IFWiki:Works (style guide)

Proposed layout for a game entry.

Credits

• Author(s):
• Illustrator(s):
• Composer/Musician(s):
• Other contributor(s):
• Publisher:
• etc.:

How It Begins

In this section, we want to give a taste of the game by telling how it begins. One must not give spoilers or give away any obvious secrets of the game. Do not insert a screenshot or a text dump directly copied from the game's scrollback. Restrict your description to the following:

• If the player is warned upfront about sexual content, violence, vulgarity, adult situations, interpreter requirements or display options, write a short paragraph that summarizes these warnings.
• If the player is asked to fill out a questionnaire right at the beginning—for example, to choose the PC's name or gender—then write a short paragraph that summarizes the nature of the questionnaire.
• The main paragraph should begin by stating who the initial PC is, or thinks he or she is. Include the PC's name if the player or PC knows it. Do not spoil games where the PC's identity is a puzzle or difficult to determine.
• Continue the main paragaph stating where the PC thinks he or she is, who is nearby, and what the PC is carrying and wearing.
• Conclude the main paragraph with what immediate goals that the PC is presented with, if any. If the PC has no obvious goal at first, but one presents itself within ten turns of play, then that goal may be stated.
• Another very short paragraph may be added to describe the scope and general impressions of the rest of the game: will you be exploring worlds, a city, or just one building? Is the game silly or serious? Puzzle-filled or story-driven? Try to be very terse and objective.
• If the game contains sexual content, violence, vulgarity, adult situations, or other potentially disagreeable elements, provide a terse warning where the paragraph begins with "WARNING:". Do this regardless if you've already said that the game warns you about any of it.

Version History

Use either a streamlined version, when there's only one file per version:

• Version 1 (filename; Authoring System; filesize; released YEAR-MMM-DD)
  Notes on Version 1

Or use this style, when there's more than one file per version:

• Version 2 (Authoring System; released YEAR-MMM-DD)
  • filename1 (filesize; short description)
  • filename2 (filesize; short description)
  • Notes on Version 2

Notable Features

• Entered in competitions, and where it placed
• Awards
• Language: if not English
• Genre(s)
• Other (use caution; no huge spoilers)

Links

• Homepage of the game
• Baf's Guide listing of the game
• Play it On-line
• Author's Notes
• r*if threads
• Local reviews or commentary pages about the game, eg: Photopia/Comments by John Doe
• Spoiler Page
• Hints
• Walkthroughs