The Article Creation Policy is the criteria used for determining the inclusion of an article for a subject. This solely concerns the creation of an article for the subject, and does not define its notability or coverage. The wiki aims to cover everything within the Final Fantasy universes, and within their backgrounds, defined by the Scope.
The criteria for creating pages is based on its number of appearances within first-tier scope and the type of subject. Subjects which appear in more releases may eventually require pages if they did not in the past.
When a page for a subject is not created, the would-be title for it becomes a redirect to where it is covered, or is placed on a disambiguation page. In many cases, these link to a specific entry on a table on list pages.
Lists
Lists refer to pages often with the "list of" prefix that exist to list a group of related items. Examples include List of Final Fantasy VII weapons, List of Final Fantasy XII characters and Final Fantasy IV/Translations.
Each release typically gets a set of core list pages: characters, locations, jobs, enemies, items, a number of equipment (usually divided into weapons, armor, and accessories), abilities (sometimes divided into command abilities and support abilities) and enemy abilities. Though timeline, allusions, translations, and concept art pages do not follow the same naming format, they are also lists.
Lists have general rules on when to create them, but the core types have more specific rules.
| Type
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Gets a page if
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Does not get a page if
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| General
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- The list is long enough to warrant splitting from its main feature page (such as List of Final Fantasy VIII Triple Triad cards being split from Triple Triad).
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| Characters
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- The release is a game with a large cast of characters, villains, and NPCs
- The release is not a game and has more than 12 characters.
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- The release only has a small cast of characters; the list under the Characters heading on the release's article will suffice here (such as Dive II Hunt: The Adventures of Sorbet#Characters).
- The release is a game and only has one one playable character; Instead a mention of the character in the body of text in the release's article will suffice (such as Final Fantasy VII: Snowboarding).
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| Locations
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- The release is a game with no named world/planet.
- The release is a game with multiple world/planets.
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- The release is a game with a single named world/planet. Instead, the list of locations should appear on the world/planet page specific to that game.
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| Jobs
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- The release is a game where the player cast are assigned jobs. Instead these assigned jobs will be placed on the infobox of each of the character's pages.
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| Enemies
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- The release is a game with definable enemies.
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| Items*(item lists can be organized over numerous pages depending on the sub-divisions of the inventory)
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- The release is a game where items can be collected and stored.
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| Equipment*(weapon/armor/accessory)
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- The release is a game where characters can use different weapons/armor/accessories that differ in capabilities, stats and otherwise.
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- The release is a game that has a single character that either uses a single weapon/armor/accessory throughout, or multiple which only differ in appearance.
- The equipment referred to is listed on a separate page for it as a feature, and no list is created (such as Relic (Final Fantasy VI); no "List of Final Fantasy VI relics" is needed).
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| Abilities
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- The release is a game with selectable battle commands.
- The release is a game with automatically acting abilities not gained through weapon equipment standards.
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- The release is a game with multiple battle commands, but they are all featured on different pages for them as a skillset (such as Final Fantasy XIV, where job/class pages contain all the abilities).
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| Enemy abilities
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- The release is a game where enemies use abilities and at least a considerable amount are named in-game, in game data, or in a game guide.
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- The release is a game where enemies use abilities, but they do not have any official names outside of conjecture.
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| Stats, elements and statuses
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- The release is a game that includes stats/elements/status effects.
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| Timeline
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- There is an official timeline of events that specifies dates/timeframes within a game/sub-series.
- There are numerous events that occur previous to the release's storyline.
- There are 2 releases in the sub-series.
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- There is only one release in the universe, no timeline and little mention of historic events (the Story section on the release's page should cover all the relevant information).
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| Allusions
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- The release has more than 20 legitimate allusions.
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- The release has fewer than 20 (instead, it can be covered on the release' page).
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| Translations
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- The release was released in Japan (the page will either show the wiki's translation if it has not been released in English, or all covered translations if it has been released in English).
- The release has 2 English translations.
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- The release has only one English translation, and no Japanese translation exists.
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| Artwork
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- Official concept artwork and/or wallpapers have been released.
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Recurring features
Recurring feature pages refer to articles on subjects appearing in multiple entries in the series, or a subseries. They can be used as "parent pages" to link to the more specific pages on a subject in the context of a single appearance, and act as an upgrade to disambiguation pages. Examples of recurring feature pages include Potion (item), Cid and dungeon.
Typical types of recurring feature pages include recurring characters, locations, jobs, enemies, enemy species/type, items, abilities, equipment, statuses, elements, stats and summons. Other recurring feature pages are created on a case-by-case basis, and follow no strict rules other than notability. Many of these things can overlap. Note that if a page should be created for a single appearance, this means that if it then makes a second appearance, the second appearance will be added to the same page, rather than another single-appearance page be created for this additional appearance.
