Shmupswiki Xenocide Restoration Project: Tagging & T.Derail

[DJ Incompetent]

Ok, no objections. It appears that template is a good one. I'll stick it in Shmupswiki. Next up:

#2: Tagging entries for future searches?

Basically, I want (people or just me) to add tags to each game article so a search engine could eventually be put in to read only the tags and make the massive name-drop list searchable by all kinds of intuitive criteria.

Here's some tag types I'm thinking of or somebody told me. 'Prolly Ixmucane2. Suggest more if you wish:

Release Year
Platform
Developer
Publisher
Subgenre (Hori, Vert, Slider, etc.)
Difficulty Style (Standard, Manic Bullet-Hell, etc.)



The problem is I'm not sure what standard I should be using to put in the tagging entries, or if a tagging structure is already in medawiki. I don't even know what this standard is really called nowadays. metatagging? meta-tag? article tagging? I'm not sure.

Here's some sites the google-fu pulled up.
http://jenn-2-point-0.blogspot.com/2006 ... awiki.html
http://www.foolnology.com/blog/arindler ... nsion.html
http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:Tag_extensions

If somebody can point me in the right direction or show me how it's done, that would be pretty sweet.

[crithit5000]

If you want to be dirt simple, just use MediaWiki's built in Category system. I already placed these two under the Gradius entry as a test:

[[Category:Horizontal shooters]]
[[Category:Konami games]]

More info on categories.

Edit:

I don't even know what this standard is really called nowadays. metatagging? meta-tag? article tagging? I'm not sure.

Speaking as a professional (lol), it's just lumping shit under categories just Web 2.0'ed. Actually...meta tags are a slightly different beast, as they're HTML tags containing information about a page located within the page's header structure.

[devilmanozzy]

I can't help but laugh at yet another try are starting a wiki on shmups. Why don't you just work with one of them out there? why Restart? Personally the problem I've found isn't the information, its the lack of support after a month online. People got mad at me and another user for copying information at wikipedia but simply put its not easy to build a aimless empire. Talk i've heard greatly over the last year over this, and http://shmup.wikia.com has never really gotten the care it should have. People on wikia instead all have built up wikis on different series such as Gradius, Darius, Touhou, and soon to be added R-type and Raiden. I'd also conclude that out of the wikis listed here, there are 5 active users at them. Why waste your time starting another wiki when people are doing better elsewhere? If this is a control issue, I can very easy tell you, that this wont get far. People don't like being told exactly what can and can't be done at a wiki. With the list of rules your adding, there wont be any interest by the time the front page is started. Basically if you don't loosen the rules, your not get any results. People add things to wiki's because they love the subject matter. Too many rules will turn them away.

I've been at wikia over a year, and it takes more than a vision to get a great wiki. You need lots of support and time to it. I've spent endless hours working on Darius wiki over the last 2 months, and only now am I getting hits.

[DJ Incompetent]

If you want to be dirt simple, just use MediaWiki's built in Category system.
More info on categories.

Hm, easy enough. Methinks I'll roll with that unless there's some massive drawback I should know about. Thanks, man.

Speaking as a professional (lol), it's just lumping shit under categories just Web 2.0'ed. Actually...meta tags are a slightly different beast, as they're HTML tags containing information about a page located within the page's header structure.

I wasn't sure meta tags were getting a second definition now besides the usual html indexing business. Good to know they aren't.

I can't help but laugh at yet another try are starting a wiki on shmups.

Yeah a'ight, I'll bite.

Thread Derail: What's the point?

Why don't you just work with one of them out there? why Restart?

The intention isn't to combat other wikis. The point of it is to use a tool to fix shmups.com. triggerzone.de and shmup.com are pretty much the great resources. That's awesome, but nothing is really in English. I don't believe we have a STG namedrop & info list of everything in English. I'm out to fix that. The namedrops part can be completed by myself, since I'm pretty sure I know how to get the four massive title lists that add up to every STG videogame. If the community fails to do all the stuff we've been complaining about wanting to do for 5+ years, then the namedrops with basic twitter'd info are all that will probably be done. I think we got different goals, sir. Nonthless, most if not all the info I'm looking for is spread around to mostly the same seven-ish sites. Harvesting those bits without it looking like all kinds of plagiarism is pretty feasible.

You say "one of them out there." What other sites are you referring to?

Personally the problem I've found isn't the information, its the lack of support after a month online. People got mad at me and another user for copying information at wikipedia but simply put its not easy to build a aimless empire.

Can you tell me more about this and/or point me to the drama conversation? Who the complainer was, etc? I'd like to read the details on this one. Was the wikipedia guy's argument basically that your wikia site is trying to earn money through ads for his work?

Talk i've heard greatly over the last year over this, and http://shmup.wikia.com has never really gotten the care it should have. People on wikia instead all have built up wikis on different series such as Gradius, Darius, Touhou, and soon to be added R-type and Raiden. I'd also conclude that out of the wikis listed here, there are 5 active users at them. Why waste your time starting another wiki when people are doing better elsewhere?

