A guide on how to post User-Submitted News
Do you like news? Do you like posting news? Well have I got the guide for you! This little thread will serve as a cheat-sheet and guide, so that you can post the most informative and helpful news articles in the User Submitted News Section (USN). Users can reference this, should they ever want to know the rules of how to post news on GBAtemp.
Formatting
With the advent of the new XP system on GBAtemp, it encourages users to write news, news that is specifically well-written enough to make the front page. One of the most important parts of a news thread is the formatting. There are multiple tips and tricks that'll help create a nice looking post.
The first thing you should do when you create a thread is to center the first line of a post, and upload a nice image (not hotlink). Image sizes should max out at around a 960x544 resolution, as larger images can look awkward or take up too much space. Once you've done that, you need to write a descriptive paragraph on what the news is, what company or group is behind it, and any other details that are necessary, so that readers can understand what it is.
Following that, if there are any other important statements, they should be in a [QUOTE][/QUOTE] tag, with the text within it. If you want to specify who or where the quote is from, you can use [QUOTE=name][/QUOTE] Grab the link where you got the information from, post an :arrow:
emote, and the word Source after it. Attach your link to the word Source, and you should be ready to post the thread.Many of our users have the site set to dark theme, which means that black or darker text will not show up well or at all. Take the time to make sure your text is the default color, or, if you copied a quote in, and it changed your text color, you can remove formatting by using THIS button (remove formatting), so that all users will be able to view it.
If there's a Tweet involved, then you can use the [TWEET][/TWEET] brackets to show a full Tweet in a thread. (a direct Tweet link or a Tweet ID will work) You can also link YouTube videos in a similar manner by clicking the "media" button near the top of the "post thread" page, or just posting the video's URL. If you use either of these methods, you don't need to source, as those links ARE the source in that instance.
Spoiler tags are usually not needed, but in case you're posting something considered as a spoiler or leak, you can use such instead of a quote. You can use other front paged news articles as a template to get an idea from that as well. [SPOILER][/SPOILER] or [SPOILER=Spoiler Title][SPOILER]
Proper English and grammar is a requirement, as well. Please be sure to double check and make sure what you typed has been spell checked.
Rumors
Rumors are considered pieces of information that cannot entirely be verified, but have a chance of potentially being true. Rumors are always rampant in gaming news, and sometimes they can be very interesting, or worth discussing. However, rumor posts do not tend to make it to the front page, unless they are from a credible source and could be considered hugely impactful. The multiple “leaks” throughout the Pokemon Gen 8 speculation isn’t considered newsworthy, as fakes are very common for Pokemon, and we usually never have a source on those. It is interesting, however, and if you want to discuss it, it should go in a specific existing thread talking about the upcoming game.
When Shadow of the Tomb Raider had its trailer and webpage accidentally go live a few days before the game’s reveal, that was considered newsworthy, as it was from a verifiable source (Xbox’s and Square Enix’s main site). At that point, the existence of a thread hinges on whether or not you think it’d be best to post the information, or wait for a full reveal.
Other, larger video game news sites tend to have insider contacts. This was the case when Kotaku did some investigating and obtained insider information from developers at 2K Studios potentially confirming a new Bioshock game. However, this isn’t considered absolute, as games can get cancelled, information can be wrong, etc. Kotaku has also been wrong on multiple occasions. It’s considered likely, so it wouldn’t be wrong to post it, but you’d still need to tag the title of your thread as a RUMOR.
Japanese or Other Niche News
Many game companies are headquartered in Japan, and in the past, it was almost certain that you’d hear of a big name Nintendo or Sony game being announced in Japan way before it would be in America or Europe. That still remains relatively true to this day, however, most big name games have a worldwide reveal now. Other, more niche games, do not. In the cases of these games, it’s a pick and choose basis. Major Atlus titles like Persona, Etrian Odyssey, Shin Megami Tensei, and more, all get first reveals in Japan. Those could be considered newsworthy as well, as they are fairly large IPs that many people on the site would recognize. Other niche games like God Eater, Hyperdimension Neptunia or anime-based adaptations usually have a smaller amount of users that would be interested in such news, making it not as vital to post a thread on. In the end, it comes down to personal preference.
Copying & Pasting
NEVER plagiarize another article. Plagiarizing constitutes taking the existing text from another news site, and placing it in your own thread, passing it off as your own work. ALL threads in the USN should be original content. The only time one should take existing text and place it in an article is if it’s a claim or statement made by a developer, publisher, or important data that is relevant to the writing. Such acceptable examples include:
- Warning messages or disclaimers
- Technical specifications or features
- Code or NFOs
- Official company statements
Other Tips
Always make sure the news is new!
Sometimes, you might find information that appears to be new, be it on social media or chatting with others, but always take the time to research and ensure that it's not dated information, or even incorrect.
Titles should be short enough to fit in the title bar, but not short enough that you don't really understand what it is.
Nintendo announces new console!
VS
Nintendo announces the NX2 for $999.99 and will release it on April 1, 2069 along with pack in title Mario Teaches Typing HD Remix and also includes cute kitties!
VS
Nintendo announces the NX2
You can see that the latter example is detailed enough to grab your attention, but short enough to get the point across. Example #1 is too vague, and can lead to "clickbait". The second example is too wordy, and contains information that would be better off included in the thread itself.
I found something awesome, no one's reported it, and I hate writing!
In that case, PM a Magazine Staff member! Let them know why you think it's newsworthy, give them a link, and we'll be sure to check it out, and make a post if it's interesting.
Never source another news site's articles!
If you come across a post on IGN or NintendoLife or Reddit, and want to make a thread on it, please do NOT link those news sites where you found the information. Always trace the news back to the source, which is usually is an official Tweet, a site post on a developer's blog, a store page, or a YouTube video. If the information came from an official press release meant for news media only, then that can be an exception, and usually can be edited by the Reporter Staff to include such information. As mentioned before, a YouTube video can be a source, but if you link it as media, you might want to link to the official site, instead, like this.
I need a visual guide!
I've got you covered! Here's a GIF of how I make a thread.
"Where do I start?"
If you want to finding news and posting it, well, the easiest solution would be to start keeping up to date on video game or tech news sites. Following important people on Twitter, or subscribing to specific subreddits can also help.
Following these steps doesn't guarantee that your news posts will always make it to the front page. This is just a guide to help users understand what makes up a news post, and how to effectively write news in the USN. If you ever have more questions, think your post should be front paged, or other concerns, you can contact me, or any of the other fellow Magazine Staff. A locked version of this thread will be stickied in the relevant subforum. This one will be open to comments and questions from users.
