Template talk:Cite video game

Language variable

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Maybe the Language variable could be reworked to work with {{languageicon}}-based templates? Great idea, btw. Circeus 01:48, 1 June 2006 (UTC)Reply

It doesn't do that in the other citation templates. I'm trying to keep a similar style (or at least until the correct one can be found). Dread Lord CyberSkull ✎☠ 11:50, 1 June 2006 (UTC)Reply
It's because most of the time, the language is not used by the template itself. {{cite book}} and {{cite web}} are exceptions in this regard (possibly because they are the most commonly used such templates with foreign languages sources). Maybe drop the field altogether? Circeus 15:22, 1 June 2006 (UTC)Reply
Regional differences between games can be huge, which is why it is important to specify the edition. Dread Lord CyberSkull ✎☠ 12:02, 26 June 2006 (UTC)Reply
I gave it a try. Testing now:
  • Blizzard Entertainment (2004-11-23). World of Warcraft (Mac OS X) (in Japanese) (1.0 ed.). Vivendi Universal. Level/area: Brill.

The documentation for language says 'language: language of publication (don't specify spanish" as this is the default)'. Should this be English instead? I have reverted it back to the original English version, since the person who changed it also removed the platform line and left no comment regarding the change. ScottSteiner (talk) 18:08, 27 March 2011 (UTC)Reply

Bug

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At time of writing, in the article Sonic the Hedgehog (character), {{cite video game |title=[[Shadow the Hedgehog (video game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]] |developer=Sonic Team |publisher=[[Sega]] |date=2005-11-15}} produces

24. Sonic Team. Shadow the Hedgehog Sega. . 2005-11-15.

in the references section. I don't think this is specific to the article.

This appears to stem from the "level" field. I'd fix it, (I have previously made an esoteric template,) but I'm not letting my editing skills touch a citation template like this with a barge pole. Too much could go wrong if you let me at it. ;-) --DavidHOzAu 08:05, 27 June 2006 (UTC)Reply

The problem wss that the period after the "language" if was not removed along it. I solved that.
Circeus 13:09, 27 June 2006 (UTC)Reply
Ah, so that's what was wrong! Thanks for fixing it for me. --DavidHOzAu 01:31, 28 June 2006 (UTC)Reply

Shouldn't there be a period after the game title? --SevereTireDamage 04:48, 10 August 2006 (UTC)Reply

Regarding readibility

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Having used this template multiple times at various articles, I was wondering if perhaps we could turn the title, developer, etc. fields all the way to language a different color or style, to differentiate between quotes and the reference. See the refs on Characters in the Halo series, for example (I don't use the quote parameter because I like the quotes before the refs, personal pref) - to try and make it more obvious where the game information started, I was using dashes. David Fuchs (talk) 22:14, 19 August 2007 (UTC)Reply

Citing Cutscenes

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I was considering using this template for citing some of the Command & Conquer games. However, the trouble is that most of what's worth citing in those games occur during ingame cutscenes. Sometimes, different missions lead to the same cutscene (and sometimes they don't), so it's kind of ugly if you try to cite them as being part of a certain level. Also, the intro cutscenes for those games (the ones that play right after you launch the game) are typically cite-worthy, but don't have any level associated with it. I don't suppose that a "cutscene" field could be added to accomodate games like these? Or is there some better way to cite using the existing template in a manner that I'm not thinking of. -Thunderforge (talk) 02:35, 8 December 2008 (UTC)Reply

Why not just put the cutscene in the level/area field? Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs (talk) 02:59, 8 December 2008 (UTC)Reply
The trouble would be that for cutscenes that aren't part of a level, you'd have something like "Level/area: Intro cutscene," which just looks weird. -Thunderforge (talk) 23:49, 8 December 2008 (UTC)Reply

{{citation}} code for use in this template

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New code to use {{citation}}. Old code still in effect until citation updated to support software and video games.


