Help:Writing System Explanations

Help page

Each Explanation

  • Start with an overview of the mechanic, then go into a deeper explanation.
  • If there are many aspects of the mechanic to explain, consider using a bullet list, table, or other layouts.
  • Images are not required, but can be a useful visual aid.

Be More than an Instruction Manual

System explanations should act more than a basic instruction manual or dictionary. If it's not obvious, why and when would a player use this system? How do players combine this system with others? Does this system explain why certain scenarios occur in the game?

Other common pitfalls include:

  • Adding too many examples to the point that it is a full list rather than a few examples that illustrate the general rule
  • Going into details that would be considered trivia rather than help the player learn how or why a system works the way it does


Note: These do not apply to the Controls and HUD pages, which are effectively instruction manual-level information.

Link to Other Mechanics

Add links to other system explanations to invite the reader to delve deeper into learning related mechanics. For example, the explanation for Crush Triggers in BBCP includes links to related systems like Barrier Blocking.

Place Thematically Similar Mechanics on the Same Page

All mechanics are part of a bigger whole in fighting games and placing related ones together will help readers see the bigger picture.

For example, most games have pages for related mechanics like Movement + Canceling, Offensive Mechanics, Defensive Mechanics, Damage + Combo System, and Meter + Other Resources.