Help:Useful Templates
About Templates
Templates are a way of standardizing content across the wiki. They allow information that is duplicated in several pages to be located and edited in one place. For example, the mission Talk to David Wincott can come from just about any contact, and rather than type that information over and over, it has been created in one place, Template:Mission Hollows, and can then be inserted into any contact with the text, {{Mission Hollows}}.
Templates can also accept parameters, details which change from use to use. An example of this is the Power Template. This simple template takes four parameters, and formats the information into the power entry which is used on most of the enemy pages. Since the format is kept in one place, if, in the future, and new format is decided upon, rather than go through all the enemy pages and redoing their powers, one change to the power template will make those changes in the entire wiki.
Useful Templates
The following templates can be useful in making articles in the wiki but are in no way required and subject to change at any time.
Enemy Templates
Power
This template formats an entry in an enemies power listing in a standarized way.
Format: {{Power|Bullet Image|Power name|Power Effects|Power description}}
- Bullet image is the image that is associated with the power, scaled to 22 pixels. Example: [[Image:Empathy RecoveryAura.png|22px]]
- Power Name is the name of the power.
- Power Effects would be the short description in the top part of the info window. Abbreviations should be fully spelled out.
- Power Description is the long description in the lower part of the info window. Game terms, like damage or accuracy should not be capitalized.
Player And Temporary Power Detail Box
The details on player and temporary powers is in a table. The following templates can be used to make the table. The table can be created automatically using substitution and either the PowerSet Stub or the TempPower Stub templates, or manually using the following templates. PowerBlock Start must start the power block, and PowerBlock End must end a power block.
You can find the PowerBlock templates in the PowerBlock templates category.
PowerBlock Start
Format: {{PowerBlock Start}}
- PowerBlock Start has no parameters. It must be the first line in a power block.
PowerBlock End
Format: {{PowerBlock End}}
- PowerBlock End has no parameters. It must be the last line in a power block.
PowerBlock Damage
Format: {{PowerBlock Damage|Damage}}
- Damage is the level of damage the power does (i.e. Low, Moderate, High).
PowerBlock Recharge
Format: {{PowerBlock Recharge|Recharge Rate}}
- Recharge rate is the level that the power recharges at (i.e. Slow, Moderate, Long).
PowerBlock Level
Format: {{PowerBlock Level|Level}}
- Level is the class icon (if appropriate), minumum level, and class (if appropriate), that is needed to gain this power. This is the line which will contain the Minimum Level: heading. Additional lines must use the {{PowerBlock Blank}} template.
PowerBlock Duration
Format: {{PowerBlock Duration|Duration}}
- Duration is how long or how many charages a power has. This template is mainly used in temporary powers.
PowerBlock Effects
Format: {{PowerBlock Effects|Effects}}
- Effects is one line of the powers effects. This is the line which will contain the Effects: heading. Additional lines must use the {{PowerBlock Blank}} template.
PowerBlock Enhancements
Format: {{PowerBlock Enhancements|Enhancement}}
- Enhancement is one line of the what enhancements the power accepts. This is the line which will contain the Enhancement: heading. Additional lines must use the {{PowerBlock Blank}} template.
PowerBlock Blank
Format: {{PowerBlock Blank|Details}}
- The PowerBlock Blank template is used to get extra details to line up with previous lines.
Substitutions Templates
There are two substitution templates available. Substitution templates are used with the subst: prefix which is a two step process. First, you place the template in the appropriate place, with subst: before the template name (i.e. {{subst:PowerSet Stub}}) and save it. This will substitute the contents of the template at that spot. You can then go back and edit it, removing or adding data as needed.
PowerSet Stub will create a base power set table. It will include all Archetypes, so you can delete the ones which aren't needed.
TempPower Stub will create a base temporary power table.
Example entry
Here's an example entry from the Archery power set. Take note that on each of the two blank lines, there is a single space.
{{PowerBlock Start}}
{{PowerBlock Damage|High}}
{{PowerBlock Recharge|Moderate}}
{{PowerBlock Level|1 (Blaster)}}
{{PowerBlock Blank|2 (Defender)}}}
{{PowerBlock Effects|Ranged}}
{{PowerBlock Blank|Moderate Damage (Lethal)}}
{{PowerBlock Enhancements|Reduce Endurance Cost}}
{{PowerBlock Blank|Enhance Range}}
{{PowerBlock Blank|Enhance Recharge Speed}}
{{PowerBlock Blank|Enhance Damage}}
{{PowerBlock Blank|Enhance Accuracy}}
{{PowerBlock End}}
And here's how it would appear in the wiki.
| Damage | High |
| Recharge | Moderate |
| Minimum Level | 1 (Blaster) |
| 2 (Defender) | |
| Effects | Ranged |
| Moderate Damage (Lethal) | |
| Enhancements | Reduce Endurance Cost |
| Enhance Range | |
| Enhance Recharge Speed | |
| Enhance Damage | |
| Enhance Accuracy |
Contact Templates
Badge Box
The BadgeBox template is most commonly used to showcase badges in a contact's mission line up.