A second appearance of the same thing in another release can easily be determined by whether it shares its name in Japanese (which can be checked through Translations Pages) and whether it shares its type/function. Alternatively, two things which are deemed to have many similarities in function/appearance/role after a discussion could be counted as two appearances of the same thing. Many things can overlap; summons which have also appeared as non-summons can be counted as additional appearances of the same thing in a "creature" page (such as Bomb (creature), while abilities named after weapons can be counted as additional appearances and included on the same page (such as Chef's Knife).
| Type
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Gets a page if
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| General
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- There is an agreed upon notability for the subject, and it has made many appearances throughout the series.
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| Characters
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- A character with multiple releases not confined to one sub-series and no easily defined main release, handled on a case-by-case basis.
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| Locations
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- An appearance in 3 releases.
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| Jobs
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- An appearance in 2 releases.
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| Enemies
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| Enemy species/type
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- It appears in 2 releases.
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| Items
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- It appears in 5 releases.
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| Equipment
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- It is a weapon that appears in 4 releases, with similar functionality/appearance throughout.
- It is a piece of armor and/or an accessory in 4 releases with similar functionality. Note that even if it is an accessory in some appearances and a piece of armor in others, due to overlapping nature and functionality, these two are processed together.
- It is a series of equipment with a specific theme/idea (material, elemental-affinity, etc.) that appears 4 times.
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| Abilities
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- It is a top-command ability in at least 1 appearance.*(this is not including a summon unit's ability, which follows the same rules as other summon abilities)
- It is command ability in a magic skillset or one of the main skillsets of the game in 1 appearance.
- It is a command ability learned from enemies (such as Blue Magic) in 1 appearance.
- It is a command ability in a non-magic skillset in 2 appearances.
- It is a support ability in 2 appearances.
- It is an enemy ability in 5 appearances.
- It is a summon ability in 5 appearances.
- It is a recurring character-associated ability*(including as a boss, guest character, summon or otherwise) in 3 appearances.
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| Stats, elements and statuses
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- It is a stat/element/status in 2 appearances.
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| Summons
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- It appears in 1 release (and does not have a release-specific summon page).
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| Terms
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- It is a lore/gameplay significant term that is not self-explanatory in 2 appearances (from different sub-series).
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| Glitches
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- It is a justifiable glitch not intended by the developers in 2 appearances (this does not depend on the exact name, but the exact nature of the glitch).
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Specific feature pages
Specific feature pages, or single-appearance pages, refer to a page specifically on a subject within a single appearance or a single sub-series. In this case, any additional appearance is treated as secondary to the subject of the article, often in an "Other appearances" section. It is often linked to by a parent page or a disambiguation page, if it also represents a recurring subject. Examples of specific feature feature pages are Kefka (final boss), White Magic (Final Fantasy IV) and Balamb Garden.
| Type
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Gets a page if
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If not given a specific page
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| General
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- It appears in any release with sufficient content and notability, and has an easily defined main release.
- It is not simply covered in identical detail on a larger page.
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- Covered on a recurring feature page, or a table on a list page.
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| Characters
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- It is a playable character.
- It is a character directly tied to or helping progress the main storyline or a sidequest.
- It is a named character in a non-game release.
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- Featured on a location page, or the release' list of characters.
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| Locations
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- It is a large location from a game easily accessed from a World Map or otherwise featured on a top-level location menu.*(often not a single-room world map location)
- It is a sub-location of a larger area in a game with enough of its own areas and enough content/importance to have its own page.
- It is a named location visited or strongly referenced within gameplay or lore.
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- Featured instead on the page for the location hub it is accessed from.
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| Jobs
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- The job features in a release with the job system, which is available from a selection of many possible jobs.
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- Covered on a relevant character page.
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| Enemies
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- An enemy that has stats and its own unique name. Additionally:
- It is an enemy
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- Covered on a genus page (such as Behemoth (Tactics)).
- Covered on a list of enemies page (such as List of Final Fantasy Adventure enemies).
- Covered on an "other appearances" section of an enemy page for a game where enemies do have stats.
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| Enemy species
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- It is named.
- It appears in a game which makes frequent use of palette swaps.
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- Covered on a recurring enemy species page.
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| Species/race
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- It is a named species/race within the lore or gameplay.
- It has great enough importance in gameplay and lore to be given a specific page for the race within a sub-series (such as Chocobo (Final Fantasy VII).
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- Featured on a recurring feature page for the race in the series.
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| Equipment and items
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- It is relevant to the progression of the main story or a sidequest.
- It has a significant role within the lore.
- It is a unique visual feat associated with a character.
