This page includes details on how to write a video game walkthrough for Mahalo. There are multiple steps that must be followed to write a proper walkthrough.

This page is a work in progress, please check back often.

• Always create walkthrough with best possible ending

• Italicize video game titles

• Inlink whenever possible in guide note, fast facts and subsections

• Send us your best walkthrough writing sample. If possible, make it impressive. We need something about 400 words (or more, if you have it) to be able to get a good idea of your writing. Go all out. We're stricter than we used to be.

• It needs to be original walkthrough writing. This can be a level you've beaten, a specific boss, fighting through a wave of enemies, solving a rather difficult puzzle, how to best wield certain weapons during a section, etc. We need to verify that you can guide a user through a game, give them great strategies and advice, and do so with clear writing.

• GRAMMAR GRAMMAR GRAMMAR. Show off your clear writing ability. Do not send us something that is very sloppily written.

• Send the sample to bunny@mahalo.com

• Once you're approved, you'll be allowed to write walkthroughs for Mahalo.

• You may want to take a look at our Walkthrough Style Guide to get an idea of the writing we like best.

• If approved, fill out the walkthrough W9 or W8-Ben ASAP.

Included on this page are step by step instructions on how to write a video game walkthrough for Mahalo. Please note, you must be an approved freelancer writer to write walkthroughs.

Helpful links: Using Chatzilla

W9 for Residents of the United States

W8-Ben for residents other than the United States

Walkthrough Purchase Agreement

Please note, all walkthroughs are paid in Mahalo Dollars. Click here to read more about Mahalo Dollars.

Email copies of the signed purchase agreement and W9/W8-Ben to contact@mahalo.com, or fax them to 1-310-388-0993 using a cover sheet. Mahalo is not responsible for unreadable faxes, so be sure the machine is in good working order.

If you prefer to mail the documents, please use this address:

Mahalo.com

Attention: Video Game Freelance Team

902 Colorado Avenue

Santa Monica, CA 90401-2717

Scan the Video Game Walkthrough List for video game titles you would like to write a complete walkthrough for. The walkthrough should include all bonus missions and how to complete the game 100%, earning the best ending possible.

After you have picked out a walkthrough you would like to write, email Bunny@mahalo.com for approval. A video game staff member will normally return your request in 24 hours or less.

In the response email you will receive from Mahalo staff, you will be directed to the page to be worked on. Please expand the guide note and any fast facts as necessary. In the introduction paragraph, please describe what players will encounter in the game and what time of game it is. Write an original, 125-word minimum guide note for the page.

Wiki Code Cheat Sheet:

• Double brackets internally link to pages
• Single brackets externally link to pages
• Text framed by two apostrophes becomes italicized
• Text framed by three apostrophes becomes bolded
• Text framed by four apostrophes becomes bolded and italicized
• Pound sign # indicates a numbered list

Note, all video game titles go in italics. Do not use html markups.

The Guide Note Box

A guide note is an introduction to the page. Here is an example. Please note the inlinking.

This page is a full text walkthrough for the Xbox 360 version of the 2008 survival-horror game Alone in the Dark. Our game guide has tips for each of the missions, strategies for boss fights and the locations of all of the achievements. Below the main text walkthrough we have included links to other walkthroughs, faqs and videos. Use the table of contents to jump to a particular section.

''[[Alone in the Dark]]'' is a survival-horror game developed by [[Hydravision Entertainment]] and [[Eden Games]] for multiple platforms, including for [[Windows PC|PC]], [[PlayStation 2|PS2]], [[Playstation 3|PS3]], [[Xbox 360]] and [[Nintendo Wii|Wii]].

Fast facts are short, easy to read facts. Always include developers, publishers, platforms, mode, genre, ESRB rating and release dates. More facts are always welcome.

Fast Facts Example

• Publishers: [[Electronic Arts]]
• Developers: [[Hydravision Entertainment]] and [[Eden Games]]
• Platforms: [[:Category:SNES Games|SNES]], [[Game Boy|GBA]], [[Nintendo Wii|Wii]] (Virtual Console)
• Mode: Single-player
• Genre: Survival-Horror
• [[ESRB]] rating: M (Mature)
• In Japan: The subtitle is ''The Triforce Of The Gods''
• Release dates:
• [[June 24]], [[2008]]: PC, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2

The Main Page To add more sections to the main body of the page, go to the "to Links" dropdown in the yellow box on the right-hand side of the page, then click on text.

