History of the Old Continent on the Wiki?

[turin]

The history of the old continent is fairly well documented. I think it should go on the wiki, somewhere in the category "the world of Wesnoth". But, where should it go? Should I try to merge the new data with the "history of Wesnoth" page, or should I create a whole new page, "history of the Old Continent"? If the latter, should it be a subpage of the history of Wesnoth page, or should it be linked to from the main page?

It make sense to me to do neither of the above, and instead completely transform the world of Wesnoth section of the wiki. Since "world of Wesnoth" refers to the whole world, not just the country of Wesnoth, it should include the great continent. The changes I would make include:

* Removing the page "the history of Wesnoth", or at least the main page link, and replace it with a "the history of the World of Wesnoth" page. Then, have this history page give a general summary and then link to two pages, "the history of the Old Continent" and "the history of the Great Continent". These two subject areas overlap, of course.

* Having the "geography of Wesnoth" page be changed into "the geography the World of Wesnoth". No need to split this page, though, we should just add the Old Continent locations to the bottom of the current page.

* Adding all the Old Continent races to the "races of creatures in Wesnoth" page, and organizing that page differently: first, sort by race (so, Men, Elves, Orcs, etc), then by subrace (so, Wesnothian, Lavinian, Sidhe, Wood Elvish, Orc, Goblin, etc). Races that have no subraces don't need to have this happen.

* Rename the "Wesnothian Poetry" page something like "Lore of Wesnoth", and change it to include poetry, prose summaries of campaigns, and any short stories people write that take place within Wesnoth (I have one I could add).


(Of course, none of this is exclusive to the Old Continent or to the Imperial Era. The same would happen with any other user-made content that is significant to the World of Wesnoth and is generally agreed to fit with said world.)


I (hopefully) have the time and energy to do all this myself, but I need to be sure it's a good idea first. So, opinions? Should nothing happen, should everything I listed above and more happen, or should I just add the documented history to the WesnothHistory wiki and leave it at that?

P.S.: I wasn't sure what forum to put this in, so I put it here. If someone else wants to move it, they can. I'm not sure it is appropriate to have this discussion restricted to authorized users only, but I don't care either way.

[JW]

This is probably a Website Questions topic, and I think the info would go fine in the "History of Wesnoth page" put in order chronologically, which would mean at the top. Just my opinion.

[turin]

This is probably a Website Questions topic, and I think the info would go fine in the "History of Wesnoth page" put in order chronologically, which would mean at the top. Just my opinion.

True; but, there's also more info than that... races, and geography, for example. I for one think that stuff should go in the same place on the wiki as the official stuff.

[JW]

Hmm...it doesn't matter to me either way, but until the IE is made official it might be better in a seperate link. You could make a seperate link in the wow section entitled "The Old Continent" and put all the history, races, and such info there. Of course, if it's all going to be made official eventually it may as well go on the official pages.

[turin]

This is my current plan - write a history of the world of wesnoth, a history of the old continent, a history of the GC, a history of Wesnoth, a history of the Northlands, a history of Lavinia, a history of the northern forests, and a history of the green isle. They will overlap a lot, of course. I won't make them wiki pages, though, until I get a consensus...

[Ranger M]

This is my current plan - write a history of the world of wesnoth, a history of the old continent, a history of the GC, a history of Wesnoth, a history of the Northlands, a history of Lavinia, a history of the northern forests, and a history of the green isle. They will overlap a lot, of course. I won't make them wiki pages, though, until I get a consensus...

That's alot of history

I would agree about putting it on the wiki, as it would be the best way of distributing and displaying it (putting it in the download, unless it is linked to the main page, would be clumsy and make it harder to find, putting it in the forums would let it sink, and it isn't suited for presenting it. Whereas the wiki is where you would expect it to be, and is the best tool for presenting it).

