Valve Developer Community talk:Avoid peacock terms

Is this really relevant to the VDC?

I understand how this is appropriate to Wikipedia, as the examples amply demonstrate. I'm not so convinced that it is relevant as policy here. We have two types of pages now on the VDC: pages that serve developers as development reference information, and pages about games and mods available. I can easily see that peacock terms are out of place on development pages (though I can't really see how they might end up on them in the first place).

But when it comes to games/mod pages, no one has yet answered the question of what these pages are for. Are they for dry factual reference and cataloguing, or are they for promoting these games/mods to potential players and team members?

I don't see what is achieved by striving for the former, since this is not an encyclopedia, whereas Wikipedia is (or aims to be). My instinct is that the latter is more desirable, since then the VDC is further fulfilling its role of serving developers.

If it is the latter, then I don't think the "peacock" policy justifies edits like this one. People should be allowed to write whatever copy they want when promoting their games/mods: Readers are bright enough to know when they are being spoken to in press release speech, but developers should be allowed to describe their games in whatever way they wish, bringing focus to whatever details they wish. In my opinion, page policy for mods/games should recognise this right and they should be exempt from "depeacocking", etc.

Others may disagree. I've noticed a few comments from others expressing discomfort at the marketing nature of these pages. Discuss ... --Giles 01:21, 7 May 2006 (PDT)

The "Avoid peacock terms" article (and template) in theirselves are useless, IMO, but I hate marketing-speak as much as the next guy. I've always thought of VDC articles on game titles as informative, not promoting or whatever. And for the record, I have also removed "peacock terms" from articles during may stay here. I think that as a wiki, VDC should strive for npov. Jupix 01:35, 7 May 2006 (PDT)

In my opinion, and as well of many others, this is (indeed) not an encyclopedia, but just an infomative piece of art, created by developers, fans, modders (in the way of a new MOD, not adjusting other MODs) and scripters, not bookworms (well, most of them are at Wikipedia ;) (Not all!)). I agree with Jupix with the Neutral Point of View, but again, this is not a strict informative encyclopedia, but more of a hobby (for most of us) --CrabbyData 02:30, 7 May 2006 (PDT)