User:Bluesonic1/Policies

Here are listed all the wiki's policies regarding the operations of its different areas. Any questions or concerns can be highlighted in this article's talk page, or else left in a message with a currently active administrator (activity statuses are maintained on the home page, otherwise check the most recent wiki edits).

''This page will keep being updated where and when necessary, so be sure to check in every once in a while to be sure you are up-to-date. If you would like to submit anything, feel free to post it in this article's Talk page.''

List of Staff
Staff retain their rights as per their activity & community consensus.

General Editing Policy

 * Please do not create articles on un-released dragons. This Wikia site is dedicated to in-cave dragons and events.
 * Please do not create articles based on unconfirmed information, speculation, rumour and discussions from the forum. This includes things such as future plans for certain breeds or Breed Specific Actions, discussions regarding suggestions or changes to the site and debates regarding information pertaining to events or dragons. This Wikia site is dedicated to official and confirmed information, dragons and events.
 * Please do not create articles on a dragon that already has an article unless otherwise stated by the dragon's sprite artist (if this becomes the case, contact an admin to let them know). To avoid this, type the dragon's name (if nothing comes up, also try other names the dragon is known by) into the search box to see if the page already exists. All dragons released at the moment have their own page but some links still link to deleted pages. If that is the case, simply remove the broken link and add the proper one. If you still can't find the dragon you're looking for, be sure to double check that information on it isn't being compiled on the Currently Being Released page.
 * There are severe consequences towards those who vandalise this Wikia. Said consequences depend on the severity of the vandalism but usually result in a permanent ban.
 * Please avoid starting or engaging in edit wars. Should a situation arise, please leave an admin a message and they will work out the best course of action.
 * Do not remove notices posted by admins on any article, however stupid or old they may seem. Failing to do so will result in a 3 day ban. However, if you see a notice that you think is outdated and should no longer be on the page, please mention this on that article's talk page or contact an admin directly so that staff can deal with it.
 * Do not edit the official description of the dragon. Editing the description on the wiki will not change it on the site. If there is a grammatical error in it please post it in the Grammar Patrol thread on on the forums.
 * Links to click sites and fansites are only allowed in this article and it's just a link in that article. Any articles made for a site or advertisements made for a site on this Wikia will receive you a one week ban.
 * Re-coloring a sprite to update it to look like what would be current is not allowed. Editing of any of the sprites here is forbidden without the permission of the original artist. Even if said permission is given, we do not accept re-colored or altered sprites on main articles- again, this Wikia is for in-cave and official dragons only. You're welcome to post those edited sprites with permission on your user page though.
 * Please do not post in the News and Announcements board unless you are staff- this is used to put out notices to the community. If no staff are active to announce DC events, then please feel free to post and use the board for this purpose then.

General Writing Policy
More information on how articles should be written can be read on the DragCave Wiki:Manual of Style.


 * Quotes and references made on articles need to be sourced back to their original linked location. If no link is available, such as information received via forum PM, then this needs to be stated instead. This is available as a function in the quote template or if trivia points are being referenced, then the reference list template can be added to the end of the article. Any quotes made should be copied verbatim- if there are any errors, the sic template should be used to indicate this. If you're ever in doubt on how to format these, please look up dragon articles to imitate. The Dark Lumina Dragon article uses Quote, Reflist and Sic templates. The Solstice Dragon article includes concept artwork, and how to add images regarding release glitches into the Trivia section.
 * Official dragon descriptions should be copied verbatim from the site- even if there is a spelling/grammar error. Once this is corrected on-site, it can be updated on the wiki. Any errors can be indicated with by using the sic template.
 * If you are going to mention a person's name on an article or write about them, please make sure you have permission from that person first unless you are that person. We've had cases already with people's names being mentioned and who got upset as a result as well as too much personal information posted on another member without their consent.
 * Please refrain from using nicknames for spriters in articles.
 * Please do not talk in an article. Talk pages are there for a reason- please use them instead of an article, or the wiki forums.

Rules of New Dragon Releases
All newly released dragon information is to be compiled on the "Currently Being Released" article and this article only.

Do Not:
 * Add the dragon(s) to the Which Egg Is Which page.
 * Add the dragon(s) to the Dragon Types page.
 * Add the dragon(s) to any page apart from "Currently Being Released".
 * Create the dragon(s) article before the dragons of TJ09 or users grow up, or create an event page while the event is still in progress. This includes the wait of several days after the adult sprite(s) have been released in order to ensure adequate time for all information to be collected, for the artists to submit any extra information they wish to give as well as to help determine the final rarity of the dragon itself.
 * Add information if it has not been seen in the cave yet.
 * Do not add the spriter's alts of a dragon.  (The DC-Wiki team will ask the artist(s) for permission to upload them)

These rules also extend to DC events, and any new information revealed during these events. These rules apply while a dragon is being released and until after several days have passed where user's dragons have begun becoming adults. This may be a few weeks after the initial release/event. After that, the dragons' article(s) can be created. Failing to comply with these rules will result in a warning or even a suspension (one week suspension for creating the dragon's or event's article before the dragons have grown up or before the event has ended).

Vandalism Policy
Vandalism: An edit, or series of edits that purposefully makes an article useless and/or erroneous.

''Always first assume good faith if the vandalism is not obviously offensive. If in doubt, leave a message about it for a staff member or try helping the user become a better editor by giving them tips on things to work on.''

Vandalisms can be easily reverted by going to "History" from the drop-down menu next to the "Edit" button, and hitting undo next to the vandalised edit. If there have been more than one vandalising edits, find the last unvandalised version via the History and "Compare selected revisions" button- once this is found, select to edit that previous version. The Wiki will warn you that because it is a previous edit, all edits after this one will be lost- select to "Publish" this previous edit and this will override any malicious edits done after this version you selected.

If in doubt, simply report the article and user in question to an admin and allow them to handle the situation. Sometimes this is better than attempting to fix the article and ultimately making it harder for admins to then save. Usually an administrator will be able to find a vandal quickly, but it saves a lot of time if you report the vandal's username and the page(s) to a currently active administrator (they have green usernames).

Images Policy

 * Any files that are being added directly to articles (as opposed to Currently Being Released) should follow the already-established naming schedule for that file's particular series. This generally only applies to sprites and release banners, but if in doubt, please look up a similar image here on the wiki and follow that naming scheme.
 * Where naming schemes do not apply, please use an appropriate descriptive file name as opposed to a random string of letters and numbers.
 * Please remember to add the correct copyright template to your file's description- this could be using the general DC copyright template, or anything like "Permission" or "Fair Use". Find the one you think best suits your file based on their descriptions- if in doubt, simply ask an admin or senior editor. Concept artwork should use a template named after the artist- if none exists, feel free to create one to use by copying any of the artist templates and changing the name.
 * Please remember to categorise your files correctly. If in doubt, look up a similar image here on the wiki and add the same categories it has or ask an admin/senior editor.
 * If you are wanting to update an image, please go to that file's page and use the "Replace" function instead of uploading a duplicate file. Users cannot delete files- if you have accidentally uploaded a duplicate, please contact an admin.

Userpage Policy

 * Please do not edit another user's page. Their page is for information about them and for them to put there. If you feel that the content there is inappropriate, contact an administrator and they will handle it.
 * Users are permitted up to 5 images on their page. This is to provide some freedom to decorate userpages but also limit hotlinking or hosting behaviors- we are not an image hosting site!
 * Bans will be issued if any images used on a user's page are found to be stolen- please do not use art that is not yours or that you have not gotten permission to use.