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The Cutting Room Floor:Sandbox/Rules and Guidelines

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Welcome to The Cutting Room Floor wiki! TCRF is a website that aims to catalogue content in video games that is never seen during regular gameplay.

Before We Begin

Acceptable Material

What We Cover:

Unused Characters
Unused Levels
Unused Items
Unused Objects
Unused Cutscenes
Unused Audio
Unused Text
Unused Textures
Unused Functions
Unused Code
Debug Functions
Version Differences
Prototypes

What We Don't Cover:

Glitches X
Cheat Codes X

Exceptions:

The following may be included, as they are relevant to the scope of the wiki.

  1. A glitch that has been fixed or introduced in a program/region revision.
  2. A glitch that grants the player access to unused or debug content.
  3. A code that grants the player access to unused or debug content.

The Use of Humor

DO:

Feel free to add a bit of wit to your articles.

DON'T:

  • Edit an article/image caption just to add jokes or witty commentary.
  • Overdo the humor. Too many jokes and too little information makes for a bad wiki.
  • Be offensive. Racism, sexism, homophobia, and vulgarity aren't welcome here. When in doubt, keep your mouth shut.

Alpha/Beta

Because of how frequently these terms are misused, we discourage their use on the wiki. Try "early", "prototype", or "unused" instead.

Placeholder Pages

The use of placeholder pages is discouraged. Don't create a page unless you have content to put on it.

Editorializing

Don't spew venom all over an article just because the game doesn't appeal to your personal tastes, and don't insult readers who might like the game.

Creating an Account

The first thing you'll need in order to create and edit pages is an account. You can make one by clicking "Log in / create account" at the top right of the page.

WARNING: Due to a recent flood of spambot accounts, our admins ban accounts with suspicious names. If your account name is your real name with a number attached (IE: GilesJohnson629), you may find yourself at risk. To avoid getting mistaken as a spambot, you might want to warn the admins by sending an email to [xkeeper at gmail.com] first.

User Pages

Every user has the ability to create a User Page. You can do this by clicking on your username as it appears on the top of the page and entering whatever code you like. Most people briefly introduce themselves and use the page for their own experimentation and To Do lists. (Example)

User Talk Pages

Every user also has a Talk page, which you can use to communicate with them. Once you navigate to someone's User Page, you can access their Talk page by clicking on the "Discussion" tab to the right of the "User Page" tab at the top of the screen. (Example)

Leaving a Comment

To leave a comment or ask a question on a user's Talk Page, try the following.

Code: ==Topic of Discussion==

Insert comment here. ~~~~

The four tildes (~~~~) automatically append your signature and a timestamp to the comment, so the user will know who left it and when. It will look like this:

GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)

Layering Comments

Now, let's say someone has left you the following comment on your talk page:

Thanks again for the help! GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)

You'd like to reply and say "No problem!" You can do that by adding a colon (:) to the front of your response, so it appears below the comment.

Code: Result:
Thanks again for the help! GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)

:No problem! ~~~~

Thanks again for the help! GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)
No problem! ZestyLemon 21:59, 26 November 2012 (EST)

Add more colons to keep layering your responses.

Code: Result:
Thanks again for the help! GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)

:No problem! ~~~~
::<3 ~~~~
:::<3<3 ~~~~

Thanks for the help! GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)
No problem! ZestyLemon 21:59, 26 November 2012 (EST)
<3 GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)
<3<3 ZestyLemon 21:59, 26 November 2012 (EST)

Finding Content

So you want to search the insides of a game to see if there is any content suitable for TCRF. That's great! Here are some helpful tools, guides, and tips.

Tools

  1. Memory Watcher/Editor
    • This is normally included with most emulators, for old games. For recent games, try Cheat Engine. This thing will allow you to edit values in the game's memory, like your health and ammo, but it can be used for much more.
  2. Hex Editor
    • This will also allow you to change memory values in the game, but on the hardcoded stuff, not when the game is running. Though hex editors are mostly used to search for strings. Optionally, but strongly recommended for newer disc-based/PC games, one can use an extractor for finding files in common formats (i.e. Ogg Vorbis files, .PNGs, DirectX textures). An example of this type of program would be Game Extractor. Also optional is the use of fan-made editors or viewers for specific games. These can help look at resources directly from the game.

