Dark Souls Wiki:Media Policy

External media such as images and videos not only make pages more detailed, but the wiki more interesting to look at. However, as useful as they are, they are just as easily destructive. To ensure that pages remain easily navigable, the information concise and the wiki legitimate, we have some guidelines for media use.

Copyright and Plagiarism
We are proud of our wiki, because it is the product of the hard work of many individuals; however, occasionally, we must include some work is not our own. We do not have the rights to take all material related to the games we love, as some is protected under copyright law. Most information borrowed will fall under fair use, as it is being used for strictly educational purposes. However, caution must still be taken to ensure all our content is being used legally.

Other information can be taken from other sites, and while there is only so many different ways to describe the same thing, directly copying information from other sites is plagiarism. To ensure the legitimacy of our wiki, we must source and write our own information; not simply be a collection of information taken from other sites. All information not quoted directly from the games should be originally written by the authors and editors of our articles. Likewise, all images which are not part of the in-game files or "official" promotion should be captured by the authors and editors.

Uploading Media
Some rules must be observed when uploading a new image or video:

Images

 * Images should be of good quality. If you can't tell what it is, it might as well not be there.
 * Images should be in the .png format.
 * Don't add duplicate images. If we already have it, we don't need it.
 * Follow the naming convention for files. Look at other images in a similar category to what you're uploading to see what the naming convention is. Having similarly named files makes them easier to find when needed. 9iR6584ie.png is much more difficult to locate than Throwing Knife II.png.
 * Don't upload images that are not intended for use on an article, user page or forum thread. If you upload an image, be sure that you use it; otherwise, it will be deleted.

Videos
The guidelines for uploading videos are similar to the guidelines for images; however, a few extra ones apply:
 * Like with images, videos should be of a good quality. HD video resolutions (720p and above) are preferred; however, anything below 360p should be avoided.
 * Videos which run for longer than 5-7 minutes should be avoided, as they are less likely to convey information directly and concisely.
 * The uploading of videos which promote a YouTube channel, such as gameplay commentaries or "Let's Plays", is strictly prohibited. The wiki is a source of information, not an advertising billboard.
 * Commentary or narration should be avoided if the subject of the video can be conveyed through demonstration alone. If commentary is warranted, it must be concise and relevant to the content of the video.
 * Ideally, videos demonstrating locations of in-game items should be a direct run from the nearest bonfire to the item's location. Videos showcasing weapons or spells should only show what the weapon/spell looks like when used.

Linking Media
Simply posting a link to a video should not be thought of as a way of evading our uploading policy, and is a waste of time for all parties. After all, if a picture or video complies with the media policy and is relevant to the article, then it makes more sense to embed the video in the article, rather than posting a link to it.