RuneScape:Style guide/Transcripts

A transcript is an often lengthy manuscript covering dialogue and brief descriptions of actions, although many of them can be used as references for information. This guide covers both transcripts and dialogue pages.

Templates
If you are working on a dialogue or transcript you can use Inuse to notify other editors who may edit-conflict you whilst working on a long dialogue. An incomplete dialogue or transcript should be labelled with Reasons changing reasons to detail what the page is missing.

Dialogue pages should be have type added for categorisation. Valid arguments for the type parameter can be seen on the template page documentation.

Formatting
Dialogue should be in the following bulleted format per this forum. NPC dialogue should be marked with the NPC as the speaker. Player dialogue should be marked with Player as the speaker.
 * Player: Dialogue
 * NPC: Dialogue
 * Player: Dialogue
 * NPC: Dialogue
 * Player: Dialogue
 * Player: Dialogue
 * NPC: Dialogue
 * Player: Dialogue
 * NPC: Dialogue
 * Player: Dialogue

An option should be on the same level as the preceding text to avoid confusion when reading. Every time a new option is explored another indent should be used, until that line of conversation is exhausted.

Separating dialogue
Dialogue in separate chat boxes, but spoken by the same personality should not be split, unless it is interrupted by another personality or event. For example: Would become In the next example nothing would change due to an interruption:
 * NPC: Dialogue.
 * NPC: More dialogue.
 * NPC: Even more dialogue.
 * NPC: Dialogue. More dialogue. Even more dialogue.
 * NPC 1: Dialogue.
 * NPC 2: More dialogue.
 * NPC 1: Even more dialogue.

Sections
Some dialogue pages will need to be split under separate headers. In the case of quest transcripts this will likely be a change in location. For dialogue pages this will be differences in the NPC spoken to, such as a baby and mature pet, or differing dialogue if different conditions have been met, such as completing quests altering the dialogue, e.g. Char/dialogue. However, if there are events that only extend the dialogue a note should be added above the text to state the requirement, such as Wahisietel/dialogue in the format:
 * If 

Replacing with the relevant trigger.

Repeated dialogue
If the same exact dialogue, verbatim, is said in multiple situations, or upon selection of any of multiple options, then after the first appearance, subsequent appearances should be noted in the following format:
 * Same as 

Replacing with the relevant option.

If an option repeats itself multiple times, with the same exact dialogue following that option repeating itself, then subsequent appearances of the dialogue that follows that repeating option should be noted in the following format:


 * Same as above 

However, if the text is not exactly the same, even if the variations are minor, then write the exact text that is said in the new situation in full. Indicate under which conditions the variant dialogue appears through separating dialogue by option or situation.

NPC dialogue transcripts
This section only applies to NPC dialogue.

Header
All NPC dialogue transcripts should have npc at the top of the article. This adds it to the correct category and adds attribution to Jagex as the copyright holder.

Actions
qact is to be used each time there is an action or event that is not explicitly stated by dialogue. This is to make the dialogue easier to follow. Examples of this might include:
 * A player teleporting.
 * A cutscene starting.
 * A player picking something up relevant to the situation.

Quest transcripts
This section only applies to quest transcripts.

Header
All quest transcripts should have quest at the top of the article. This adds it to the correct category and adds attribution to Jagex as the copyright holder.

Next should be the list of notable NPCs that are featured in the quest. As a rule of thumb, if they have a page describing them as a separate personality/character they should be noted. For example, Moia would get a mention whereas Man would not. This list should be in the format: NPC 1, NPC 2, NPC 3, and NPC 4 This produces:

Following this should be the first header. Use appropriate names relating to the location of event occurring at that time in the quest. A new header should be used for every change of location.

Actions
qact is to be used each time there is an action or event that is not explicitly stated by dialogue. This is to make the dialogue easier to follow. Examples of this might include:
 * A player teleporting.
 * A cutscene starting.
 * A player picking something up relevant to the quest.