GameFAQs: FAQing resources

Table of content
Help + Tools : 01
Rankings : 02
Media : 03

You want to know how to write an FAQ for GameFAQs? Well, with the help of the articles, tools, links and programs featured on this page it will be easy to get your guide published on GameFAQs. After reading all there is on this page you know a lot about writing an FAQ for GameFAQs. If there are still questions after reading all this, ask them in the comments at the end of this page or visit the FAQ Contributors Board and ask there.

How to use Metapad for Linebreaks at 79 Characters

An Article I wrote to help every FAQer. If your submitted guide was rejected for 'File is over margin' this is just what you need.

CSV 2 text table formatter (Comma-Separated Values)

Just create your tables with enemy values or weapon stats in excel, export it as csv and paste this in here, the formatting tool handles the rest while you can finetune lots of things.

Textformatting tool (Wordwrap/Linebreaks at 79 chars, justify, right align, etc)

Just paste your text in there and let the script handle the linebreaks. Justification, centering, remove trailing spaces on a plain text (.txt) file get easy as never before and there are even more options for formatting available.
According to newest surveys this tool, this page and most importantly I am

. Thanks TD!

Non breaking spaces and other special characters in FAQs

The biggest part of this Article is written by Zylicyde and explains how to use the non breaking space for FAQs and how to commit word wrap even though the characters are transformed into characters even more special by this and even features a script to make MS Word do this for you.

Freehosts for txt files

You wrote an FAQ and submitted it. It got rejected. You want the FAQers to review it. Upload it to one of those freehosts linked there so other FAQers can have a look at your FAQ and give you tips on improvement and finally getting it accepted.

FAQing on a Mac

Sadly there is no metapad for the Mac, but some good alternative choices. So if you want to FAQ in .txt format on your MAC just use:

TextWrangler or

QuoEdit.
TextWrangler is made by the same developer as BBEdit is, which is recommended by GameFAQs, but TextWrangler is better.
Don't forget you have to enter the .txt file extension on your own when saving your FAQ in TextWrangler.

DomZ Ninja's ASCII-ART Resources

osrevads ASCII-ART Resources

Osrevad's and DomZ Ninja's ASCII-Art collections with lots of great gamelogos and ASCII drawings of different controllers.
You can use osrevad's ASCII but you are asked to mention osrevad in the thank you section of your FAQ and it'll be best if you put a link to his page there, too. DomZ Ninja wants you to ask him for permission (or maybe just write him where you are using his ASCII ART) before you can use his ASCIIs in your FAQs. So do so and you'll be fine. Just for your interest, I'm happy too if you link to my page(s) in case you found something useful here in this mess...
In case you want to know how to create nice ASCII Art images that you can use on the GameFAQs messageboards you better keep on reading

here.

FAQ Warp

Good FAQs on how to create your own ASCII Art and some more FAQs!

ASCII-Art Dictionary

Even more sophisticated links leading you to even more FAQs and helpfiles and ressources and tutorials and tools and all stuff ASCII-Art...,

this FAQ is great for example and please don't confuse this with the infamous and dirty part of ASCII-ART, the

ASCII-pr0n (if you're really interested and the Links on the page don't work just delete the www. at the beginning of the url on every link...)
And in case you want some inspiration for really cool and 1337 ASCII Art please check out

ASCII Arena.

ASCII Art Helper Programs

If you are lazy and want the help of a computerprogram to create your ASCIIArt you eventually might want to check out

ASCII Art Studio. I don't like this one much, much better is

ASCGen 2. There is even a short but good

ASCGen 2 Tutorial available. Ascgen is good for converting images and logos of games to ASCII Art, it looks even better if you go over the result by hand again and use the ASCII Art generator only as a starter!
If you want to have fancy and big fonts in your FAQ for headers or your name at the end why don't you take a look at the

ASCII Font generator. There is even a

second ASCII Font generator. And PLEASE don't use that Graffiti Font all over your guide, it's been done to death, rather modify it, use another font or make your own ASCII-Art font with the help of the really good

ASCII Art tutorials already linked before above here :P

When to use which image format

An article about when to use PNG, JPG and GIF and the advantages and disadvantages of every format. Good stuff if you want to map out a game. This expands the

GameFAQs article about the formats.

Automagically sort your contribution hits

Go to your hits page and paste everything you find there in the form found under the link above. Set your options and let the magic happen.