Yep, you're pretty right. But let me ask you. What have the Wikia site administrators done for your cause? Did they create all the custom wiki layout with the front page organization and searching? Or did they just stick a shitload of ads on a canvas and hoped people would get to work while wikia pockets the ad revenue? C'mon. Six+ ads on any page at that site? Yeeesh.

Or are the Wikia people just starving independent contributors who are praying to make back server hosting costs and domain fees 'n such? This guy tells me they're just an IGN of wikis. But hey, you've spent a year with them, so what do you know on them?

Because hell, if Wikia company are just useless middlemen, you wanna open up debate to the five contributors to port everything over so you guys can contribute ad free? *shrug*

If this is a control issue, I can very easy tell you, that this wont get far. People don't like being told exactly what can and can't be done at a wiki. With the list of rules your adding, there wont be any interest by the time the front page is started. Basically if you don't loosen the rules, your not get any results. People add things to wiki's because they love the subject matter. Too many rules will turn them away.

About this. Um, what exactly am I trying to restrict here when I'm trying to compile a category list of every piece of relevant info? Are you saying by posting a template to every article I'd be intimidating other users into not writing at all? I thought I was turning the site into a 'fill in the blanks' comprehensive checklist instead of the aimless "do whatever the hell you want" Where everybody thinks the story is at the top of the list of things people want to know about a STG. It never is... It never is.

I've been at wikia over a year, and it takes more than a vision to get a great wiki. You need lots of support and time to it. I've spent endless hours working on Darius wiki over the last 2 months, and only now am I getting hits.

Yes it does. yes it does. I'm pestimistic as well, but I was thinking wherever the information side of my project ends up, I'd take the time to port the game name drops with my template over to your site. But since I'm "adding too many rules", wouldn't I be banned at your wikia site for trying to add a template to all future articles and bumping your game listings from 100 to over 1000?

[devilmanozzy]

Talk i've heard greatly over the last year over this, and http://shmup.wikia.com has never really gotten the care it should have. People on wikia instead all have built up wikis on different series such as Gradius, Darius, Touhou, and soon to be added R-type and Raiden. I'd also conclude that out of the wikis listed here, there are 5 active users at them. Why waste your time starting another wiki when people are doing better elsewhere?

Yep, you're pretty right. But let me ask you. What have the Wikia site administrators done for your cause? Did they create all the custom wiki layout with the front page organization and searching? Or did they just stick a shitload of ads on a canvas and hoped people would get to work while wikia pockets the ad revenue? C'mon. Six+ ads on any page at that site? Yeeesh.

Or are the Wikia people just starving independent contributors who are praying to make back server hosting costs and domain fees 'n such? This guy tells me they're just an IGN of wikis. But hey, you've spent a year with them, so what do you know on them?

Because hell, if Wikia company are just useless middlemen, you wanna open up debate to the five contributors to port everything over so you guys can contribute ad free? *shrug*

The good of wikia is when people search for the articles that are made there, will find them on a wiki plus topic name, at least at google and bing. Yes there is ads and some are annoying, but atleast people from other wikias will find that wiki and be able to edit it without signing in *again*. Sorry but there are more subjects to work with.

If this is a control issue, I can very easy tell you, that this wont get far. People don't like being told exactly what can and can't be done at a wiki. With the list of rules your adding, there wont be any interest by the time the front page is started. Basically if you don't loosen the rules, your not get any results. People add things to wiki's because they love the subject matter. Too many rules will turn them away.

About this. Um, what exactly am I trying to restrict here when I'm trying to compile a category list of every piece of relevant info? Are you saying by posting a template to every article I'd be intimidating other users into not writing at all? I thought I was turning the site into a 'fill in the blanks' comprehensive checklist instead of the aimless "do whatever the hell you want" Where everybody thinks the story is at the top of the list of things people want to know about a STG. It never is... It never is.

Make as much as you can optional. That is my basic advice. Some of the fan games don't got much but the actually gameplay to begin with. It gives a easy way out so editors can add what they really know, and leave the rest for later. Wiki's are living things you know. Someone later will add to it.

I've been at wikia over a year, and it takes more than a vision to get a great wiki. You need lots of support and time to it. I've spent endless hours working on Darius wiki over the last 2 months, and only now am I getting hits.

Yes it does. yes it does. I'm pestimistic as well, but I was thinking wherever the information side of my project ends up, I'd take the time to port the game name drops with my template over to your site. But since I'm "adding too many rules", wouldn't I be banned at your wikia site for trying to add a template to all future articles and bumping your game listings from 100 to over 1000?

Not sure what you mean by the last part. If you mean editing templates for more fields, it depends on the admin(s) of a wiki. That is true of any place on the web. As for banning people, I ban mostly spammers. I do some undo's tho.

