View source for SMBC Wiki:Getting started

__NOTOC__
<font size=5px>''Welcome to the '''[[SMBC]] Wiki'''!''</font><br>

This site was modeled after [https://explainxkcd.com explainxkcd.com] and requires a lot of work, such as adding transcripts and explanations, documenting [[:Category:Characters|recurring characters]], and making the site look less like xkcd.

Pages up to the latest comic have been created, but almost all of them still need proper transcripts and explanations. For [[:Category:Autogenerated transcript|comics without manually created transcripts]], a bot has been run to generate transcripts automatically using AWS's Textract. These transcriptions have a lot of errors, but they are somewhat sufficient for searching for comics by text.

There is also a Discord server at https://discord.gg/ARxyyTEzr7, which is to be used for broad coordination and planning, though all that gets discussed on there should eventually be explained on public facing wiki pages as well.

== What to do? ==
The most helpful thing you could do is [[:Category:Incomplete_explanations|add basic explanations]] to comics that explain references, such as linking to external sites that define terms, explaining who mentioned [[:Category:real people|real people]] are, and pointing out references to science or philosophy topics. Don't worry too much about keeping style or voice consistent across the wiki, that can be looked over later, and the primary goal right now is giving at least something helpful for people who might not be familiar with the topics SMBC references.

=== ...if I find a page with incomplete or incorrect information ===
{{w|WP:BOLD|Fix it!}} If you're unsure of what to do, or if you don't have time to correct the page, fix what you're able to, then [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Talk_pages#When_using_wikitext_on_talk_pages leave a comment on the talk page].

=== ...if I find a technical bug in the wiki ===
Report it on the [[Talk:Main Page|Main Page talk]], and if applicable, the relevant page's talk page.

== How to... ==
;[https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Editing_pages ...edit a page]
: Click '''Edit''' in the page tab at the top of the page. Make any changes you would like to see, write a short explanation in the '''Summary''' box (e.g. <code>grammar, added transcript</code>), and click '''Save changes'''.

;[https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Starting_a_new_page ...make a page]
: Type your page name (e.g. ''Tiny ponies'') in the search bar, click the red link in ''Create the page [[Tiny ponies]] on this wiki!'', then add some content and save.

;[https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Starting_a_new_page ...add a category to a page]
: Type <code><nowiki>[[Category:Your_category_here]]</nowiki></code> at the bottom of the page.

;[https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Talk_pages#When_using_wikitext_on_talk_pages ...create a new topic on a talk page]
: Click '''Add topic''', add a summary such as <code>Guacamole</code> in the '''Subject''' box, then type something like <code><nowiki>Can we double the guacamole? ~~~~</nowiki></code> in the large text box below. The <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> will transform into your username and an Eastern Time timestamp, for example, <span style="background:#eee">[[User:TinyPonies|TinyPonies]] ([[User talk:TinyPonies|talk]]) 06:09, 20 April 2024 (EDT)</span>.

;[https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Talk_pages#When_using_wikitext_on_talk_pages ...reply to a comment on a talk page]
: Click '''Edit''' (or '''Create''' if the talk page is blank), then add two line breaks after the comment you want to reply to, and type something like <code><nowiki>:Can we double the guacamole? ~~~~</nowiki></code> The colon <code>:</code> will indent your comment — if you're replying to a reply, or a reply to a reply, add more colons for each level in.

;[https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Formatting ...use wiki markup]
: Wiki markup or wikitext is the code wikis are written in. For the most part, you can write plain text, but if you want to know more:
: {| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto"
|- 
! How to insert !! Using this code
|-
|'''Bold''', ''italic'', or '''''both'''''
|<code><nowiki>'''Bold''', ''italic'', or '''''both'''''</nowiki></code>
|-
|Headings, lists, and more
|[https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Formatting#Text_formatting_markup See MediaWiki]
|-
|[[Zach Weinersmith|Link to a wiki page]]
|<code><nowiki>[[Zach Weinersmith|The great Weiner]]</nowiki></code> or <code><nowiki>[[Zach Weinersmith]]</nowiki></code>
|-
|[[:Category:Characters|Link to a category]]
|<code><nowiki>[[:Category:Characters|SMBC has many characters.]]</nowiki></code>
|-
|{{w|Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal|Link to Wikipedia}}
|<code><nowiki>{{w|Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal|SMBC}}</nowiki></code>
|-
|A comment visible only to editors*
|
<code><nowiki>&lt;span style="display:none">please help i'm trapped in a weiner zachtory&lt;/span></nowiki></code>
|-
|An <code>inline &lt;code> block</code>**
|<code><nowiki>&lt;code>&lt;nowiki>here it is!&lt;/code></nowiki></code>
|-
|A <pre width=20>full &lt;code> block</pre>**
|<code><nowiki>&lt;pre>&lt;nowiki>where it is?&lt;/nowiki>&lt;/pre></nowiki></code>
|-
|<blockquote width=20>A blockquote</blockquote>
|<code><nowiki>&lt;blockquote>Kids these days&lt;/blockquote></nowiki></code>
|-
|{{distinguish|flying penguins|regular penguins}}
|<code><nowiki>{{distinguish|flying penguins|regular penguins}}</nowiki></code> 
|}

&#42; One would normally [https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Help:Formatting#HTML_tags use HTML comments], but this functionality is buggy at the moment.

