Dialogue reference formatting guideline

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Article suggested to be merged with Fallout Wiki:Reference formatting guideline as outlined above.

This page contains Nukapedia's dialogue reference formatting guideline. It describes how references for certain materials should be structured within articles.

• Guidelines describe desired etiquette and common practice in the creation, editing and organization of articles on this wiki.
• Any registered editor is free to edit this page to improve its readability as long as the essence of the article remains unchanged.
• If you would like to suggest content changes or propose a new policy or guideline, please use the wiki discussion forum.
• See the policies and guidelines page for an overview of this wiki's policies and guidelines.

General guidelines

• The reference should include the names of all involved characters, followed by a colon (:) and their respective dialogues. Character names should be displayed as their full name and link to the character's page. Dialogue should be italicized and placed inside quotation marks.
• A link to the dialogue file of the character(s) must be included at the end of the reference. This link is to be within parenthesis and separated from the main text using a line break (<br />).
• The link should describe who the dialogue belongs to. For example, instead of [[HAROLD.MSG]], write [[HAROLD.MSG|Harold's dialogue]]." This is to avoid redirects or confusion when the file name does not match that of the speaker. Some dialogue pages have the ability to link to individual dialogue lines. When possible, the page link should also include an anchor (i.e. specific line link) to the first-occurring line of the reference. For example, to reference lines 12-15 of Abbot's dialogue file, write "[[Abbot's dialogue|Abbot.txt#12]]" instead of "[[Abbot's dialogue|Abbot.txt]]."
• Note that older games may include brackets or other details within the dialogue reference. These details should be removed.

Product	Code
Character name #1: "What is being said by them" Character name #2: "Their response to the prior prompt" (Character name #1 and Character #2's dialogue)	<ref>Character name #1: ''"What is being said by them"'' <br/>Character name #2: ''"Their response to the prior prompt"'' <br/>([[Link to dialogue file|Character #1]] and [[Link to dialogue file|Character #2's dialogue]])</ref>
Nolan McNamara: "Veronica. I hope-" Veronica Santangelo: "I brought you a present. We unlocked the secret of HELIOS One." Nolan McNamara: "What? Wonderful news!" Veronica: "No. It's not. ARCHIMEDES II is an orbital laser. Effective only outdoors in a limited radius and requiring a long recharge." (Veronica Santangelo and Nolan McNamara's dialogue)	<ref>[[Nolan McNamara]]: ''"Veronica. I hope-"''<br/>[[Veronica Santangelo]]: ''"I brought you a present."''<br/>Veronica Santangelo: ''"We unlocked the secret of HELIOS One."''<br/>McNamara: ''"What? Wonderful news!"''<br/>Veronica: ''"No. It's not. ARCHIMEDES II is an orbital laser. Effective only outdoors in a limited radius and requiring a long recharge."''<br/>([[Veronica.txt|Veronica Santangelo]] and [[NolanMcNamara.txt|Nolan McNamara's dialogue]])</ref>

Player characters

Dialogue prompts chosen by player characters are stored in the dialogue file of the NPC they're talking to. In other words, player characters don't have dialogue files of their own, so link to the dialogue file of the conversing NPC.

Product	Code
Vault Dweller: "Where were the mutants coming from?" Harold: "Everywhere! Hell, seemed like you couldn't fart without hitting one. But mostly in the northwest." (Harold's dialogue)	<ref>[[Vault Dweller]]: ''"Where were the mutants coming from?"'' <br/>[[Harold]]: ''"Everywhere! Hell, seemed like you couldn't fart without hitting one. But mostly in the northwest."'' <br/>([[HAROLD.MSG|Harold's dialogue]])</ref>

Product

Code

Courier: "Wait, what happened to your caravan?" Rose of Sharon Cassidy: "Mojave happened - hit by raiders packing some heavy firepower. Can't believe the Crimson Caravan haven't heard. So if you want to buy all of Cassidy Caravans, you're looking at it - and what I got in my pockets. Still, as little as that is, not looking to sell." (Rose of Sharon Cassidy's dialogue)

<ref>[[Courier]]: ''"Wait, what happened to your caravan?"''<br/>[[Rose of Sharon Cassidy]]: ''"Mojave happened - hit by raiders packing some heavy firepower. Can't believe the Crimson Caravan haven't heard. So if you want to buy all of Cassidy Caravans, you're looking at it - and what I got in my pockets. Still, as little as that is, not looking to sell."''<br/>([[RoseofSharonCassidy.txt|Rose of Sharon Cassidy's dialogue]])</ref>

Multiple-NPC conversations

Referencing dialogue between more characters is presented similarly to the standard format, but includes an increased number of characters and dialogue files.

