This is an encounter for the editing game we're putting together. Visit this forum thread
to join the fun.
Description: A nerd in oversized glasses, flaring nostrils, and air of assumed authority blocks the way.
Tropédex says:
Corrector. The pedantry editor. The corrector's sole purpose is to demonstrate the superiority of their knowledge. They wander the wiki, searching for inaccuracies, and when they find one, they attack mercilessly, pointing it out to appear superior instead of correcting it for the benefit of the wiki. Caution: Extreme care should be taken in dealing with them when they are actually correct.''
Narrative:
You come across some natter, and find a strange editor lurking about. Unfortunately, they notice you.
"Actually...", they ready their attack, and before you can react, they launch into a destructive tirade! "You're wrong! The way it actually happened is! You haven't taken into account that! That's not accurate! Well, technically! INCORRECT!"
Every hit is more painful than the last, and you brace yourself as they make their edit, launching you across the room with a spiteful Pot Hole to an artistic license trope. Your back slams against the wall and the room swims in front of you. Oh, wow, this isn't your day. You frailly reach for your Tropédex and point it at the thing.
But, but! You don't even know if they're actually correct! Maybe they're right? Maybe the person they're responding to is right?
Do you:
...but there's a problem. It turns out that the Corrector is actually in the right. You had no way of knowing this, of course, but now the entry is simply wrong. Soon, the Corrector is back, and they attack again with the Correction!
After surviving the attack, you review your options.
Mission Incomplete...
(Go back to the decisions screen. This choice is now unavailable, with a note saying "I think this is a bad idea".)
With your mighty Editing Grenade, you quickly blow away the entire trope example within the entry. Take that, Natter! No wrong entry, no unnecessary Natter, everything is great!
However, a sneering doubt starts gnawing at the back of your mind. You can't shake off this growing feeling of uncertainty of which of the two entries was actually the correct description. The question eats away at you, quickly driving you mad. Your friends find you days later, curled up in the corner of the room, reduced to a sobbing wreck, hysterically mumbling "whichonewasrightidontknowohgodwhathaveidonewhathaveidone"....
GAME OVER.
With your mighty Editing Grenade, you quickly blow away the entire trope example within the entry. Take that, Natter! No wrong entry, no unnecessary Natter, everything is great!
Luckily for you, you remember discussion pages from your training. These are perfect for just this sort of occasion— getting clarification, doing brainstorming and talking things out instead of edit warring. Sure, you don't have the expertise to determine which of the two parties is actually correct... but hopefully, someone else on your travels will. Making a note on the discussion page, you diplomatically inform everyone of your elimination, and ask people to simply correct entries, not respond with another bullet point.
Nicely done, young Troper! The Corrector has been dealt with, and the world-at-large now knows of what you've done, and can hopefully get the correct information out in a Wiki-friendly way!
Mission Complete!
