User:M Sipher/Sandbox:EditingLayoutGuide: Difference between revisions
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''Do not'' open a subheader with a left-justified image. The natural inclination at a line break is to look back left for the next line, and putting an image there usually means the reader has to look ''right'' to find the text instead. Stick to the right. | ''Do not'' open a subheader with a left-justified image. The natural inclination at a line break is to look back left for the next line, and putting an image there usually means the reader has to look ''right'' to find the text instead. Stick to the right. | ||
Images should only be put to the left of the page well into ''long'', multi-paragraph sections, like in a major character's "Fiction" section. Take a look at [[Spud Muffin#BotBots cartoon|Spud Muffin's cartoon writeup]] as an example. Alternating between right- and left-justified images helps visually break up what would otherwise be a ''massive'' wall of text, giving the reader easy "checkpoints" to keep track of where they are. | Images should only be put to the left of the page well into ''long'', multi-paragraph sections, like in a major character's "Fiction" section. Take a look at [[Spud Muffin#BotBots cartoon|Spud Muffin's cartoon writeup]] as an example. Alternating between right- and left-justified images helps visually break up what would otherwise be a ''massive'' wall of text, giving the reader easy "checkpoints" to keep track of where they are. Generally, you want one image per two to three paragraphs, depending of course on paragraph and section length. You will ''rarely'' need more than one image from any given episode/issue (obviously large roles in longer media like movies or graphic novels or video games will probably require multiple images, if only to break up the wall of text). | ||
In Toy writeups, you may sometimes need more than one image for a single toy, typically when there's significant deco differences between the [[Hasbro]] and [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] releases (which happens a ''lot'' less often now, hardly ever, but for quite a while it was a thing). Toy images should basically ''always'' stay right-justified to make these comparisons easier. | In Toy writeups, you may sometimes need more than one image for a single toy, typically when there's significant deco differences between the [[Hasbro]] and [[TakaraTomy|Takara]] releases (which happens a ''lot'' less often now, hardly ever, but for quite a while it was a thing). Toy images should basically ''always'' stay right-justified to make these comparisons easier. | ||
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{{note|It really helps to resize your browser window to see what the page looks like at different widths. If you have a big wide gaming monitor, take a look at the page in both fullscreen and "windowed" mode at different widths to see if those images you place end up bunched up in a less-horizontal space.}} | {{note|It really helps to resize your browser window to see what the page looks like at different widths. If you have a big wide gaming monitor, take a look at the page in both fullscreen and "windowed" mode at different widths to see if those images you place end up bunched up in a less-horizontal space.}} | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
===Linebreaks and empty space=== | ===Linebreaks and empty space=== | ||
Normally, text "flows" around images. If you place an image in the code, any text you add below it will push up into the space to the side of the image... but other images will ''not''. This can lead to an image at the end of a section pushing down into the next, and pushing any images at the ''top'' of that section further down than they should be, messing up the layout. Placing a <nowiki>{{-}} or {{--}}</nowiki> at the end of a section creates a linebreak at that point, a border that prevents text from sliding up. | Normally, text "flows" around images. If you place an image in the code, any text you add below it will push up into the space to the side of the image... but other images will ''not''. This can lead to an image at the end of a section pushing down into the next, and pushing any images at the ''top'' of that section further down than they should be, messing up the layout. Placing a <nowiki>{{-}} or {{--}}</nowiki> at the end of a section creates a linebreak at that point, a border that prevents text from sliding up. | ||
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===Do you really ''need'' that image?=== | ===Image content (Or: Do you really ''need'' that image?)=== | ||