<includeonly>{{
#if: {{#if: {{{developer|}}} | {{{title|}}} }}
  || Error on call to [[template:cite video game]]: Parameters '''title''' and '''developer''' must be specified
}}</includeonly>{{Citation/core
 |Citation class=video-game
  |Surname1 = {{{last|{{{surname|{{{last1|{{{surname1|{{{author1|{{{author|{{{authors|{{{author|}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
  |Surname2 = {{{last2|{{{surname2|{{{author2|{{{coauthor|{{{coauthors|}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
  |Surname3 = {{{last3|{{{surname3|{{{author3|}}}}}}}}}
  |Surname4 = {{{last4|{{{surname4|{{{author4|}}}}}}}}}
  |Surname5 = {{{last5|{{{surname5|{{{author5|}}}}}}}}}
  |Surname6 = {{{last6|{{{surname6|{{{author6|}}}}}}}}}
  |Surname7 = {{{last7|{{{surname7|{{{author7|}}}}}}}}}
  |Surname8 = {{{last8|{{{surname8|{{{author8|}}}}}}}}}
  |Surname9 = {{{last9|{{{surname9|{{{author9|}}}}}}}}}
  |Given1 = {{{first1|{{{given1|{{{first|{{{given|}}}}}}}}}}}}
  |Given2 = {{{first2|{{{given2|}}}}}}
  |Given3 = {{{first3|{{{given3|}}}}}}
  |Given4 = {{{first4|{{{given4|}}}}}}
  |Given5 = {{{first5|{{{given5|}}}}}}
  |Given6 = {{{first6|{{{given6|}}}}}}
  |Given7 = {{{first7|{{{given7|}}}}}}
  |Given8 = {{{first8|{{{given8|}}}}}}
  |Given9 = {{{first9|{{{given9|}}}}}}
  |Authorlink1 = {{{author-link|{{{author1-link|{{{authorlink|{{{authorlink1|}}}}}}}}}}}}
  |Authorlink2 = {{{author2-link|{{{authorlink2|}}}}}}
  |Authorlink3 = {{{author3-link|{{{authorlink3|}}}}}}
  |Authorlink4 = {{{author4-link|{{{authorlink4|}}}}}}
  |Authorlink5 = {{{author5-link|{{{authorlink5|}}}}}}
  |Authorlink6 = {{{author6-link|{{{authorlink6|}}}}}}
  |Authorlink7 = {{{author7-link|{{{authorlink7|}}}}}}
  |Authorlink8 = {{{author8-link|{{{authorlink8|}}}}}}
  |Authorlink9 = {{{author9-link|{{{authorlink9|}}}}}}
  |Year={{{year|{{    <!-- attempt to derive year from date, if possible -->
             #if: {{{date|}}}
             |{{
                #iferror:{{#time:Y|{{{date|}}} }}
                |{{#iferror:{{#time:Y|{{{publication-date|einval}}} }}||{{#time:Y|{{{publication-date|}}} }}}}
                |{{#time:Y|{{{date|}}} }}
              }}
             |{{{publication-date|}}} <!-- last resort -->
           }}
        }}}
  |YearNote = {{{origyear|}}}
  |Date = {{#if:{{{date|}}}|{{{date}}}|{{{day|}}} {{{month|}}} {{{year|{{{publication-date|}}}}}}}}
  |Developer = {{{developer}}}
  |Title={{{title}}}
  |TransTitle={{{trans_chapter|}}}
  |TransItalic={{{trans_title|}}}
  |URL={{{url|}}}
  |Series={{{series|}}}
  |Volume = {{{volume|}}}
  |Issue = {{{issue|{{{number|}}}}}}
  |IncludedWorkTitle = {{{chapter|{{{contribution|}}}}}}
  |IncludedWorkURL = {{{chapter-url|{{{chapterurl|{{{contribution-url|}}}}}}}}}
  |Other = {{{others|}}}
  |Edition = {{{edition|}}}
  |Place = {{{place|{{{location|}}}}}}
  |Platform = {{{platform|}}}
  |PublicationPlace = {{{publication-place|{{{place|{{{location|}}}}}}}}}
  |Publisher = {{{publisher|}}}
  |PublicationDate = {{{publication-date|}}}
  |language = {{{language|{{{in|}}}}}}
  |format = {{{format|}}}
  |ID={{{id|{{{ID|}}}}}}
  |AccessDate={{{access-date|{{{accessdate|}}}}}}
  |DateFormat={{{dateformat|none}}}
  |quote = {{{quote|}}}
  |laysummary = {{{laysummary|}}}
  |laydate = {{{laydate|}}}
  |Ref={{{ref|}}}
  |Sep = {{{separator|{{{seperator|.}}}}}}
  |PS = {{#if:{{{quote|}}}||{{{postscript|.}}}}}
  |amp = {{{lastauthoramp|}}}
}}