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| Abilities
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- It is a top-level command ability of any character (including skillsets or simple abilities).
- Skillsets are also top-level commands, but have greater importance: for every game, even within the sub-series, a skillset page is created for the skillset within that game.
- It is relevant to a Blue Magic skillset.
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| Summons
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- All summons in a game get individual pages if:
- they have their own stats separate from the summoner in that game
- they learn their own abilities by accumulating AP
- they have a storyline of their own (like Alexander from FFIX even if it's not even a summon?)
- they appear in more than one game in the same subseries
- they contain story significance (similar to a key item)
- Otherwise, gets a page if there is a big quest to obtain it
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- Covered on a section on a table for a list page or a skillset page.
- Covered on a recurring feature ability page.*(sometimes it will only contain a single appearance)
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| Menu features
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- Mentioned on the menu page or main release page, or not covered.
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| Sidequest
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- It takes place on the World Map.
- It spans multiple locations.
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- The location page on which the sidequest is featured.
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| Organizations
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- It is a named organization with lore relevance.
- It is an unnamed organization with strong lore relevance, and does not overlap with any large organization.
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- Not covered, maybe briefly mentioned in lore sections on pages.
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| Terms
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- It has lore relevance to a release or sub-series, and is not self-explanatory.
- It is a gameplay mechanic unique to a release or sub-series.
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- A recurring term page if the term appears more than once outside the sub-series.
- If only confined to a sub-series and self-explanatory, not covered.
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| Glitches
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- It is justifiable as a glitch and not something intended by the developers, as opposed to a small error in function, and appears in multiple locations.
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- A recurring glitch page.
- The location's page, if it only appears in one location.
- Mentioned briefly on a relevant page.
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Out-of-universe
Pages on out-of-universe subjects, due to their different nature, are assessed under different criteria. It can refer to products, music, developers and notable fandom subjects. Examples of out-of-universe pages are Square Enix, Original soundtrack of Final Fantasy VI and 8-Bit Theater.
Unlike in-universe content, there is no guarantee an out-of-universe subject will definitely be covered on the site, as only subjects within the Scope and the Fandom criterias will be created. Most subjects covered will receive pages, though many only warrant sections on pages (such as specific covers of single themes, or merchandise for specific characters).
| Type
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Gets a page if
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| Official releases
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- It is any release within first-tier scope.
- It is a single release within second-tier scope, but not a series.
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| Series
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- It is any series within first or second tier scope.
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| Music release*(Compilation album, official soundtrack)
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- It is an official release featuring music from one or more in-scope releases.
- It is a fan-made album featuring music/covers primarily from in-scope releases.
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| Musical theme
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- A track with 3 appearances outside the official soundtrack of its original release. Valid appearances include in appearance in a release or its OST (excluding unchanged appearances in the same sub-series), or an appearance in a remix/cover album.
- It is an in-scope release's main theme. (e.g. Ahead On Our Way)
- It is an in-scope release's main battle theme. (e.g. Fight On!)
- It is an in-scope release's final boss theme (e.g. The Extreme)
- It is a track with vocals and lyrics.
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| Guide books
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- It is any official guide book released or licensed by Square Enix.
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| Personnel
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- It is a studio which worked on an official Final Fantasy product (such as Silicon Studio or BradyGames).
- It is a developer who is a lead/major contributor to 1 official release (such as Hiroyuki Ito).
- It is a musician who worked on any 1 music release (including vocalists).
- It is a voice actor who either voiced a recurring character in multiple voiced appearances (such as Rachael Leigh Cook) or voiced multiple characters in several games, including minor ones (such as John DiMaggio).
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| Fandom
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- It is any subject recognized or acknowledged by Square Enix.
- It is any subject recognized or acknowledged by notable third party videogame publishing outlets.
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Subpages
Subpages are attached to one base page for a subject as a supplement to it. They are created in order to contain larger amounts of content that would otherwise clutter the base page, to improve usability and loading times. They should be created when it is more convenient for the reader, though if too much content is too split up, it may require too many clicks from readers and be counter-productive. This is why subpages should only be created when their purpose is specifically defined.
Subpages are always located at <base page name>/<subpage name>.
| Type
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Gets a page if
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| General
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- The information it will contain was important to include, but not the primary purpose of the base page, and thus, not what the majority of readers of the base page would be looking for.
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| Gallery
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- It contains a large amount of images that can be divided up into many sections (case-by-case).
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| Gameplay
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- It is a playable character, and will contain multiple large data tables or templates that would otherwise clutter the base page.
- The information can be summarised in a paragraph or two on the base page.
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| Other appearances
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- The subject of the base page has made appearances in 5 releases outside of its own (including non-Final Fantasy guest appearances).
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Template:Policies and guidelines
