Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/Ninja Gaiden (2004 video game)/archive1


 * The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was not promoted 00:50, 10 May 2008.

Ninja Gaiden (2004 video game)
Self-nomination. This video game article has been brought to GA-class and been rated as a Wikiproject A-class material one year ago. It has been brought to a recent peer review and has several issues pertaining to FA criteria resolved. For the issue of prose and grammar, I have rewritten the article for easy readability (tools indicate an average of grade 8–9 &mdash; 13&14 years old). I am nominating it for FA because I believe the article fulfills the criteria. Jappalang (talk) 23:19, 2 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Support. Per mine (and many others') comments at the peer review. I think the prose is excellent and the article is ready. dihydrogen monoxide (H2O) 01:38, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

Comments
 * What makes the following sites reliable?
 * http://www.entdepot.com/
 * The site has established itself in the gaming industry for its reviews. It is acknowledged by Blizzard, Bethesda, and IGN. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * The links from Blizzard and Bethesda just say that the site awarded those companies some awards. IGN links show that they noted reviews on the site. Helpful, but still not a total reliablity gauge. Ealdgyth - Talk 13:40, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Humanizing Technologies considers this site as one of their Medium rank sources&mdash;the same as GameSpot, IGN, and GameSpy. Jappalang (talk) 00:16, 7 May 2008 (UTC)
 * http://www.gamingtrend.com/
 * The site has also gained recognition in the industry for its reviews (Bethesda, Next Generation Magazine). It is also a portal for Business Wire's (a Berkshire-Hathaway company) distribution network. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Same sort of deal as above. Ealdgyth - Talk 13:40, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Humanizing Technologies also considers it a Medium rank source. Jappalang (talk) 00:16, 7 May 2008 (UTC)
 * http://www.gamingworldx.com/index.shtml
 * GamingWorld X has also gained recognition for its reviews, namely GameZone. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * As above. Ealdgyth - Talk 13:40, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Removed. Aside from the GameZone endorsement, I have yet to find anything to support it. (Sean Nagasawa was credited as a Hardcore Tester in the Guitar Hero III manual, but...) Jappalang (talk) 00:16, 7 May 2008 (UTC)
 * http://www.videogamer.com/
 * This is Pro-G, despite the url. Pro-G is an established gaming magazine that has an editorial staff in place. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * http://www.dignews.com/
 * Digital Entertainment News is a small 2-year old site and (DEN is older than 2 years but its current website underwent a redesign 2 years back, hence the 2006 copyright) has an editorial system in place. News 4 Gamers have acknowledged their reviews. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * DEN is based in Seattle. It seems it has a reputation in Seattle. Its Editor-in-Chief, Daniel Pelfrey, has contributed an article on video games in The Seattle Times. He has also been invited to a panel at the Seattle Sputnik (the Seattle area chapter of the International Game Developers Association) to talk about the games industry and its media. The Annual Elan Awards (Canadian Awards for Electronic and Animated Arts) consider DEN as part of their press listings. Jappalang (talk) 13:06, 4 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Hm. This is borderline on the "considered an expert in the field" type of thing. I think I'll leave this out for others to decide for themselves. Probably, assuming that the information it is sourcing isn't that controversial, it might qualify. Ealdgyth - Talk 02:05, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Humanizing Technologies also considers it a Medium rank source. Jappalang (talk) 00:16, 7 May 2008 (UTC)
 * http://spong.com/index.jsp
 * Despite its small startup, Spong has an editoral system in place. According to their About page, they also host and maintain press and trade sites for companies like Nintendo, THQ, Midway, System 3 and Ubisoft. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Per Andrew Micklethwaite's entry at Spong's team information, they are paid staff. Hence, Spong is a professional company per their offered services. Jappalang (talk) 01:16, 4 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Turns out there are several blogs/forums/opinions on Spong's reliability. It appears to be a professional "tabloid" website in which truths can be found along with inaccurate news. I have replaced all citations from Spong with more reliable sources&mdash;Famitsu, GameSpot, and 1UP.com. Jappalang (talk) 01:17, 4 May 2008 (UTC)
 * http://www.psu.com/
 * I am looking up on this site's background and will get back to it later. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Turns out there are a few blogs and forums postings that can put doubts on its reliability per Wikipedia standards. I have replaced this site with GameSpot and IGN sources. Jappalang (talk) 09:24, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * http://www.destructoid.com/
 * I was using it to act as the source for the Ninja Gaiden Sigma T-shirt deal. I think Destructoid is a similar deal to Kotaku. Reliability should be proven per each editor. I have no idea of how William Haley is regarded in the industry. I can replace the site with Ottsel's blog. Ottsel (real name: Jack DeVries) is the Contributing Editor for IGN's Nintendo Team. On his blog, he talked of his days at GameStop where he handed out the T-shirt with Ninja Gaiden Sigma. Is that an acceptable WP:SPS as a source? Alternatively, I can remove the Destructoid site without a replacement since the T-shirt deal is sort of non-controvesial. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Go ahead and replace it with Ottsel, which is probably a safer ref. Ealdgyth - Talk 13:40, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Done, replaced with Ottsel's blog entry. Jappalang (talk) 14:45, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * http://www.kotous.com/
 * This is the website of the United States branch of figurine maker Kotobukiya. It is used to report the lineup of the Ninja Gaiden figures. As such, it is a primary source and reliable. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * http://web.archive.org/web/20070228060509/http://dreamstation.cc/news/video_games/id2647
 * I have replaced the archived press release with a GameSpot article that is still online. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Okay, in previous FACs, we seem to have reached the decision that Kotaku is reliable on a case by case basis, depending on whether the writer of the reference being used is well known in the video game industry. Explain why current ref 91 Brian Ashcraft "Win Signed Ninja Gaiden..." is reliable.
 * I replaced the reference with the Japanese article from Famitsu, which Ashcraft had reported the translation of. Famitsu is certainly a reliable publication of video games news. Jappalang (talk) 09:02, 3 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Same for current ref 92 Michael Mcwhertor "Ninja Gaiden Sigma Gets Collectors..."
 * I replaced it with the press release by Tecmo, which was released by Business Wire.
 * Still on the road, so replies won't be as fast as usual. Ealdgyth - Talk 04:53, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