Every 3-4 sections, add a sponsored link by scrolling down in the "to Links" drop down.

For a detailed description on how to create a page, see How To Build A Mahalo Page.

In the next section, note what each button and button combo does. Any special menus? Maps? Collectibles? Anything the player needs to know about?

Also write a list of characters and enemies that will be encountered throughout gameplay.

Please create a step by step numbered walkthrough for each section/area/chapter in the game. Numbers are created in wiki by using the # symbol at the beginning of each line.

Tip: Place Tips and important notes in bold by using three apostrophes on both side of the word(s) you want to stand out. Also, make sure to Bold anytime you use a button in the walkthrough, such as Press A to dodge or Tap B to run faster, or whatever the case may be.

Example pages for reference:

X-Men Origins Wolverine Walkthrough

Bionic Commando Walkthrough

Please note, you will see some differences on walkthroughs. As we've grown, templates, formatting and more have been changed. Please stick to the rules listed on this page when in doubt.

Scope/Depth

This is definitely the most important aspect of any game guide. Always be as in-depth as possible.

Do not simply talk about WHAT happens in the game. Always include suggested weapons, combos, strategies and ideas throughout. We want our walkthroughs to be the best guides available online.

If you want to ensure that your walkthrough will be accepted quickly, make sure you are being very detailed and helpful to the reader. A good example of a nice, detailed walkthrough can be found here:

• Alone in the Dark Xbox 360 Walkthrough

Also, read up on some full published game guides on IGN or GameSpot to get an idea of the scope we want. Here is an example from GameSpot:

• Devil May Cry 4 Game Guide

Secret Items/Collectibles

One of the main reasons any gamer is going to read a walkthrough, is when they have a question like "Where on earth do I find XXX?"

Make a point of cataloging all secret items, collectibles, optional side-quests, optional bosses, etc. Do your best to play through the game with a "completionist" mindset.

For collectibles, you can include this information in the main body as it is discovered.

• EXAMPLE: Proceed to the left, through some underbrush. You'll come to a rock slightly offshore. The Blind Skull will be on the rock. (1/13)

If you are writing a walkthrough on an Xbox 360 game, make sure to include Achievements that you come across whenever possible on your play through of the game.

Some Tips about Grammar

Grammar is extremely important, and could be the number one reason your page will be sent back for revisions.

Sentence Construction

Always favor a series of shorter, less complex sentences over one long, convoluted, comma-heavy sentence.

Examples of right and wrong:

WRONG: Take the train over to the side of the mountain, jump off, get your sword out and start swinging it at the demons that come crashing down on you from the area you just came from, or they will breathe fire at you.

RIGHT: Take the train over to the side of the mountain. Jump off and equip your sword. When the demons approach, start swinging at them. If you don't, they will attack you with fire.

Avoid the Passive Voice

Watch out for the passive voice. This is where you make the subject of the sentence something other than the action-taker. It weakens meaning. Here are examples of wrong and right:

• WRONG: You will be attacked by giant dragons and will be greatly injured.
• RIGHT: Giant dragons will attack you, causing massive damage.

To avoid passive voice, try not to use "will be" type of phrasings. Write actively, and make the actor of the sentence the subject.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism, in any form, is not tolerated within Mahalo. Do not copy any other guide's language, sentence structure, strategies or any other bit of information that is not 100% yours.

Make the walkthrough completely original, and reflective of your own play-through.

We want original research, not someone else's writing put into your own words. If we catch plagiarism, unfortunately we will have to dismiss you from the program.

Write the Walkthrough as you Go

When you are about to start writing your game walkthrough, please make sure to write it directly on the page on Mahalo.

Save a copy in word pad or notepad. Do not use a word processor such as Word, Word Perfect or the like, as they mess with the format.

Screenshots

You are definitely encouraged to take screenshots for some or all sections of the game, such as boss battles, specific sections in a game, etc.