Format: {{BadgeBox|Icon|Badge Name|Badge Text}}
- Icon is the image associated with the badge.
- Badge Name is the name of the badge.
- Badge Text is the text assocaiated with the badge.
Clue
The Clue template is set up to easily add the Clue image and header to a mission. It takes no parameters and should be followed by the name and text of the clue
Format: {{Clue}} rest of clue
See also Mission Clue
Contact Overview
The Contact Overview template standardize the starting overview line of a hero or villain contact, as well as automatically placing them in the categories sorted by level range, by zone, by origin, and whether they are a Respec, tailor, or store contact.
For more information, see Template talk:Contact Overview.
Format: {{Contact Overview|City=|Zone=|Coord=|Pronoun=|HoodYN=N|Hood=|OriginYN=N|Origin=|LevelYN=N|Level=}}
- City = Either an H for hero, or a V for Villain. The letter must be capitalized. Any other item will cause unexpected results (most likey a {{Template:Contact CityX}} result, in which X is whatever the mistake was).
- HoodYN = Either a Y if the contact is located in a specific neighborhood, or an N if the contact is not in a specific neighborhood. The letter must be capitalized. Any other item will cause unexpected results.
- Hood = Name of the neighborhood the contact is in. This data is only used if HoodYN is Y and is otherwise ignored.
- Zone = Zone the contact is in. In the previous contact template, this needed to be a link. In this case, it must not be a link.
- Coord = The contacts coordinates.
- OriginYN = There are several options on this parameter. It must be one of the following letters, capitalized, or there will be unexpected results in the article
- Y There is a known origin for this contact, and it will be specified in the Origin parameter.
- N This contact either doesn't have an origin, or the origin is unknown. This will place the contact in the Unspecified Origin Contacts category.
- R This contact is a Respecification Trial contact and will be noted as such in the overview text. It will also place the contact in the Respecification Trial Contact category.
- S This contact is a Store contact and will be noted as such in the overview text. It will also place the contact in the Store Contacts category.
- T This contact is a Tailor and will be noted as such in the overview text. It will also place the contact in the Tailor Contacts category.
- Origin = The contact's origin. This should be one of the following: Magic, Mutation, Natural, Science, Technology. The first letter should be capitalized, but it may work if it is not. This data is only used if OriginYN is Y and is otherwise ignored.
- Pronoun = The pronoun that describes the contact of his, her or its. It needs to be lower case.
- LevelYN = Either a Y if the level range this contact deals with is known or an N if it is unknown. The letter must be capitalized. Any other item will cause unexpected results.
- Level = The level range that this contact works with. It should be in the format of NumberDashNumber (no spaces).
Mission Clue
The Mission Clue template is set up to insert a clue into a mission. In includes the clue image and clear in case of a short clue.
Format: {{Mission Clue|Name=Clue name|Text=Clue Text}}
Example:
Clue Text here
See also Clue
Mission Stub
The Mission Stub template is not used as a template, but is ment to be used with the Subst keyword in order to setup a mission to be added. It is a two part process. First, insert {{subst:Mission Stub}} at the place you want to add a mission and then save. A basic mission setup will be substitued for the template at that position. You can then edit in all the needed information, and removed parts that may not be needed (like badge or temporary power stubs).
Format: {{subst:Mission Stub}}
- Mission Stub has no parameters, and should not be used without the subst: keyword.
PowerBox
The PowerBox template is most commonly used to showcase temporary powers in a contacts mission line up. It uses a similar format as the Power template for enemies.
Format: {{PowerBox|Icon=Image|Name=Power name|Effect=Power Effects|Desc=Power description}}
- Icon is the image that is associated with the power. Unlike the Power template, all that is needed is the name of the icon.
- Name is the name of the power.
- Effect would be the short description in the top part of the info window. Abbreviations should be fully spelled out.
- Desc is the long description in the lower part of the info window. Game terms, like damage or accuracy should not be capitalized.
Formatting
Here are some templates that can help with formatting.
Clr
This template is used in conjuction with an image. It will force any data that comes after it to start below the bottom edge of an image.
Format: {{clr}}
- Clr has no parameters.
Divbox
This template will display a centered box with a centered title and content in it.
Format: {{Divbox|color|title|content}}
Available colors at this time are: amber, black, bloodred, blue, brown, forest, gray, green, navy, none, orange, purple, red, white, and yellow. The box appears as follows:
Nobr
This template prevents the text within it from wrapping to more than one line.
Format: {{Nobr|text}}
- Text is the text that is not to be wrapped.
Template: Nobr
TOCright
This template will place a floating table of contents on the right side of the article, allowing text to flow around it, rather than on the left with text below it. It should not be used anyplace that __ToC__ is used.
Format: {{TOCright}}
- TOCRight has no parameters.
WiP
This template is used to indicate that a page is very raw and in need of work, i.e. it's a Work in Progress. It'll place text on the page indicating it's status, and add the article to the Work in Progress category, making it easy to find articles that need to be worked on.
