View source for Help:Writing Character Pages

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Welcome to the Dustloop page on Writing Character Pages. This page should go hand-in-hand with the writing in our [[Help:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style]] to help with crafting detailed, concise, and accurate character breakdowns. Dustloop is wiki of both hard data and strategy suggestions, so make sure our pages are as clean and up-to-date as possible. We appreciate your hard work!
==Emphasis on Competitive Gameplay==
The Dustloop Wiki is not a place to talk about the lore of the games - there are other wikis for that. The purpose of the character pages is to give information about how a character plays in a competitive/tournament setting. Try to keep any backstory/personality section for characters brief - think about a paragraph total. Use the majority of the overview section to discuss the character's play style/unique abilities in the game, like how would you describe to a new player what this character does in a conversation.

==Remember the Intended Audience==
When writing guides, remember the intended audience is beginner and intermediate players --not experts.
*Move explanations should not be very long if possible. Use bullet lists to list interesting properties, and paragraphs for deeper explanations.
*Do not waste words describing what the attack looks like - that is what the image is for.
**An exception is when the move is too visually complex for a small set of images to explain. In these cases, describing what a move looks like is acceptable.
*Do not compare a move against older versions of the move unless there's a really good reason to do so.
** Ex: Explaining that the older version of an attack was an overhead doesn't help the reader learn about THIS version of the game.

==Writing Strengths and Weaknesses==
===What's the Point of Pros and Cons?===

Pros and Cons are some of the most contested and meticulously curated parts of Dustloop Wiki. For good reason- they often contain the most visible and direct summaries of characters on the site. Players new to specific games will arrive on Overview pages and immediately look at them to get an at-a-glance summary of the character they want to play. However, Pros and Cons are not the end of character breakdowns. 

 <big>Pros/Cons are only really a summary of ideas that should be illustrated in other places on the wiki.</big>

Thus, you shouldn't really use Pros and Cons as a strategy guide loadout or for a complete overview of a character. The idea should be to lead the reader into other areas of the page. For example, {{Character_Label|GGXRD-R2|Chipp}} has the Pro: 

* '''Excellent Buttons''': Fast startups paired with great hitboxes and recovery on many normals (6P, c.S, 2S) can make Chipp difficult to challenge.

By specifically listing the example material that makes this Pro valid, the player reading the page is lead to those movecards to check them out for themselves. Similar Pros might lead players to the Strategy or Okizeme page, while Cons might inform them of glaring weaknesses to keep in mind while playing a character. 
As well, you should be very careful about how you add Pros and Cons and how they are phrased. Incorrect or misleading language can result in new players being wrongly informed about the character. 

Having discussions about Pros and Cons can be a fruitful effort for the wiki as a whole. Talking about it in our Discord server is the best place to get a go-ahead, since that is where many of the editors are most active.

===Format===
* Each Strength/Weakness should follow the following format:
::'''Bold Text''': 1-3 sentence explanation. One for simpler pros/cons, two-three for more complex pros/cons.
* For example: 
:: '''Slugger''': {{Character Label|GGACR|Sol}}'s close range options, such as 2P, +3 on block 2S, Volcanic Viper, and Wild Throw are scary tools. His frame traps and counter hit conversions are incredibly damaging in skilled hands and can usually score a knockdown to set up another favorable sequence.
:: '''Can't Approach''': {{Character Label|GGACR|Potemkin}} can not dash or airdash, limiting his options to simply walking forward. [[GGACR/Potemkin#Hammer_Fall|Hammerfall]] is not a suitable replacement for either of these, and as such neutral requires strong patience and decision-making.
Think of the bold text as a TL;DR and the explanation as explaining it, though it should still be brief.
* If there's something that you feel like is absolutely imperative to be mentioned to any newer or inexperienced player about a character (i.e. difficulty barriers, defensive quirks), but does not exactly fit as a legitimate or objective Pro/Con; remember that you have the ~3 paragraphs worth of space in the character's Overview section above the Pros/Cons table to make that known, or the Strategy page to write it out in-depth.
* Lastly, ''please'' refrain from using the Pros and Cons section as a battleground for balance. If you're unsure about a change or feel like something is not listed that is relevant to the character, ask around the [https://discord.com/invite/d9tgMZg Discord] for our opinions on the subject or consult other experts on the game.