Guides

Here are a few helpful guides that will teach you on how to search for unused levels, hidden comments, debug modes, and more! Of course, not every game is quite the same, so the information here won't always apply to your hunt for content. Nonetheless, perhaps it will be of use!


DevTextIcon.png
Finding text
How to find hidden text, from dialogs that went unused, to angry comments.
DebugIcon.png
Finding menus and areas
How to find unused menus or areas, like sound tests and debug menus.
ItemsIcon.png
Finding items
Some of you might use this to hack your inventory...
GraphicsIcon.png
Finding graphics
Stuff that wasn't for show.
SoundIcon.png
Finding audio
Let's hope we don't find just garbage and assume it's garbled audio.
Sonic1gen Tv goggles.png
Genesis research guide
How to find and access debug programming associated with text strings
WindowsZIPIcon.png
Opening archives
How to open archives/file containers.
CodeIcon.png
QuickBMS guide
How to use QuickBMS to find unused content.
Unusedquestion.png
Memory editing guide
How to use a memory watcher/editor.
Equinox-star-large.gif
The little things
Easy stuff that isn't as interesting, but is still worth pointing out.

Tips

• Always look for content inside "first time games". These are flagship projects created by a publisher or developer, and usually have a lot of content.

Example:

  • Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (First 3D game for Nintendo and Squaresoft)
  • Ocarina of Time (First Zelda game for the N64)
  • Super Mario 64 (N64 Launch Title)

• Write down everything you find. Later, you can go back and analyze what's good and what's not, and spot connections you may have missed.

Creating a Page

  1. Search the wiki to see if someone has already created a page for the game. You can use the search box on the left sidebar, or click here.
  2. If there are no results, you will see an option to "Create the page on this wiki!" (Example)
  3. Click the red link, and you will be brought to a screen where you can start building your new page. (Example)

Choosing a Good Title

  1. Use the proper name for the game. (IE: Twilight Princess)
    • However, if a game has a long title or subtitle, shorten it. (IE: "The Flintstones - The Rescue of Dino & Hoppy" can be shortened to "The Flintsones")
    • Conventional abbreviations are acceptable as well. (IE: Super Mario Bros. 3)
  2. If there are multiple version of the game, put the system at the end. (IE: Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis))
  3. Use the American name.
    • If the game was not released in the USA, use the Japanese name.
    • Only games that were never released anywhere but Europe should use the European name.

Creating Redirects

Let's say your game has alternate names. For example, Doubutsu no Mori was only released in Japan, but it's known to English fans as Animal Forest. Let's create a redirect, so people searching for Animal Forest won't overlook the fact that we have a page for the game under another name. All we have to do is add the following code to our page:

Code: #REDIRECT [[Doubutsu no Mori]]

Creating a Bob

One of the first things you're going to want to add to your article is a bob. Bobs are added to articles about games in order to indicate their release dates, publishers, developers, and what sort of content can be found on the page. Bobs do not need to be appended to prototype pages.

The following formatting can be used to create a bob. Simply subtract the items that aren't relevant, change the information to match your game.

{{Bob
| bobscreen= WindWakerTitle.PNG
| screenwidth= 320px
| aka= Kaze no Takuto (JP)
| developer= Company A
| publisher= Company B
| system= Insert System Here
| world= {{date|}}
| japan= {{date|2012|December|21}}
| usa= {{date|2012|December|21|nocat=true}}
| europe= {{date|2012|December|21|nocat=true}}
|aus= {{date|2012|December|21|nocat=true}}
|rus= {{date|2012|December|21|nocat=true}}
|korea= {{date|2012|December|21|nocat=true}}
|china= {{date|2012|December|21|nocat=true}}
|taiwan= {{date|2012|December|21|nocat=true}}
|areas= yes
|characters= yes
|code= yes
|devmessage= yes
|devcredits= yes
|devtext= yes
|enemy= yes
|gametype= yes
|graphics= yes
|video= yes
|items= yes
|abilities= yes
|music= yes
|sound= yes
|text= yes
|debug= yes
|soundtest= yes
|region= yes
|revision= yes
|piracy= yes
}}

No Title Screen

If the game has no title screen, perhaps because it's a prototype, replace this:

| bobscreen= WindWakerTitle.PNG
| screenwidth= 320px

With this:

|noscreen= yes

Arcade Games

If the game is an arcade title, replace this:

| system= Insert System Here

With this:

| arcadesys= [if system=Arcade]

Creating Subpages

If a game has a lot of content that would fall under a certain category (ie: unused items), you can create a separate subpage for the category so you don't clutter up the main page for the game.