Product	Code
Character #1: "What is being said by them" Character #2: "Their response to the prior prompt" Character #3: "Responding to Character #2's response." (Character #1, Character #2, and Character #3's dialogue)	<ref>Character #1 (usually a player character): ''"What is being said by them"'' <br/>Character #2: ''"Their response to the prior prompt"'' <br/>Character #3: ''"Responding to Character #2's response."'' <br/>([[Character #1's dialogue file|Character #1]], [[Character #2's dialogue file|Character #2]], and [[Character #3's dialogue file|Character #3's dialogue]])</ref>
Courier: "Energy Cells have a high expenditure rate. Some extra reserve cells could offset that." Klein: "[SUCCEEDED] HMMM. YES, I BELIEVE WATTZ ELECTRONICS TENDED TO MAKE THE BATTERY SHELF LIFE ON THE LOW END." Dala: "They certainly did. Batteries for my vib... vivisectors... would always come up short right before climax." Doctor 0: "I think Wattz manufactured holodisks. Or was it holotapes? Never can keep those two straight. Anyway, we're out of small energy cells. Dala." (Dr. 0, Dr. Dala, and Dr. Klein's dialogue)	<ref>[[Courier]]: ''"Energy Cells have a high expenditure rate. Some extra reserve cells could offset that."'' <br/>[[Klein]]: ''"[SUCCEEDED] HMMM. YES, I BELIEVE WATTZ ELECTRONICS TENDED TO MAKE THE BATTERY SHELF LIFE ON THE LOW END."'' <br/>[[Dala]]: ''"They certainly did. Batteries for my vib... vivisectors... would always come up short right before climax."'' <br/>[[Doctor 0]]: ''"I think Wattz manufactured holodisks. Or was it holotapes? Never can keep those two straight. Anyway, we're out of small energy cells. Dala. <br/>([[NVDLC03DoctorO.txt|Dr. 0]], [[NVDLC03Doctor8.txt|Dr. 8]], [[NVDLC03DoctorDala.txt|Dr. Dala]], and [[NVDLC03DoctorKlein.txt|Dr. Klein's dialogue]])</ref>

Mimed dialogue

A character may "mime" dialogue or perform gestures. These actions are to be italicized and placed into square brackets ([ ]). Since these actions are not technically dialogue, quotation marks are not to be used. Apart from the performed actions, the rest of the reference is to be formatted in the same manner as standard dialogue.

Product	Code
Character name #1: "What is being said by them" Character name #2: [Their response to the prior prompt] (Link(s) to dialogue file(s))	<ref>Character name #1: ''"What is being said by them"'' <br/>Character name #2: ''[Their response to the prior prompt]'' <br/>([[Link to dialogue file]])</ref>
Courier: "You need a battery... a Fission Battery... and Scrap Metal? And you can counterfeit the chips?" Christine Royce: [She nods, impressed. Then she points at you, then her and makes a circle.] (Christine Royce's dialogue)	<ref> [[Courier]]: ''"You need a battery... a Fission Battery... and Scrap Metal? And you can counterfeit the chips?"'' <br/>[[Christine Royce]]: ''[She nods, impressed. Then she points at you, then her and makes a circle.]'' <br/>([[NVDLC03Christine.txt|Christine Royce's dialogue]])</ref>

Dialogue notes

• Occasionally, dialogue may not be enough to prove a point; editorial comments may be required to expand upon the dialogue's context, implications, or otherwise provide a notice to the reader.
  • Comments must be placed at the end of the dialogue reference after the link to the dialogue file(s).
• Comments should be used sparingly; only use them when the dialogue in question would be confusing without clarification or if the dialogue only occurs under certain conditions.
  • Appropriate use for dialogue notes includes the specific location or companion-based clarification or detail.
  • Inappropriate use for dialogue notes includes speculation, claims of narrator unreliability, game year math justifications, content that is not navigational in nature.

A standard dialogue reference with an attached editorial note should be referenced as follows (with an included example):

Product	Code
Character name #1: "What is being said by them" Character name #2: "Their response to the prior prompt" (Link(s) to dialogue file(s)) Note: The editorial note further explaining the prior dialogue.}}	<ref>Character name #1: ''"What is being said by them"'' <br/>Character name #2: ''"Their response to the prior prompt"'' <br/>([[Link(s) to dialogue file(s)]]) '''Note:''' The editorial note further explaining the prior dialogue.</ref>
The Courier: "How long have you been with the Followers?" Emily Ortal: "About five years now. I have family back in Arroyo, but this is where all of the good work is being done, so to speak. NCR taxes and inflation have been hard for a lot of people to deal with, and most of the money is going to the war effort. There's not much funding for medical research with OSI or any other group - not unless it has a military application, anyway." (Emily Ortal's dialogue) Note: Emily Ortal is referring to NCR taxation and inflation in Arroyo, which is only possible if Arroyo is a part of the NCR.	<ref>The [[Courier]]: ''"How long have you been with the Followers?"'' <br/>[[Emily Ortal]]: ''"About five years now. I have family back in Arroyo, but this is where all of the good work is being done, so to speak. NCR taxes and inflation have been hard for a lot of people to deal with, and most of the money is going to the war effort. There's not much funding for medical research with OSI or any other group - not unless it has a military application, anyway."'' <br/>([[Lucky38FollowerEmily.txt|Emily Ortal's dialogue]]) '''Note:''' Emily Ortal is referring to NCR taxation and inflation in Arroyo, which is only possible, if Arroyo is a part of the NCR.}}</ref>

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