Anyways I'm not going to rain on your parade anymore than this. If you believe you will be supported, and you make things easy to edit and understand, then you should start out well.

[DJ Incompetent]

I've been at wikia over a year, and it takes more than a vision to get a great wiki. You need lots of support and time to it. I've spent endless hours working on Darius wiki over the last 2 months, and only now am I getting hits.

Yes it does. yes it does. I'm pessimistic as well, but I was thinking wherever the information side of my project ends up, I'd take the time to port the game name drops with my template over to your site. But since I'm "adding too many rules", wouldn't I be banned at your wikia site for trying to add a template to all future articles and bumping your game listings from 100 to over 1000?

Not sure what you mean by the last part. If you mean editing templates for more fields, it depends on the admin(s) of a wiki. That is true of any place on the web. As for banning people, I ban mostly spammers. I do some undo's tho.

Nah I meant going on a spree adding new game titles and just the template. No additional unique game info until later. Do you guys have a dedicated policy to not add a game to the list unless information on the game is also entered?


Thanks for the advice instead of flamewarring it. It's appreciated.

[devilmanozzy]

Nah I meant going on a spree adding new game titles and just the template. No additional unique game info until later. Do you guys have a dedicated policy to not add a game to the list unless information on the game is also entered?

Never really get that, tho I have been known to start a section with only a image, a bit of info for a infobox and thats it. I'll leave a spot for story, gameplay, and trivia. I think they call that seeding. It's a good practice to start pages so others know where the article is, and so its not such a blank slate. Some users add a lot to a article, while others add maybe one sentence. Gotta work with both types. But always add a {{stub}} tag to those types. Infact, you should address improvement tags at some point.

-stub. needs development
-Need more images
-article needs rewording
-section needs attention
-candidate for deletion

Also with all the templates and tags, make articles that show all these and how to use them.

http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Main_Page this is Transformers wiki which is a wiki currently not part of wikia. They have a well put together wiki. Check out how they have overcome the issues that wikis have.

This section address what I'm talking about with tags http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Help:Contents

[Rob]

Difficulty Style: (Standard, Semi-Hell, Memorizor, Manic Bullet-Hell)

I have no idea what standard and semi-hell means. This should be clear enough through type, year and developer. The description of the game ("Overall Unique Characteristics"/"Player Mechanics") should cover everything if it isn't.

Metacritic Score:

The idea here is to provide useful info, right? Posting a metacritic score validates the crap reviews that figure into a metacritic score and would also apply to few games.

[malc]

hi chaps

following developments avidly!

Just a few comments and thoughts from me, although I don't have any influence on direction, this is DJ's project.

I'll put whatever cash required in to keep it ad-free, and whatever resources it needs if it grows (shmups.com is back to ad-free, now its not on Classic Gaming any more. Or, classic gaming is no more, whatever.)

This comes under the banner of a shmups.com project, which although a bit mothbally, was the first, if maybe not the best anymore. And hopefully, can draw upon the best shmups forum out there, and people in it, to populate it with info.

Plus, I have faith, that once it reaches a certain critical mass of seeding, people here will pounce on it and start filling in loads of lovely stuff. People have been crying out for a way to user-contribute to shmups.com and this can be the way to do it.#

Plus again, I don't think this absolutely needs to be like wikipedia in that they dont allow personal expression and opinion and is dry as hell. The Darius wiki is lovely, and imagine that kind of thing happening for all shmups. It's a single source resource, which will might replace shmups.com in its focus, so rather than a fresh start on yet another site, its a reboot for an old and dingy but well established one. At least, that was the idea, wasn't it?

All kudos to DJ for taking on this project, what is probably seeming like a thankless task, but I do hope you are enjoying getting your teeth into. I'd love to be more involved, but I have more pressing concerns I'm afraid these days...

I do hope the wider shmups forum community latches onto it at some point, the point where there's a great stub template in place and its a case of yup, fill in the blanks.

bed for me... nitenite malc

[evil_ash_xero]

I think you should probably have Game Rankings over Metacritic or both. GR has a lot better sites on it. Also, Famitsu scores wouldn't be bad either.

[devilmanozzy]

Time to shake off the mothballs and try to save the idea

Right now, I'm looking into getting the wiki off the ground. I am looking through this thread and the other, trying to piece together what the outcome should be.

I want to make a few things clear. This Wiki I view from a slightly different point of view. There is already interests in a direction and style to this wiki. I am not planning on adding my own content and therefore I'll be avoiding the "he is building his wiki here now" argument. My point of view is get the car (wiki) running, then see if there are any takers to get content there. Also, this is still DJ Incompetent's baby so to speak, and my only real interests are pushing it til it is running. I'm hoping that people will be vocal as I start pushing it forward. I want it to be open to add reviews and such as soon as possible.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

I wouldnt mind writting about a shmup or 2 since atm it has a serious lack of content