Guild Wars 2 wiki:Location formatting

This page presents guidelines and conventions to the layout and formatting of articles on specific locations.

Hierarchy & terminology

'Location' is a broad term, and can refer to something as large as a continent, or as small as a section of a hill. The Guild Wars 2 Wiki has adopted the following definitions:

• Continent: This refers to the all-encompassing geographical space for a landmass. Currently, there is only the continent of Tyria in the game, but lore includes the continents of Cantha and Elona. The term may find itself used to describe areas outside the continent but in the immediate area of, attributing the islands that once represented Orr or the Ring of Fire islands to Tyria.
• Region: A broad area composed of several zones. Usually, there is an common theme among all the zones, such as common monsters, terrain types, color palettes, etc. An example would be Ascalon, which includes the charr homelands.
• Explorable zone (colloq. map): The open world locations where players can meet up. Zones are mechanically bounded by impassable terrain on land and invisible walls in water; the only exits are marked by portals that cause the game client to load the character into another zone when stepped through. Cities are a specific type of zone.
• Dungeon: Dungeons are smaller instanced maps accessed from a zone. Aside from their method of access and non-open-world nature, they are similar in hierarchy to zones and cities.
• Area: A subsection of a zone that is identified by name. The shape and size of an area is variable, typically linked to a prominent geographical feature or dependent on its inhabitants and function. Areas may be instanced, creating a smaller version of the area for personal play for purposes such as the personal storyline. An instanced area may be identified by the red shading present in its boundaries.
• Point of interest: Specifically identified sites within the map that are of some import. These can include structures, settlements, exact positions of geographical features, etc.
• Waypoint: Though not technically a location, these named markers serve as an important means of player movement through the world. Once unlocked, a character can map-travel to it at any time, with two exceptions: 1) The waypoint must not be contested (
  20px
  ) and 2) the player must not be in combat. When in open cities, travel to another in-city waypoint is free. Otherwise, a small fee is levied for the convenience. Waypoints do not receive their own articles, they are instead documented inside their explorable zone, dungeon, and/or area.
• Jumping puzzle: Jumping puzzles are platforming elements located within an area that players can complete. These puzzles will reward players for finishing or are required to reach certain skill challenges and vistas. They are often the main feature of an area, some areas existing only for the puzzle itself.
• Landmark: Landmarks are physical objects in the world that aren't specified on the map or by in-game menus. They are typically identified through lore and objects that exist in the world. The landmarks can vary greatly by this definition, from the volcanic mountain in Mount Maelstrom to the floating Wizard's Tower in Kessex Hills.

Location infobox

The template for locations is called Template:Area infobox. Note that this naming predates the more specific terminology used above.

{{Area infobox
<!-- REMOVE any parameters that are not used, don't leave them with blank values! -->
| name =                            <!-- Optional. Set ONLY if the name of the location should be different from the title. -->
| hearts =                          <!-- # of Renown Hearts in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| waypoints =                       <!-- # of Waypoints in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| points-of-interest =              <!-- # of PoI in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| skill-challenges =                <!-- # of Skill challenges in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| vistas =                          <!-- # of Vistas in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| map =                             <!-- Optional. File name for the location's map, if different from the title. -->
| levels =                          <!-- Character levels the location was built for. Typically used for zones. Use an en-dash (ex: 15–25) -->
| type =                            <!-- Type of location. eg: Explorable zone -->
| within =                          <!-- Used to identify the greater area or zone the location is in. Ex: areas are within zones; points of interest are within areas. -->
| connections =                     <!-- Connecting locations. Typically used for zones. -->
| loading-screen =                  <!-- Name of the image for the loading screen graphic if applicable. -->
}}
 

Zone structure

{{Area infobox
| name =                            <!-- Optional. Set ONLY if the name of the location should be different from the title.-->
| hearts =                          <!-- # of Renown Hearts in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| waypoints =                       <!-- # of Waypoints in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| points-of-interest =              <!-- # of PoI in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| skill-challenges =                <!-- # of Skill challenges in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| vistas =                          <!-- # of Vistas in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| map =                             <!-- File name for the Zone's map -->
| levels =                          <!-- Levels the Zone spans according to the worldmap view. Use an en-dash (ex: 15–25) -->
| type = Explorable zone
| within =                          <!-- The Region that includes this Zone -->
| connections =                     <!-- Connecting zones, cities, and dungeons. -->
| loading-screen =                  <!-- Name of the image for the loading screen graphic if applicable. -->
}}

{{Quotation|game|Game description of the location as available.}}

General description of the location.

