ZSR Style Guide

Page setup

  • Consider enabling the Navigation menu for pages with 2 or more sections. The menu links to all secondary headers (##).
  • When using bulleted or numbered lists, leave a blank line between list entries if any entries in the list exceed 1 line of text.

Capitalization

In general, it looks best to avoid excessive capitalizing, but the following should be capitalized:

  • The first word in each line.
  • Link, NPCs (e.g. Fyer, Pergie), and named enemies (e.g. Ook, Argorok)
    • Common enemies, such as bokoblins and kargaroks, should be lowercase, with the exception of the Arbiter’s Grounds’ poes.
    • Only capitalize “aeralfos” and “darknut” when referring to the minibosses in City in the Sky and Temple of Time.
  • Place names (e.g. Hyrule Field South, Hidden Village).
  • Official trick names (e.g. Aeralfos Skip) but NOT descriptions of such tricks (e.g. “...and then skip Aeralfos”).

Consistent wording

The wording when referring to various things should be consistent across all pages. Examples:

  • Item names (Boomerang, not ‘Rang’ or ‘Gale’)
    • See the ‘Item names’ section below for more information
  • Misc. items such as the Boss Key.
    • In the Japanese version, the “big key” is called ボス部屋のカギ (Bosu heya no kagi, lit. "the key to the boss room"). Since this is canonical, and most people already say “Boss Key”, we can disregard the odd English translation of “big key”. Instead, a key that unlocks the door to a dungeon’s boss should be called a “Boss Key” (with the exception of the Bedroom Key).

If a trick is explained on ZSR, links to the explanation should be included in each route that includes the trick.

  • If a trick is part of a longer sentence, the hyperlink should only be placed on the trick’s name (e.g. Attempt one-frame Midna Text Skip.
  • Hyperlinks should be added to navigate between any addenda and the main route.

Equips

  • For Gamecube routes, equips should be indented on a new line. Any new equip should be colored gold (#DDAB54), and any equips that have changed without any action from the player (e.g. Ooccoo becoming Ooccoo Jr.) should be colored red (#DE2C26)
  • Wii TBD

Sections

  • Route section headers should primarily divide the route by in-game area (e.g. Ordon, Faron, Forest Temple) rather than by common splits (e.g. Slingshot, Ordon, Master Sword). Long sections that visit many places, such as Ilia's Memory Quest, should be divided into sections short enough that someone reading the route would not lose their place, even if section titles were only as descriptive as Ilia's Memory Quest pt. 1, Ilia's Memory Quest pt. 2, etc.
  • Use “*****” to add horizontal lines separating sections of a route, but do not use them between geographically linked sections, such as Getting to Goron Mines + Goron Mines, Peak Province + Snowpeak Ruins, Gerudo Desert + Arbiter's Grounds, etc.
  • Include “(obsolete)” in the name of any obsolete strat remaining on a page, and order such strats below their relevant counterparts.
  • Do not specify what categories use a trick in its description, as this is prone to change. Routes that use a trick will link to it directly.

Sidenotes

  • If a sidenote is needed to clarify the meaning of the wording in the route, then it should be placed in parentheses, in-line with the route.
    • e.g. “Avoid King Bulblin 1 trigger (dig under gate and hug the wall)”
  • If a sidenote is needed that involves an additional action that can be taken, the sidenote should be indented on the next line and not in parentheses.
    • e.g. “2 Hotel Bugs
      • 10R behind cabinet to attempt to skip a 20R chest later”

Tone and wording

  • Avoid using second person (“you” and variants); instead, use
    • direct commands (pick up the rupee)
    • passive voice (“the rupee should be picked up”)
    • "the player" (“the player should pick up the rupee”)
    • “Link” (“Link should pick up the rupee”)
    • or other methods (“it is possible to pick up the rupee”) if needed
  • Avoid filler such as “you should/can/want to” and “simply” (“simply jump attack,” “simply bypass the gate,” etc.)
  • Only ascribe genders to characters that are given genders in the game; this does not include most enemies and bosses
    • This does include all human/Hylian characters, Midna, Zant, Ganondorf, and King Bulblin
  • Avoid describing things as category-specific (“100% only”) when they could be more generally described with their requirements (“with Rare Chu Jelly”)
  • If mentioning historical application(s) of a technique or trick, only do so after explaining the trick and its current or more prevalent use
  • If noting how much time something saves, always say what that comparison is against

Item names

The first time a unique item is obtained it should be referred to by its full, proper name. Any time the item is mentioned afterwards it should be lowercase. The shortened/abbreviated version is also acceptable. Here are the acceptable ways of spelling item names along with their accepted abbreviations in parenthesis:

  • Lantern (lantern)
  • Iron Boots (IB/iron boots)
  • Gale Boomerang (boomerang)
  • Hero’s Bow (bow)
  • Bombs/Bomb bag (bombs/bomb bag)
  • Ooccoo (ooccoo)
  • Clawshot (clawshot)
  • Spinner (spinner)
  • Ball & Chain (B&C)
  • Dominion Rod (DR)
  • Double Clawshots (DC)
  • Light-filled Master Sword (light sword)

Indents

  • Indents should be used in cases of clarifying a previous statement, equips, or listing out steps to a trick.
  • Except in the case of listing out steps for a trick, no two consecutive lines should be indented.  If needed, for example, a trivial statement could be placed between two equips.

Misc. Notes

Colors that have been used in routes:

  • #DDAB54 - Used for Equips
  • #DE2C26 - Used for Secondary Equips
  • #FA80FF - Used for Heart Pieces (100%)
  • #ECE500 - Used for Golden Bugs (100%)
  • #89FFB9 - Used for Poes (100%)
  • #FFFFFF - Used for Hidden Skills (100%)
  • #37744D - Tested for Warping
  • #1C8B27 - Tested for Warping
  • #00CC00 - Tested for Warping
  • #8D92BD - Tested for Warping
  • #5C6299 - Tested for Warping