Oppose - Needs a lot of work. — Wackymacs (talk) 12:23, 4 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Fails criteria 1a - lots of places in which the prose could be improved. The flow in the lead is terrible. Consider re-writing the lead, so that it is two concise paragraphs.
 * The quote at the start of the Gameplay section doesn't add anything - it's not even explained or mentioned later on at all.
 * "Each region usually has a linear path connecting its entrances. Encounters populate this path and several off the path areas." - Huh? I'm not following this.
 * "It follows the pacing of a typical action-adventure game;" - The pacing?
 * " The game measures how well players do against four standards:" ...Consider instead: "The game measures players against four standards" or " The game measures player success against four standards"
 * "The Video game remakes Ninja Gaiden Black and Sigma introduced another game mode called Mission Mode comprising short sessions of combat." - Consider this instead: "The video game remakes Ninja Gaiden Black and Sigma introduced Mission Mode, comprising short sessions of combat."
 * I have focused on the first section "Gameplay" - please find someone to copy-edit all sections.
 * Also see User:Tony1/How to satisfy Criterion 1a.

Oppose - The article's use of non-free images fails our policy WP:NFCC. The two box covers at the bottom of the article are clearly both decorative, while the screenshots appear to be chosen at random and do not greatly increase the reader's understanding of the article (WP:NFCC). Black Kite 20:10, 4 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I have removed the box covers and an image in the Story subsection. I have replaced the image in the Gameplay section with a GIF that demonstrates the benefits of ultimate techniques. For the image at the start of the Plot and settings section, its caption has been altered to fit the context. Do these actions address your concerns? Jappalang (talk) 00:16, 7 May 2008 (UTC)
 * If I may chime in here...I personally think the GIF makes it worse. It distracts the reader and since it's so tiny, it really doesn't show a lot or add anything to the article. — Wackymacs (talk) 07:18, 8 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Oppose Does not meet the requirements of 1a. Examples culled from the beginning:
 * "Team Ninja had developed the game" Why the perfect here?
 * "Although it used ...it moved" Ambiguous "it".
 * Second paragraph awkwardly jumps from one disparate topic to another.
 * "Team Ninja went on working on the game" Continued working on the game?
 * "this carried on in" Ambiguous "this". What is being "carried on"?
 * "The Ninja Gaiden saga goes on in..." More use of crude "go on".
 * "Encounters populate this path " What?
 * "several off the path areas" What punctuation is missing here?
 * "There are dragon busts scattered in the regions serving" Awkward passive when active is stronger and works perfectly fine.
 * "third person"
 * "and even run up" Why the "even" qualifier? Sounds more like press release material instead of an encyclopedic article.
 * "It follows the pacing of a typical" The clause after the semicolon describes the structure, not the pacing.
 * "The Video game remakes " Video is capitalized because?
 * "to complete a difficulty to unlock the next harder difficulty." Confusing to laypersons.
 * "God of War lead combat engine designer" What is God of War and what's its relation to Ninja Gaiden (i.e. why is the article talking about this particular designer and his views on Ninja Gaiden)? Link needs disambig. Budding Journalist 16:27, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Support impressive article which I nominated for the GA (like Jappalang's previous work). May even be too detailed (78kb long), but nothing seems superfluous. igordebraga ≠ 22:59, 7 May 2008 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.