===On Writing Pros===
* '''Whereas Cons are more specific, Pros can be very open-ended and generalized.''' For example, having good defense in a game with generally bad defense is likely worth noting, even if other characters are also strong on defense. 
* '''Always make sure to specify what elements of a Pro make it valid.''' Saying '''Space Control''' for a character and following it up with "Using his good normals, {{Character Label|GGACR|Ky}} can control space well" is very vague. Which of Ky's normals are good for space control? Listing specific examples like {{clr|3|f.s}} and {{clr|4|j.H}} are good ways to clear things up. 
* '''Don't get overly into minutia''' such as things like having 1 extra frame of jump startup, or having an overhead that is 2 frames faster than average. Are these really a key strength/weakness of the character?
* '''Don't try to balance the number of Pros and Cons to be equal, they don't need to be.''' Developers don't purposefully make characters to be just plain bad (anymore), but also, what players end up discovering and valuing to be "good" in a game may vary greatly from their intent. As a result, some characters will inevitably have more strengths than weaknesses and vice versa. Trying to balance this by creating poorly-justified or outright fake Pros or Cons gives people an incorrect view of the character, which can hurt the learning process of newcomers.

===On Writing Cons===
* Cons should be very specific to the issue that plagues the character. Always make sure that you specify the exact problem a character has when listing their weakness. 
* '''The absence of a good tool isn't the same thing as having a weakness''', especially if the character is built to do something that does not need that tool, '''but lacking something "essential" would be a weakness'''.
** Therefore lacking a DP in a game with bad defensive options is a negative, but not having a gap closer is not a defining weakness. A DP can be essential for getting characters away from you or demanding space, but not having a dedicated gap closer just means you need to use universal mechanics to get around, and your character may not even need a gap closer to perform well.
** '''Make sure the absence of a dedicated tool is not covered somewhere else in the character's kit.''' In Guilty Gear, not having an invincible AA 6P button is not a weakness if they have other buttons that are reliable anti-airs like Testament {{clr|3|2S}} or Order-Sol's Gunblaze special move. 
* A character without any notable weaknesses is '''not necessarily a flawless character'''. It often means that their weaknesses are things that apply to the whole cast, or are not significant enough to be worth noting.

===Other Details===
* <big>Pros and Cons are not the end of discussion!</big> It's important that you back up your reasoning with examples and demonstrations. Helping to fill out a character's Strategy pages or detail their Movecards in the overview is very helpful for proving your point.
* The first time a special move is mentioned on an overview page, it should be written as its full name, alongside its input, and with a hyperlink to the move section.
* Move inputs (such as 6P or 236L) should be color coded with their corresponding button color (EG: green for GBVS medium, pink for GGXRD Light, etc.). This isn't set up for all games, but quite a few of them have this feature. This is done by using a template
**If a move is more commonly referenced by another name (such as an abbreviation, its numpad input, or an alternate colloquial term), put that alternate way of referring to the move in parenthesis either immediately after the first use of the move name, or incorporate it into the move's description itself, or perhaps both. That makes it so from then on you can use that alternate way of referring to the move for the rest of the overview or other text without worry of confusion.
* If a term is particularly obscure to the point that a beginner cannot comprehend it, add a tooltip explaining the term, or add a link to the glossary (for instance: [[F-Shiki|F-Shiki]], or [[BBCF/Defense#Barrier_Block|Barrier Block]])
*If you need to reference another character who is not the character on the current page, make their name a hyperlink to said character's page or use the Character_Label function, such as with Missing Link {{Character Label|GGML|Potemkin}}.

==Writing Pick and Avoid==
[[file:Pick_And_Avoid_Example.png|400px|thumb|right|An example of a Pick/Avoid Entry for Happy Chaos.]]
For some games, such as [[GGST|Guilty Gear -Strive-]], Pros and Cons are instead replaced with "Pick if you like..." and "Avoid if you dislike...". This is game-specific and is chosen based on the style of game and community.

These follow '''very different writing styles''' and should be carefully considered when done.

* Bullets have ''no individual headers''.
* Bullets are ''very short'', and should be no longer than 20 words.
* Bullets should grammatically follow from the main header ''(e.g. "Pick if you like... A read-based offense that rewards predicting your opponent")''.

'''Pick/Avoid entries are intentionally qualitative and subjective'''.

They ''should not'' talk directly about character strengths/weaknesses, but what sets them apart ''design-wise''. Even if an entry wants to talk about a character stength/weakness, it should be contextualised what this really means as a player, what decisions does it change, and what kind of experience will it give them. Even if it is objectively insignificant to winning, it matters if it impacts the ''feeling'' of the character.

However, while you give ''subjective analysis'' of the character, make sure to avoid giving ''conclusions'' about a character. What might sound boring to you might be the very thing that makes them fascinating to someone else. It's not the editor's role to tell the reader what the feel about a character, just what their ''style'' is.

; Example 1

For {{Character Label|GGST|Nagoriyuki}}, Pick if you like...
 * '''Damage'''. Even short, simple combos hit very hard.
 * '''Strong combo game.''' Also pays huge dividends for great situational awareness and execution.
This is a '''{{clr|#FF0000|bad}}''' set of entries:
* They're both discussing the same general topic, bloating the list.
* Bold headers are being used, breaking the minimalist style.
* "Big damage" doesn't say anything about how they play. Ask yourself, what as a player are you looking out for to achieve this damage? What makes this damage different from other high-damage characters?

