Comments on: The Videogame Style Guide Blows My Mind http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/ A game designer's eye view of things Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:09:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Bruce Achterberg http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-193530 Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:44:51 +0000 http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-193530 Kikimaru Said: ------------------------------- Should we even use the term “video game”? I mean, a video - as I understand it - is a series of recorded actions that is designed to play in a straightforward manner, without deviations. Hence, I’d rather use the term “computer game software”, or omitting the -software portion, as it makes a bit more sense. Decent argument? ------------------------------- For a long time, I despised the term "*video* game." When I started talking about board games and—surprise!—_video_ games, I gained an appreciation for the term. I still think "video" is a bit of a silly term to use and that we'd be better served by "PC game" or "Xbox game," or whatever, but it's nice to have a word that encompasses *all*... err... “digital”(?) games. You'll never catch me writing, "videogame," though. *cringe* Makes me feel all funny inside—the writer’s equivalent of nails down a chalkboard. ;) -- Bruce Kikimaru Said:
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Should we even use the term “video game”?
I mean, a video - as I understand it - is a series of recorded actions that is designed to play in a straightforward manner, without deviations.
Hence, I’d rather use the term “computer game software”, or omitting the -software portion, as it makes a bit more sense.

Decent argument?
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For a long time, I despised the term “*video* game.”

When I started talking about board games and—surprise!—_video_ games, I gained an appreciation for the term.

I still think “video” is a bit of a silly term to use and that we’d be better served by “PC game” or “Xbox game,” or whatever, but it’s nice to have a word that encompasses *all*… err… “digital”(?) games.

You’ll never catch me writing, “videogame,” though. *cringe*

Makes me feel all funny inside—the writer’s equivalent of nails down a chalkboard. ;)

– Bruce

]]> by: Michelle http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-126650 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:38:19 +0000 http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-126650 If you want to argue about the spelling of internet/Internet, go for it. Just don't accuse people of hypocrisy based on incorrect facts. If you want to argue about the spelling of internet/Internet, go for it. Just don’t accuse people of hypocrisy based on incorrect facts.

]]> by: Sirlin http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-126524 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:38:05 +0000 http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-126524 Michelle: it wouldn't be much of an amendment. Regardless of whether they discussed it or not, they spelled internet with a capital I. This is clearly not how it's spelled. If the AP style guide says to do it that way, they should take a look around the internet. Any credible style guide would spell it with a lowercase i. As for capitalization after a colon, I still go with Strunk & White. I think it's bad. Maybe the AP style guide say it's ok, and I guess that's a matter of opinion. Even an amended post would still point out Strunk & White. But what's more relevant than any of that is the spelling of "video game" as "videogame" in the title. Nothing's changed there. It's still as silly as ever and not needed. (Just like we don't need "boardgame" or "cardgame" as words either.) So...is there really much relevant to amend? Michelle: it wouldn’t be much of an amendment. Regardless of whether they discussed it or not, they spelled internet with a capital I. This is clearly not how it’s spelled. If the AP style guide says to do it that way, they should take a look around the internet. Any credible style guide would spell it with a lowercase i.

As for capitalization after a colon, I still go with Strunk & White. I think it’s bad. Maybe the AP style guide say it’s ok, and I guess that’s a matter of opinion. Even an amended post would still point out Strunk & White.

But what’s more relevant than any of that is the spelling of “video game” as “videogame” in the title. Nothing’s changed there. It’s still as silly as ever and not needed. (Just like we don’t need “boardgame” or “cardgame” as words either.) So…is there really much relevant to amend?

]]> by: Michelle http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-126505 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:58:46 +0000 http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-126505 Seeing as how 1) you were corrected about the authors not discussing Internet vs. internet and 2) using a capital letter for a complete sentence after a colon is perfectly valid AP style, you might consider amending or updating your original post. After all, you are making disparaging remarks about the Style Guide editors based on incomplete facts, and readers should not have to get deep into the comments to find that out. Seeing as how 1) you were corrected about the authors not discussing Internet vs. internet and 2) using a capital letter for a complete sentence after a colon is perfectly valid AP style, you might consider amending or updating your original post. After all, you are making disparaging remarks about the Style Guide editors based on incomplete facts, and readers should not have to get deep into the comments to find that out.