Code: {{subpage|Subpage Name|image=TWW_MiniMapSelect.png|width=80|text=A brief description of the subpage, with a relevant image.}}


TWW MiniMapSelect.png
Subpage Name
A brief description of the subpage, with a relevant image.

Creating Sections

You are able to divide your content into sections.

Code: ==Section Name==

Sub-Headers

These sections can be further divided by using sub-headers.

Code: ===Sub-Header Name===

Basic Text Formatting

A guide to basic text formatting on the wiki.

Bold & Italics

To bold text, sandwich it between three apostrophes.

Code: Result:
'''Bold''' Bold

To italicize text, sandwich it between single apostrophes.

Code: Result:
''Italics'' Italics

Links

To create a link, put square brackets around the URL.

Code: Result:
[http://tcrf.net] [1]

To add a hyperlink to text, try the following.

Code: Result:
[http://tcrf.net The Cutting Room Floor] The Cutting Room Floor

Tables

To create a table, try this.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left;" |Column A |Column B |- |Row 1, Column A |Row 1, Column B |- |Row 2, Column A |Row 2, Column B |- |Row 3, Column A |Row 3, Column B |}

It will look like this:

Column A Column B
Row 1, Column A Row 1, Column B
Row 2, Column A Row 2, Column B
Row 3, Column A Row 3, Column B

Lists

To create a list, try this:

#Apples
#Oranges
#Kiwis

It will turn out like this:

  1. Apples
  2. Oranges
  3. Kiwis

Subscript & Superscript

Hmmm...
To do:
Insert a guide on how to use subscript and superscript.

Images

Guidelines

  1. No JPEGs.
    • Please take your screenshots using PNG format. Don't try to convert JPEGs to PNGs.
  2. Optimize PNGs prior to uploading.
    • Large and/or high-color PNGs need to be optimized in order to reduce filesize.
    • PNGCRUSH and IrfanView (via the PNGOUT plugin) are both capable of this.
  3. Use descriptive filenames.
    • Please try to include all or at least part of the game's title. This helps prevent future filename conflicts, and makes it easier to identify orphaned files.
    • For example, SMB2-smiley.png is an acceptable filename; Smiley.png is not.
  4. Upload textures and graphics at their original resolution.
  5. Use the native resolution of tile- and sprite-based consoles.
    • Don't use Kega Fusion for Mega Drive/Genesis/Master System/Game Gear screenshots.
  6. Use the native resolution for 3D-based consoles.
    • Exceptions include times when a higher resolution substantially improves the image quality and does not introduce scaling artifacts. Keep it sane, though: the N64 does not need 1280×1024.
  7. Don't go above 1024×768 (or 1280×720 for widescreen-optimized games) for variable-resolution platforms (e.g. PCs).
    • Feel free to use a lower resolution if it still shows sufficient detail, or if higher resolutions introduce unwanted scaling artifacts.
    • Older games were often optimized for fairly low resolutions. For example, a game made in 1995 may not need anything higher than 640×480. Use good judgment and common sense.
  8. Don't crop out parts of screenshots.
    • However, Nintendo DS title screen shots should show both screens, unless one of the screens is completely blank.
    • Nintendo DS gameplay screenshots can be cropped if one of the screens does not contain relevant information. (For example, iitem/status screens.)
  9. Don't alter the screenshot.
    • This includes adjusting or adding contrast, brightness, filters, or watermarks.
    • Demonstrating something, such as a hidden message that utilizes extremely similar colors to the background. In this case, upload two copies of the image; one normal, and one with the changes.
  10. Only upload scans if they illustrate something that is unused, but still in the game.
    • If it's not still in the game, don't upload it. Scans should only be used to show how something that remains in the game's code and was intended to be used earlier in development.
  11. Take title screen shots with an emulator or in-game screenshot function at their native resolution.
    • Don't upload box art or watermarked images swiped from other websites!
  12. When taking screenshots, ensure you aren't using other visibly obvious hacks.
    • For example, when showcasing unused tiles in the overworld, don't reskin the player character.

