Template:Infobox video game/doc

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
{{{title}}}
[[File:{{{image}}}|frameless|upright=1]]
{{{caption}}}
Developer(s){{{developer}}}
Publisher(s){{{publisher}}}
Director(s){{{director}}}
Producer(s){{{producer}}}
Designer(s){{{designer}}}
Programmer(s){{{programmer}}}
Artist(s){{{artist}}}
Writer(s){{{writer}}}
Composer(s){{{composer}}}
Series{{{series}}}
Engine{{{engine}}}
Platform(s){{{platforms}}}
Release{{{released}}}
Genre(s){{{genre}}}
Mode(s){{{modes}}}
Cabinet{{{cabinet}}}
Arcade system{{{arcade system}}}
CPU{{{cpu}}}
Sound{{{sound}}}
Display{{{display}}}

This is an infobox for video games. It is capable of pulling values from Wikidata when fields are omitted. (See WP:VG/WD for a guide to editing Wikidata.) To prevent Wikidata from pulling data for a field, use the parameter in the template but leave its contents blank.

Usage[change source]

{{Infobox video game
| collapsible = 
| state = 
| italic title = 
| title = 
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| developer = 
| publisher = 
| series = 
| engine = 
| platforms = 
| released = 
| genre = 
| modes = 
}}

Add the following credit fields for lead developers who worked on the game (please read inclusion notes below):

| director = 
| producer = 
| designer = 
| programmer = 
| artist = 
| writer = 
| composer = 

Add these fields for arcade games:

| cabinet = 
| arcade system = 
| cpu = 
| sound = 
| display = 

All fields are optional. See talk page for examples and standards.

Full syntax[change source]

{{Infobox video game
| collapsible = 
| state = 
| italic title = 
| title = 
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| developer = 
| publisher = 
| series = 
| engine = 
| platforms = 
| released = 
| genre = 
| modes = 
| director = 
| producer = 
| designer = 
| programmer = 
| artist = 
| writer = 
| composer = 
| cabinet = 
| arcade system = 
| cpu = 
| sound = 
| display = 
}}

Syntax guide[change source]

Nintendogs
An example image
Developer(s)Nintendo EAD
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Kiyoshi Mizuki
Producer(s)Hideki Konno
Composer(s)Hajime Wakai
Platform(s)Nintendo DS
Release
April 21, 2005
  • Original version
    • JP: April 21, 2005
    • NA: August 22, 2005
    • AU: September 29, 2005
    • EU: October 7, 2005
    Best Friends
    • NA: October 24, 2005
    Dalmatian & Friends
    • EU: June 16, 2006
    • NA: October 16, 2006
Genre(s)Pet-raising simulation
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Note: In the following, plurals such as "developers", "publishers", "artists", etc do not exclude the singular (i.e. "artists", for example, implies "artist or artists"). Similarly, with the credit fields, individual development tasks for one field (e.g. which artists designed characters and which designed concept art; or which writers created story lines and which wrote scripts) should not be mentioned in the infobox but in the article text instead. Individual tasks should be generally kept to prose and the field should only list key people.[1][2] For example, the distinction between story and script writers of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is mentioned in the article's development section.