 * Dealing big damage from any hit you land, and even more with proper situational awareness and Blood management.
This is a '''{{clr|#00FF00|good}}''' entry.
* It manages to convey a broader sense of their relationship with damage.
* It's longer, but still within reason (18 words). It's okay to use ''a few'' extra words if needed.
* It reads cleanly from the header, "Pick you like dealing big damage from any hit you land, and even more with proper situational awareness and Blood management."

; Example 2
For {{Character Label|GGST|Baiken}}, Avoid if you dislike...
 * Boring offense revolving around a single looping RPS.
 * Learning how to defend properly.
This is a '''{{clr|#FF0000|bad}}''' set of entries:
* "Boring offense" makes a ''subjective conclusion'' on how a player should feel, when it's likely many will diagree.
* In addition both entries risk being misinterpretted by a reader as a ''personal attack''.

 * Simple offense with clear-cut optimal patterns and little reason to deviate from them. 
This is a '''{{clr|#00FF00|good}}''' entry.
* It conveys clearly the style of gameplay. More familiar players may interpret this to sound boring, relaxing, or something else.
* It's more neutral on the character, it doesn't insult the design and cannot be misinterpretted as a personal matter.

==Writing Moves==
There is no real "defined" format to follow for specific move descriptions on Dustloop. The community at-large can decide how they like to format their information for the games they play, so this section contains tips for making descriptive and accurate move breakdowns. 

===Follow the Templates===
Templates are pre-defined sets of text used to maintain a uniform look throughout pages on the wiki. You can recognize a template when it's enclosed in double {s such as <code><nowiki>{{MyTemplate}}</nowiki></code>. To learn more about templates, check out [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Templates mediawiki's help page].

The move templates lovingly hand-crafted by our site engineers are ''the'' baseline for what individual moves should look like on a character page. They contain all the necessary information- move names, inputs, frame data, images and hitboxes, and a description box for writing detailed breakdowns of the particular move. Touching these templates to alter them in any way is a huge misdemeanor in the community, so don't do it. 

Most users won't need to worry about them as they will already be in place. But just in case all the pages follow the same pattern:

*When in doubt, look at other character pages, copy, and adapt for your own uses.
*Each move uses css and mediawiki tables to lay out an attack with move name, images, captions, and truncated list of frame data.
*Each character's page refers to their Data page that has all the data for that character, for example Answer's links and frame data are all on [[GGXRD-R2/Answer/Data]]. Sections on the data page are referenced by the character page, such as by <code><nowiki>{{#lst:GGXRD-R2/Answer/Data|5P}}</nowiki></code>
*When creating AttackData templates for new games, remember that not ALL frame data should be included. For example, [[Template:AttackData-BBCP]] does not include P1, P2, or SMP values while [[Template:AttackData-GGACR]] does not have GB+, GB-, or TG values.

An example of an idea move template, with filled-out information and a strong description to explain the move, can be found at the bottom of this page.

===Move Descriptions===
Many newcomers who start playing a fighting game want to know how each of their options functions in a real game. As a result, our move descriptions are some of the most important writing material on the site. We don't want to mislead or misinform the playerbase of these games, and as such, there are a few recommendations to follow when writing them.
* '''Informational clarity is top priority.''' The foremost purpose of a move description should be explaining how it functions. While this sounds simple, information can often get lost in repetition of facts, attempts at humor, or poor writing in general. As a guideline, try to explain the purpose of a move within a single sentence before moving onto it in greater detail. This will help you stay on-track with communicating the benefits and drawbacks of each move in a character's movelist. 
* '''Always double-check your information.''' Try to avoid incorrect information about the move you're writing as much as possible. Talk with community members, gather information from multiple sources, and as always ''test the move in-game for yourself'' before making claims about their function. 
** '''Understand "Bad" versus "Situational."''' Try to explain how and where niche moves can be used instead of outright declaring them as useless. For more information on this, consult [[Help:Manual_of_Style#Bad_Moves_VS_Situational_Moves|this section from the Manual of Style.]]
* '''Don't be too unbiased.''' It is important that newcomers get a concrete idea of how each move functions when reading a character page, so avoid reusing generic terms and descriptions (e.g. "powerful", "strong", "niche" "situational") if possible, especially if you are not elaborating as much. Using flavorful text properly can help emphasize even more important points while also making the text engaging to read. In a similar vein, the quality of individual moves should always be called out. If a move is amazing, make sure you point out how good it is while also explaining exactly why it is so good so they know what to look for in similar moves of that type.
* '''Edit your work!''' Always finish your writing period with a quick double-check of your work before submitting. Consider your writing from the perspective of an newcomer before submittal, so avoid using obscure community jargon. Fighting game terminology, such as {{keyword|DP}}, {{keyword|BnB}} or {{keyword|Fireball}} can be explained using the [[Template:Keyword|keyword function]] if necessary.

