Template:BlackSunBox
This is my take on combining the elements I liked from Template:PriceBoxSimple (format and style, and esp. the Affiliations module) and the Template:ReldinBox/Template:MaekadaBox (numbered scales, a few fields not in the PriceBox). I've also changed a couple of icons to reflect my personal preference; and added fields at the top for character theme, in-game role, and link to the char's build.
All fields should collapse if unused, keeping the box streamlined to only the information you wish to include. A complete example is displayed to the right; all fields are filled in for demonstrative purposes.
A complete example is displayed to the right; all fields are filled in for demonstrative purposes.
Contents
Quick Start Instructions
To use the BlackSunBox, copy the following "cheat sheet" into the start of your character's article. Fill in all fields or only those you feel are important when summarizing the character. Unused fields will not appear in the final product; removing those fields you are not using is recommended for readability, they can be added back in at any time . Comments in <!-- --> are for convenience and can be safely deleted. See below for complete explanations of all available fields.
{{BlackSunBox <!-- Defaults: Border=#9b9b9b MidBorder=#6f6f6f Background=#444444; <!-- Text=#e8e8e8 Font=Red Circle --> <!-- ShadowColor defaults to black --> <!-- Removed fields will default to N/A |Border= |MidBorder= |Background= |Text= |Font= |Shadows= |ShadowColor= <!-- Main Data Module. --> |Level= |AlignmentIcon= |Title= |Name= |Theme= |MainArchetype= |Role= |Build= [link] |Player=~~~ <!-- Image & Caption --> |Image= |Caption= <!-- Affiliations Module. --> |GroupLogoTop=Eclipse.jpg |SuperGroup=Black Sun |VillainGroup= |Rank= |OtherAffil=Trismegistus Council<br> The Lone Rangers<br> The Wildcards <!-- Identity Module. --> |RealName= |Aliases= |Birthdate= |Birthplace= |Citizenship= |Residence= |Headquarters= |Occupation= |Legal= |Marital= |Identity= |Relatives= <!-- Physical Traits Module. --> |Species= |Ethnicity= |Gender= |Age= |Height= |Weight= |BodyType= |Hair= |Eyes= |Skin= |Features= <!-- Powers Module. --> |KnownPowers= |Equipment= |Skills= |}}
Detailed Instructions
Style Options
Note that if you are satisfied with default settings, you can simply delete this selection.
- Border - Sets color for the outermost border of the box, the lightest gray in the example. Defaults to #9b9b9b
- Values accepted include: standard HTML Color Names, any hexadecimal color value, or transparent to show the background of the page.
- MidBorder - Sets color for the inner border of the box, the medium gray in the example, which borders the data modules. Defaults to #6f6f6f
- Values accepted include: standard HTML Color Names, any hexadecimal color value, or transparent to hide the inner borders and use the next lowest layer (Border or page background if Border is also transparent).
- Background - Sets color for the background of the data modules, the darkest gray in the example. Defaults to #444444.
- Values accepted include: standard HTML Color Names, any hexadecimal color value, or transparent to hide the inner borders and use the next lowest layer (MidBorder, Border, or page background depending on other transparencies set.
- Text - Sets color for all text in the BlackSunBox. Defaults to #e8e8e8.
- Values accepted include: standard HTML Color Names, any hexadecimal color value, or transparent to hide the inner borders and use the next lowest layer (Border or page background if Border is also transparent).
- Font - Sets the font used for the majority of the Main Data module and the headers of all other modules. Defaults to Red Circle (a/k/a the City of Heroes font)
- Values recommended include: Web Safe Fonts and font families (serif, sans-serif, monospace)
- ShadowColor - Sets color for the drop shadows. Does nothing if Shadows are turned off.
- Values accepted include: standard HTML Color Names, any hexadecimal color value.
Main Data Module
- Level - The character's in-game Level. It will appear centered on top of the Alignment Icon (if used) in the upper left corner of the box.
- AlignmentIcon - You may upload an image to use as a custom icon here. See Custom Alignment Icon below for details. If you choose not to use your own icon, remove this line from your template.
- Title - A title that precedes your character's name, such as The Daring or any other in-game or custom title you would like to use. I recommend that you enter <br> or a non-breaking space if not using this field, to place a line of buffer space between the top of the box and the name. Appears in a smaller font than Name or Badge.
- Name - The character's name, usually but not necessarily as it appears in-game.
- Theme - The character's theme or concept, but may be used for any kind of name caption you desire. Appears in a slightly larger font than Title and smaller than Name.