Parameter Default Description
collapsible no Set =yes to make the box collapsible.
fetchwikidata ALL If you don't want all values to be fetched from wikidata, specify their property names here (see Module:WikidataIB for more details)
suppressfields If you want to exclude some Wikidata values, specify their property names here (see Module:WikidataIB for more details)
onlysourced no Set to yes if you only want to fetch values from Wikidata that have references (see Module:WikidataIB for more details)
qid Set to the Wikidata QID of the entry that you want to retrieve info from, if it is not the page that the template is being used on
refs no set to yes if you want to fetch references from Wikidata (displayed inline and in the refs section)
noicon no when set to no, a small pen icon will be shown next to items populated from Wikidata, which can be used to edit the value. If set to yes, the pen icons will be hidden, and instead a single link stating "Edit on Wikidata" will display at the bottom of the Infobox.
state Determines the initial collapsed state of the infobox. Set =collapsed to put the box in collapsed state initially. Set =expanded to put the box in expanded state initially. Set =autocollapse to have the box's initial collapsed state be determined automatically based on the number of other templates in the article that also have the "collapsible" attribute. (Has no effect if collapsible is not used.)
title The full name of the game including punctuation and style (e.g., "Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars" instead of "Super Mario RPG" or "Legend of the Seven Stars"). Do not wikilink the name of the game.
image image (P18) The ideal image is an English-language cover or, in the case of an arcade game, a promotional flier. Secondarily, use a logo or foreign-language cover. When cover designs differ between regions, use the cover from the region associated with the game's first English language release, though do not change another English-language version that has been uploaded first. Use art without platform decals, such as PC cover art, where possible. Avoid screenshots (per consensus), and multiple images (per WP:FUC #3). Also see the WPVG image guideline.
  • Format the filename without the File: prefix (e.g., Name.jpg). The infobox uses "frameless" and "upright" flags to auto-size the image and accommodate user preferences. Do not manually set the image size with added syntax (e.g., "frameless", "upright", or "px").
alt Alternative text – A short descriptive text associated with an image that serves the same purpose and conveys the same essential information as the image. Useful in situations where the image is not available to the reader, e.g If they are using a screen reader due to a visual impairment. See WP:ALT for information about how to write good Alternative text.
caption media legend (P2096) A short description of the image. Is it a flyer, a game cover, or something else? (See above for what an image should consist of.) This is used as the alternate text that will be displayed below the image. (Does not show if image is not used.)
developer developer (P178) The popular name or names of the video game developers. This field is for the game development company (e.g., Nintendo) or, if confirmed by primary sources, the name of the team that developed the game (e.g., Nintendo EAD). The names can be wikilinked. Individual development tasks handled by different companies (e.g., scenario, programming) and ports should not be mentioned in the infobox but in the article text instead.
publisher publisher (P123) The popular name or names of the video game publishers. Add publishers for English-language regions and the developer's region. The names can be wikilinked. Use the {{Video game release}} template for regional publishers. If there are many publishers or if the list grows too long, use the {{Collapsible list}} template, fill the field title= with the primary publisher, and also include the field titlestyle=font-weight:normal;background:transparent;text-align:left;.
series part of the series (P179) The video game series the game is associated with. Only use this field if there is an article for the series. Wikilink and italicize the names (such as ''[[Halo (series)|Halo]]'').
engine software engine (P408) The game's engine. Only use this field for game engines with an established, independent article and wikilink its name (such as [[id Tech 3]]).[3] Do not list middleware such as Havok, SpeedTree or Euphoria.
platforms platform (P400) The unabbreviated console or operating system family for which the game was specifically developed. This includes dedicated ports, but not games in emulation or services. E.g., we would include the platforms listed in green, but not include those red below:
Deus Ex was ported specifically for the PlayStation 2, but was emulated on the PlayStation 3
EarthBound was not ported but emulated on the Wii U Virtual Console
Star Fox 2 was developed for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, but only later saw release in emulation on the SNES Classic Edition
Windows, not Steam or Oculus Rift
Xbox 360, not Xbox Live Arcade
iOS or Android, not App Store or Google Play
The original platform, not PlayStation Now or OnLive
  • Games that were developed for macOS should cover the operating system's name as it was at the time of the game's release; that is Mac OS X (September 13, 2000–July 24, 2012), OS X (July 25, 2012–September 21, 2016), and macOS (September 22, 2016–present). Games released for Macintosh machines before September 13, 2000, and as such were not natively released for Mac OS 10.0 or up, should instead link to Classic Mac OS.