==Locations==
<div style="float:right;clear:right;">
{{Mail
| sender = <!-- Who sent the mail message -->
| subject = <!-- Subject of the completion mail message -->
| content = <!-- Content of the completion mail message -->
| sign = <!-- Signature of the completion mail message. 
}}
</div>

<!-- List the various names that appear on the map for this zone -->
{| {{STDT|sortable pve locations}}
{{Location table header}}
|-
| [[<area name>]]
| style="text-align:center" | <effective level>
|
: {{heart|<heart name>}} <!-- automatically displays the heart level -->
: {{map icon|wp}} <waypoint name> <!-- no link -->
: {{map icon|poi}} [[<point of interest name>]]
: {{map icon|skill}} [[<skill challenge initiator name>]] (<skill challenge type>) (<skill challenge level>)
: {{map icon|vista}} <descriptive vista name>
: {{map icon|<location type>}} <location name> <!--jumping puzzles, dungeons, and landmarks-->
|-
| [[<area name>]]
| style="text-align:center" | <effective level>
| — <!-- if there is nothing in the area -->
|}

==Events==
* {{event|<event name>}}

; Meta events
* {{event|<meta event name>}}
** {{event|<event name>}}

==Pets==
; [[<Pet>]]
* [[<Area>]] (additional notes if necessary)

==Crafting resources==
<!-- delete what is not applicable -->
; Resource nodes
: {{gathering icon|mine}} [[<Mine Resource>]]
: {{gathering icon|wood}} [[<Wood Resource>]]
: {{gathering icon|plant}} [[<Plant Resource>]]

; Bulk ingredients
: {{item icon|<Bulk Resource>}} from [[<vendor>]]

; Recipes
: {{<crafting discipline>}} [[<Recipe>]] from [[<vendor>]]

==Trivia==
<!-- delete if not applicable -->
* ...

{{Explorables nav}}

Area structure

{{Area infobox
| name =                            <!-- Optional. Set ONLY if the name of the location should be different from the title.-->
| hearts =                          <!-- # of Renown Hearts in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| waypoints =                       <!-- # of Waypoints in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| points-of-interest =              <!-- # of PoI in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| skill-challenges =                <!-- # of Skill challenges in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| vistas =                          <!-- # of Vistas in the Area. Delete line if zero. -->
| map =                             <!-- File name for the location's map -->
| type = Area
| within =                          <!-- Name the Zone containing the Area. -->
| levels =                          <!-- Area level (calculated from the effective level) -->
| connections =                     <!-- Surrounding Area names. -->
| screenshot =                      <!-- Use ONLY if screenshot is named different than area. -->
| sstext =                          <!-- Optional. For adding screenshot description. -->
}}

General description of the area. 

== Locations and objectives ==
<!-- Omit what isn't applicable -->
{{area hearts|show header=y}}

; Waypoints
: {{map icon|wp}} <Waypoint Name>

; Points of Interest
: {{map icon|poi}} [[<Point Of Interest Name>]]

; Skill Challenges
: {{map icon|skill}} [[<Skill Challenge Name>]] (<Level>)

; Vistas
: {{map icon|vista}} <Vista name >
:: <short description of how to get to vista>

; Jumping Puzzles
: {{map icon|jp}} [[<Jumping puzzle Name>]]

; Mini-dungeons
: {{map icon|exp}} [[<Mini-dungeon Name>]]

; Landmarks
: {{map icon|lm}} [[<Landmark Name>]]

{{area events|show header=y}}

== NPCs ==
=== Allies ===
<!-- delete what is not applicable -->
* [[<NPC name>]] (<level>)

==== Services ====
: {{vendor|<service type>}} [[<NPC name>]] (<level>)

;Crafters
: {{crafter|<discipline>}} [[<NPC name>]] (<level>)

;Trainers
: {{trainer|<profession>}} [[<NPC name>>]] (<level>)

==== Pets ====
* [[<Pet name>]]

=== Foes ===
;[[<Creature type>]]
* [[<Enemy name>]] (<Level>)

== Ambient dialogue ==
<!-- Optional section. If there is conversation or other idle dialogue between NPC's in this area, include it here. See [[Guild Wars 2 Wiki:Projects/Quotes and Dialogues]] for more details. -->
''For previous dialogue, see [[{{subst:PAGENAME}}/dialogue]].'' <!-- For when an area or point of interest has had ambient dialogue modified by a Living World update. -->
Brief description of NPC's actions, if applicable
:'''<NPC name>:''' ''"As a boy I spent much time in these lands. Look at them now."''
:'''<NPC name>:''' ''"Some more example text."''