Below is a general example of what would be considered a ''poorly written'' move description, as opposed to a ''well-written'' one:

[[File:Bullet bad move.PNG|1000px|thumb|center| Before. Notice the amount of times that information is reused in this description. The move isn't that complex, so saying the same things over and over just confuses new players.]]
[[File:Bullet good move.PNG|1000px|thumb|center| After. With the description trimmed down, the audience now knows this move is a good poke with jump-cancellable attributes, making it useful for both neutral and pressure.]]

===Move Formatting===
While exact writing will depend on a case-by-case basis, a few simple desgn philosophies are generally upheld on Dustloop for good and effective formatting.

[[file:Movecard_Formatting_Example_3.png|1000px|thumb|center|An example of a movecard applying various formatting principles, discussed below.]]

Text follows a simple layout of paragraphs followed by bulletpoints.
# '''Introductory text:''' Keep it to '''1 line''', briefly summarising the entire move and mention at least one key function.
# '''Primary function:''' Elaborating on the main purpose of the move with more details and perhaps explaining why it's good at this. Avoid repeating anything from the introduction.
# '''Secondary function:''' If a move has more than one role, you may make a second paragraph to talk about it. This is stil important but not the central role of the move.
# '''Niche functions:''' If a move has a weird or niche utility worth knowing about, briefly discuss it. Even if it's very complicated, ''keep this short'' and only add this if it's notably relevant. Extremely niche tech can sometimes be ''too much information'' for a movecard (there's other places you can put it!).
# '''Additional Bulletpoints:''' brief, direct bulletpoints on ''additional mechanics'' of a move.

; Bulletpoints
[[file:Movecard_Formatting_Example_2.png|400px|thumb|right|This is an overview. Do your readers a favour and keep the excessive detail in Stats For Nerds.]]
A common mistake is to use bulletpoints to ''begin'' a movecard, or as a way to summarise topics. Bulletpoints should always be at the ''end'' of a card and only provide additional details. 

Bulletpoints should ''avoid'' strategy information beyond simply saying what the mechanic is. Sometimes a brief clarification of a mechanic is helpful (e.g. "Launches into a Rollng Tumble. A combo may continue from this knockdown".), but explaining why this is strategic information should already be said '''in the main description'''.

In addition, keep the bulletpoints list short. Aim to have '''3 bulletpoints at most'''. Avoid redundant data where possible. If you need more than 4, you're probably being far too detailed.

; Nerd Notes
Sometimes a move has so many weird mechanics you simply can't fit it all in, especially when you want only a few bulletpoints. If this happens, place as many extraneous details into the move's Notes data, which can be seen in the "Stats For Nerds" section. This keeps the card compact, without losing the information for people who ''really care''.

; Complex Tech
[[file:Movecard_Formatting_Example_1.png|400px|thumb|right|Jack-O's c.S is critical for her pressure, but that's too much to explain here. Link to the relevant section '''and keep it simple'''.]]
Sometimes a move has a ''very important'' function that's simply too complicated to put in a movecard. That's okay, simply link to the relevant section in the character's other pages. This gives readers a chance to easily find how to use this move, without front-loading the description with complicated tech or setups.

; Overall size

This is an ''overview'', often read by ''beginners''. Too much writing can often make people read less. Descriptions are ideally 200 words or less. Only go further if the move ''really justifies it''. It also helps if you can write sentences to provide ''the same information in fewer words''. Remember to use the above techniques if nessecary.
{{clear}}

==Writing Updated Move Functions==
Fighting games in the modern day are consistently updated with new balance patches that can radically change the functions of certain moves. When making writing changes based on balance patches, always include the details of the balance changes without explicitly drawing attention to them.

As an example, Ky's {{clr|5|j.D}} was changed heavily in ''Guilty Gear: -STRIVE-'''s Second Season (ver. 1.18) balance patch. The move gained new uses in Ky's pressure and combo game, making it much more useful than previous versions. However, calling attention to this change only serves to pollute the move description with unnecessary information and invites "move historiography". Contrast these two descriptions against each other.
[[File:Ky Season 2 Change Bad.png|1000px|thumb|center| Before. Do people really need to know that it was changed inbetween Season 1 and 2? We've also seen how much more useful {{clr|5|j.D}} is just by reading this.]]
[[File:Ky Season 2 Change Good.png|1000px|thumb|center| After. Clearer, more concise, and helps newcomers and veterans alike. Great!]]

Notice how better the bottom version reads? Without the fluff of the move's history getting in the way, the reader now knows how best to use this move, and suggestions to accommodate it into their gameplay. The audience reading these pages do not need to know the move's history or how it functioned in the past- they need to know how it functions '''right now, in the game they're currently playing.'''

