Help:Talk Page Etiquette

Tips for New Editors

What is this language we use here? The code we use is called wiki markup. It is not HTML but under the hood the wiki-engine creates HTML from the markup; see Wiki Markup for more information. Lotro-Wiki uses MediaWiki which recognizes wiki-markup, many HTML tags, and CSS. Staying Current In the left-hand column, the link "Recent discussions" will list any recent change to a talk page. Using that link is an easy way to "stay current". An even better way is to chat with other editors and admins. Red links in Preview Mode If a link turns out red it indicates an error, usually a typo or "page not found". Something that should be fixed before saving them page. However, when editing in newly added areas we accept red links for pages expected to new added soon; all red links can be found using a link under "Special Pages" in the left-hand column. Removing "Stub" Tags Some pages have an Article Management Tag, meaning the page needs additional work. When adding the missing information, please remove the tag, which removes the page from e.g. Category:Stubs/Mob or whatever category the page was tagged for. Creature vs. Mob "Mob" is an enemy inside an instance, while "creature" is any other enemy. Kill vs. Defeat At Lotro-Wiki we never say "kill" but always say "defeat". How to Delete a Page? Only Administrators have the ability to delete pages. Instead you can tag a page for deletion by adding {{Delete Page|<reason>}} at the top of the page. However, we prefer to keep old pages around for reference so we use the {{Obsolete}} tag. Similarly, certain information on a page could be useful for future reference. Either hide that info under a collapsed table titled e.g. "obsolete info", or move that info to a section at the bottom of the page, similarly titled, or to a new page with a name indicating the info is old. Chat with other editors for advice. How to Move (Rename) a Page? Only Administrators can move a page, use the {{Move}} tag, and give a reason why.

Tools for Editors

Lotro-Wiki Manual of Style Creating Images and Icons for upload Extended Image Syntax How to use the Article Creation section Naming issues Categorization guidelines Documentation: HTML Color Codes Documentation: Quality - Colors used by LOTRO to designate Item Quality Advanced Editing Links Help -- links to editing information on this Wiki; a direct link to the Help page can be found in the side-menu. Basic Editing Information Advanced Editing I: Definitions and pointers Advanced Editing II: Techniques Technique: How to create Citations Technique: Disambiguation - Other pages with the same name but different content Advanced Editing III: CSS and Tables Documentation: Category Tree Extension on Mediawiki Editing Guidelines Creating Crafting pages Creating Item pages Creating Quest pages Creating Creature pages Creating NPC pages Standard Operating Procedures for Editors Category: Things to do Patrolling Wiki Statistics -- Statistics about the Wiki, page counts and the like Contribution Scores - Statistics about the editing in the past 30 days Projects Projects are also itemized in Help Editor: Information. Major Lotro-Wiki Projects Categorization • Character • Crafting • Creatures • Deeds • Documentation • Effects • Game Guides • Images • Instances • Lore • LOTRO Store • Monster Play • NPCs • Quests • Skirmishes • System Tools • World Expansion projects: Mordor Using Article Management Tags Category:Article Management Tags Category:Stubs

Talk (Discussion) Pages

• To maintain order amid the confusion, MediaWiki provides space for a "Talk" page (called "Discussion" on Lotro-Wiki) for every article.

On these pages, editors can discuss the related article, offer feedback, and explain reasoning behind possibly-controversial edits. As you browse Lotro-Wiki, you will find that most articles are straightforward enough that they have no active Talk page, while other pages - such as the Contributors' Corner - are highly trafficked and have archived discussions dating back to the beginning of the Wiki.

• Using a Talk Page causes the comment to show up on the page "Recent discussions."

• The link: "Recent discussions," in the left hand navigation panel of every page, will show the most recent changes to Talk pages in general, and to pages on your personal watchlist, sorted by date.

• By comparison, the link: "Recent changes," also in the left hand navigation panel of every page, lists EVERY change on the Wiki, so when editors are active, there are many entries which simply scroll off the bottom of the page and are never noticed, assuming that one has even looked!

Your Talk Page

• Every registered Editor has a personal, "User Talk" page so that editors can easily communicate with each other.

When asking questions, especially of another Editor, use that Editor's Talk page. For example - User_talk: Magill - rather than their main page - User: Magill.

The reason for this usage is simple.

The MediaWiki software contains automatic notification mechanics which will:

1. Send an Email to the address set in the Users Preferences (User Preferences / Email Options): check: (Email me when my user talk page is changed) when their Talk Page is edited.
2. And, you will receive an alert (in the form of a bright yellow banner) whenever someone edits your talk page. This is a great way to get someone's attention as they will be notified of new messages on their next page refresh as long as they are logged in and browsing the wiki.

General rules

• Please remember to sign your name on talk pages using four tildes (~~~~) as this will automatically produce your name and the date.
• When you answer another's post, INDENT your answer by using "one more" colon ":" than was used before. This allows one to easily scan a block of text (thread) to determine when the speaker has changed.
• To maintain order, new topics should be added to the bottom of the page. This can be achieved also by using the Add topic button on top of the talk page.