View source for SmashWiki:Creating new articles

{{proposed policy}}
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Creating articles can be hard sometimes. You might have an idea of an article, but don't know if you should create it or not. This page will help you create articles for SmashWiki.

==What is an article?==
An '''article''', also known as a '''page''', is a page in SmashWiki that describe various topics in the ''Smash'' series. Note that this definition only applies to SmashWiki, as other wikis cover topics outside the ''Smash'' series.

==How to make a new article==
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There are '''four''' different ways you can create an account:
# '''Clicking a red link to the title of the new article from an existing one'''.  For example, to create an article called "This link", you could click [[This link]].  You can also create the link yourself, in a related article or index page. Links on related articles are not only convenient for navigation, but also make people aware of the new article.
# '''Typing in the URL directly'''. An easy way to produce the URL is editing the last part of the URL of another page in the same project. (For example, if you would like to create "This link", go to <nowiki>http://ssbwiki.com/This_link</nowiki>.) To prevent your new page being an "orphan", you should link to it from other pages.
#'''Searching for the article and finding a red link'''. This red link should be at the top of the page. Clicking this is another way to get to the edit page for the new article.
#'''With an inputbox'''. This is the easiest way to create a new article. You do this by typing the new article title in the box, and pressing "create article" will take you to the edit page for that article. There are two infoboxes located on SmashWiki: one on the main page, and the other at the bottom of this page.
Note that you will be unable to create the new article if the title you want for said article already exists.

==Before creating a new article==
Before you create a new article, you should consider the following:
*'''Make sure it's not already an article'''. Creating a new article for an existing article wouldn't work, so if it already exists, don't remake it. 
*'''Make sure the content of your new article isn't already in another article'''. You shouldn't create a new article if the content of said article is already on another article. For example, if you want to create an article about the ESRB leak, but it's already on another page (for this example, [[Leak]]), you shouldn't make a separate article for the ESRB leak.
:'''Exception''': If the article is up for a split, you may create your desired page, but you should talk about it on the existing article's talk page before doing it.
*'''Make sure it's ''Smash'' related'''. If it's not ''Smash'' related, don't make it.

==What makes a good article==
*'''Game articles''': If you want to create an article about a game in the ''Smash'' series, do it. These include articles on:
**Main series games (such as ''[[Melee]]'' and ''[[Brawl]]'')
**Notable game hacks (such as ''[[Project M]]'')
**Other games that appear as [[Masterpieces]] in ''Brawl'' and/or ''[[Smash Wii U]]'' (for example, a page about ''[[Kirby's Adventure]]'' would be acceptable, whereas an article about ''Grand Theft Auto V'' would not)
*'''Character articles''': Articles about characters from a ''Smash'' game are great choices for articles, but are only limited to 5 games: ''[[Super Smash Bros.]], [[Super Smash Bros. Melee]], [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]], [[Super Smash Bros. 4]]'', and ''[[Project M]]''. Any other games are unacceptable, so an article about [[Mario (SSBB)|Mario's appearance in ''Brawl'']] would be allowed, but an article about his appearance in ''Donkey Kong'' would not.
*'''Articles about items''': If it appears as an [[item]] in any of the ''Smash'' games, it can have its own article. This also applies to [[Assist Trophies]] and [[Poké Ball]] Pokémon, as they are technically items. 
*'''Articles about stages''': Articles about stages in the ''Smash'' games are acceptable, but ''only'' stages in the canon ''Smash'' series are allowed. In other words, an article about the [[Halberd]] stage is acceptable, but an article about the ''Castlevania'' stage in ''Project M'' would not.
*'''Articles about competitive ''Smash''''': If an article is related to the ''Smash'' series's competitive scene, it is allowed. These can include articles about:
**[[Tournaments]]
**[[Tier list]]s
**[[Advanced technique]]s
**Anything that relates to the [[metagame]]
*'''Articles about competitive smashers and crews''': A smasher or crew can only have his/her own article if he or she is notable enough. What considered a "notable smasher/crew" is as follows:
**The smasher or crew participated in or organized an offline tournament that is run by standard tournament rules or a reasonably similar variant, and has some level of regional or national recognition.
**The smasher or crew contributed high-level content to, or administrates at, recognized websites pertaining to Smash Bros. other than this wiki.
**The smasher or crew prove legitimate regional or national fame otherwise not covered by these guidelines.
**If a smasher or crew does not follow any of these three guidelines, don't make an article about them. Also note that if a smasher is notable enough, the new article must be put into the "Smasher:" namespace. This does not apply to other competitive articles.
*'''Articles about other miscellaneous subjects''': Articles can also be about other subjects not listed above, just as long as it's about the ''Smash'' series. These include:
**Notable ''Smash'' websites, whether it's for canon ''Smash'' or competitive ''Smash'' (for example, articles about the [[Smash Bros. DOJO!!]], [[Smashboards]], and [[Miiverse]] would be acceptable, but an article about Facebook would not)
**Notable glitches; if a glitch is notable enough, it can have its own article. Read the below section to see what is ''not'' considered a notable glitch
**[[Event matches]] in ''Brawl'' and ''Smash Wii U''
**Articles about various modes in the ''Smash'' games
**Articles about character moves
**Articles about trophies, stickers, music, etc.
***Note that each individual trophy, sticker, music track, etc. shouldn't get their own page, but rather should be all put into a single page per game and series. 