Two final things to note: first, it can be worth discussing changes for moves between versions or games if the change is substantial enough to both the game and legacy. Moves that have had long-standing or vital properties and usage in a series, yet no longer carry them in a newer version such as invincibility or primary combo utility, are absolutely important to understand and are thus worth listing. Consider how impactful these changes are to each character -- if Sol lost his low-profile attributes on Night Raid Vortex in a newer version or a game, how would that affect his gameplan? 

[[File:P4AU_Update_Move_Change_Example.png|750px|thumb|center| Yu Narukami's {{clr|4|5D}} was well-known and popularized as his primary okizeme tool in Persona 4 Arena, but it was changed over the course of Ultimax's development to get rid of this utility, and thus fell far out of favor. However, to this day it's still often incorrectly referenced or attempted by some players, and using it improperly in Ultimax can get the Narukami player killed. Listing the changes in this scenario makes it easy for newcomers to understand how a move may now be far different from outdated community information.]]

Secondly, we do keep up-to-date patch notes for games that are still being updated, which can often be found on the main page of each respective game. If you see a page that needs updating, please consider taking the time to do so. Certain moves may require full rewrites depending on the scale of the buff or nerf, so if you're unsure of how to change a move, discuss it with members of the community first in our Discord. We love to talk.

==Writing Combos==
Combo pages are some of the most important parts of the site, as they contain the necessary information for proper conversions. They help teach players what moves to start combos with, what important combo fillers they should be performing, and how to end them efficiently. As such, the combo pages should be divided into two sections: '''Combo Theory''' and '''Combo Lists'''. 
===Combo Theory===
The Combo Theory section is the first thing a new player should see once they enter the combo page and get past the miscellaneous combo language identifiers. Combo Theory use our new "TheoryBox" functions to help build combos with visual aides for our players. These TheoryBoxes lay out all the important information about each character's most essential combos, such as where to look for performing them in a match, how hard they are, and what resources they build or spend. An example TheoryBox can be found at the bottom of the page.

TheoryBox examples are divided into three sections: '''Beginner''', '''Core''' and '''Specialized'''. Beginner combos are the bare minimum combo potential for a character, and are often very simple. They help teach core mechanics of how a character is expected to function, including starters, enders, and important combo filler. Core combos are the usual {{keyword|BnB}} combos for a character. They help teach important routing and balance consistency with reward. Specialized combos are unique, sometimes character-specific combos that are useful for high-level players. The situations where Specialized combos happen are often not common, but still important to know for squeezing out every bit of damage possible. You can set up a flag for dividing Combo Theory sections by using the ComboDef function. Examples of these functions are found at the bottom of the page.

Note that TheoryBoxes are fairly new to the site. Many older pages will likely not have TheoryBox sections, which can make certain pages a bit sparse and difficult for new players to understand. It is recommended that you update these Combo Pages as soon as possible. As well, TheoryBoxes have a small set of important rules for making them:
* As usual, adhere to Dustloop Manual of Style for writing.
* Video files must be kept under 9 MB. 
* Perform the Combo with input display on.
* All combos should be performed on the same character, unless the combo only works on a certain category of characters, e.g. weight class. 
* Combos should be performed on backgrounds with low-detail or non-intrusive elements if possible, to keep the demonstration visually clean.
* Video resolution is determinant on the uploader, but make sure your combos are visually clear. Try not to record combo videos in less than HD quality. 

Other than that, go nuts. How you choose to structure Combo Theory is entirely dependent on your own preferences! It might be a good idea to work with the community at-large when developing Combo Theory boxes, in order to help the onboarding process of new players go as smoothly as possible.

===Combo Lists===
Combo Lists are for intermediate or advanced players who want more options for converting off of hits. Once combo theory and general routes have been explained, combo lists allow learners to experiment with more options and perform more optimal combos. There are no real rules for exactly how to list each combo, but there are rules for how to write them.
* '''Use proper input terminology'''. Do not write the full name of each move in a combo list, as it will take up tons of space and make the combo difficult to parse, instead use numpad terminology. Include any exceptions as additional terminology in the Combo Notation Guide at the beginning of a combo page.
* '''Always include important movement information'''. If a combo requires a jump, microdash, or some other form of movement, make sure you include it. This can be very helpful for new players with learning the specifics of where to place themselves in combos.
* '''Visual aides help a lot!''' Some individuals are textual learners, while others are visual learners. Including a video link to performing a specific combo is not always necessary, but it is often very helpful. Recommended places to upload these combos are YouTube or Vimeo, both of which allow videos to be kept uploaded permanently. 
* '''Make sure difficulty is accurate.''' Listing every combo as "easy" if you manage to master a difficult input doesn't help new players at all. Consider difficulty in both executional prowess and proper spacing- how often are you going to hit this combo in a real match? 
* '''Divide up combos by starter, not by meter'''. This is a big one, and something many combo pages are guilty of doing. Always make sure specific combos begin with the starters themselves instead of meter percentage, as doing it by meter divides up critical routing and makes it hard to keep multiple variants of the same core combo in the same place.

