Wikipedia talk:TWA/Portal
| Mission 1 | Mission 2 | Mission 3 | Mission 4 | Mission 5 | Mission 6 | Mission 7 |
| Say Hello to the World | An Invitation to Earth | Small Changes, Big Impact | The Neutral Point of View | The Veil of Verifiability | The Civility Code | Looking Good Together |
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More funky, or...
...less funky.
'Sit down, have a cup. While you're here something to muse on:'
- Think about what an awesome trip you're on,
- How many millions of people benefit from Wikipedia every day,
- How marvelous it is that people all over the world have collaborated to create this unique resource,
- How important sharing knowledge is,
- How people working together over time can do amazing things.
Hope that was an inspiring musing. 😎-----😇 all to help u guys!
Get help
[edit]Need help with something in The Wikipedia Adventure?
- You can drop by the Teahouse where friendly hosts will assist you
- You can pop into live IRC chat to talk to someone
- You can leave a question right here
What to do next
[edit]
Tips for feedback
[edit]Tell us what you liked about it, where we could improve, and what you learned
- How you can help
- Play the game all the way through. Do you get stuck anywhere? Is anything unclear?
- Finish the game if you only played a few missions: Give some attention to missions 5-7 (which have been tested much less)
- Start over fresh with a new account: Like User:OcaasiTWA17 (these are legitimate alternate testing accounts and are not considered sockpuppets)
- Try a different browser: If you used Safari, try Firefox (or Chrome, Internet Explorer, Opera...)
- Show the game to a friend or family member to see how they like it and if they get stuck anywhere
- In your feedback, please include any of your thoughts on
- text instructions within the game
- graphic placement
- bugs in the tour mechanics
- your web browser
- your screen resolution
- which step of the tour you were on if something didn't work (see the step= in the url)
- what you liked
- what you didn't like
- what you think would work better
- your thoughts on the design: the theme, the guide, the characters, the colors, the images, the sounds
known bugs
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Feedback
[edit]- Hey! I've notice a problem on Mission 2; when you "reply", the "Wikipedia Adventure" does not let you move forward; this might be a bug, but I need help getting to the end of Mission 2.
--PawPatroler (talk) 01:33, 30 June 2025 (UTC)
- Can't reproduce the issue; it works fine for me. In any event skip that step and continue the tour here. * Pppery * it has begun... 05:05, 30 June 2025 (UTC)
- Just to add I also had this problem. I think it's something to do with being signed in as when I signed out it fixed. I had it working on Chrome. Try turning off any privacy related extensions too but I'm pretty sure it's being logged in. Jellie06 (talk) 08:38, 5 August 2025 (UTC)
- I couldn't reproduce it logged in either, though. There must be something about the adventure UI that I subtly know because I wrote the code and others don't. * Pppery * it has begun... 15:00, 5 August 2025 (UTC)
- I appreciate your response. Thank you for checking. My original comment was that it was happening logged out not in but as I said it's probably privacy related extensions ❤️. Jellie06 (talk) 16:55, 13 August 2025 (UTC)
- I couldn't reproduce it logged in either, though. There must be something about the adventure UI that I subtly know because I wrote the code and others don't. * Pppery * it has begun... 15:00, 5 August 2025 (UTC)
- Just to add I also had this problem. I think it's something to do with being signed in as when I signed out it fixed. I had it working on Chrome. Try turning off any privacy related extensions too but I'm pretty sure it's being logged in. Jellie06 (talk) 08:38, 5 August 2025 (UTC)
Help...
[edit] | This help request has been answered. If you need more help, you can , contact the responding user(s) directly on their user talk page, or consider visiting the Teahouse. |
Hey! I've notice a problem on Mission 5; when you "reply", the "Wikipedia Adventure" does not let you move forward; I've tried many times to fix this, but I can't, and I need help getting to the end of Mission 5. — Preceding unsigned comment added by PawPatroler (talk • contribs) 01:09, 2 July 2025 (UTC)
Pppery has already answered you, and as he is probably one of the editors most knowledgable about TWA, it's unlikely that anyone else can give a better answer, sorry. And remember to sign your posts.GoldRomean (talk) 03:31, 3 July 2025 (UTC)- I’m stupid, this is a different part. Same thing probably applies, though. GoldRomean (talk) 03:46, 3 July 2025 (UTC)
- @PawPatroler. GoldRomean (talk) 03:35, 3 July 2025 (UTC)
There is no reply button
[edit]Title explains it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bebo12321 (talk • contribs) 07:25, 12 August 2025 (UTC)
- Make sure you have "enable quick replying" checked at Special:Preferences#mw-prefsection-editing-discussion. * Pppery * it has begun... 14:11, 12 August 2025 (UTC)
Feedback
[edit]- What I liked
- The Earth article is useful for learning and understanding the concept and the science. I even get to participate on editing and leaving talk page messages.