It is entirely possible to have ''too many'' images in a section. A good example of this is this [https://tfwiki.net/mediawiki/index.php?title=Windblade_(RID)&oldid=1579547|older version of ''Robots in Disguise'' Windblade's cartoon writeup]. All of the text was sandwiched between two walls of images, and on wider browser windows, the pictures push each other down into ''multiple'' sections below (thanks to not using <nowiki>{{-}} or {{--}}</nowiki> breaks, while ''having'' those would have caused a huge whitespace gap between the image columns), ''severely'' janking up the page's layout and readability. Currently, the page has about half as many images: some were moved to other relevant pages, others were deleted altogether as they simply weren't necessary. | |||
Remember, images are ''supplemental'' to the text, and should themselves relay information. Consider what's ''in'' the image and what it tells the reader, especially in relation to other images in the same section. Is it expanding on the character or scene in question in some way? Are you adding something useful, or simply contributing to clutter? A close-up bust shot of a character talking calmly in a section that already has multiple images ''probably'' isn't adding anything useful, while a close-up of a character showing extreme emotion... ''might''. | |||
So, what makes for a useful image? | |||
In most normal circumstances, it is best to use full, uncropped screen grabs or comic panels (or even more than one sequential panel in some circumstances), providing extra context. Of course, this is somewhat dependent on how much actual text the image is accompanying: if the section in question amounts to little more than a small cameo, a close crop on just the character (or group they're in) ''might'' work better with the layout than a full-sized panel/screenshot. | |||
As ''Transformers'' characters often have different designs across different media, it's a good idea to make sure there's at least one image that shows as much of their differing design(s) in all modes, if available. It's also generally good to focus on ''moments'', be they of action or emotional beats. If you can marry that with the "show the design off" intent of an image, all the better. [[Strika (BM)#Fiction|''Beast Machines'' Strika's fiction section]] is a good example. Her appearances in each piece of (visual) media are supplemented with images that show off her differing designs, with alternate mode images, using full shots/panels, and generally are also plot-important (or simply bad-ass) moments to boot. | |||
That said, not ''every'' "important" moment needs an image. For a while, there was an issue where images of characters' deaths were added to ''many'' pages, which often led to clutter, extra empty space, and was just kinda gruesome. Be choosy in what you add. | |||
{{-}} | |||
===Creating toy images=== | |||
[[File:G1-toy Cosmos.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|User-provided image of "Generation 1" [[Cosmos (G1)#Toys|Cosmos]]. Most toy images will be roughly like this.]] | |||
[[File:G1-toy Megaplex.jpg|upright=1.66|thumb|A considerably more complex image of [[e-HOBBY]] [[Megaplex#Toys|Megaplex]], thanks to his many modes and accessories.]] | |||
While TFWIKI.NET does make use of official stock imagery as needed, we do encourage the use of original, user-created images for a multitude of reasons (among them, stock images are rarely of actual final product and may have differences from the real deal). If you plan to make images yourself, we do have standards for both quality and content. Out of focus, badly-lit images, or images of particularly ratty and incomplete toys will typically be deleted and replaced with available stock images. Also, it is generally frowned upon to replace images created by another user, though it can sometimes be acceptable to replace particularly old, smaller images (the wiki is nearly two decades old at this point, digital photography (and download speed) has come a long way in that time). | |||
Please keep these guides in mind when creating a toy image. Note that these apply to both user-made photos ''and'' official stock photos that have been edited into a single image. | |||
* Pictures should be against a plain, detail-less background. While the examples shown here have had the backgrounds digitally removed to pure white, that is not necessary. As long as the backdrop you use is plain and unobtrusive (such as in [[:File:TF-Legacy-Deluxe-Class-Elita-1.jpg|this example]]), it's fine. (Sometimes stock images are against black backdrops, Takara does this often enough.) Complex backgrounds can make the thumbnails cluttered, so avoid them if at all possible. But if the only image of a rare piece you can find online is against someone's kitchen table, well, so be it. | |||
