Should Sacred Wiki carry a Spoiler Alert?

[podgie_bear 184]

I am finding it a bit disheartening the number of new players who post that they have just bought the game and are looking for advice on how to build their characters, referring to things on the Wiki. I am begining to think that the Wiki is actually a 2 edged sword and wonder if it should carry a big warning sign;

 

SPOILER ALERT!

 

Don't get me wrong, I think that the Wiki is a wonderful resource that is very useful when you are having problems and need help, or if you want to refine your build, etc. But for a new player, it can be a massive spoiler that ruins the magic of the game.

 

I have received PMs from new players saying " I am new to the game, saw your Build/Guide on the Wiki and decided to use it as my first character, could you tell me how to.......". OK, it is flattering that they want to try a build that I posted on there, but I think they should be off exploring for themselves, not trying to retrace my, or anyone elses footsteps! I know that I regret using it too soon and losing a lot of the magic of the game because when I encountered new stuff while playing, it was not a case of "Oh wow, that is neat!", it was "yeah , I know because I read it on the Wiki"!

 

I don't know whether we perhaps aught to put some sort of spoiler notice on the Wiki to warn players that they might well miss a lot of the magic of playing the game for themselves first.

 

What do you think?

[Silver_fox 397]

I don't think that this alert is necessary, because I know for sure that people who like to explore everything themselves never go to the wiki before they play a game (or at least start it). This kind of people goes to the wiki only in the end, when they start to wonder 'Did I miss something?' At the same time there are people who never start playing any RPG with their own build (it's strange for me, but there really are people who enjoys playing a powerful character, not trying to create one). People of this kind always were and always will be. They just want to be sure that their chara would be mighty, and you won't persuade them to try building themselves from scratch. If the wiki would be full of alerts, they just would go to various forums to find some pre-made builds to play. Why do we need to distract people from the wiki?

 

One more thing here - 'Spoiler Alert' usually is used for some plot-revealing articles. There is not much plot to reveal in Sacred 2, and placing this alert on every single page about mechanics may be misunderstood.

 

Speaking about mechanics - Sacred 2 is a trap! Its mechanics seems to be quite simple from the first sight, yet it's quite complex if you pay more attention. I always thought that reading about some basic features of Damage types, CAs, Attributes and other stuff while planning your new build is a good idea. It's not spoiling, but a way to save you from frustration of rebuilding the same chara many times.

Edited June 22, 2011 by Silver_fox

[podgie_bear 184]

I don't want to give the impression that I think we should have big red warning notices on every page of the wiki, I just wondered if one notice on the home page along the lines of,

 

"Why not discover the magic of Sacred 2 for yourself before enhancing your enjoyment by researching the undiscovered treasures contained in these pages?"

 

A bit OTT perhaps, but gives some idea what I mean.

[cider_steve 26]

It's a very fair comment Podgie.

 

There are times when you need a little bit of help/info/hint and don't want to suddenly find yourself with the full details.

 

I think if a full write up is there, maybe a small warning that the spoiler is upcoming would be a good idea.

 

That said, the Wiki has been very profesionally compiled and all those who have contibuted are to be greatly thanked for thier efforts.

 

Steve.

[Dragon Brother 619]

Ehh...A wiki is is about providing facts and information and for if thats all you want to read then thats all you have to. No one forces you to click on the links to each section to the wiki, so if all you want to read is the page on item modifiers to explain how deathblow works then thats all you need. If you want to look up what sets there are thats all you need to do, build guides thats all they have to see. Everything is distinct so no one will see more than they want to, a self spoiler preventer I suppose if you feel that too much information will spoil the game for you.

[cider_steve 26]

Ehh...A wiki is is about providing facts and information and for if thats all you want to read then thats all you have to. No one forces you to click on the links to each section to the wiki, so if all you want to read is the page on item modifiers to explain how deathblow works then thats all you need. If you want to look up what sets there are thats all you need to do, build guides thats all they have to see. Everything is distinct so no one will see more than they want to, a self spoiler preventer I suppose if you feel that too much information will spoil the game for you.

 

You're right of course. I was thinking more along the lines of spoiler alerts for quests rather than for build guides and items info.

 

Some times you need help to find, example, step 'B' of a quest and not find out all of the quest info'. You might not be able to find where the next quest giver is in a quest series or something............hope that is clear !

 

You are completely right about Wiki being a source guide and all of that doesn't need spoiler alerts, just the quests, imho.

[Ysne58 236]

I think putting "spoiler alert" on a wiki is a bit redundant. Anyone who needs that kind of warning hasn't yet learned anything much in the way of critical thinking skills. If we can help them figure out how to properly use the wiki, we would actually be helping in that area and doing everyone a favor. Unfortunately, at least in the US, many schools do not teach kids how to think critically and many parents never learned so cannot teach them.