== Objects ==
* [[<Object name>]]

;[[Environmental weapons]]
* [[<Object name>]]

== Crafting resources ==
<!-- delete what is not applicable -->
=== Resource nodes ===
: {{gathering icon|mine}} [[<Mine Resource>]]
: {{gathering icon|wood}} [[<Wood Resource>]]
: {{gathering icon|plant}} [[<Plant Resource>]]

=== Bulk ingredients ===
: {{item icon|<Bulk Resource>}} from [[<vendor>]]

=== Recipes ===
: {{<crafting discipline>}} [[<Recipe>]] from [[<vendor>]]

== Trivia ==
* ... <!-- delete if not applicable -->

{{<Zone name> nav}}
 

Jumping puzzle structure

{{Area infobox
| name =                <!-- Optional. Set ONLY if the name of the location should be different from the title.-->
| map =                 <!-- Map showing starting point of puzzle -->
| type = Jumping puzzle
| within =              <!-- Area puzzle is located in -->
| screenshot =          <!-- Screenshot of puzzle if needed -->
| sstext =              <!-- Screenshot text -->
}}

General description of the puzzle.

==Getting there==
Brief description of how to reach the starting point of the dungeon

==Walkthrough==
{{youtube search}}
{{spoilers|
#
#
#

===Tips===
<!-- Tips and other information relevant to completing the puzzle -->

===Gallery===
<!-- Image walkthrough of the puzzle -->
<gallery>
<!-- File:<NAME>.jpg -->
<!-- File:<NAME>.jpg -->
<!-- File:<NAME>.jpg -->
</gallery>
}}

==Reward==
<!-- Type of chest, possible loot from chest, any other bonuses at the end -->

==NPCs==
===Allies===
<!-- Allies pertinent to this puzzle -->
===Foes===
<!-- Enemies pertinent to this puzzle -->

==Notes==
<!-- Information about the area, any notable aspects of the puzzle. Avoid spoilers to the solution -->

==See Also==
<!-- Any other relevant information, such as additional videos or images -->

{{Jumping puzzle nav}}

Point of Interest formatting

{{Area infobox
| name =                            <!-- Optional. Set ONLY if the name of the POI should be different from the title.-->
| map =                             <!-- Optional. File name for the location of the point of interest on the map. Defaults to File:<poi> map.jpg -->
| type = Point of Interest
| within =                          <!-- Name the area containing the point of interest. -->
| screenshot =                      <!-- Screenshot of the point of interest. Defaults to File:<poi>.jpg -->
| sstext =                          <!-- Optional. For adding screenshot description. -->
| id =                              <!-- Id of the point of interest. See Chat link format for details. -->
}}

General description of the point of interest.

== Getting there ==
<!-- Optional. Use ONLY for hard to find POIs. -->
Brief description of how to reach the point of interest.

== Events ==
<!-- List any events that take place in the vicinity of the point of interest. Typically events that involve defending a camp or town. -->
* {{event|<Event name>}} 

== NPCs ==
=== Allies ===
<!-- delete what is not applicable -->
* [[<NPC name>]] (<level>)

==== Services ====
: {{vendor|<service type>}} [[<NPC name>]] (<level>)

;Crafters
: {{crafter|<discipline>}} [[<NPC name>]] (<level>)

;Trainers
: {{trainer|<profession>}} [[<NPC name>>]] (<level>)

==== Pets ====
* [[<Pet name>]]

=== Foes ===
;[[<Creature type>]]
* [[<Enemy name>]] (<Level>)

== Objects ==
* [[<Object name>]]

;[[Environmental weapons]]
* [[<Object name>]]

== Crafting resources ==
<!-- delete what is not applicable -->
; Resource nodes
: {{gathering icon|mine}} [[<Mine Resource>]]
: {{gathering icon|wood}} [[<Wood Resource>]]
: {{gathering icon|plant}} [[<Plant Resource>]]

; Bulk ingredients
: {{item icon|<Bulk Resource>}} from [[<vendor>]]

; Recipes
: {{<crafting discipline>}} [[<Recipe>]] from [[<vendor>]]

== Notes ==
* ... <!-- delete if not applicable -->

== Trivia ==
* ... <!-- delete if not applicable -->

{{<Zone name> nav}}