* Try to keep the image generally horizontal. A 4:3 width/height ratio is a good "minimum"/target to work with; for example, a 600-pixel high image (which is generally big enough for most toys, we don't need super-huge images) should then be at least 800 pixels wide. If the toy doesn't fill all that width (like a single-mode [[Action Master]] or a combiner team's super-robot mode), honestly, that's fine, a little space on the sides doesn't hurt at all; some entries really don't have a lot to say about them, so horizontal images helps reduce the empty space below the text. Going even wider is of course fine if you need the space, but once you start getting close to a 2:1 ratio, you might want to see if you can do a bit of compressing or rearranging somewhere. Of course, more complex toys with more than two modes may require a more square image to capture everything (and a bigger pixel height at full size viewing). Keep in mind the amount of text that will be next to this; a long writeup gives you a lot more leeway for a more vertical image. | |||
* Be sure to include all official ''individual'' modes, and have all included accessories ''somewhere'' in the image. As long as their gun/sword/whatever is visible in at least one mode, you don't need to worry about adding it to the other(s) (unless you really really want to). | |||
* Toys that can combine with others typically do not need to have their individual combined-mode forms in the images, as those should appear in the separate images of the assembled "super robot" mode. There are some instances where it ''might'' be beneficial to include these modes, such as with some of the ''[[Transformers: Energon (toyline)| Energon]]'' Autobots, who can form the torso or legs to a two-robot combiner but do not have any named "super robot" modes, thus there's no relevant page or combined-mode picture to feature them. | |||
* Some features of the toy, such as deployed gimmicks and alternate accessories, can be in "inset" panels, zoomed in close to just show the bits that changed in order to save space. The more gimmicks and alternate parts a toy has, the more this might be needed. Try to keep insets grouped together, rather than scattered across the image. | |||
* Minimize empty space at the top and bottom of the image; typically the robot mode would be the yardstick here. Ideally, their head and feet (or whatever bits are the highest/lowest) should butt right up against the top and bottom edges of the image. Of course, multi-changers can muddle this a bit, but still, whatever element is the highest/lowest should be right at the top/bottom edge of the image. | |||
* It's not a ''requirement'' per se, but we really do prefer the "robot" mode on the left side of the image, with the alternate mode(s) to the right. Most of our images are like this, and it's good to keep that visual consistency. | |||
* Oh and please add the TFWIKI.NET watermark to your image, which can be found [[:File:TFWiki-watermark.psd|HERE]]. Ideally it should go in an unobtrusive part of the image; bottom-right corner is usually good, but any empty space will work. Putting it at a 50% opacity helps too. | |||
{{-}} | |||
==Text layout== | ==Text layout== | ||
Revision as of 22:54, 1 September 2022
Basically, this page is here to show you how to step back and look at how your edits can affect the whole of the page you're editing. Because focusing solely on the detail directly in front of you and failing to step back and look at how it works with the bigger picture is how you get a Michael Bay movie.
First things first
No, really. The "Preview changes" button is your friend. Welcome it into your life. It can save you a lot of hassle.
Images
Thumbnail size
The coding for placing a thumbnail image looks like this:
[[File:filename.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Caption goes here.]]
Our standard image thumbnail width is "upright=1.66", meaning 66% larger than the default thumbnail size automatically used if you do not indicate the image width. We use this slightly-larger thumbnail size as Transformers imagery is often very busy visually, which can make smaller thumbnails a bit of an eyestrain.
Sometimes, it may be necessary to have a thumbnail larger than our standard. A good example is on pages where the "mainpic" at the top is more horizontal than vertical. Mainpics should have a decently large "footprint" to catch the reader's eye, and since most character page mainpics are more vertical than horizontal (typically being close-cropped images of a full-body shot when possible), the standard width means they take up a good amount of space. But if the only clear media images are close-ups, or if there are no media images and the mainpic is a photograph of a toy (typical for lots of Mini-Cons and BotBots), then those vertical images should probably be stretched out a bit. Particularly involved images used to illustrate an important point, such as this image demonstrating "Gang-molding" in action, may also need to be bigger, especially if they have more explanatory captions. "Upright=2" will often be enough, and on on occasion you might need to go up to 2.33... but any bigger is going to take a hell of a lot of justifying.
