STEP:Mod-Build Guide Framework

Game Guide Framework

Using the Step game guide framework for creating and maintaining game guides

by: Step Modifications

Step has many guide types, but most notable are guides for supported games. This documentation applies to these guides specifically.

Step has built out an improved guide-creation infrastructure that confers the following important benefits to guide curators:

• Assists ALL guide curators by 'seeding' available mod pages and guide instructions for use in other guides for the same supported game
• Exposes guides on the game "portal" pages to improve visibility and facilitate sharing
• Standardizes and simplifies guide/changelog creation and maintenance
• Standardizes all guides to a common look/feel with capacity to 'brand' unofficial guides
• Reusable mod pages with guide-version-specific installation instructions

Step 1: Create/Update Mod Pages

The Step wiki parses all game-specific pages by namespace (aka, "GameSpace"), and mod pages are no exception. This how multiple games are supported by the infrastructure. Mod pages on the wiki serve several key purposes:

• Provide guide-version-specific mod installation/setup instructions
• Provide links to:
  • Mod source
  • Step forum discussion for the mod
  • Step ModGroup list
• Provide metadata 'flags' used as visual indicators and query attributes
• Allow title/instruction/attribute 'tansclusion' into ModList and guide tables
• Make mods available to mod list queries/exports
• Can be reused across game-guide versions for any official or unofficial game guide

Therefore, creating each mod page is always the prerequisite to guide creation. Mod pages only need to be created once, and many exist already on the wiki. Access the mod-page Form from the Game Portal Page of the game as indicated on the Step Portal, accessible from the top menu under Navigation > Step Portal.

When creating mod pages, most attributes will be known ahead of time, but some attributes must be back-filled later, once the curator determines interactions and conflicts in the final guide (e.g., Patch flags and Recommendations):

• Always use the mod source 'full' mod name by pasting the mod name directly from the source (do not edit otherwise). E.g., this mod's name is copied from the Nexus breadcrumb at top of page and includes underscores. This is not ideal, but it is what it is. If the mod author cleans up the mod name, staff will 'move' the existing mod page to the new name upon request.
• Always assign the 'best' ModGroup name to the mod. This will determine placement of the mod in the guide. Use the following guidance:
  • Use the most appropriate 'logical' ModGroup by understanding the mod itself. E.g., SKSE mods can be Extenders, Resources, Fixes, etc., but can NEVER be "Models & Textures".
  • If > 1 ModGroup applies, choose the one that achieves the simplest result in terms of conflict resolution (minimize the need to hide files in MO), usability, and instruction.
• Complete ALL other 'knowable' information (Recommendations and flags will usually be added later)
• Create the forum mod topic:
  1. Go to the 'Mods' forum of the game for which the guide is being created.
  2. SEARCH THIS FORUM for the mod in question.
  3. Create/edit the topic OP using the 'source' editor (use the boilerplate source to facilitate)
  4. Add any applicable special instructions or screen compares below the horizontal rule.