==What makes a bad article==
*'''Articles about topics/subjects unrelated to ''Smash''''': If it's not related to the ''Smash'' series, it doesn't belong. Examples of these would be:
**Articles about games that don't appear as [[Masterpieces]]
**Articles about characters that don't appear as items, Assist Trophies, or Poké/Master Ball Pokémon. Note that appearing as a [[trophy]] or [[sticker]] is '''not''' an excuse
**Articles that describe outside events (such as an article about the American Civil War) or subjects (such as an article about dogs)
*'''Articles about non-notable glitches''': Some glitches can have their own articles, but others cannot. Glitches should have a notable presence or significance in the Smash community before having their article created. If the glitch is not very notable, consider adding information about the glitch to a related article.
*'''Articles about ''Smash'' fanon''': You are not allowed to create articles about fanon on this wiki. While you may be allowed to put your ''own'' fanon on your userpage, articles about other fanons in the mainspace are not allowed. Examples of these would include:
**Articles about fan-made games (for example, no article may be made about ''Super Smash Flash'' or anything similar)
***'''Exception''': Game hacks such as ''[[Project M]]'' and ''[[Brawl-]]'', due to their large tournament presence, are allowed
**Articles about characters from fan-games (for example, no articles are allowed about Mario's presence in ''Super Smash Flash'') 
**Articles about fanfictions, no matter how large they are (not even the largest piece of English literature is allowed its own page)
**Articles about fan-made characters or characters expected to be in a future games
*'''Articles based on speculation or false information''': If your article is based on speculation and/or incomplete/false information, it's not allowed. See [[SW:NOT]] for more details.
*'''Articles based on opinion''': If the contents of your article is based on your opinion, it shouldn't be an article. 
*'''Articles about yourself''': Unless you're a notable competitive smasher, you are not allowed to create an article about yourself. These will either be deleted or moved to the "User:" namespace.
*'''Articles containing nothing but [[SW:NPA|personal attacks]], links to shock sites, inappropriate/derogatory images, offensive remarks, spam, and/or anything similar''': If it contains any of the above, you are not allowed to make it. Continued actions of this will result in a block.
*'''Articles with minimal to no content in them''': If you have little or nothing to add about the article subject, simply don't make the article.

==Why can't I create a new article?==
During times when the wiki has [[SW:SSS|high traffic]] and enough [[SW:AUTO|autoconfirmed users]] to maintain the site, the rights to create new articles will be restricted to autoconfirmed users; in other words, non-autoconfirmed users and IPs will  be unable to create new articles. The wiki is '''currently in this state'''.

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