- Role - The character's combat role -- Hybrid, Melee DPS, Ranged DPS, Tank, or Support
- Build - A link to the PowerHouse web page containing the character's build.
- MainArchetype - - The character's in-game Archetype. This can be the name of the character's Archetype, or "Freeform (Powerset(s)".
- Player - Your name, usually as a link to your User: Page. Three tildes (~~~) is also an easy way to sign your work with a link to your userpage.
- Image - The filename of your character's portrait as it was uploaded to the wiki. Example: Image=AAPAdvocate2.jpg, not Image=File:AAPAdvocate2.jpg. The image will be automatically resized to 300 pixels in width. If you choose not to use an image, remove this line from your template.
- Caption - A caption to appear below the character portrait.
Affiliations
- GroupLogoTop - Displays an on-site image to be used as the group logo above the text fields in the module. Enter the filename of the logo as it was uploaded to the wiki. Example: Image=AAPOrpheus100px.png not Image=File:AAPOrpheus100px.png. The image will not be automatically resized, so use the trick described next to resize it if the logo is wider than 300 pixels.
- NOTE: Because this is a template, the pipe character (|) can not be used without the template interpreting it as the beginning of a new field. However, you can add additional wikitext image link formatting by using Template:! to plant a pipe that won't break the template. Example: Image=AAPOrpheus100px.png{{!}}96px{{!}}link=Category:Orpheus Initiative.
- Note that if you choose not to use this field, remove this line. Otherwise, you will have a redlink in your template that won't go away; removing this line will fill the spot with a simple blue bar.
- SuperGroup - The character's Super Group. Typically you will use either SuperGroup or VillainGroup, though both can be used if applicable.
- Rank - The character's rank in their group.
- OtherAffil - Any other affiliations the character may presently hold or have had in the past with other groups or in-game organizations.
Identity
- RealName - The character's real name.
- Aliases - Any aliases, nicknames, codenames, or additional registered handles the character is known by.
- Birthdate - The character's date of birth.
- Birthplace - The character's place of birth.
- Citizenship - The character's nationality.
- Residence - Where the character lives.
- Headquarters - The character's base of operations, from which they coordinate their heroic investigations or criminal schemes.
- Occupation - The character's current employment in civilian life.
- Legal - The character's legal status. Typically used to note hero registration, vigilante status, criminal record, etc.
- Marital - Is the character single? Married? Dating? Divorced? Widowed? Polyamorous?
- Identity - Secret or public?
- Relatives - Any significant known relatives of the character, especially those who are player characters or NPCs figuring heavily into the character's background.
Physical Traits
- Species - The character's species, usually only used if other than human.
- Ethnicity - The character's ethnic background.
- Gender - The character's gender.
- Age - Indicates the character's apparent age, usually used only if the character appears older or younger than their birth date would suggest or if their birth date is not known or displayed.
- Height - The character's height.
- Weight - The character's weight.
- BodyType - Any notes on the character's build (are they athletic? Wiry? 'Dyned to the gills?)
- Hair - The character's hair color and/or style.
- Eyes - The character's eye color(s).
- Skin - Any notes on the character's complexion or skin color.
- Features - Any additional distinguishing features, such as scars, tattoos, missing or replaced pieces, etc.
Powers & Abilities
- KnownPowers - The character's known superhuman abilities, in your own preferred terms rather than game terminology.
- Equipment - Important equipment the character uses in their crime fighting or committing.
- Skills - Any other abilities, mundane or metahuman, that the character relies upon or is known for.
Tips, Hacks & Workarounds
Name Size
If your character has a short name, I suggest surrounding the name with <font size="+3">Name Here</font> to make it stand out (try smaller values if +3 causes overflow). This will enlarge the font so the name better fills the space available, and it should still allow the title and badge fields to fit with the name in the upper section of the main data module.
Custom Alignment Icon
The template originally was designed to utilize alignment icons on the Virtueverse site. As there aren't any here, those are not really needed. However, the template was also designed to handle use of custom made icons.
Just upload your image as File:UrCustomName.png (or other graphic format such as .jpg or .gif). Ideally, the image should be square, since it will be displayed at 48 x 48 pixels and if you're including your level in the provided field, it is set up to appear over a 48 x 48 pixel image. That said, you can use an image of any dimensions and it will be sized to a 48px width, just be aware that it may bork the rest of the layout if it's out-sized.
You can also use an existing image by creating a redirect with that naming scheme that points to the existing image. When the BlackSunBox tries to access the image page you redirected, it will display the image at the other end of the redirect.
Then to use it, just put whatever you used as "UrCustomName.png" in the filename in the Alignment field of the template, and it should appear in the BlackSunBox.