Uploading Images

  1. Click "Upload file" under the Toolbox heading on the left sidebar. (Or click here.)
  2. Choose a filename and write a description of what you're uploading in the summary box.
  3. Choose an appropriate tag that describes what the image is, and what platform the game is for. The following categories are available (replace system with the proper name of the platform, e.g. PlayStation):
Code: Description:
{{map|system}} Fully assembled maps of areas/stages.
{{mockup|system}} Images that were assembled from actual game resources, but do not represent an actual working game. These often depict situations that cannot happen during normal gameplay, or attempt to make the game look as exciting as possible. Recognizing these is somewhat of a science, so if you're unsure, just use the {{screenshot}} category instead.
{{personal|username}} Images that are only meant to appear on user pages (replace username with your...well, username).
{{rippedgraphic|system}} Graphics that were ripped directly from the game (sprites, backgrounds, fonts, and the like).
{{scan|system}} Scans of printed material (e.g. magazine shots).
{{screenshot|system}} General catch-all category for game screenshots.
{{titlescreen|system}} Title screens of all shapes and sizes.
{{debugscreen|system}} Screens that show debug modes in action.
{{wikiimage}} Images that are used for internal wiki stuff, like everyone's favorite prickly hero. Most users shouldn't need to use this.

Note that you can use multiple tags, if necessary (for example, the cactus is both a wiki image and an N64 graphic rip).

Once you've uploaded a file, it will appear on its own page. (Example) This page will display information such as the file name, the date it was uploaded on, who uploaded it, and which articles link to it. Now you can add it to your article using the following code.

Code: [[File:Filename.png]]

Formatting Images

But let's say the image we want to use is too big, or isn't aligned the way we want it to be. We can modify it using the following example:

Code: [[File:TWW_OutsetIsland1.png|320px|center]]

Now our image looks like this.

TWW OutsetIsland1.png

Also, perhaps we want to compare two different screenshots. We can learn how to accomplish that by using code that looks like this.

{{compare|
| leftt = Japanese Version
| rightt = American Version
| left = [[File:TWW-HyruleWallsJ1.png|270px]]
| right = [[File:TWW-HyruleWallsU1.png|270px]]
}}

Japan US/Europe
TWW-HyruleWallsJ1.png TWW-HyruleWallsU1.png

Now our screenshots are nicely aligned.

Video

Guidelines

  1. Make sure the video is necessary.
    • Videos should never act as a replacement for a well-written article.
    • Only use a video if a screenshot wouldn't suffice.
  2. Provide a text summary of what is in the video.
    • Remember to indicate what the viewer should be watching for.
  3. Upload an audio file if the video simply documents an unused sound effect or music track.
  4. If you come across a dead video link, replace or remove it.
  5. Ensure that the primary focus of the video is the information in question.

Uploading Video

At this time, there is no way to upload video directly to the wiki, so you're going to need to put it on YouTube. Let's say we want to add this video to our article. If the video URL is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzAAGoevlc0, the code is going to look like this.

Code: <youtube>QzAAGoevlc0</youtube>

Formatting Video

Of course, perhaps we want to change the size or alignment of our video. Here's a simple example:

Code: <youtube align="left" size="half">QzAAGoevlc0</youtube>

And here are a variety of parameters you can use to modify your video even further.

Size:

Code: Result:
size="999" Chooses size of player.
size="nes" Changes the size of the player to NTSC NES/SNES (256 × 224) format.
size="nes-pal" Changes the size of the player to PAL NES (256 × 240) format.
size="gb" Changes the size of the player to Game Boy and Game Boy Color format.
size="gba" Changes the size of the player to Game Boy Advance format.
size="genesis" Changes the size of the player to Genesis format.
size="genesis-pal" Changes the size of the player to PAL Genesis format.
size="default" Changes the size of the player to default format.
double="yes" Doubles the size of the player.

Alignment:

Code: Result:
align="left" Aligns the player to the left side of the page.
align="default" Aligns the player to the right side of the page.

Height & Width:

Code: Result:
width="999" Changes the width to 999, or whatever number you insert.
height="999" Changes the height to 999, or whatever number you insert.*
  • Note: Add 25 to compensate for the size of the selection bar

Audio

Guidelines

Hmmm...
To do:
Insert guidelines for uploading audio.

Uploading Audio

Hmmm...
To do:
Insert guide on how to upload audio.

Sound File Name

Citing Sources

If you obtained your information from elsewhere on the web, or from someone you wish to credit, you can do it by using the following template.

Code: {{source|Person A (Code), Person B (Screenshot)}}

It will appear like this:


(Source: Person A (Code), Person B (Screenshot))

Tags

You can attach the following tags to articles in order to alert readers about things that need to be done.