Dread Lord CyberSkull ✎☠ 10:34, 28 July 2009 (UTC)Reply

core missing fields

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isbn or other retail identifier code is missing as well as trans_title.Jinnai 22:28, 4 August 2009 (UTC)Reply

Revamp of cite video games template

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Quotes

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Is there a format to use a truncate quote from a game? I want to cite what I think is a fairly important speech from Metal Gear Rising, as it speaks to the main villains entire motivation, but its a fairy long speech that could be cut down to include the relevant parts if there is an appropriate format for that. Using "..." didn't seem appropriate as that might actually appear in the subtitles. Darkwarriorblake (talk) 07:59, 14 March 2013 (UTC)Reply

How about using "[...]"? The brackets around omitted (marked with the ellipsis), inserted or altered parts are standard in academia. --Florian Blaschke (talk) 19:42, 15 November 2013 (UTC)Reply
Thank you :D Darkwarriorblake (talk) 19:54, 15 November 2013 (UTC)Reply

Quotes versus italics

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Per most ever style guide I've ever used, the title of a work should be italicized, e.g. Myst instead of "Myst" as it currently stands. Any compelling reason not to change it? Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs(talk) 15:44, 1 February 2015 (UTC)Reply

WP:VG/STYLE appears to agree with you. – Jonesey95 (talk) 16:41, 1 February 2015 (UTC)Reply
@David Fuchs: Hi! A bit more context would be appreciated. What goes against this style guide?
Best regards,
Codename Lisa (talk) 18:31, 1 February 2015 (UTC)Reply
Hey @Codename Lisa:, Chicago, APA, and MLA all use italics for the titles of long-form works. I am actually unaware of any modern style guide that uses quotes. Der Wohltemperierte Fuchs(talk) 18:59, 1 February 2015 (UTC)Reply
An example of the current template's output:
Cite video game
Markup Renders as
{{cite video game |title=[[Halo 3]] |developer=[[Bungie]] |publisher=[[Microsoft Game Studios]] |date=September 25, 2007 |platform=[[Xbox 360]] |version=1.0 |level=The Storm |quote='''Arbiter''': More Brutes? / '''Master Chief''': Worse.}}

Bungie (September 25, 2007). Halo 3 (Xbox 360) (1.0 ed.). Microsoft Game Studios. Level/area: The Storm. Arbiter: More Brutes? / Master Chief: Worse.

I believe that the original poster is proposing Halo 3 instead of "Halo 3". The former appears to follow WP:VG/STYLE. The latter, which is the current template output, does not appear to follow WP:VG/STYLE. – Jonesey95 (talk) 21:37, 1 February 2015 (UTC)Reply

Date format

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This template’s doc specifies that the date be in YYYY-MM-DD format. Is this necessary? Does using a different (but internally consisten) format, as with other citations on a page, cause problems? —67.14.236.50 (talk) 23:03, 16 June 2017 (UTC)Reply

Intrusive bolding

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I'm copyediting Tidus (and alerting Tintor2 to this thread), and IMO the bolding of character names in the "quote" parameter violates MOS:BOLD; italics are equally effective, and far less visually intrusive in a reflist. All the best, Miniapolis 15:07, 28 October 2017 (UTC)Reply

The bolding is not performed by the template, so it can be removed manually. I don't see any guidance in Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Article guidelines that recommends this sort of bolding, though I have seen it in other video game articles. You might ask at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Video games, which probably has more watchers. I found an inconclusive ten-year-old conversation in that page's archives. – Jonesey95 (talk) 15:22, 28 October 2017 (UTC)Reply

When is it necessary to cite a video game?