released Add release dates according to the platforms field, for English-language regions and the developer's region. Use only general public release dates of full games, not mod, festival, preview, or early access dates. If sourced, use the game's exact release date ("March 29, 2024"). Use the {{Video game release}} template: {{Video game release|NA|March 29, 2024}}. If there are many release dates, enclose them all with the {{Collapsible list}} template[4] and add the field titlestyle=font-weight:normal;background:transparent;text-align:left; followed by title= set as the earliest release date. Platforms can be abbreviated to fit in one line and should be listed as bolded section titles without colons, separated with commas (e.g., PS4, 3DS, PC). Only use WW to provide clarity where a game has various differing release dates including multiple regional release dates on some platforms and worldwide on other platforms.
genre genre (P136) The gameplay genre or genres (such as first-person shooter, adventure, etc) the game is categorized in by its developers and publishers, or by reliable sources. Do not include broad gameplay mechanics that are frequently confused with genres, such as open world. This should not include thematic genres (like science fiction, horror, etc.) as video games are more difficult to categorize in such a way. Verifiable thematic genres can be mentioned in the article's body.
modes game mode (P404) Playing modes offered by the game. Currently, the only accepted values are single-player, multiplayer, or both.[5]
cabinet has part(s) of the class (P2670) arcade cabinet (Q1349717), qualifier instance of (P31) The type of cabinet the arcade game uses (e.g., upright, sit-down, cocktail, custom).
display has part(s) of the class (P2670) video display controller (Q1852898), qualifier instance of (P31) The characteristics of the arcade hardware's video output, such as graphical technique, display resolution and monitor orientation. Wiki: [[Raster graphics|Raster]], 256 x 224, horizontal orientation
arcade system has part(s) of the class (P2670) arcade system board (Q631229), qualifier instance of (P31) The name of or names associated with the arcade game's system board hardware. In case of unique arcade hardware, omit this field and use those below.
cpu CPU (P880) The names and number of central processing units used by the arcade game's hardware, wikilinked if possible.
sound has part(s) of the class (P2670) sound chip (Q1418253), qualifier instance of (P31) The names and number of hardware [sound-processing units?] used by the arcade game's hardware, wikilinked if possible.
director director (P57) The popular names of the game directors or creative directors who oversaw the creative development of the game. The names can be wikilinked.
  1. List only the person credited specifically with the title "director";
  2. Do not list other types of directors in this field;
  3. For games directed by a succession of people (e.g. MMOs and games with exceptionally long development cycles), indicate their years of involvement.
producer producer (P162) The popular names of the video game producers in overall charge of the production of the game. The names can be wikilinked.
  1. List only the person credited specifically with the title "producer";
  2. Do not list the "Executive producer" or other "sub"-producer credits, as they are not generally as intimately involved in a game's development;
  3. If three or more people are credited as "co-producer"s, discuss whether any one played the most significant part and, if decided, list that person;
  4. List the "Creative producer" only if said person's involvement in the game is discussed in the article's development-related section.
designer designed by (P287) The popular names of the video game designers, i.e. people who worked on the game's system. The names can be wikilinked. This field is often unfilled in modern high-budget development due to large team sizes and collaboration. Older games and indie games are more likely to use this position.
  1. If a single person is credited as "Lead designer", list that person; synonyms for this position include "[game] design director" and "lead planner";
  2. If there is no equivalent to #1, omit this field;
  3. If three or more people are credited as "lead designer"s, discuss whether any one played the most significant part and, if decided, list that person.
programmer programmer (P943) The popular names of the video game programmers. The names can be wikilinked. This field is often unfilled in modern high-budget development due to large team sizes and collaboration. Older games and indie games are more likely to use this position.
  1. If a single person is credited as "lead programmer", list that person; synonyms for this position may include "technical director";
  2. If there is no equivalent to #1, omit this field;
  3. If three or more people are credited as "lead programmer", discuss whether one played the most significant part and, if decided, list that person.
artist game artist (P3080) The popular names of the video game artists. The names can be wikilinked.
  1. List the person credited as "art director" or "lead artist";
  2. List no more than three people in this field.
writer author (P50) The popular names of the video game writers. The names can wikilinked. The writers should be listed in the order of their contribution, with those who wrote the game's scenarios/scripts listed before the game's story writers.
  1. If a single person is credited as "scenario director" or "scenario writer", list that person; synonyms for this position include "lead writer";
  2. If there is a person credited as "scenario concept writer" or "[original] concept", also list that person here;
  3. List no more than three people in this field.
composer composer (P86) The popular names of the video game composers.
  1. List people who contributed significantly to the soundtrack. Discuss inclusion criteria on a per-game basis on the talk page.
commons Commons category (P373) The commons category link

Microformat[change source]

The HTML mark-up produced by this template includes an hProduct microformat that makes a product's details readily parsable by computer programs. This aids tasks such as the cataloguing of articles and maintenance of databases. For more information about the use of microformats on Wikipedia, please visit the Microformat WikiProject on English Wikipedia.

If the product has a URL, use {{URL}} to include it.

Classes used

The HTML classes of this microformat include:

  • brand
  • category
  • description
  • fn
  • hproduct
  • identifier
  • listing
  • photo
  • price
  • review
  • type
  • url
  • value
Please do not rename or remove these classes
nor collapse nested elements which use them.

Template revisions[change source]

Style changes[change source]

Here's a record of previous styles that were very different from one another:

  • Gray with alternating colors, but with a gap between cells: [1] (Discussion)
  • Gray but no alternating colored rows: [2]
  • Purple with dark borders: [3]

Field changes[change source]

TemplateData[change source]

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Infobox video game in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Infobox video game

A template to generate an infobox for a video game.

Template parameters

This template prefers block formatting of parameters.

ParameterDescriptionTypeStatus
titletitle

Title of the game. If not specified the 'name' parameter or the PAGENAME are used. It should be plain text, do not include a wikilink, hyperlink or image in this parameter.

Lineoptional
collapsiblecollapsible

Whether this screenshot is hidden by default, set to 'yes' to place the screenshot in a collapsible section

Lineoptional
statestate

Determines the initial collapsed state of the infobox. Set collapsed to put the box in collapsed state initially. Set expanded to put the box in expanded state initially. Set autocollapse to have the box's initial collapsed state be determined automatically based on the number of other templates in the article that also have the "collapsible" attribute. (Has no effect if collapsible is not used.)

Default
autocollapse
Stringoptional
imageimage

File name for a screenshot of the image, e.g. 'GIMP screenshot.png'

Fileoptional
borderborder

Add a border around the image

Example
yes
Stringoptional
captioncaption

A short description of the image.

Stringoptional
developerdeveloper

The popular name(s) of the game developer(s), if confirmed by primary sources.

Stringoptional
publisherpublisher

The popular name(s) of the video game publisher(s), if confirmed by primary sources.

Stringoptional
seriesseries

The video game series the game is associated with. Only use this field if there is an article for the series. Wikilink and italicize the name(s) (such as Halo).

Stringoptional
engineengine

The game's engine

Stringoptional
platformsplatforms

The unabbreviated console or operating system family the game was specifically developed or officially announced (if not canceled) for. This includes dedicated ports, but not games in emulation or services. See documentation for examples.

Stringoptional
releasedreleased

Release date. If possible, use the game's exact release date. Example: November 3, 2013.

Stringoptional
genregenre

The genre of the game, such as first-person shooter, adventure, etc.

Stringoptional
modesmodes

Playing modes offered by the game. Currently, the only accepted values are single-player, multiplayer, or both.

Stringoptional
cabinetcabinet

no description

Stringoptional
displaydisplay

The characteristics of the arcade hardware's video output, such as graphical technique, display resolution and monitor orientation. Example: [[Raster graphics|Raster]], 256 x 224, horizontal orientation

Stringoptional
arcade systemarcade system

no description

Stringoptional
NoteNote

no description

Stringoptional
cpucpu

no description

Stringoptional
soundsound

no description

Stringoptional
directordirector

The popular names of the game directors or creative directors who oversaw the creative development of the game. The names can be wikilinked.

Stringoptional
producerproducer

The popular names of the game producers in overall charge of the production of the game. The names can be wikilinked.

Stringoptional
designerdesigner

The popular names of the game designers, i.e. people who worked on the game's system. The names can be wikilinked. This field is often unfilled in modern high-budget development due to large team sizes and collaboration. Older games and indie games are more likely to use this position.

Stringoptional
programmerprogrammer

The popular names of the game programmers. The names can be wikilinked. This field is often unfilled in modern high-budget development due to large team sizes and collaboration. Older games and indie games are more likely to use this position.

Stringoptional
artistartist

The popular names of the game's artists. The names can be wikilinked.

Stringoptional
writerwriter

The popular names of the game's writers. The names can wikilinked. The writers should be listed in the order of their contribution, with those who wrote the game's scenarios/scripts listed before the game's story writers.

Stringoptional
composercomposer

The popular names of the composers who worked on the game's music.

Stringoptional
fetchwikidatafetchwikidata

no description

Unknownoptional
suppressfieldssuppressfields

no description

Unknownoptional
onlysourcedonlysourced

no description

Unknownoptional
qidqid

no description

Unknownoptional
refsrefs

no description

Unknownoptional
noiconnoicon

no description

Unknownoptional
altalt

no description

Unknownoptional

Tracking categories[change source]

See also[change source]

Notes[change source]