==Writing Strategy==
The strategy section should explain the goals of the character, and how to achieve said goals. <br/>
A basic, yet thorough formatting of a strategy page would typically include:
* General / Overarching Strategy, such as how they can be played or the win conditions they must achieve
* Neutral
* Offense
** By extension, Okizeme details would fall under here as well
* Defense
* Tips and Tricks
** This is valuable! Be sure to explain tips and tricks the character uses such as Yosuke's glide technique, Arakune's fast-fall, Slayer's BDC, or Kagura's easy drive attack inputs.
* General or specific counterplay versus this character
** Information on counterplay against your character is important to let a reader know what to look for in an opponent's habits or gameplan that may shut their character down, or for another player to know what to try to contest in the match-up. Fighting games are 2-player and directly interactive; this information is just as valuable as the above about on how to play your side of the game.

==Writing Starter Guides==
Starter guides are intended to give players a quick read that establishes a bare minimum foundation of the character to build from, targeted at '''beginners'''. Their purpose is akin to quick starter guides in games like [https://u.gg/lol/champions/aatrox/build League of Legends] and [https://www.dotabuff.com/heroes/juggernaut DotA], which do not give in depth strategy nor lengthy theory. They should simply include a character's basic toolsets to give someone unfamiliar with fighting games a functional gameplan out of the gate.

;'''Do:'''
*Present a concise set of tools to start with
*Include short form descriptors (ex. {{clr|3|f.S}} is a far reaching poke to control space)
*Include '''Short''' videos to demonstrate precise concepts (Ex. how to high/low mixup)
*Include '''Short and Basic''' examples of beginner combos and setups.
*Refer to [[GGACR/Venom/Starter|other starter guides]] to use as templates 
*Include "further learning" sections at the bottom of a page that links to any more advanced resources or even the character's subpages like Strategy
----
'''Do Not:'''
*Copy-paste entire guides from external sources as the contents of the guide. Adapting information from such guides to Dustloop's formatting is encouraged, wholesale pasting is not.
*Paste a long list of combos wholesale from the combo page - starter guides are targeted at teaching beginners and they can navigate to the combo pages for these lists on their own.
*Include elaborate theory on how the character should play or needs to approach etc (simple concepts are fine)
*Talk about every normal and special the character has
*Give an overly detailed summary about what the character does or what their playstyle is (The Overview already covers this)
*Use advanced fighting game terminology without establishing what it means first (Ex. Okizeme should be explained as "What to do after a knockdown")
**When advanced terms are used, make sure to use the [[Template:Keyword|Keyword Template]] to create explainer hovertext or [[Template:Tooltip|Tooltip Template]] if the topic is not covered by the keyword glossary

==Tone==
The primary goal is to transfer information to the reader - it's best to think of yourself as a technical writer rather than a story teller. If information can be conveyed while being entertaining then all the better, but do not sacrifice informational value simply to be entertaining. Please try to keep this wiki primarily a place for information rather than to write jokes and story synopses. One suggestion is to mix the two; incorporate useful information into the entertainment and not simply joke around.

The main offender of this tenet is adding joke captions for images; occasional joking is fine, but giving every image a joke is overkill. Try adding a little useful info, trivia, or even no caption at all.

If you are struggling with proper writing tone and want to examples of what to do and what not to do, consider visiting the [[Help:Manual_of_Style|Manual of Style.]]
==Style==
*Avoid passive voice
*Avoid emotive language
*Avoid complex sentence structure.
**Sentences should ideally be approachable for readers of most levels of fluency. If you can say something in a simple way; do it.

==Length==
Readers don't have a long attention span so get to the point - this isn't a school book report and you're not trying to hit a word count. Having said that, it's a difficult balancing act between being thorough enough to fully explain something, but brief enough that readers don't get bored.

Look over what you've written and try to remove filler words or find a clearer way to phrase a sentence.

Other common pitfalls include:
*Adding too many examples to the point that it is a full list rather than a few examples that illustrate the general rule
*Going into details that would be considered trivia rather than help the player learn how or why an attack works the way it does

==Creating Images==
See [[Help:Creating Images]]

==Editing Frame Data==
See [[Help:Editing Frame Data]]

==The Resource Dump==
See a cool combo on Twitter, but don't know where to put it? Notice that a popular YouTuber just dropped an awesome guide for a character, but don't want to transplant all the information onto the overview page? Have your own theories about how a character can perform in a match, but don't want to drop it onto a main page just yet? Consider using the Resource Dump, which can be found on each character page. 

This can be a great place to put down miscellaneous information for later or help consolidate a backlog of material for players of all skill levels. Consider uploading any good information you find to this location. Consider visiting [[P4U2R/Kanji_Tatsumi/Resources|Kanji Tatsumi's Resource Dump]] for an idea of what can be put onto the page.