&#42;* Inside code blocks, the left angle bracket <code>&lt;</code> should be substituted with <code>&amp;lt;</code>.

;...create a character page
: Create a page at ''Character Name'', or if that page name is taken, ''Character Name (character)''.

: Then use this template:
<pre>
<nowiki>
{{Infobox character
| image      = Filename.png (if applicable)
| imagesize  = 150px
| caption    = Character Name
| first_appearance = [[Comic link]]
}}
'''Character Name''' is a recurring character in [[SMBC]]. Character Name was once arrested for pug trafficking.

{{character|name=Character Name}}

[[Category:Any relevant categories here]]
</nowiki>
</pre>

== Transcribing comics ==

Let's look at an example comic, [[Three-3]].

[[File:1711824178-20240330.png|400px]]

[[File:171182431720240330after.png|250px]]

=== A machine transcript starts out like this: ===

{| style="width: 100%;"
| style="width: 40%"|<pre style="font-size:0.8em"><nowiki>
==Transcript==
{{computertranscript}}
:[Describe panel here]
:Dear evolution, how come sexual reproduction is almost always binary? Why not allow more complex genetic mixing?
:Noah built an ark. Only allowed two of each kind. That was the end of a lot of species. Man
:Read your bible.
:The three-bro-ed sloth
:The daisy chain orangutan
:Circle of liiiiiife
:Unicorns
:I think it might've been the "unicornucopias" that got the lord miffed.
:I can forgive him for drowning the world but never for this.
:Caption: smbc-comics.com
==Votey Transcript==
{{computertranscript}}
:[Describe panel here]
:Did you know that phoenixes actually rise from asses?
:*
</nowiki></pre>
| style="width: 60%"|
<blockquote style="font-size:0.8em">
==Transcript==
{{computertranscript}}
:[Describe panel here]
:Dear evolution, how come sexual reproduction is almost always binary? Why not allow more complex genetic mixing?
:Noah built an ark. Only allowed two of each kind. That was the end of a lot of species. Man
:Read your bible.
:The three-bro-ed sloth
:The daisy chain orangutan
:Circle of liiiiiife
:Unicorns
:I think it might've been the "unicornucopias" that got the lord miffed.
:I can forgive him for drowning the world but never for this.
:Caption: smbc-comics.com
==Votey Transcript==
{{computertranscript}}
:[Describe panel here]
:Did you know that phoenixes actually rise from asses?
:*
</blockquote>
|}

=== A completed transcript would be: ===

{| style="width: 100%;"
| style="width: 40%"|<pre style="font-size:0.8em"><nowiki>

==Transcript==
:[A man is praying in his room.]
:Man: Dear Evolution, how come sexual reproduction is almost always binary? Why not allow more complex genetic mixing?
:Evolution [represented by a green speech bubble with various plants, body parts, etc. surrounding it]: Read your Bible.

:[Close-up on the man's puzzled face.]
:Evolution: Noah built an ark. Only allowed two of each kind. That was the end of a lot of species.

:[Three sloths in a group hug with closed eyes and tongues extended.]
:Banner: The three-bro-ed sloth

:[At least three orangutans in a group, with their arms waving in the air.]
:Banner: The daisy chain orangutan
:Orangutan 1: It's a cirrrrrclllle...
:Orangutan 2: Circle of LIIIIIIFE

:[The silhouette of four unicorns in a row.]
:Banner: Unicorns

:[Back in the man's room. The man looks frustrated.]
:Evolution: I think it might've been the "Unicornucopias" that got the Lord miffed.
:Man: I can forgive Him for drowning the world but never for this.
==Votey Transcript==
:[Evolution speaking with the man staring forward.]
:Did you know that phoenixes actually rise from '''''asses'''?''
</nowiki></pre>
| style="width: 60%"|
<blockquote style="font-size:0.8em">

==Transcript==
:[A man is praying in his room.]
:Man: Dear Evolution, how come sexual reproduction is almost always binary? Why not allow more complex genetic mixing?
:Evolution [represented by a green speech bubble with various plants, body parts, etc. surrounding it]: Read your Bible.

:[Close-up on the man's puzzled face.]
:Evolution: Noah built an ark. Only allowed two of each kind. That was the end of a lot of species.

:[Three sloths in a group hug with closed eyes and tongues extended.]
:Banner: The three-bro-ed sloth

:[At least three orangutans in a group, with their arms waving in the air.]
:Banner: The daisy chain orangutan
:Orangutan 1: It's a cirrrrrclllle...
:Orangutan 2: Circle of LIIIIIIFE

:[The silhouette of four unicorns in a row.]
:Banner: Unicorns

:[Back in the man's room. The man looks frustrated.]
:Evolution: I think it might've been the "Unicornucopias" that got the Lord miffed.
:Man: I can forgive Him for drowning the world but never for this.
==Votey Transcript==
:[Evolution speaking with the man staring forward.]
:Did you know that phoenixes actually rise from '''''asses'''?''
</blockquote>
|}

That's an example of the formatting of a transcript, and here are some others: [[Cell|'''(1)''']], [[Why-6|'''(2)''']] Again, don't worry too much about formatting or consistent style, these examples are just to get you to hit the ground running.