemy is likely to appear. That's their approach to the Pedia format.


AQ has the same thing. The reason it is this way is because there are sometimes randomly generated enemies, and putting all of the locations down would be too much work. I've asked to do this for AQ, but the general consensus was just that.

quote:

Yes it is a bit more work, but nobody has seemed to mind putting the little bit extra in.


It hurts me to see people's going through every single entry in the Pedia and posting minute, minute fixes. Not to mention NikisArmy's going through my entry and changing every single one of my French quotes to italicized asterisks and adding color tags. (Sorry about that! It's the AQ Pedia way of doing Scene indication, as is the French-quoted "You" the way of doing <Character> lines.)

But it's your section. Since it's apparent that the policy won't change, I request a lock.



Peachii -> RE: DF Pedia Entries (1/29/2012 0:23:34)

From my understanding, the reason for placing the color codes is to differentiate between the NPCs in the quest entries as already mentioned. While I do agree that having all NPCs dialog in bold doesn't affect anything, I'm declined to the case where the additional NPCs color will affect the quality of the entry, too. Darker colors are acceptable, but they doesn't necessarily need to match the NPCs armor, given that some of them are too bright.

The italicized text with asterisks have become a common way of emphasizing the screen change/animations in DF and now, become a standard way of doing the quest entries. All entries are kept in a standard format, so that it looks neater and posters & readers won't be confused.

The Pedia require updates and cannot stay the same as it is, which is the reason why fixes are done occasionally. It's hard to compare between the 3 Pedias as they have different ways of handling posted entries and submissions. Thank you for your suggestion.



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