 

Getting back on topic, I would be opposed to adding the phrase "Spoiler Alert".

[lujate 576]

I think putting "spoiler alert" on a wiki is a bit redundant. Anyone who needs that kind of warning hasn't yet learned anything much in the way of critical thinking skills. If we can help them figure out how to properly use the wiki, we would actually be helping in that area and doing everyone a favor. Unfortunately, at least in the US, many schools do not teach kids how to think critically and many parents never learned so cannot teach them.

 

Getting back on topic, I would be opposed to adding the phrase "Spoiler Alert".

ditto

[Furian67 14]

I would be opposed to adding the phrase "Spoiler Alert".

 

Well said. Wiki is what it is, a vast source of information. Spoiler or not the person that uses this info still needs to "run" the build and use the info intelligently to gain an upper hand.

[Silver_fox 397]

Though I've already wrote my opinion, I found myself thinking about this topic again. I just wonder what to consider a spoiler for a game like Sacred... Plot summaries and quest walkthroughs? It doesn't exactly match, since the plot is not all that thrilling anyway and the only reason to open the quest description page is exactly to 'be spoiled' (if you want to find and complete it yourself you totally won't go to the walkthrough page). As for the case where you need only to find the questgiver - if you see the current layout for the quest pages, you'd understand that it's not a problem. The first thing you see on the page is exactly the technical info like name and difficulty and the questgiver's location. The walkthrough is well separated from this info. Game Mechanics? Its description is more of the tutorial than a spoiler. There are people who enjoy finding good things themselves. But also there are people (like me) who feel frustrated when they discover things they could have used, if it wasn't too late to pick these things already. Pre-made builds? But there are different ways to enjoy the game! Many people enjoy running powerful and well-tested pre-made builds and its their right.

 

In other words, I can't find a thing that would be undoubtedly considered a spoiler that needs warning. I may be wrong though.

[essjayehm 58]

Ahhh, Podgie... you tore me in two with this topic/poll.

 

As you stated, the funnest part of these type of games is figuring out stuff for myself. Be it basics, mechanics, overpowered stuff, easter eggs, etc, etc. Just in the small tidbit of looking around at Sacred 1 stuff before I got into the game, I found 2 game-changing tricks that kinda took the glitter out of this new "gem" for me to play.

 

But, after reading the other posts, I have to agree with most of them, though. The wiki is what it is (compiled knowledge of the game) and most people realize that, so no warning should be needed.

[gogoblender 3,069]

But for a new player, it can be a massive spoiler that ruins the magic of the game.

 

 

It could be.

 

But wiki's by nature are natural explainers. I like to give players the benefit of the doubt without propounding our own personal way of exploring this game as being "right."

 

It's very difficult to know anyone else's time they can allot to Sacred 2 which can take a player, even with a wiki, many many months to master.

 

Tough game, with one of the world's best Wiki's.

 

I think it's a good combo, and players find us, the knowledge, when they want to.

 

Sacred 2 one of the longest playing games ever released in the history of Gamedom upon a console. This site, wiki, discussions, active, friendly community...if there's a reason why Sacred 2 keeps being played, all of those are a big part of it.

 

The wiki, imo, adds more depth to what can be done with this game

 

 

gogo

[podgie_bear 184]

OH I agree Gogo, I just mean that so much of the magic is lost if you have read all about tricks and tips before you even start playing, or if you follow an uber build before you have tried for yourself. But who am I to say, that is why I made it a poll, to see what others think.

 

I know that I wish I had not used the wiki so soon, I learned a lot there that would have been far more enjoyable to have leaned by playing the game. In fact, it ruined things for me a bit and the game just hasn't been the same since I started researching before playing. It is still fun, but the magic has been lost.

Edited June 23, 2011 by podgie_bear

[masteff 64]

1) as to spoiler alerts... it depends on where it is. If I'm reading a quest article, then I expect to see all the details of the quest. But if I'm in an overview of how regeneration works then I don't want to read about the 2nd time I fight Mr Snuffleupagus ("wait, I have to fight him and twice at that!?")

 

2) as to people jumping straight to guides... S1 and Sacred 2 are pretty complicated games in terms of possible combinations of attributes, skills and equipment mods. I might have limited gaming time and not want to waste 20-40 hours just to find I built a toon that can't finish the main story line, so I might go find a guide on how to build a tank toon.

[Zeno 2]

I would say no. I would never search for something I don't want to show up, you know... Anyway, a message/warning/whatever in the main wiki page warning about wiki content revealing game stuff might be a good idea.

[Antitrust 32]

All wikis are giant spoilers, there's no need to add a notice about it

 

There are exceptions, such as cases of puzzles or riddles, which could be hidden by a spoiler template. I don't think Sacred 2 has anything like that though.