View source for Guides:Danger Reports Guide

{{Guidesvoting}}[[Category:Guides]]
== Basic Info ==

For many new players or wiki-users, one of the first features that pops out as being pretty neat is the [[Building Information Center|"Danger Reports"]] scattered throughout the wiki on building pages. These info-boxes allow users to quickly see, at a glance, what buildings around them are damaged, under attack, or fitting to the suburb's [[Barricade Plan|barricade plan]]. In addition to allowing users to find specific information on nearby buildings, they also are collated in order to make some neat [[User:DangerReport/DangerCenter|graphical maps]] of the danger in Malton. Unfortunately, many new users may not know how to easily add the latest information about a location to these pages, despite it being one of the easiest ways to help keep the wiki useful. This guide seeks to remedy that fact by teaching the basics about the Danger Report System.

== Reading Reports == 

Getting the latest info on a building or suburb is quite simple, and can be done in multiple ways. The easiest is to use the search box on the left wiki toolbar and type in the specific name of a location. (However, note that empty blocks without buildings do not have danger reports!) That location's page should contain, at the very top, a info-box with information on the status of the building. These boxes can also be found (in a smaller, map version) on specific [[Suburb|suburb maps]], or in the [[Building Information Center]]. They appear something like this: 


{{{{{template|BuildingStatus}}}
|building=The Godden Building|xy=(38,18)
<!--Do not edit above this line! Please use a NPOV when updating the report.-->

|status=ruined
|comment=Tons of zombies around! Barricades destroyed, as well. Be careful! <sub>This is not a real report.</sub>
|user=--[[User:Example|Example]] 20:28, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

<!--Do not edit below this line!-->
}}
<noinclude>


Interpreting and using this box is quite simple. On the left is an image depicting the current status of the building at a glance. It can be one of a few different statuses:


{{BuildingDangerLevels}}

These statuses are quite simple to recognize after a short time, but if you forget, you can click the "statuses" link at the top right of any building info box. To the right of the status image, the rest of the box shows further information about the building, including the building name, a comment by the updater (usually a quote from the radio or a description of the specific barricade and zombie counts), and the signature of the user who last updated the info.

'''This timestamp is important!''' If it has been a long period of time since an entry has been updated, it is quite likely out of date. In the case that you do come across such an entry, it is much appreciated if you change the status to "unknown" in order to keep things current. There is no official amount of time at which to set the unknown status on a location, but it is commonly suggested to do so after two weeks or more, depending on the activity of the wiki.

So there you have it! Once you know where to locate these reports, you'll find that interpreting them is actually quite simple.

== Updating Reports == 

Sadly, these reports are not updated directly from data in-game, and have to be maintained by hand. Luckily, updating an entry is not hard, and can be done in under a minute! Updating an entry takes only three main steps:

# Open the User:DangerReport page of your building.
# Click the 'Edit' button and enter the current information.
# Click save!

The first step is quite simple. There are two ways to go about it...you can either find a current report on the building and click the 'Update' link in the top right of the info box, or use the search box on the left toolbar to type in "User:DangerReport/Your Building Here". Once the page is opened, you must simply click the Edit button at the top toolbar of the page. 

The edit window is likely familiar to you if you've played around with the wiki at all. However, what may be new is the strange text and symbols all over the page. Luckily, you only need to look for three main lines (or four, if in a building with a mast). They will look something like this:

<code>
:|status=ruined<br>
:|comment=Tons of zombies around! Barricades destroyed, as well. Be careful!<br>
:|user=--Example 20:28, 3 December 2012 (UTC)
</code>

Once you find these three lines, the rest is simple. First, delete everything after each of the equals signs. Then, enter in your own information for the status and comment, as they were before. (Use all lowercase words from the left side of the [[Template:BuildingDangerLevels|Danger Level Chart]] for the status.) It is suggested that you include the following in your comment:

* The barricade status.
* The number of zombies around.
* Any other pertinent information.
* (Or, if not at the building, copy and paste the quote from the radio or another player with info and place it in quotation marks for the comment.)

Once you have entered the information for your block, type in <code><nowiki>~~~~</nowiki></code> (four tildes) for your name. (This will place both your username and a timestamp on the line for you automatically when you save the page.) Alternatively, you can click the [[File:Sign.png]] button at the top of the editor.

After you have entered all the required information, you simply must click "Save page" at the bottom of the page. You've successfully assisted other players in finding needed information, as well as keeping the impressive looking city maps accurate!

== Other Notes == 

As stated at the beginning of the guide, the DangerReport system is quite helpful for everyone involved, and it only takes a small amount of time to update. Nobody is required to update it, but by doing so you are helping out many others, and keeping the system alive so that you can receive up-to-date information on the city, as well. And now that you've got this guide, there are no excuses!