Template talk:InfoboxLocation

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I do not think this template is a good idea. The fields in this template are all right for the Haunted Woods, but we do not have that information (gdp, weather, terrain) for all the different worlds. There's no point having a standard template if there is no standard information.

Furthermore, it is more important to have an image of the actual location rather than a highlighted image of its location on the Neopia map.

I know it would be great to have a template like wikipedia's country info-boxes, but this simple isn't practical for Neopets. --Macbeth 11:11, 18 August 2011 (CDT)

I was going to include some IF's but I couldn't see a template for the IF's thought it would address the fields problem. If not then I don't think a section for world data is relevant either, which is the only reason I made the template to get rid of some of that list like stuff.
I'm not proposing that the map image is removed. As I said on Emerald's talk page I did try including an image of the map at the bottom of the template but most places have sub locations like Haunted Woods (Deserted fairground etc) so the image can simply belong in there.
But if the general feeling that it adds to the look of the pages then fair enough. CrimsonFox talk 14:44, 18 August 2011 (CDT)
We don't have the parser functions extension installed here, that's why ifs do not work. The thing is, if the fields are going to be different every time the template is called, there's not really a point to it. To borrow from Wikipedia's Manual of Style for infoboxes, "If the field is relevant to very few articles, it should probably not be included at all."
If we look at what fields it could have that are common to all worlds, we are left with "name" and "theme", both of which are better placed in the first sentence.
You're right in that the 'world data' section in the Haunted Woods article probably doesn't belong. Some of it can be incorporated into prose in the intro, though. --Macbeth 16:21, 18 August 2011 (CDT)
Ah that would explain it then, still not sure how external wiki's incorporate everything. =) I'll leave it to you to delete the template, also the Image:Haunted WoodsLoc.png image as well that I uploaded for it. =) CrimsonFox talk 16:35, 18 August 2011 (CDT)

Improved?

I took Macbeth's comments on board about the previous attempt and took the old approach of "If it should be deleted, improve it". Now it's main purpose is to provide the important information about a location which can be mainly found in their own article, for exmaple, colours and Yooyuball teams. These currently can be found at the bottom of most articles yet only warrant a small bit of text and a link to the main article making the page look cluttered. The "Related Plots" section also means that the "See also" section can be removed altogether now as shops/games etc have been put under "Attractions" section with their own prose in most articles.

It also can standardise the size and location of the main map of an area. Some feedback would be great, I am persistent in my infobox ways. :P CrimsonFox talk 10:28, 19 August 2011 (CDT)

So, I think the idea is nice... I know they're listed on the page but another subsection you could have is the sub-maps... so for LD, Qasala and Sakhmet City... I think that, with the exception of Roo Island they almost all have them... You could also have "ruler"... most of the maps have a ruler of some sort, KI governor, kings, queens, emperors... and a general list of notable inhabitants. I like the idea of the see also being in the template, because (as with most of these categories) there's little reason to do anything other than refer people to the full articles. Sort of like how the Tiger article in Wikipedia links to the different scientific classifications. I think the animal template on wiki is really nice, actually.
Anyway, I stay away from templates in general because I have no idea how they work... I could probably figure it out if I needed... figuring out the "under construction" one for the Treasure Keepers page was a big win for me... but I have a difficult time imagining how they'd look without an example. I think there's plenty of common info for the different Neopian lands that could easily live in a template like this, though, we just have to be creative about what that is. I think this is a great way to great click throughs to the other articles, too... I mean, see an interesting name in the template, click for more info... no need to read all the text about the page...
For the lazy, my suggestions:
  • Give it a try on one or two pages
  • Come up with worthy sections
    • Sub map listing
    • Ruler
    • Notable inhabitants
    • Shops
    • Games
    • Important external links?... not the editorials, captions, TCGs, etc... but to the area itself
    • Associated colors... faerie, desert, pirate, maraquan, tyrannian, halloween... many have a related color... can be omitted if n/a.
    • Associated species... many species seem "native" to one of the worlds or another...
  • If I'm missing something and need sense smacked into me, anyone who wishes is welcome...
-Cath 12:26, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
If you need to see an example just check out the Template page, I've filled in the Image and Plot sections as an example just to show how it handles multiple plots and the image. I was thinking of including the shops/games and such but I was worried that the list could become massive and look a bit messy for some places, places like the Lost Desert have like 12 shops. Currently it heads up sections with a list of shops etc then some prose like on Maraqua. Also helps for the sub area maps, without any text in those sections the images mess up the entire page. :P CrimsonFox talk 12:39, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
Yeah. The new version is A LOT better. I really like the Yooyuball link. We could get rid of those stubby little yooyuball section with that. I don't think I like the "colour" listing very much though; it's too subjective. I agree with Cath that "ruler" would be a good field to have though. The one thing that I am worried about with this template is image size. Some of the maps are more square shaped. (For example, the Lost Desert.) Are those going to look good in this template? Also, I agree that including the shop/game links would make the template WAY too long. - Emerald Osprey 12:42, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
Cheers. I was under the impression a lot of the colours were linked to an area eg Mystery Island Paint Brush -> Mystery Island, Halloween -> Haunted Wood? Or is that just assumed by us? I quickly tried out the Lost Desert one and it's okay providing it is size corrected. CrimsonFox talk 12:46, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
Some of the colour -> location relationships are obvious because the map for that land acutally contains a place to view that colour. (Faeire Brushes in Faerieland for example.) Other colours are not so clear. (Does Maractite belong in Maraqua? Does Zombie belong in the Haunted Woods?) So, I guess it would be okay if you list colours which you can view from the map of that land. - Emerald Osprey 12:55, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
I agree with this assessment. -Cath 12:57, 19 August 2011 (CDT)

