Formatting guide

How to write a page, from bold text to live tables. Each example shows what you type on the left and what readers see on the right.

Text

Pages are written in Markdown, which is plain text with a few symbols for formatting. Leave a blank line between paragraphs.

You type

This is **bold**, this is *italic*, and this is ~~crossed out~~.

This is a new paragraph.

Readers see

This is bold, this is italic, and this is crossed out.

This is a new paragraph.

You type

> Quote something by starting the line with an arrow.

Readers see

Quote something by starting the line with an arrow.

You type

Use backticks for `short code`, or three of them for a block:

```
longer code
```

Readers see

Use backticks for short code, or three of them for a block:

longer code

Headings

The page's title is added for you, so start with two #. Level 2 and 3 headings also appear in the page's "On this page" list.

You type

## A section

Some text.

### A smaller section

More text.

Readers see

A section

Some text.

A smaller section

More text.

Lists

Start each line with a dash for bullets, or a number for steps.

You type

- First thing
- Second thing

1. Do this
2. Then this

Readers see

  • First thing
  • Second thing
  1. Do this
  2. Then this

Double square brackets link to another page on this wiki. Links to pages nobody has written yet are shown with a dashed underline and lead to a page inviting someone to start it.

You type

See the [[Getting started]] page.

Readers see

See the Getting started page.

Links to a page by its title.

You type

Read [[Getting started|the beginner guide]].

Readers see

The text after the bar is what readers see.

You type

This page is [[Not written yet]].

Readers see

This page is Not written yet.

Links like this also add the page to the home page's "Help write these" list.

You type

Visit [an outside site](https://example.com).

Readers see

For anywhere else, use square brackets then round brackets.

Images

Images use an exclamation mark, then a description, then the address. The description is read aloud to people using screen readers, so make it useful.

You type

![This site's small icon](/favicon.ico)

Readers see

This site's small icon

Upload images on the Images page, then copy the line it gives you. You can also use an image that's already online, with its full address starting with https://.

You type

::gallery{files="first.png,second.png"}

Readers see

A gallery shows several uploaded images as a grid. It goes on a line by itself.

Tables you write by hand

Use bars between columns and dashes under the header. These are good for anything that's just part of the page's text.

You type

| Level | What to build |
|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Sawmills first |
| 4 | Walls |

Readers see

LevelWhat to build
1 to 3Sawmills first
4Walls

Infoboxes and source labels

An infobox is the facts panel at the side of a page. It goes in a block between two lines of three dashes, at the very top of the page. Each number can say where it came from, using a source label.

You type

---
infobox: troop
categories: [Troops, Ranged troops]
attack: { value: 120, source: official }
range: { value: 1200, source: official }
role: Ranged
---

The page text starts here.

Readers see

The page text starts here.

The infobox line names what kind of thing this page is, and pages of the same kind can be compared in live tables. The categories line lists the categories it belongs to. Any other line becomes a row. The spacing and punctuation matter: if something is wrong, the editor tells you and won't publish until it's fixed.

Source labels on Taking London
  • TL Read from Taking London itself
  • inferred A pattern worked out from TL numbers, not confirmed yet
  • dxcalc Measured from dxcalc, a calculator for the original Evony, not confirmed for Taking London

Live tables

A live table reads the infoboxes of every page of one kind. Fix a number on one page, and every table showing it follows. Don't copy numbers into a hand-written table when a live one will do. A live table goes on a line by itself, and can't go inside a spoiler or tab.

You type

::stat-table{type=troop columns="name,attack,range" where="range > 1000" sort="range desc"}

Readers see

NameAttackRange
Catapult 600 official 1,500 official
Ballista 450 official 1,400 estimated
Archer 120 official 1,200 official

Numbers on this example are made up.

OptionWhat it doesExample
typeWhich kind of page to read. Required. It matches the page's infobox line.type=troop
columnsWhich rows of the infobox to show, in order. name is the page's title, linked. Leave it out to show everything.columns="name,attack"
whereOnly show some pages. Numbers can use >>=<<==!=, and text can use = or !=.where="range > 1000"
sortWhich column to sort by, optionally followed by desc for largest first.sort="range desc"

Drop tables

List what something drops in the block at the top of its page, then show it with a drop table. Each item links to its own page, and each row can say where its numbers came from.

You type

---
drops:
  - { item: Iron Ore, quantity: 2 to 5, rarity: Common, source: official }
  - { item: Old Key, quantity: 1, rarity: Rare, notes: First kill only }
---

::drop-table

Readers see

ItemQuantityRarityNotes
Iron Ore 2 to 5 officialCommon
Old Key 1 RareFirst kill only

To show another page's drops, name it: ::drop-table{page="Bandit Camp"}

Maps

A map shows pins people can click. Each line is a pin: where it goes, its name, then an optional description, separated by bars. Link a pin to a page with double brackets.

You type

:::map{width=800 height=800}
120, 340 | [[Bandit Camp]] | Good early target
500, 90 | Old Bridge
:::

Readers see

2 pins. Drag to move around.
List of pins
  • Bandit Camp (120, 340): Good early target
  • Old Bridge (500, 90)

Without an image, you get a plain grid, and the width and height are its size in your own coordinates. To use a picture, upload it and write :::map{image="world.png"}. Coordinates are then pixels from its top left corner, unless you also give a width and height.

Translations

Choose Translate on a page to start one in another language. It starts as a copy of the original, so translate the text and leave the facts as they are. These lines at the top are what link it to the original. Readers see links between the languages, and a note if the original has changed since.

You type

---
language: de
translationOf: Archer
---

Der Text der Seite.

Readers see

Der Text der Seite.

Saying a page is up to date

After a game patch or other update, say that you've checked a page against it. Use the update's name exactly as it's listed on the Updates page. Pages that haven't been checked since the latest update appear on a list for editors to re-check.

You type

---
verifiedFor: Patch 1.6
---

The rest of the page.

Readers see

The rest of the page.

Did you know

Add a surprising fact to a page, and the wiki's home page may show it. Each one should finish the sentence "Did you know that…", and can link to pages with double brackets. It won't show on the page itself.

You type

---
didYouKnow:
  - the [[Archer]] is the first ranged troop you unlock
---

The rest of the page.

Readers see

The rest of the page.

Spoilers

Hide something until the reader chooses to open it. Start with three colons and a title, and end with three colons on a line by themselves.

You type

:::spoiler What happens at the end
This text stays hidden until it's opened.
:::

Readers see

What happens at the end

This text stays hidden until it's opened.

Tabs

Show different versions of the same section, one at a time. Each tab starts with @tab and its name, on a line by itself.

You type

:::tabs
@tab Early game
Do this first.

@tab Late game
Do this later.
:::

Readers see

Do this first.

References

Say where something came from. Put a marker after the sentence, and the source anywhere on the page, usually the end. They're numbered for you, and listed in a References section at the bottom of the page.

You type

Archers need Barracks level 4.[^barracks]

[^barracks]: Seen on the Barracks training screen.

Readers see

Archers need Barracks level 4.[1]

References

  1. Seen on the Barracks training screen. ↩

What won't work

  • HTML tags and scripts show up as plain text, to keep everyone safe.
  • Links can't run code, so anything like javascript: is removed.
  • A live table inside a spoiler or tab won't appear. Put it on its own line in the main page.
  • Tabs inside a spoiler become a plain list of sections instead of clickable tabs.