RuneScape:Granularity

Many articles on this wiki are about relatively minor things, from hay bales to needles. We encourage gathering information on even the minutest scale. All items, non-player characters (NPCs), quests, whatever, are worthy of their own article, except in special cases where it is decided to combine or delete an article by consensus.

Consensus has shown that "NPC" in this context is defined to be any character whose control is automated by the RuneScape software (as opposed to human players and macros). Whilst most NPCs have common features (such as their name appearing as yellow text in-game) and interactivity options (for example, players are usually able to attack or talk to NPCs as a minimum), characters who do not have these features are still worthy of their own article, even though they are not interactive.

To merge, or not to merge?
Follow these guidelines when deciding on keeping two articles separated or merged:
 * 1) Does item A have the same purpose/use as item B?
 * 2) Can item A be substituted with item B?

Common examples with answers to above questions:
 * Potions
 * Yes, all potions have the same effect when used.
 * Yes, as 3-dose can be replaced with 4-dose.
 * Decision: Merge
 * Raw/cooked food
 * No, raw food is for cooking and may contain details about acquiring it (fishing locations / experience points etc). Cooked food is for eating and may include details of hitpoints healed and cooking methods.
 * No.
 * Decision: Keep separate
 * Food portions (eaten over multiple bites)
 * Yes.
 * Yes.
 * Decision: Merge
 * Diary reward items
 * No, higher level items have more abilities than lower level items.
 * No, lower level items cannot be used in place for some higher level abilities.
 * Decision: Keep separate
 * Items/Monsters with similar names
 * No.
 * No.
 * Decision: Keep separate
 * Charged items
 * Yes, all charges essentially have the same purpose.
 * Mostly yes, the charges can do the same thing at 1+ charges remaining.
 * Decision: Merge
 * Different/trimmed versions of armour/weapons
 * and 2. Depends, use this question, "Do they look the same when worn/equipped?"
 * Decision: If yes, merge. Otherwise, keep them separate.

Image Granularity
When items which look identical in-game have separate articles, they should link to separate images. For example, the inventory icons for Ashes and Ground bat bones currently look identical, but the icons' image files (File:Ashes.PNG and File:Ground bat bones.PNG) should be (and are) separate.

Keeping separate images for separate items (or NPCs), even when they look identical, is less confusing, promotes organization, and reduces the work required if the images diverge.

Exceptions
Currently the only three major exceptions are player articles, non-interactive scenery and summoning articles.


 * Non-interactive scenery - majority of the scenery is not notable enough to deserve its own article
 * Actual players - per RS:PLAYERS
 * Summoning articles - A familiar and its respective pouch, scroll, and special attack, should be merged into one article, under the name of the familiar.