How to change the short description of a game

Navigate to the Data Page of the game you want to change, click on Data Submission Form at the bottom of the page and choose whatever release is available. It doesn't matter which release you choose, as the text is for every release listed. Now you have to fiddle around with the url in the addressbar of your browser. Here you change the part &release=12345 to &edit=update and press enter. Voila! If the mentioned part is not available in the URL you just append the &edit=update and acknowledge with enter.

The NES FAQ completion Project

The ambitiuos goal of this project is to write a complete FAQ for every game ever released for the NES/Famicom. Well, even unreleased, cancelled and only released as prototype games are included and actively written for.
The page is maintained by Devin Morgan. You will find a lot of stats, a list of all games still missing a complete FAQ and a link to the current discussion topic on the FCB on the Completion Project Page. Join now! Otherwise it might be too late!

The SMS FAQ completion Project

The ambitiuos goal of this project is to write a complete FAQ for every game ever released for the Sega Master System. Well, even unreleased, cancelled and only released as prototype games are included and actively written for.
The page is coded by me and maintained by Games and me (selmiak)! Lots of interesting stuff can be found there and you can even sign up for the site and use some automated features.

The Gameboy FAQ completion Project

The ambitiuos goal of this project is to write a complete FAQ for every game ever released for the Gameboy. This project includes also Gameboy Color games, but no Gameboy Advanced games (...yet). Well, even unreleased, cancelled and only released as prototype games are also included and actively written for.
The page is maintained by vinheim and RedIsPoetic!

FAQ Contributors General Board (FCB) History

On this page Crazy Reyn collected a lot of interesting threads from the famous FCB. This is history kids.

FAQ Contributors Board (FCB)

A lot of people don't know a board like this even exist on GameFAQs. This is where the FAQ writers and starting FAQ writers meet. Come on over, and ask your questions. If you don't get help there then you won't get it anywhere else. ...well, at least not here.
Remember, there are no stupid questions and we all started where you might be now. Just don't be shy and post on the FCB.

GameFAQs Prolific Ranking

Updated every 1st of the month by Dark52

FAQ Writer Rankings

Last Update: 22.01.2006 - timski's absolutely outdated, but huge statistics page. Shows the activity of the FAQers in the past.

The biggest FAQ on GameFAQs (6958 kB)

As on: the 1st of November 2013
The Picross DS FAQ by

DEngel with its 6958 kB is the biggest single file on GameFAQs.
2nd Place -

Pokemon Black Version - Pokedex (4957 kB) by

ares9090.
3rd Place -

Pokemon Black Version 2 - Pokedex (4536 kB) by

KeyBlade999.
4th Place -

Final Fantasy 12 (PS2) FAQ (4163 kB) by

Split Infinity.

Smallest Files on GameFAQs.

Scroll down to the Game Genie Codes for Mega Man X2 and Mega Man X3 for the SNES. These are some of the, if not the smallest files contributed to and posted on GameFAQs.

Another really small File on GameFAQs.
The Currency Reference looks smaller than the Game Genie Codes, but is 1kb.

Same goes for this GameGenie Codes.
This is even smaller than the MegaMan Code Guides but listed as 1kb on GameFAQs.

a Kotaku article about the FAQ writers of GameFAQs

RARusk, ChaosDemon and PapaGamer are featured, interviewed and stuff. Thanks to CyricZ for finding the article.

The escapist magazine article about FAQs and FAQers

featuring Absolute Steve, DEngel, CJayC, the history of GameFAQs and some future insights and job opportunities. Thanks to Absolute Steve for finding the article.

Future of guides

Absolute Steve takes a deep and long look into the future of guides and FAQs. Also the past and present is elaborated. An interesting read for every FAQer.

The rules of strategy guides

An Article about the professional Prima guides and the industry dependend on gamepublishers behind it.
Thanks to A I e x for finding this.

Getting help on games before 1995

Just look who signed it!

Last modified: 2016-01-22

1) vinheim (mail hidden) wrote on: 2012-08-14 04:17:13 Love your site selm. I'll put a link in my FB page and in my walkthroughs to get you some more activity around here.	2) Krass (eve1@writeme.com) wrote on: 2014-04-25 11:08:23 <3 this is awesome stuff. sigh good old days	3) gearratio (mail hidden) wrote on: 2016-01-21 20:58:56 Check your gmx email or gamefaqs PM, please? I need your help about some game information you submitted to gamefaqs (C64 Metal Gear).
4) mitunshaw (mail hidden) wrote on: 2022-05-10 18:06:18 ich hatte Recht :) mituns