Wikipedia:WikiProject Video games/Newsletter/20111005/Interview

WikiProject Video Games Newsletter

Volume 4, No. 3 — 3rd Quarter, 2011

Changes to Featured and Good content | News items and announcements | Feature | Featured editor

Featured editor: Jinnai

This issue we interview Jinnai (陣内), who has been editing Wikipedia for more than 5 years. His achievements include: Popotan, Dragon Warrior, and School Rumble. You can normally find Jinnai working numerous articles related to Japan as well as posting at the VG project discussion page. Read on to learn more about him.

What drew you to Wikipedia, and what prompted you to begin editing?
I first started editing Wikipedia when dealing with historic figures from the Sengoku period of Japan. After I had done several edits I decided to register an account so I could access some of the features IP editors cannot. From there, I began noticing a thriving anime community and started editing stuff related to anime and manga and eventually, through work on the visual novel task force found my way over to this WikiProject as well.
How did you think of your username, Jinnai?
It's the family name from the main antagonist of El Hazard, Katsuhiko Jinnai. The OVAs make a great series I'd suggest watching even if you're not into anime in general.
How did you become involved with the VG project?
As mentioned earlier, I started through the Visual novel task force. From there I started attending discussions on the main page from time to time. I think it was after I proposed the overhaul to our importance rating system that I became much more active in the community at large.
You're also part of WikiProject Anime and manga. How much of what you do with the VG project overlaps with it?
The Visual novel task force is the most obvious one. In general, if I can't get an answer there, I often go to the Anime and Manga WikiProject as well as the video game WikiProject to get an answer depending upon the nature of the question. While the TF is under this project, it really is one of the closest things we have to a joint WikiProject task-force.
Other stuff would be mostly relating to the manga and anime offshoots of series such as Dragon Warrior. Those items are much easier to discuss there and find people who might have answers there than at the WikiProject. Similarly, anime that's had game's based on it, such as School Rumble are sometimes easier to find info in this WikiProject. Finally, its little known that our reliable source search engine is maintained by Gwern. He comes from the Manga and Anime WikiProject, but also works with our sourcesl since so many video games today are linked to anime and manga and none of them conflict.
In addition to article writing, you've been active in updating and revising policies and guidelines. Please tell us about those efforts.
Like everything in rules making, it's like making sausage. As I'm only human, there are tense moments when I have to take a step back and calm myself before posting. The key here is finding a way to compromise when possible. While there are tons of frustrating moments, there can also be times when you can get changes done relatively smoothly, especially if you remember the key is to try and find a way to compromise. That doesn't mean you always get what you want. I'm still frustrated that WP:Notability (video games) has not been accepted as a formal notability guideline. For those interested, it spun off from our own guideline in an attempt to overhaul and streamline it.
Other than that, I try to educate people on our policies and guidelines and point them to the relevant pages. I also instruct them that if they have an issue with them to discuss it there. Sometimes guidelines, and even policy has changed because of that.
What is considered your best work on Wikipedia?
Right now School Rumble and List of Popotan soundtracks, but I'm hoping to get Dragon Warrior through FAC soon (with the help of MuZemike. I took School Rumble from a mediocre C-Class through to an FA and for the Popotan list, it is because I made it from scratch through FL largely without any pre-existing template to follow.
What is the most difficult part of editing Wikipedia?
FAC process is always a pain :P. Specifically for me, it's the prose. That's almost always the reasons my FAC and FLC nominations fail. It's compounded by the lack of good copyeditors in this project and moreso the Manga and Anime WikiProject.
How much of a gamer are you and what type of games do you gravitate toward?
I reguarly play games. Not quite every day, but a lot. I tend to play mostly RPGs, visual novels or strategy/simulation games. The games I play tend to be slower-paced and more time to develop strategy, but I do play games like Zelda. Unlike most people I know with little free time, I am fine with not advancing much at a time as I am able to get back into the game later and pick up a game where I left off easily. That's probably why I don't mind those epic games.
What advice would you give a new editor interested in working on video game articles?
Be be bold, but also remember to be civil. Once you have done a bit of editing and want some reviews on your work, learn the basics. The other thing is, if you make an article and someone brings it up for a deletion because of (the lack of) notability, this isn't an attack on you or (in most cases) your interests.
Anything else you want to say?
I will say that I think we could get a lot more editors if we didn't bring most pages to AfD for notability shortly after they are created. Granted, there are cases where they should be brought (if not speedily deleted, but I have witnessed how the process has poisoned several potential editors from continuing to be productive members in the past. This is in spite of guidelines like WP:BITE.

Also read about our previous Featured editor: New Age Retro Hippie