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Does every single paragraph about a video game have to be cited? When describing a game’s gameplay, characters, levels, story, etc., do you need to cite the video game every time? Interqwark talk contribs 22:47, 16 June 2018 (UTC)Reply

Ideally don't cite the video game and use independent sources. You can use cite video game to add citations to plot sections if you want to cite a character's speech; the template has "quote" parameter for this. Although, generally we don't include citations in plot sections for articles and it is not necessary since the game is the primary source and the infobox provides details about the game. --The1337gamer (talk) 09:54, 17 June 2018 (UTC)Reply
All right. Thanks. Interqwark talk contribs 06:38, 18 June 2018 (UTC)Reply
It's not necessary all the time, but can be useful for certain info that's not immediately obvious to anyone who plays the game (for example, a plot point that's only stated very briefly by one character). Glades12 (talk) 18:43, 26 May 2020 (UTC)Reply

What is this template for? Other templates briefly state what their intended use is. This one does not.

Presumably, judging by fields in this template, and context of chatter, it is intended for citing only the content of a video game -- and not, for example, instructions, readmes or patch notes included with a game or patch. Thus, this smells like it needs a companion template much like Template:Cite AV media has Template:Cite AV media notes. That, or state that Template:Cite AV media notes should be used for citing this other material (which, well, might make it a strange destination for all software companion material).juanitogan (talk) 05:03, 6 April 2023 (UTC)Reply

Forced italics on title

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Seems that the italics in the title are not avoidable. This is fine in most cases but I noticed in the case of Pokémon Red and Blue, there’s no way to prevent “and” from italicizing. th1rt3en.talk.contribs 08:05, 4 April 2020 (UTC)Reply

You should not cite both, or you should cite them as two separate citations. --Izno (talk) 16:00, 4 April 2020 (UTC)Reply
Echoing Izno here: two different sources (even if only slightly different) should not be cited together as one. Cite the version you have played yourself. (You could technically cite both separately if you have also played the other version, but that would only be necessary for synthesis, which is disallowed either way.) Glades12 (talk) 18:55, 26 May 2020 (UTC)Reply

Version parameter

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The parameter |version= does not seem to work; {{cite video game|title=The Adventures of Foo|developer=Bar Corporation|version=2.0}} just displays as "Bar Corporation. The Adventures of Foo.". Can someone explain and/or fix this? Glades12 (talk) 19:00, 26 May 2020 (UTC)Reply

My fault! When I switched to cite book we probably should have switched to using |edition= rather than |issue=, the latter of which is unsupported in cite book. --Izno (talk) 02:10, 27 May 2020 (UTC)Reply
Is it desirable to have "(ed.)" after the version number though? Glades12 (talk) 17:14, 28 May 2020 (UTC)Reply
Feel free to decide on another parameter if it meets the intent of versioning. (which is what edition does) --Izno (talk) 18:33, 28 May 2020 (UTC)Reply

Possible additional parameters

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  • |year= – For cases where only the year of publication can be safely determined
  • |orig-year= – For citing a version of a game that was released on one platform years after the original on another
  • |trans-title= – For games with non-English titles (uncommon, but they do exist)

These are all from other CS1 templates. Glades12 (talk) 15:18, 5 June 2020 (UTC)Reply

|trans-title= was apparently previously noted as missing at #core missing fields. I would add it right now, since no one has objected after more than three weeks, but lack the coding skills to do it. Glades12 (talk) 16:43, 28 June 2020 (UTC)Reply
Never mind; the only thing holding me back was TemplateData, which is apparently not required. Glades12 (talk) 10:15, 29 June 2020 (UTC)Reply