PC Games: This is very easy to do. Usually a PC game has an option in game settings to map out a keyboard button to take screenshots and if not, then just hit the "Print Screen" button on your keyboard, then paste it into MS Paint or whatever photo editing program you use.

Console Games: This one is actually rather difficult, unless you have the right equipment and know how to use it. When we take screenshots, we use the CANOPUS ADVC110 digital converter box. You can find it here: ADVC110 - This box is pretty expensive, and you need the right software that works with it, such as Adobe Premiere(PC) or Final Cut Express(Mac). However, there are alternatives like the Studio Moviebox Plus USB2 Video Capture Device. You could even use a digital camera with a tripod and take screenshots this way. Try to make sure they are of high quality and in PGN format.

All walkthroughs should contain a table of contents for ease of use. To create a table of contents in the guide note, add a text section.

Link to each section in the guide note, your text should look like this:

*[[Bionic Commando Walkthrough#Basics|Basics]]

*[[Bionic Commando Walkthrough#Controls|Controls]]

*[[Bionic Commando Walkthrough#Swinging|Swinging]]

*[[Bionic Commando Walkthrough#Radiation|Radiation]]

*[[Bionic Commando Walkthrough#General Tips|General Tips]]

Opening brackets go first, then the name of the page you want the user to be directed to, followed by the # symbol, then | (above the enter key) then the title of the subsection. Enclose all in brackets.

Feel free to glance at the table of contents on the Bionic Commando Walkthrough page to see it in action.

1. To keep your walkthrough from getting too long—which can crash a user's browser, and make the page load very slowly—you will paginate it. Essentially, this means you will be writing the guide for each level or mission on a separate page, instead of all on one big long page. Once you get the process down, creating each new walkthrough page will only take a couple minutes.

2. The first page of the walkthrough will be titled in this simple format:

GAME TITLE Walkthrough

3. Each separate page will be titled in this format:

GAME TITLE Level Title

4. So using an example from Resident Evil 5 Walkthrough, the second page is titled: Resident Evil 5 Chapter 1 Public Assembly

Page Length

1. Each separate walkthrough page should be about 4,000 pixels long. Generally, this works out to about one mission or level in a game. Sometimes, though, you'll need to put 2 or more missions on one page, if they're short missions.

2. To measure the length of one page, you can crop an existing image so that it is 500 pixels tall. When the page is of a good length, give it a quick measure with the image. It should be about 8x lengths of the 500 pixel image.

3. Another way to measure, is to compare it to an existing paginated walkthrough we have, and make sure they're about the same length. Here is an example with a perfectly sized front page: Ninja Gaiden 2 Walkthrough

4. Just use your best judgment, and don't make a page too long.

To Create a New Page

1. Do a search in the Mahalo search bar for the exact title of the new page (case-sensitive. Use the exact uppercase version of the page). Do not use special symbols, letters and numbers only. No exceptions.

2. Click "Video Game Walkthrough"

3. Enter in, for example: This is Page 2 of our WALKTHROUGH TITLE walkthrough, featuring ENTER MISSIONS/CHAPTERS/ETC

4. Copy and paste table of contents. Add categories and related pages.

Pages As you build the walkthrough, keep the paginating going.

The page connectors up at the top and bottom of each walkthrough page. Look at this page for an example. It's the Page 1 | 2 | 3 code. Which looks like this:

[[X-Men Origins Wolverine Walkthrough | Page 1]] | [[X-Men Origins Wolverine Walkthrough Part 2 | 2]] | [[X-Men Origins Wolverine Walkthrough Part 3 | 3 ]] | [[X-Men Origins Wolverine Walkthrough Part 4 | 4]] | [[X-Men Origins Wolverine Walkthrough Part 5|5]]

This will make it easy for the end-user to navigate the walkthrough and speed their loading times.

When the page is 100% complete and accurate, please email Bunny@mahalo.com. She or a member of the video game team will look over the page for accuracy, grammar and content.

At the end of the month, please send a list of all completed walkthroughs to Bunny@mahalo.com and cc Lonharris@mahalo.com.