I understand the concern about shops but I've seen these templates be huge on wiki and they never seem to bother me, as long as the important info is at the top and it's well organized. Anyway, lost desert only has five shops... it has fourteen games, though... which may be a bit long... *shrug* What about creating a bottom of the page template for use in each of the worlds... like the World of Neopia template but with links specific to the location... even something like the template on this page Film Producer? - it would be pretty... even if it does expand and shrink... -Cath 12:53, 19 August 2011 (CDT)

Hmm I guess it depends on what you include. I would personally include shops/games from all the sub areas as well because they don't get their own article bumping the number up considerably though I guess that's a point of debate. ^^ CrimsonFox talk 12:59, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
It's not so much that I'm worried about a huge template; I'm more worried about the rest of the article looking empty. If you took all the shop/game links out of Moltara, the article is going to be a few sparse bits of text with two large images. Very ugly. - Emerald Osprey 13:02, 19 August 2011 (CDT)


Cath, check out NeoDex:Templates. There's a section on using templates and a lot of templates are listed alongside how to guides. --Macbeth 13:04, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
As for this template, I still think theme and release date are better incorporated in the opening sentence than in an infobox. Related plots... really, I would like those things to be covered in a plot summary or history section (Faerieland and the moment uses a plot summary section, Altador and Krawk Island uses a history section, not sure which is better yet).
Cath's suggestion that we use it like a box of related links, like the animal infoboxes on wikipedia... Maybe, but what links would go there? Yooyuball team, and what else?
Cath also suggested a ruler field. Who rules Terror Mountain, Mystery Island, the Haunted Woods, Lutari Island, Kreludor, Jelly World, Kiko Lake, Neopia Central or the Space Station? Nine worlds don't have rulers, ten do. Meanwhile, the Lost Desert has two different monarchies.
I think shops and games are better under an 'attractions' section more like they are now, and broken up into sub-areas, than listed in an infobox. What species are native to certain worlds? Bruces and Bori to Terror Mountain, Pteri, Tonu and Chomby to Tyrannia, Kougra to Mystery Island, Koi to Maraqua, Grundos to Kreludor, Lutari to Lutari Island, but I think that's it... The vast majority of pets aren't native to one place over any other.
It would be great to have a world infobox like the Neopet ones or games ones or the table on the Neopia page, but what, exactly, would go into it? Pronunciation, maybe, yooyuball team... I'm not sure about colours, though. If they're named the same (i.e. Maraquan or Tyrannian or Lost Desert) I can see they have a place on that page, but not otherwise. --Macbeth 13:04, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
I fully support the plots being written out into the prose but a number of them have got far more information in their own article as they can cover multiple locations, hence why they're found in the "See also" section at the bottom, I'm simply proposing a nice, space saving location for them where you can view them all easily. CrimsonFox talk 13:09, 19 August 2011 (CDT)

"do you know how rare it is to have three editors on the wiki all talking at the SAME TIME!" <-- Four ;).

I strongly agree with Emerald about keeping the shop and games in the article body, for text balance if nothing else. She is also right in how subjective a lot of colour relationships may be. Cath's idea about having a navigation template at the bottom with world related links is interesting though. --Macbeth 13:12, 19 August 2011 (CDT)

OH.... ugh, not a matter of debate, I was counting the ones in the see all section on the Lost Desert page, which I'm seeing now hasn't been updated... it only lists five shops... but if you look at the template at the bottom of that wiki page, you'll see what I'm thinking about... we could create different expanding areas, we could have one for shops, one for games... one for other stuff... even the stuff about notable inhabitants... just use it to collect links that relate to the article... I don't know why the release date and theme can't be in both places... infoboxes can be for quick reference, they don't necessarily have to make other discussion unnecessary. Too many people editing, can't get a word in ;) -Cath 13:15, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
Something like Template:NQ2, yeah. We can add that in as well, so long as we don't remove it from the prose in the main article body. --Macbeth 13:17, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
Yeah I was going to suggest that exact same one, so too many people! I am currently updating Lost Desert so it'll list everything in a moment. CrimsonFox talk 13:19, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
Yes, I like that! And then we can connect all the pages :D -Cath 13:20, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
Looks like we found an idea that we all like. Yay cooperation! :D - Emerald Osprey 13:31, 19 August 2011 (CDT)

What do you think of this?

All right, don't run away with this, but what would you guys think of a structure like this? It'd be a more polished design, but what we talked about above made me think of this... --Macbeth 13:35, 19 August 2011 (CDT)

That is a sexy beast of a design Macbeth. CrimsonFox talk 13:46, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
I second that. - Emerald Osprey 13:53, 19 August 2011 (CDT)
Maraqua
Maraqua
Pronunciation: marr-ack-qwa
Released: 6 October 2000
Yooyuball team: Team Maraqua
Maraqua