Also, when a campaign has been written for that section a page on the campaign (if it exists) can be linked to it along with the relavant campaign development thread, and certain story images, where relavant and un-plot spoiling, can be added to give it a better visual presentation (specifically some of the HttT story ones, and maybe some others, when they are made)

[turin]

That's alot of history

True; I'm going to start with just great-continent and old-continent (which I already have done), then make a sea-isles one, then the one of the whole world...

I would agree about putting it on the wiki, as it would be the best way of distributing and displaying it (putting it in the download, unless it is linked to the main page, would be clumsy and make it harder to find, putting it in the forums would let it sink, and it isn't suited for presenting it. Whereas the wiki is where you would expect it to be, and is the best tool for presenting it).

This is an interesting point - my inspiration for this is the game "Age of Empires", which had an in-game history thingy where you could read all about this history of the different factions. Granted, it was a lot easier for them because they were actually historical peoples, but that's what I would like to have. So, I'm fine with having it on the wiki, but my eventual goal is to have it in the download, readable in-game.

BTW, I think I'm going to change what I said earlier - instead of a history of just some stuff, I think I want a history of the GC, one of the OC, and one of each of the factions in the Imperial Era and in the Default Era (which needs a better name).

[turin]

Here is the index for the histories I'm going to write - each of these will have 1-4 paragraphs summarizing the importance of the era, and then the bulletpoints with individual events.

In my mind, what I've done here is the hard part, because this is the actual creative part. For the rest, I just need to write down what I already know. It will take longer, but it isn't that hard.

[scott]

===25-40 BW: The Forging of the Sceptre of Fire===

Ever the sly fox.

[turin]

Ever the sly fox.

It's my history, not the official one, I can put what I want in it.

I'll probably have to change that before I convert the wiki page, but...

[scott]

I put up that narrative history link a long time ago, thinking I might do what you're proposing now. Can you use that?

[turin]

I put up that narrative history link a long time ago, thinking I might do what you're proposing now. Can you use that?

Yeah, sure. I was wondering what that was for, but was hesitant to mess with someone else's idea...

[edit]
apparently the Index file is actually a tar.gz, and I deleted the actual text file. Oh well, just re-download my previous attachment if you want it...

[turin]

/me posts rough drafts

[Ranger M]

After a bit of discussion over pm me and Turin have decided to add this onto the end of the old continent history, I've tried to keep the amount of spoilers down to a minimum, but this explains IoA in Wesnoth's history. (note, Turin could you check over these and, where neccisary, convert/re-write them to fit in with the rest, and if necissary, merge the orcish rampage one with the ==100-200 YW Maurauder-sidhe Wars== one)

==174-215 YW Orcish rampage==

This time is best know in the south of the old continent for being the time when the orcs were most active for the rest of their history, actively raiding the old Lavinian lands, and even occasionally attempting to attack the maurauders and elves in the north. It was a time of great chaos on the old continent, for humans, with the exception of the Maurauders, were a fractured people, even in countries that were by name nations there was often in fighting and most gathered into fortified towns for protection, and so were easily isolated and picked off.

==176-179 YW Orcish and Undead invasion of Arendia==

In this time the undead first appeared on the old continent, led by a mysterious dark mage called Farnor who had orcs from the west under his rule as well. They invaded from the Arendian mountains, and, at first, swept through the country like wildfire. However he was stopped, not by the Arendian nobles, but by an outlaw from the north who gathered a large enough army, including sidhe, to destroy him and his whole army. Arendia, newly united by this after being a fractured people, then became a single country in more than just name again, and re-fortified its boarders against the massing orcish hoards.

[appleide]

This is my current plan - write a history of the world of wesnoth, a history of the old continent, a history of the GC, a history of Wesnoth, a history of the Northlands, a history of Lavinia, a history of the northern forests, and a history of the green isle. They will overlap a lot, of course. I won't make them wiki pages, though, until I get a consensus...

I see this is Turin's plans to get the Imperial Era officiality. After writing brilliant history texts, people want it in the wiki, then soon later, Imperial history become and integral part of Wesnothian history, and the Imperial era will become official.