==Examples==
Below are examples of the current standards for character page entries. These are flexible, so consider it a recommendation and not a hard rule.

===Move Descriptions===

===<big>{{clr|3|c.S}}</big>===
{{GGACR Move Card
|chara=Venom
|input=c.S
|description=
{{#invoke:FrameChart|drawFrameData
|startup  = 5
|active   = 11
|recovery = 20
}}
{{clr|3|c.S}} is one of Venom's most important normals. It allows him to launch opponents for combos, hit tricky anti-air angles, charge {{MMC|input=[4]6S|label=Stinger Aim}} and {{MMC|input=[2]8S|label=Carcass Raid}}, crank guard bar, bait bursts, and more.

{{clr|3|c.S}} > {{MMC|input=[2]8S|label={{clr|3|[2]8S}}}} is one of Venom's most important pressure resets thanks to the frame advantage of {{clr|3|[2]8S}} combined with the flexibility of {{clr|3|c.S}}. Every Venom player needs to become comfortable with buffering a charge during {{clr|3|c.S}} for this reason. Similarly, the jump cancel allows you to mix up by going into {{Keyword|IAS}} {{MMC|input=j.236S|label={{clr|3|j.236S}}}} for a fast and rewarding overhead mixup.

It's important to consider is that {{clr|3|c.S}} has a short proximity range, and as such you will often need to use dash momentum or air dash momentum in order to ensure that you are within proximity range after your block string/combo starter. Because the proximity range is slightly larger than his throw range, and because this is his fastest normal without a downwards input, this is one of the best choices to {{Keyword|OS}} with throw.

Because this move starts the majority of Venom's combos and block strings, many players will attempt to burst it. Venom players should be prepared to use burst throw option selects, or read the opponent, jump cancel {{clr|3|c.S}} and block or throw their burst. Doing so is one of the best ways to make the opponent fear you, and Venom loves every bit of respect he can get out of the opponent.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" data-expandtext="Tell me why I shouldn't Burst c.S" data-collapsetext="Hide anti-Burst option selects"><br>
Because of its high hitstop and multiple hits, {{clr|S|c.S}} hosts multiple extremely strong burst throw OSs. Due to the hitstop difference between {{clr|S|c.S}} connecting and whiffing through Burst, you can perform a series of inputs that will perform a combo on hit, and throw their burst on burst. Keep in mind that as long as you stay on the ground, you can only OS against bursts on the first and second hits of {{clr|S|c.S}}; OSing against a third-hit burst will require performing an air combo, which will generally short you on your okizeme.

Notable option selects include:
*<code>{{clr|S|c.S(2)}} > 9~4{{clr|H|H}}</code> - OS against bursting {{clr|S|c.S(1)}}. Gives a backwards air throw on burst, and {{clr|H|5H}} on hit.
*<code>{{clr|S|c.S(3)}} > 9~6{{clr|K|K}}+{{clr|H|H}}</code> - OS against bursting {{clr|S|c.S(2)}}. Gives a forwards air throw on burst, and {{clr|K|6K}} on hit. Generally requires a truncated combo afterwards, as performing the OS makes <code>{{clr|S|c.S(3)}} > {{clr|K|6K}} > {{clr|S|[2]8S}}</code> extremely difficult. 
*<code>{{clr|S|c.S(3)}} > delayed j.6{{clr|S|S}}+{{clr|H|H}}</code> - OS against bursting {{clr|S|c.S(3)}}. Gives a forwards air throw on burst, and {{clr|S|j.S}} on hit. Most flawed of the OSs, since transitions into an air combo, which is less than ideal for Venom's combo routing wants in most situations.
</div><br>

[[GGACR/Venom/Frame_Data#Gatling_Table|Gatling Options]]: {{clr|1|6P}}, {{clr|2|6K}}, {{clr|3|f.S}}, {{clr|3|2S}}, {{clr|4|2H}}, {{clr|4|5H}}, {{clr|4|6H}}, {{clr|5|5D}}, {{clr|5|2D}}
}}

===<big>{{clr|3|j.C}}</big>===
{{P4U2R Move Card
|chara=Tohru Adachi
|input=j.C
|description=
Magatsu-Izanagi claws in front of the duo. Another infamous normal from Adachi, and one of the best of its kind in the game for its great space control and just plain oppression.

{{clr|3|j.C}} sports just about everything you could ever want in an air normal. It has a large and disjointed hitbox, deals great damage, and Magatsu-Izanagi also only trades at worst if Adachi is not hit himself due to Persona normal priority. All of this makes it a go-to in the air, and very good in its use cases. It hits very quickly and earlier than expected from IADs and even the laziest jump-ins while keeping Adachi relatively safe, and is also one of the few air normals that can actually beat some {{clr|2|2B}} anti-air attempts when timed right.