And sometimes, you might actually need to go smaller, typically to cut empty space in sections without a lot of text (more on that below). Not setting a width will make the thumbnail default to "1", but you can also make sure of that by setting it in the code. Going even smaller than the default is rarely beneficial; at that point, you might want to consider changing the image itself to better work with the page layout.
Placement
Do not open a subheader with a left-justified image. The natural inclination at a line break is to look back left for the next line, and putting an image there usually means the reader has to look right to find the text instead. Stick to the right.
Images should only be put to the left of the page well into long, multi-paragraph sections, like in a major character's "Fiction" section. Take a look at Spud Muffin's cartoon writeup as an example. Alternating between right- and left-justified images helps visually break up what would otherwise be a massive wall of text, giving the reader easy "checkpoints" to keep track of where they are. Generally, you want one image per two to three paragraphs, depending of course on paragraph and section length. You will rarely need more than one image from any given episode/issue (obviously large roles in longer media like movies or graphic novels or video games will probably require multiple images, if only to break up the wall of text).
In Toy writeups, you may sometimes need more than one image for a single toy, typically when there's significant deco differences between the Hasbro and Takara releases (which happens a lot less often now, hardly ever, but for quite a while it was a thing). Toy images should basically always stay right-justified to make these comparisons easier. (((((Clocker_(Cybertron)#Toys Clocker image example))))) (((((add bit about when to use text links to images instead of thumbnails, not every image NEEDS to be a visible thumbnail)))))
Linebreaks and empty space
Normally, text "flows" around images. If you place an image in the code, any text you add below it will push up into the space to the side of the image... but other images will not. This can lead to an image at the end of a section pushing down into the next, and pushing any images at the top of that section further down than they should be, messing up the layout. Placing a {{-}} or {{--}} at the end of a section creates a linebreak at that point, a border that prevents text from sliding up.
Which one should be used varies on the situation. The {{-}} places an extra linebreak, leaving a bit of empty space. Honestly, this can be fine sometimes to give a little bit of visual breathing room if the lowest thing in the section is text, keeping it from being too close to the next section's header title and looking smooshed. {{--}} can be better if the lowest item is likely going to be the bottom of an image... but sometimes this doesn't actually stop the image from pushing down in to the next header for uncertain reasons.
However, this can also cause problems as it can leave a massive block of empty space under the text, depending on how tall the image is. This is not ideal; large gaps can severely break the "flow" of reading, and just looks bad. We don't like big blocks of empty white space. We've done a lot of work trying to reduce it (see "Collists and Tables"). Which means taking careful consideration of your image choices.
This can be a problem with very short headers, such as describing a character's minor role in a piece of fiction. Try to use an image that is more horizontal than vertical in these instances. This is easy when using screen grabs of video media since most of it's already horizontal, but can be a bit trickier when dealing with comic panels.
There is one place where it's perfectly okay to let an image drop down into the next subheader: the "Notes". Generally the only thing that should go below Notes are things like "References" and "External Links", neither of which require images, and those typically leave a bunch of empty space on the right side of the page anyway.
Oh, and one last thing: captions. While this wiki is (in)famous for its image captions, we do have some standards (see the link), and one of those is a certain degree of brevity. Long "joke" captions run the risk of not just being unfunny, but of screwing with the layout. If the caption takes up more vertical space than the actual image, dial it back.
Image content (Or: Do you really need that image?)
It is entirely possible to have too many images in a section. A good example of this is this version of Robots in Disguise Windblade's cartoon writeup. All of the text was sandwiched between two walls of images, and on wider browser windows, the pictures push each other down into multiple sections below (thanks to not using {{-}} or {{--}} breaks, while having those would have caused a huge whitespace gap between the image columns), severely janking up the page's layout and readability. Currently, the page has about half as many images: some were moved to other relevant pages, others were deleted altogether as they simply weren't necessary.
