https://edfieldmanual.com/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Elite_Dangerous_Field_Manual%3AContent_Style_GuideElite Dangerous Field Manual:Content Style Guide - Revision history2026-08-25T12:59:57ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.46.0https://edfieldmanual.com/index.php?title=Elite_Dangerous_Field_Manual:Content_Style_Guide&diff=302&oldid=prevSythan: New: contributor-facing voice/terminology/Live-Legacy phrasing guide, fixing a dead link from Editorial Policy2026-08-07T22:15:52Z<p>New: contributor-facing voice/terminology/Live-Legacy phrasing guide, fixing a dead link from Editorial Policy</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>Voice, terminology, and phrasing conventions for EDFM articles. See [[Elite Dangerous Field Manual:Editorial Policy]] for the higher-level content principles this builds on — this page is about how to write a sentence, not what an article should contain.<br />
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== Voice ==<br />
Write like a field manual, not an encyclopedia entry about an encyclopedia entry. Prefer direct, active instructions over passive, hedged description.<br />
* '''Prefer:''' "To unlock Broo Tarquin, first reach Combat rank Competent."<br />
* '''Avoid:''' "Broo Tarquin can be unlocked through the fulfillment of certain reputation-based prerequisites."<br />
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Reference articles can be a little more descriptive than guides, but should still favour plain statements over throat-clearing ("This module is used for..." rather than "It should be noted that this module serves the purpose of...").<br />
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== "Commander" ==<br />
Address the reader as '''Commander''' where it reads naturally — a guide's Objective or Expected result line is a good spot ("You'll need Combat rank Competent"; "Commander" works too if it fits the sentence). Don't force it into every paragraph; one natural use per section is plenty. Never use it inside a reference article's factual statements (infobox rows, blueprint tables) — it belongs in prose, not data.<br />
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== Terminology ==<br />
* Use full names on first mention in an article (Frame Shift Drive, not FSD) and the common abbreviation afterward if the article is long enough to benefit — both should exist as searchable terms; see [[Elite Dangerous Field Manual:Redirect and Disambiguation Policy]] for how abbreviations become redirects.<br />
* Use "Colonisation" (British spelling), matching Frontier's own in-game spelling — "Colonization" redirects here for readers who type the American spelling, per the redirect policy.<br />
* Use exact in-game rank/status names as capitalised proper nouns (Combat rank '''Competent''', Exploration rank '''Scout'''), not paraphrased equivalents.<br />
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== Live, Legacy, and Historical phrasing ==<br />
Don't let these blur together in a sentence:<br />
* '''Live-only fact:''' state it plainly, no qualifier needed if the article's {{tl|Article status}} mode is already <code>Live</code>.<br />
* '''Differs between Live and Legacy:''' say so explicitly in the sentence itself ("On Live, X; on Legacy, Y remains true"), and use the <code>legacy_differences</code> field on {{tl|Article status}} to summarise it in the metadata too.<br />
* '''Legacy-exclusive or Historical:''' lead with that fact ("This mechanic is no longer present on Live — ..."), not as an afterthought at the end of the paragraph, and use {{tl|Legacy warning}} or {{tl|Historical warning}} so a skimming reader can't miss it.<br />
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{{Related articles|[[Elite Dangerous Field Manual:Editorial Policy]] [[Elite Dangerous Field Manual:Verification Policy]] [[Elite Dangerous Field Manual:Source Quality Guide]]}}</div>Sythan