Format: {{wip}}
- WiP has no parameters.
NoFuture.org.uk templates
These templates help make linking to Red Tomax's NoFuture.org.uk easier.
NoFutureContact
This template can be used to link contacts to the appropriate contact page on NoFuture.org.uk. It takes two parameters:
- City = Either a h for a City of Heroes contact or a v for a City of Villains contact. It must be lowercase in order to have a proper link to NoFuture.
- ID = The id number for the contact at NoFuture. This is the number taken from the URL of the contact.
Base Template
{{NoFutureContact|City=h/v|ID=##}}
NoFutureCompletePatronSet
A template to link to the Patron pools at NoFuture. Because Patron pools are villain only, it only links to the villain skin.
This template incorporates the NoFuturePatronSet five times, once for each villain archetype. It is suggested to use this template instead of the NoFuturePatronSet one.
Parameters:
- Power = The name of the power on NoFuture.org.uk. In most cases, Power={{PAGENAMEE}} is the best option to use (name of the page, using underscores instead of spaces). But some powers are named differently at NoFuture (i.e. Concealment is linked as Invisibility). In this case, the name at NoFuture must be filled in instead.
Base Template
{{NoFutureCompletePatronSet|Power={{PAGENAMEE}}}}
NoFutureEpicSet
A template to link to the Ancillary (Epic) pools at NoFuture. Because APPs are hero only, it only links to the hero skin.
Parameters:
- Power = The name of the power on NoFuture.org.uk. In most cases, Power={{PAGENAMEE}} is the best option to use (name of the page, using underscores instead of spaces). But some powers are named differently at NoFuture (i.e. Concealment is linked as Invisibility). In this case, the name at NoFuture must be filled in instead.
Base Template
{{NoFutureEpicSet|Power={{PAGENAMEE}}}}
NoFuturePatronSet
A template to link to the Patron pools at NoFuture. Because Patron poos are villain only, it only links to the villain skin.
This template isn't normally used by itself, as it makes up the foundation of NoFutureCompletePatronSet. It is suggested to use that template instead of this one.
Parameters:
- Archetype = The name of the archetype for the PPP.
- Power = The name of the power on NoFuture.org.uk. In most cases, Power={{PAGENAMEE}} is the best option to use (name of the page, using underscores instead of spaces). But some powers are named differently at NoFuture (i.e. Concealment is linked as Invisibility). In this case, the name at NoFuture must be filled in instead.
Base Template
{{NoFuturePatronSet|Power={{PAGENAMEE}}|Archetype=}}
NoFuturePoolSet
A template to link to the Power pools at NoFuture. It has links to both the hero and the villain skins.
Parameters:
- Power = The name of the power on NoFuture.org.uk. In most cases, Power={{PAGENAMEE}} is the best option to use (name of the page, using underscores instead of spaces). But some powers are named differently at NoFuture (i.e. Concealment is linked as Invisibility). In this case, the name at NoFuture must be filled in instead.
Base Template
{{NoFuturePoolSet|Power={{PAGENAMEE}}}}
NoFuturePowerSet
This template takes four parameters.
- Game is which game that the archetype falls under (coh or cov)--this determines the color scheme only and will have no effect on the data displayed; however, it must be filled in.
- Archetype is the Archetype to be linked to.
- Power is the name of the powerset at NoFuture.org.uk. In most cases, Power={{PAGENAMEE}} is the best option to use (name of the page, using underscores instead of spaces). But some powers are named differently at NoFuture (i.e. Devices are linked as Gadgets). In this case, the name at NoFuture should be filled in instead.
- Type is how the primary or secondary powerset is described on NoFuture.org.uk. Please consult the following table.
| Archetype | Primary Set | Secondary Set |
|---|---|---|
| Blaster | Ranged | Support |
| Brute | Melee | Defense |
| Controller | Control | Buff |
| Corruptor | Ranged | Buff |
| Defender | Buff | Ranged |
| Dominator | Control | Assault |
| Mastermind | Summon | Buff |
| Peacebringer | Defensive | Offensive |
| Scrapper | Melee | Defense |
| Stalker | Melee | Defense |
| Tanker | Defense | Melee |
| Warshade | Defensive | Offensive |
Base Template
{{NoFuturePowerSet|Game=|Archetype=|Power=|Type=}}
To link a blaster power, for example, you would link its primary powerset as
{{NoFuturePowerSet|Game=coh|Archetype=Blaster|Power={{PAGENAMEE}}|Type=Ranged}}
and it's secondary powerset as
{{NoFuturePowerSet|Game=coh|Archetype=Blaster|Power={{PAGENAMEE}}|Type=Support}}
Similarly, to link to a Mastermind primary powerset,
{{NoFuturePowerSet|Game=cov|Archetype=Mastermind|Power={{PAGENAMEE}}|Type=Summon}}
and secondary,
{{NoFuturePowerSet|Game=cov|Archetype=Mastermind|Power={{PAGENAMEE}}|Type=Buff}}
The name of the power is automatically taken from the article.