...
- What I didn't like
- There are multiple bugs and errors, such as trying to complete mission 2.
...
- What I wanted more of
- More than just Earth article, culture, arts, and histories.
...
- What was unnecessary
- There is none, besides using VisualEditor.
...
- Any other thoughts you want to share
- My thoughts on this was so amazing, and information to me, since it shows on editing basics and how to use a skill for anything. But that kind of software needs to updated to fix errors and outdated information.
...
-->^CreativeLibrary460 /access the library revision\ 06:10, 21 August 2025 (UTC)
- Thank you for playing the adventure. Re VisualEditor, actually the adventure silently works with whatever editor you've specified in your preferences - if you load VE it will tell you how to use it, and if you load the source editor it will tell you how to use it too. Re multiple bugs and errors, I can't help you without more details. Re more topics, an interesting idea but probably not something I will get around to coding. * Pppery * it has begun... 01:42, 12 September 2025 (UTC)
Feedback
[edit]- What I liked
It taught me how to edit and it was fun!
- What I didn't like
???
- What I wanted more of
more missions!
- What was unnecessary
???
- Any other thoughts you want to share
Thank you for making this, it gave me a... well fun game AND tutorial on wikipedia!
--STARTER'usercontribs anyone? 09:16, 7 September 2025 (UTC) I HAD SO MUCH FUN
- You're welcome. And thank you for playing! * Pppery * it has begun... 14:54, 7 September 2025 (UTC)
Feedback
[edit]- What I liked
The galactic character themes, the narration, the choice of topics covered.
- What I didn't like
Technical inflexibility. Having to remember and choose the stage you have previously been on instead of that information automatically gathered from our profile.
- What I wanted more of
A variety of articles, apart from Earth. Such that policy discussions would be better exemplified.
- What was unnecessary
Badges for every little thing.
- Any other thoughts you want to share
...
--Kingsacrificer (talk) 10:19, 10 September 2025 (UTC)
- Thank you for playing the adventure. Both of those (have a way of figuring out what mission you are on based on your badges, and using other topics rather than earth) are interesting ideas for improvements, but I doubt I or anyone else will have time to implement them any time soon. * Pppery * it has begun... 01:40, 12 September 2025 (UTC)
Mission 5
[edit]I have REPLY to GaiaGirl but nothing has changed, it seems like a bug, so what should I do? Please help. JohnDavies9612 (talk) 14:30, 13 September 2025 (UTC)
- People have reported this bug many many times but I've never been able to reproduce it. * Pppery * it has begun... 16:10, 20 September 2025 (UTC)
Feedback
[edit]- What I liked
- It was a good way to guide us through the various things we need to know. I found it very useful.
...
- What I didn't like
- It felt very slightly patronising in places - the applause, for instance
...
- What I wanted more of
- I noticed there were some editing glitches in the final text so I was expecting to go on to a phase at the end when we would be invited to proofread the text thoroughly, but that didn't happen. Also, at the very end of Mission 7 I would have liked some kind of "You have completed all Missions!" message instead of just finding that there was no longer a way to go forward and only a way to go back. That seemed like an anti-climax or something missing.
...
- What was unnecessary
- All seemed necessary and well thought out.
...
- Any other thoughts you want to share
- 1. The instruction box was right off the right side of my screen and at first I couldn't even see it, which made things confusing at the start. Perhaps add something to ensure the user knows it's there if they are using an older monitor that isn't as wide as average. (I am on desktop, Windows 10, Chrome, with old shape monitor)
2. In some of the missions the small pointer that was part of the top of the instruction box didn't point at "edit" but at "edit source" which threw me because on other occasions it pointed accurately at the right button. I was unsure which to use and using "edit source" would presumably have been a bad plan.
3. I think it might be good to change the line "How do I get there?" to "How do I get to the Earth page?" (or similar) because the user is established within the narrative as living on Earth so suggesting that we are trying to get to Earth doesn't really make sense. Specifying "page" clarifies what's going on for the learner.