Remember, images are supplemental to the text, and should themselves relay information. Consider what's in the image and what it tells the reader, especially in relation to other images in the same section. Is it expanding on the character or scene in question in some way? Are you adding something useful, or simply contributing to clutter? A close-up bust shot of a character talking calmly in a section that already has multiple images probably isn't adding anything useful, while a close-up of a character showing extreme emotion... might.
So, what makes for a useful image?
In most normal circumstances, it is best to use full, uncropped screen grabs or comic panels (or even more than one sequential panel in some circumstances), providing extra context. Of course, this is somewhat dependent on how much actual text the image is accompanying: if the section in question amounts to little more than a small cameo, a close crop on just the character (or group they're in) might work better with the layout than a full-sized panel/screenshot.
As Transformers characters often have different designs across different media, it's a good idea to make sure there's at least one image that shows as much of their differing design(s) in all modes, if available. It's also generally good to focus on moments, be they of action or emotional beats. If you can marry that with the "show the design off" intent of an image, all the better. Beast Machines Strika's fiction section is a good example. Her appearances in each piece of (visual) media are supplemented with images that show off her differing designs, with alternate mode images, using full shots/panels, and generally are also plot-important (or simply bad-ass) moments to boot.
That said, not every "important" moment needs an image. For a while, there was an issue where images of characters' deaths were added to many pages, which often led to clutter, extra empty space, and was just kinda gruesome. Be choosy in what you add.
Creating toy images
While TFWIKI.NET does make use of official stock imagery as needed, we do encourage the use of original, user-created images for a multitude of reasons (among them, stock images are rarely of actual final product and may have differences from the real deal). If you plan to make images yourself, we do have standards for both quality and content. Out of focus, badly-lit images, or images of particularly ratty and incomplete toys will typically be deleted and replaced with available stock images. Also, it is generally frowned upon to replace images created by another user, though it can sometimes be acceptable to replace particularly old, smaller images (the wiki is nearly two decades old at this point, digital photography (and download speed) has come a long way in that time).
Please keep these guides in mind when creating a toy image. Note that these apply to both user-made photos and official stock photos that have been edited into a single image.
- Pictures should be against a plain, detail-less background. While the examples shown here have had the backgrounds digitally removed to pure white, that is not necessary. As long as the backdrop you use is plain and unobtrusive (such as in this example), it's fine. (Sometimes stock images are against black backdrops, Takara does this often enough.) Complex backgrounds can make the thumbnails cluttered, so avoid them if at all possible. But if the only image of a rare piece you can find online is against someone's kitchen table, well, so be it.
- Try to keep the image generally horizontal. A 4:3 width/height ratio is a good "minimum"/target to work with; for example, a 600-pixel high image (which is generally big enough for most toys, we don't need super-huge images) should then be at least 800 pixels wide. If the toy doesn't fill all that width (like a single-mode Action Master or a combiner team's super-robot mode), honestly, that's fine, a little space on the sides doesn't hurt at all; some entries really don't have a lot to say about them, so horizontal images helps reduce the empty space below the text. Going even wider is of course fine if you need the space, but once you start getting close to a 2:1 ratio, you might want to see if you can do a bit of compressing or rearranging somewhere. Of course, more complex toys with more than two modes may require a more square image to capture everything (and a bigger pixel height at full size viewing). Keep in mind the amount of text that will be next to this; a long writeup gives you a lot more leeway for a more vertical image.
- Be sure to include all official individual modes, and have all included accessories somewhere in the image. As long as their gun/sword/whatever is visible in at least one mode, you don't need to worry about adding it to the other(s) (unless you really really want to).
- Toys that can combine with others typically do not need to have their individual combined-mode forms in the images, as those should appear in the separate images of the assembled "super robot" mode. There are some instances where it might be beneficial to include these modes, such as with some of the Energon Autobots, who can form the torso or legs to a two-robot combiner but do not have any named "super robot" modes, thus there's no relevant page or combined-mode picture to feature them.