]]> by: Today’s most stylistic video: “video game” vs. “videogame” | Gaming News and Reviews http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-125540 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:57:27 +0000 http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-125540 [...] It’s a debate that’s at least as old as our 2005 poll on the subject (which ended in a statistical dead heat) — should the term “video game” be one word or two. Copy editors, designers, and journalists have all weighed in on the subject (as well as a undoubtful book author and blogger). Now, finally, we have an official reply from a well-respected, authoritative source: the fine fellows by at College Humor. [...] […] It’s a debate that’s at least as old as our 2005 poll on the subject (which ended in a statistical dead heat) — should the term “video game” be one word or two. Copy editors, designers, and journalists have all weighed in on the subject (as well as a undoubtful book author and blogger). Now, finally, we have an official reply from a well-respected, authoritative source: the fine fellows by at College Humor. […]

]]> by: Dot http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-74104 Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:28:34 +0000 http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-74104 The reasoning behind spelling Internet with a capital "I" is because it was originally used to distinguish the Internet we all think of (specific) from internets in general (of which I don't think there really are any these days). Ah, the things we remember from graduate courses in business writing. Hence AP and others say to use capital I. The reasoning behind spelling Internet with a capital “I” is because it was originally used to distinguish the Internet we all think of (specific) from internets in general (of which I don’t think there really are any these days). Ah, the things we remember from graduate courses in business writing.

Hence AP and others say to use capital I.

]]> by: Doctor Fedora http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-66415 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 03:57:32 +0000 http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-66415 Ah. My point was that I don't seem to ever recall having seen that, and although I don't have a copy nearby, I'm pretty sure that &#60;i&#62;Chicago&#60;/i&#62; calls for no fourth period. Of course, that's leaving aside AP, MLA, APA, AMA, and all of the other major styles, so... Ah. My point was that I don’t seem to ever recall having seen that, and although I don’t have a copy nearby, I’m pretty sure that <i>Chicago</i> calls for no fourth period. Of course, that’s leaving aside AP, MLA, APA, AMA, and all of the other major styles, so…

]]> by: Andrew http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-66396 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 00:50:15 +0000 http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-66396 @Doctor Fedora: Ellipses do have only three points, but if they appear at the end of a sentence they need to be followed by a period. Like so…. @Doctor Fedora: Ellipses do have only three points, but if they appear at the end of a sentence they need to be followed by a period. Like so….

]]> by: Doctor Fedora http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-66113 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 04:55:18 +0000 http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-66113 Maybe it's a Strunk &#38; White thing, but I seem to recall that at least with the Chicago Manual of Style, an ellipsis is only ever three periods, and never four. Of course, I don't have my copy of the Big Orange Book around, so I can't actually check it, but I can't seem to recall the last time I saw four periods in a row in any context, at least not when professional copyediting (or is it copy editing? Or copy-editing?) was involved. Maybe it’s a Strunk & White thing, but I seem to recall that at least with the Chicago Manual of Style, an ellipsis is only ever three periods, and never four. Of course, I don’t have my copy of the Big Orange Book around, so I can’t actually check it, but I can’t seem to recall the last time I saw four periods in a row in any context, at least not when professional copyediting (or is it copy editing? Or copy-editing?) was involved.

]]> by: Patrick http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-66064 Tue, 28 Aug 2007 19:27:55 +0000 http://www.sirlin.net/archive/the-videogame-style-guide-blows-my-mind/#comment-66064 After seeing inconsistent use of em dashes and en dashes and incorrect use of an ellipsis in the foreword, this is going to be a fun read. @Greg: "(who would ever write “a video-game manual”?)" Well, uh, I would. That is, after all, hyphenating compound modifiers! It's just a hyphen doing what it's supposed to do. "Also, aren’t words capitalized after a colon when they begin a complete sentence in AP style?" Yes, that is correct. I'm not sure what the British style is. After seeing inconsistent use of em dashes and en dashes and incorrect use of an ellipsis in the foreword, this is going to be a fun read.

@Greg: “(who would ever write “a video-game manual”?)”

Well, uh, I would. That is, after all, hyphenating compound modifiers! It’s just a hyphen doing what it’s supposed to do.

“Also, aren’t words capitalized after a colon when they begin a complete sentence in AP style?”

Yes, that is correct. I’m not sure what the British style is.

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