4. There were some tweaks that could be made to the initial text used in the mission. "Earth is the only place in the galaxy THAT is known to support life" would be better than using "which" in that sentence. (Not hugely important but worth considering.) In the sentence after that one there was a semicolon and comma arrangement that felt a bit clunky and could be replaced with a simple comma. (I'm afraid I can't remember exactly what that was but I did edit it in my mission. I know these are pernickety things but if they were fixed it would prevent distractions or uncertainty for anyone who noticed them and thought they might be part of the test.) The part about Earth being the only planet known to have water could be tweaked ("currently known to exist") but is probably factually outdated anyway as I think they have now found water on Mars!
5. In Mission 5 we were not shown how to go to a talk page, which would have been in line with the other instructions, which generally showed us where things were.
6. In Mission 6 there is a typo "leap day IS added" and I think some other text issues which I didn't note down because I imagined we would return to them at a later stage.
7. When learning about citations, it says "Let's head to Earth to find out" - this doesn't work for me, as mentioned above. The user is already on Earth, within the story. I'm sorry to sound like a killjoy - it's just the internal logic that feels off, not the light-heartedness!
8. When learning section heading formatting we were told to "highlight the section title "Shape and structure", but when I looked at the article, this wording was not apparent in the text (it was quite some way down), so I assumed we were being asked to highlight those words from the instruction box text, and then copy them to paste in, which sent me off on the wrong track and I got in a mess adding titles that were already there and I had to remove them and figure out how to reset the formatting. Also the instructions didn't include having to click on "edit" each time for each heading, so I think the instructions at that stage could be improved: Click on "edit". Find the section title "Shape and structure" IN THE TEXT and - etc (And then remind us to select edit each time, otherwise the highlighting is lost. NOTE: in retrospect, this may have been happening for me because I published each change as I went along and I think at the end I was told to publish but I already had done so, so maybe instead tell us not to publish until all changes are made so we wouldn't have to keep re-selecting edit.)
Sorry about the formatting of this post not all being indented - it was such a long post I wanted to separate parts and I don't yet know how to make sure it's all indented the same way.
Sorry to add so many suggestions but it's such a useful tool for beginners and deserves to be the best it can. I appreciate all your fantastic work! ...
--Gateteller (talk) 10:18, 20 September 2025 (UTC)
- Thank you for playing, and leaving so many suggestions. I'll address these one by one.
- Re
The instruction box was right off the right side of my screen and at first I couldn't even see it, which made things confusing at the start. Perhaps add something to ensure the user knows it's there if they are using an older monitor that isn't as wide as average. (I am on desktop, Windows 10, Chrome, with old shape monitor)
- I don't think I can give that much useful advice because every monitor is different. * Pppery * it has begun... 16:55, 20 September 2025 (UTC) - Re
Also, at the very end of Mission 7 I would have liked some kind of "You have completed all Missions!" message
, the very end of the adventure should be here, which says "You Made It!!!!". It also says "the adventure begins", which I could see as kind of misleading but it means the true Wikipedia adventure - your experience as an actual editor, not the tutorial. If you have wording suggestions I'm happy to take them. * Pppery * it has begun... 16:13, 20 September 2025 (UTC) In some of the missions the small pointer that was part of the top of the instruction box didn't point at "edit" but at "edit source" which threw me because on other occasions it pointed accurately at the right button. I was unsure which to use and using "edit source" would presumably have been a bad plan.
Actually both work just fine. Until about a year ago only the source editor worked, but the current version of the adventure will tell you how to use the visual editor if you select the visual editor but is just as happy to tell you how to use the source editor instead if you select the source editor so you can use whatever editor you're happy with and I'm intentionally not declaring one or the other the preferred editor - although maybe I'm a source editor luddite and everyone else just thinks VE is great. The edit tab config is a mess - depending on what you select in Special:Preferences you can either have two edit tabs - the setting you chose - or one that gives VE, or one that gives source editor, so I'm not sure what better I can do. * Pppery * it has begun... 16:17, 20 September 2025 (UTC)I think it might be good to change the line "How do I get there?" to "How do I get to the Earth page?" (or similar) because the user is established within the narrative as living on Earth so suggesting that we are trying to get to Earth doesn't really make sense. Specifying "page" clarifies what's going on for the learner.
- sure, done.There were some tweaks that could be made to the initial text used in the mission. "Earth is the only place in the galaxy THAT is known to support life" would be better than using "which" in that sentence. (Not hugely important but worth considering.) In the sentence after that one there was a semicolon and comma arrangement that felt a bit clunky and could be replaced with a simple comma.