- Some features of the toy, such as deployed gimmicks and alternate accessories, can be in "inset" panels, zoomed in close to just show the bits that changed in order to save space. The more gimmicks and alternate parts a toy has, the more this might be needed. Try to keep insets grouped together, rather than scattered across the image.
- Minimize empty space at the top and bottom of the image; typically the robot mode would be the yardstick here. Ideally, their head and feet (or whatever bits are the highest/lowest) should butt right up against the top and bottom edges of the image. Of course, multi-changers can muddle this a bit, but still, whatever element is the highest/lowest should be right at the top/bottom edge of the image.
- It's not a requirement per se, but we really do prefer the "robot" mode on the left side of the image, with the alternate mode(s) to the right. Most of our images are like this, and it's good to keep that visual consistency.
- Oh and please add the TFWIKI.NET watermark to your image, which can be found HERE. Ideally it should go in an unobtrusive part of the image; bottom-right corner is usually good, but any empty space will work. Putting it at a 50% opacity helps too.
Text layout
The wiki is a very text-heavy site. It can be tricky to avoid creating a massive wall of text that will cause a reader's eyes to unfocus and drift off. As noted above, image placement can help with that, but a lot of the time it's simply up to the editor to know when to break or tighten things up.
When describing the action in a piece of fiction, you don't have to describe every little thing that happens in exquisite detail. We're not trying to be the novelization (especially when describing novels!). While it's helpful to cite multiple examples of a phenomenon (like with Gold Plastic Syndrome), you don't need to go into every known instance.
It is also possible to have paragarphs that are too short. This doesn't mean you should stretch the wordcount like you're trying to reach a high school essay's page requirement, just that it can help to know when to elaborate a little, give a bit of broader context to what's going on around a character, or add small moments of character-building details. If a character makes multiple minor appearances across several installments of a cartoon/comic that can each be summed up in a sentence or two, then it's a good idea to consolidate them all into a single paragraph. Not only does this save vertical space, but it lightly emphasizes the briefness to keep them as one big whole, where a bunch of isolated sentence-paragraphs gives the feel of "highlighting" stuff that doesn't really need to be highlighted.
Collists and Tables
As part of our "reduce empty space" drive,
In general, these tables should have five columns in total: the first four for text, and the fifth (rightmost) reserved for supplementary/example images. The template is adjustible to have any number of columns, but it is a rare circumstance where you will need either fewer or more. The overwhelming majority of pages use the five-column layout, and keeping visual consistency is preferred.
{| style="margin-left:1em;" width="100%"
|width="20%" valign="top"|<u>'''[[group]]'''</u>
* [[Item]]
* [[Item]]
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|<u>'''[[group]]'''</u>
* [[Item]]
* [[Item]]
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|<u>'''[[group]]'''</u>
* [[Item]]
* [[Item]]
|
|width="20%" valign="top"|<u>'''[[group]]'''</u>
* [[Item]]
* [[Item]]
|
|width="20%" valign="top" rowspan=2|[[File:eaxmpleimage.jpeg|right|thumb|200px|]]
|-
|width="20%" valign="top"|<u>'''[[group]]'''</u>
* [[Item]]
* [[Item]]
|}
The "rowspan" in the image column means that any images placed there will follow down into the next row if they are taller than the rest of the entries in that row. You can place multiple images into that one section to maintain a solid "line" of images, but be aware the table will put blank space between the rows if the image column is taller than the text columns, so don't go nuts. You should rarely need more than two example images per table anyway, and again, it's best to try and use more horizontal images if possible.
Sometimes, you may need to spread a "group" across multiple columns to keep one entry from being much longer than the others in the row, leading to the dreaded unbalanced empty space. Luckily, this is very simple to do:
|width="20%" valign="top"|<u>'''[[group]]'''</u> * [[Item]] * [[Item]] | |width="20%" valign="top"|<br> * [[Item]] * [[Item]]