However, this attack is ''not'' an overhead only has one cancel option (Excluding OMC). Adachi has to either cancel {{clr|4|j.D}}/{{clr|4|j.2D}}, or wait until he lands to continue pressure. Additionally, at some higher ranges Adachi will '''not''' be plus if the opponent blocks the move, so be careful not to use it too high up.

For the pros of this move stated above, Adachi's {{clr|3|j.C}} is a BIG hurdle to jump in numerous matchups, but even moreso since it does at times beat out conventional counterplay with little risk against many characters. This is one of his moves where if the opponent does not have a solution to this button, they are going to have a terrible time in this matchup, and you're most likely going to have fun in getting to mash it like no tomorrow.

For combos, {{clr|3|j.C}} is used in Adachi's most basic crouch confirms, and as a key part of his hop-cancel juggles, which allow for combo extensions.
*'''Magatsu Mandala Buff:''' Poison.
}}

===Theory Boxes===

{{TheoryBox
| Title      = 2S BnB
| Oneliner   = Mostly consistent on air hit, too.
| Difficulty = {{clr|2|Easy}}
| Anchor     = BeginnerCombo1
| Video      = Grappler 2S BnB.mp4
| Recipe     = Starter > {{clr|S|2S}} > {{clr|S|4[S]}} > {{clr|M|5[M]}}~6, dash {{clr|B|2B}} > {{clr|S|4S}}
| content    =
This combo works with {{clr|A|5A}}, {{clr|A|5AA}}, or close {{clr|B|5B}} as a starter. Will not work if you scale hitstun more, such {{clr|B|5B}} > {{clr|B|2B}} or {{clr|A|5AA}} > {{clr|B|5B}}. In these cases, go straight from {{clr|S|2S}} to {{clr|S|4S}}.

This introduces an important part of Grappler's combos, which is {{MMC|chara=Grappler|game=DNFD|input=5M|label=Charged Magnumsault's ({{clr|M|5[M]}})}} {{keyword|OTG}}. Many routes that have {{MMC|chara=Grappler|game=DNFD|input=4S|label=Charged Air Steiner ({{clr|S|4[S]}})}} will use Magnumsault to extend combos into their common ender ({{clr|B|2B}} > {{clr|S|4S}}).

While you can always try to squeeze more damage in off of xA starters, it's best to end with Air Steiner to get okizeme and save MP.
}}

{{TheoryBox
| Title      = "Oppose" Anti-Air Combo
| Oneliner   = Learn this and you too can play Zato.
| Difficulty = {{clr|4|Hard}}
| Anchor     = CHOpposeBNB
| Video      = GGST Zato CH Oppose BnB.mp4
| Recipe     = {{clr|4|236H}} / {{clr|4|214H}}~{{clr|4|]H[}}, CH {{clr|4|2H}} > {{clr|3|214S}}, delay {{clr|3|]S[}}, delay {{clr|4|2H}} > {{clr|2|214K}}, [6]{{clr|3|c.S}} > [3]{{clr|3|[2S]}} > [3]{{clr|4|[2H]}}, delay {{clr|3|]S[}},{{clr|4|]H[}}, delay {{clr|4|2H}} > {{clr|2|214K}}, {{clr|3|c.S}} > {{clr|3|2S}} > {{clr|4|2H}} > {{clr|4|22H}}
| content    =
This is the core of Zato's sandwich BNBs. There are many variations for damage or meter build as well as different ways to end the combo for the best oki, but this core sequence is the first you should learn.

The delay before releasing {{clr|3|S}} to get {{MMC|game=GGST|input=]S[|chara=Zato-1|label="Leap"}} can vary by how far / high in the air your opponent was when the {{clr|4|2H}} connected and if the {{MMC|game=GGST|input=214S|chara=Zato-1|label=214S}} hit or whiffed. If the opponent files over your head you delayed too little, if they fall too far and both hits of "Leap" do not connect, you delayed too much. {{clr|4|2H}} should be delayed to connect between the two hits of "Leap", this helps stabilize the combo in addition to adding some damage. Be sure to hold forward then down-forward during the middle {{clr|3|c.S}} > {{clr|3|2S}} > {{clr|4|2H}} sequence as you need to move Eddie further away from Zato. You cannot move Eddie too far away, so it's easiest to just hold the directions.

Hitting this combo near to the corner can be tricky as you often cannot move Eddie far enough away for the "Leap" to not send the opponent over your head. Instead move Eddie towards Zato so "Leap" combos them into the corner.
}}

Clean TheoryBox:
{{TheoryBox
| Title      = 
| Oneliner   = 
| Difficulty = 
| Anchor     = 
| Video      = 
| Recipe     = 
| content    =
}}

Copy and paste the above into any Combo Theory page for later use.
{{BeginnerComboDef}}
{{CoreComboDef}}
{{SpecializedComboDef}}