- Sure, done both. It turns out someone notices the odd comma/semicolon wording in 2013 and fixed it in one place but for arcane technical reasons left it unfixed in two other places, and then when rewriting the adventure last year I didn't notice the mistake and copied the same text to a fourth place - I've copied that change over to the four places that sentence is hardcoded in the adventure. * Pppery * it has begun... 16:38, 20 September 2025 (UTC)The part about Earth being the only planet known to have water could be tweaked ("currently known to exist") but is probably factually outdated anyway as I think they have now found water on Mars!
- suggestions for better wording welcome. WouldEarth is the only place in the Solar System where large quantities of liquid water are known to exist
work? I don't think "currently" is needed. * Pppery * it has begun... 16:38, 20 September 2025 (UTC)In Mission 6 there is a typo "leap day IS added"
- fixed that typo. Not sure how it crept in given the identical content of the text in previous missions didn't have it. Happy to address any other specific wording changes you can bring up. * Pppery * it has begun... 16:38, 20 September 2025 (UTC)When learning about citations, it says "Let's head to Earth to find out" - this doesn't work for me, as mentioned above. The user is already on Earth, within the story. I'm sorry to sound like a killjoy - it's just the internal logic that feels off, not the light-heartedness!
- I changed it toLet's head back to the Earth page to find out
and the button to "Learn citations". * Pppery * it has begun... 16:55, 20 September 2025 (UTC)NOTE: in retrospect, this may have been happening for me because I published each change as I went along and I think at the end I was told to publish but I already had done so, so maybe instead tell us not to publish until all changes are made so we wouldn't have to keep re-selecting edit
. Yes, indeed that was the intent. I've made the wording slightly clearer here, adding "in the text" and "Then, without publishing," where relevant. * Pppery * it has begun... 16:55, 20 September 2025 (UTC)- Wow. Thanks for replying so quickly and in such detail! The edits are great.
- The issue I found with the ending of the final mission I now realise was caused by the way I published each section heading individually - this meant when I reached the instruction window asking me to publish, I had already done so and was unable to progress to the next stage (adding pictures - I didn't even realise that was still to come) because I was stuck with an instruction window that had no "next" arrow button. The publish button wasn't available because I'd already used it and the window gave me no other option but to go back. That was when I assumed the mission was over. I'm not sure if this matters now, since you've edited to tell people not to publish until the end, though if they're feeling confident they may still anticipate the need to publish after adding all the headings in one go. So there's probably a slim chance that people could get stranded as I did. The only way to get past is by going back to create another heading or edit. I played through the final mission again and the end pages are great - no problem with those now I've seen them.
- When I mentioned the arrow pointing at "edit source" instead of "edit", I didn't realise that those two things were alternative ways to edit. I thought "edit source" would have been editing the mission instructions at a deeper level! But I understand now, and it explains why I had a feeling the editing seemed more complicated last time I did these missions (many years ago - I've been inactive for a long time and was redoing the learning stuff to refresh my memory). So that makes perfect sense and it's hard to add any additional information about the options because it will look different for different users according to what choice they made in their preferences. I'm not aware of having made any choice about the options of editing styles - I hadn't done anything to my preferences and I had both options available. I didn't understand what "visual editor" was until I read your response here. I chose "edit" rather than "edit source" because "edit" was precisely the instruction I had been given in the box and "edit source" was something I didn't understand. If you don't think it would be too clunky, maybe the instructions could say something like "(You may see "edit", "edit source" or both options. These are different ways to edit Wikipedia.)" That would have helped me understand that I was making a choice. I will probably go through the missions again using edit source so I can get on top of that.
- Yes, the line about Mars and water is a good fix.
- A couple of things from my latest go at Mission 7 - in the Linus' Law instruction window the buttons seem transposed.
- I wondered if it would be worth changing "kilometers" to "km" in the text, because it drew my attention when my spellchecker put a red line under it. I think this led me to wonder if it might be best to choose words that don't have spelling variations where possible in these missions. I noticed "urbanisation" uses the British spelling. I just wonder if it's worth trying to avoid making anyone think about those kind of complications because we're trying to convince them that editing is simple and fun! Just a thought.
- I appreciate all your work and attention. Gateteller (talk) 14:06, 23 September 2025 (UTC)
- Okay, made the intro in Mission 1 explain edit source slightly clearer, did the Mars thing, and fixed the Linus' Law oddity (I have no idea why it happened, so I hacked around it). I disagree with you re spelling variations; I would prefer to subtly nudge at the fact that Wikipedia has no preferred variety of English, so you may find articles that aren't in your variety and have to deal with it. * Pppery * it has begun... 18:02, 23 September 2025 (UTC)