To Do

Code: {{todo|Write a description of what needs to be done.}}
Hmmm...
To do:
Write a description of what needs to be done.

New Article, Needs More Info

Code: {{start}}
Cactus 2.0!
This article has just been started and needs the article basics added.
Help us out and add them.

Stub, Needs More Info

Code: {{stub}}
So very stubbly.
This page is rather stubbly and could use some expansion.
Are you a bad enough dude to rescue this article?

Needs Further Investigation

Code: {{investigate}}
Elementary, my dear Cactus.
This needs some investigation.
Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.

Needs Elaboration

Code: {{elaborate}}
Acactussayswhat?
Please elaborate.
Having more detail is always a good thing.

Needs Images

Code: {{needsimages}}
Careful, you'll lose an eye.
This page or section needs more images.
There's a whole lotta words here, but not enough pictures. Please fix this.

Needs Translation

Code: {{needstranslation}}
Cacti speak Japanese.
...But what does it mean?
This game has text or audio that needs to be translated. If you are fluent with this language, please read our translation guidelines and then submit a translation!

Needs to Be Updated

Code: {{Needsupdate}}
It's an old cactus!
This page is showing its age.
Please update this page to fit our current standards!

Article Needs Improvement

Code: {{sucks}}
SOMETIMES I SEE A TEXT BOX AND I JUST CAN'T HELP MYSSDFGFFDHFGDJGGFSHGDFH
This page sucks.
If you could make it suck less, that would be awesome.

Needs Deletion

Code: {{delete}}
Cacti removal is best done with gloves. Very thick gloves.
This page or file is awaiting consideration for deletion.
Please make sure it is not linked anywhere before deleting it!

Article Talk Pages

Every article has a Talk page, where you can discuss the content of the page, bring up concerns, or ask questions. You can find the talk page by navigating to the article in question and clicking on the "Discussion" tab to the right of the "Page" tab at the top of the screen. (Example)

Leaving a Comment

To leave a comment or ask a question on an article's Talk Page, try the following.

Code: ==Topic of Discussion==

Insert comment here. ~~~~

The four tildes (~~~~) automatically append your signature and a timestamp to the comment, so the user will know who left it and when. It will look like this:

GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)

Layering Comments

Now, let's say someone has asked the following question on the article's talk page.

Are you sure that location A_R00 is unused? I'm pretty sure that's just the forest on Outset Island.--ZestyLemon 21:56, 26 November 2012 (EST)

Let's reply to their question by adding a colon (:) to the front of our response, so it appears below the comment.

Code: Result:
Are you sure that location A_R00 is unused? I'm pretty sure that's just the forest on Outset Island.--ZestyLemon 21:56, 26 November 2012 (EST)

:It's definitely unused. I just checked, and the Outset Island forest looks totally different. ~~~~

Are you sure that location A_R00 is unused? I'm pretty sure that's just the forest on Outset Island. --ZestyLemon 21:56, 26 November 2012 (EST)
It's definitely unused. I just checked, and the Outset Island forest looks totally different. GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)

Now, the original person might want to respond to our response. All they need to do is add another colon before their comment, and the discussion can continue on ad infinitum.

Code: Result:
Are you sure that location A_R00 is unused? I'm pretty sure that's just the forest on Outset Island.--ZestyLemon 21:56, 26 November 2012 (EST)

:It's definitely unused. I just checked, and the Outset Island forest looks totally different. ~~~~
::Got it, thanks for checking.
--ZestyLemon 21:58, 26 November 2012 (EST) :::No problem! ~~~~

Are you sure that location A_R00 is unused? I'm pretty sure that's just the forest on Outset Island.--ZestyLemon 21:56, 26 November 2012 (EST)
It's definitely unused. I just checked, and the Outset Island forest looks totally different. GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)
Got it, thanks for checking.--ZestyLemon 21:58, 26 November 2012 (EST)
No problem! --ZestyLemon 21:59, 26 November 2012 (EST) GlitterBerri 21:51, 26 November 2012 (EST)

Adding Categories

Articles on the wiki are categorized according to the series they belong to. If you create a new article on a game that belongs to a series already covered on the wiki, be sure to add the following code to the bottom of the page so it gets included. In this case, let's assume we're writing an article on a Zelda title.

Code: {{Zelda series}}

You'll get something that looks like this: