Guide/Tutorial Guidelines

[jcsnider]

Creating Guides/Tutorials -- Guidelines and Preferred Layout

Date: August 14th 2016

Guide Written During Alpha 1.7

Summary/Notes/Disclaimers/Etc:

Each guide should start out with a description of what the guide is for. The first post in a guide should inform users what the guide will teach (if anything) and it should display the final result of what the guide will accomplish. Other things to include in the first post includes:

• A title for your guide
• The date the guide was written/last updated
• What engine/what version the guide was written for.
• Any requirements for the guide (engine version, operating system, etc)
• Table of contents for each step of your guide.
  • Each major section should have it's own post. Keep the first post of the guide minimalistic.
  • You are allowed to double post, triple post, post as many times in a row when making a guide.
• Any attached files that will be required during the guide.

 

Guide don't have to follow this template, feel free to roll your own;  if your guide is messy or is poorly written, has inaccurate information, or is hard to navigate then it will be less helpful to others.

 

Table Of Contents

• 1. Writing a Guide
  • 1.1 Start with Placeholders.
  • 1.2 Allowing Comments
• 2. Attachments and Content
  • 2.2 Tools Available
• 3. Closing Thoughts

 

[jcsnider]

1. Writing a Guide

 

1.1 Start With Placeholders

When you start writing your guide go ahead and make a few extra posts that you can use for your various major sections. This is so that if someone comments they don't mess up the order of your guide. (If they do, don't worry we can shift it around.)

 

 

1.2 Allowing Comments

We are going to allow comments on guides. This will allow people to say thank you, ask questions related to your guide specifically and it will allow people to easily notify everyone if there is a problem in the guide. (Broken links, bad information, etc)

[jcsnider]

2. Attachments and Content

 

2.1 Tools Available

Guides take a long time to write well. It is best to include screenshots, extra information, external sources, etc. When including screenshots or files that must be downloaded please please please use our Filehost it is free, has a very loose upload limit and those links won't ever expire! Places like Puush will delete images after 30-60 days but we won't. If you use our filehost or attach files to these posts then your guide will remain available and useful for the community.

[jcsnider]

3. Closing Thoughts

Thank you for taking the time to read though this. Writing guides for others takes time and dedication and I really appreciate everyone who takes the time to do it. If you write any guides and want them promoted to "Official" feel free to PM and Mod/Admin or just hit the report button on the OP. We will then look into it at the first opportunity we have.

 

Thanks again!

JC