STEP:Guide-Development Workflow

Guide-Development Workflow

A high-level overview of community-driven guide ideation/creation

by: Step Modifications  | Forum Topic

The Step forums serve as one component of release development for mod-build guides. Any registered members may post a new topic in one of the <GameName> Mods forums within our Supported Games forums (see posting instructions at top of the forums before posting). These mod topics serve as the "catch-all" for information and feedback relating to the any specific mod. Mods being actively considered for one of the official mod-build guides will be tagged with a yellow "Testing" prefix tag. These mods can be filtered by clicking on the tag or visiting here. All testing feedback is done on the individual topic for that specific mod. If a given mod "passes" testing, then its topic will marked with an "Accepted" tag, as well as, guide-specific tags. The wiki pages directly feed the official Step Guides via our custom framework.

Thus, in order for the game guides to remain current, it is imperative that this generalized workflow be maintained by the community. Certain parts of the current workflow are restricted to Administrators, Step Admin, Step Curators, and unofficial guide Curators; however, most of the workflow is exposed to all community members. It's this functionality that is presented here along with the linear breakdown of the update workflow. It's important that the community help drive the process, because it takes a lot of time to maintain the entire workflow and all of the quality assurance that goes along with it.

Please see our Member Groups as a reference for the member roles mentioned below.

Release Workflow Details

1. Community Members post threads on the Mods forum according to the posting guidelines.
   • This is a continuous process, and many mods currently exist in MS, so please search before posting!
   • Any mod can be posted in MS, but they must be of a specific quality in order to be considered for STEP. Hosever, all mods are considered for Packs.
   • These threads contain community feedback pertaining to the mod.
2. Community Members post on the current release vx.x.x Development Thread, calling out specific mods in MS that are particularly "hot" for STEP inclusion. These mods should be fairly well researched by the poster.
   • Anyone posting in the Development Thread should be prepared to act as Mod Testers for any mods being advocated or disavowed. ALL Members can act as mod testers. These members will be credited accordingly for their work within the STEP Guide for that release.
3. Administrators or STEP Staff determine which mods in the Mods forum will be called out for testing based largely on mods called out by Members on the Development Thread.
   • Administrators or STEP Staff will tag these mods for Testing by appending the [ TESTING ] tag
   • Knowledgeable community members will post some minimum criteria for testing, and Moderators, Super Moderators, STEP Staff or Administrators will update the testing topic's OP. It is expected that the community provide the mod testing detail that is requested in the OP (particularly the Development Thread advocates). A mod will remain in the testing phase until the minimum testing criteria have been met.
4. Once adequately "tested", mods under testing will be either tagged as [ ACCEPTED ] OR moved back into the Mods forum.
   • [ ACCEPTED ] mods:
     • Mod Testers or other advocates of accepted mods must CREATE THE CORRESPONDING MOD PAGE on the STEP Wiki PRIOR TO RELEASE. Moderators, Administrators, or STEP Staff will update the OP and the wiki mod page with these notes. NOTE: Mod pages must also be created if they do not already exist for inclusion into any Pack.
     • Mod Testers or other advocates of accepted mods must specify any pertinent installation notes pertaining to the mod ON THE MOD'S TOPIC. PRIOR TO RELEASE.
     • Administrators or STEP Staff will move accepted mods into the STEP Mod Anthology on the release date (the original Mod topic redirect will remain and point now to the Anthology).
   • All threads, regardless of acceptance into STEP, will continue to be used for posting as per usual, since the Mods forum should, theoretically, house all mod topics.

Once mods are accepted and the corresponding mod pages created, Administrators and STEP Staff are able to incorporate new mods into the current STEP Development Guide. Workflow-related activities combined with site & workflow maintenance, Guide upkeep, and Nexus upkeep require almost all of the senior staff's time, therefore, we ask that the community help out by supplying the needed information and contributing to site maintenance wherever possible.

Thanks!