SmashWiki:Creating new articles

Template:Proposed policy 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 (and all wikis, for that matter) that describe various topics relating to, for this wiki, the Smash series.

How to make a new article

There are four different ways you can create an account:

1. 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.
2. 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 http://ssbwiki.com/This_link.) To prevent your new page being an "orphan", you should link to it from other pages.
3. 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.
4. 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.

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'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
  • Competitive smashers¹
  • Advanced techniques

¹ A smasher can only have his own article if he or she is notable enough. See SW:NOTABLE for more details. Also note that if a smasher is notable enough, the new article must be put into the "Smasher:" namespace.

• Articles about other miscellaneous stuff: Articles can also be about other things not listed about, 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 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
  • User pages: pages about SmashWiki users are allowed, but MUST be in the "User:" namespace. See SW:USER for more details.

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. Before creating an article about a glitch, consider the following:
  • Is is able to be done by a single character?
  • Is it able to be done on a single stage?
  • Can it happen in only one mode?

If you answered "yes" to any of these, it's not notable enough for its own page.

• Articles about Smash fanon: You are not allowed to create articles about fanon anywhere on the wiki, not even in the userspace or forums. This includes:
  • 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 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 personal attacks, links to shock sites, inappropriate/derogatory images, offensive remarks, and/or anything similar: If it contains any of the above, don't make it. Continued actions of this will result in a block.

Why can't I create a new article?

During times when the wiki has high traffic and has enough 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.