FalloutWiki:Codex

The Independent Fallout Wiki Codex is a series of principles that outline the community's core values and guide its leadership. The wiki is first and foremost an online encyclopedia that documents all aspects of the Fallout series. To promote a spirit of mutual respect and understanding, the following outlines the most important aspects and qualities of the Independent Fallout Wiki, applicable site wide as appropriate.

I. Independence
We are proud to be an independent, community-run gaming wiki and website without a superseding policing body or company. Wiki content should be free and not exploitative; we believe strongly that no company should profit from the diligent volunteer work of its fan base. The Independent Fallout Wiki is 100% free, ad-free, and supported by a volunteer team - built and maintained for the fans, by the fans.

II. Neutrality
The Independent Fallout Wiki is neutral in all debates relating to the Fallout franchise. It does not take sides in any conflicts between different users or groups in the Fallout community as its purpose is to document the franchise as an unbiased observer. Articles must be completely neutral on every subject, conveying all verifiable information available.

Articles are also neutral from an in-universe perspective. Articles will not glorify individual factions or characters, nor should they vilify others. Personal opinions, unsourced claims, and embellishment are not allowed. Writing about the Fallout universe in a skewed manner results in a less accurate account of events for readers, and is a disservice to the community as a whole.

III. Scope
Content within the Fallout franchise is intended as entertainment. Part of the intrigue behind the Fallout universe are the details left deliberately vague, encouraging players to think about the stories within. This is seen prolifically throughout many Fallout communities in the form of engaging conversations regarding these topics, years after content is released.

The Independent Fallout Wiki encourages these interactions regarding aspects of the Fallout franchise in the social areas of the community. However, these ideas must remain separate from the Mainspace articles so as not to mislead readers. The Independent Fallout Wiki's scope includes what is known, not what is unknown.

IV. Setting
Identifying similarities between the game universe and the real world are another intriguing aspect of the series as a whole, but inspirations that the developers take from the real world cannot be assumed, nor can the existence of real world aspects within the Fallout universe.

The story elements and gameplay of the Fallout series are developed within the construct of a timeline that diverged from our own, but this does not justify assumptions on real world parallels. It is not accurate to assume that the real world and the Fallout world were identical at any point on the timeline and articles should not reflect such assumptions.

Topics must be directly mentioned in franchise content to warrant an independent article. "Based on" or "inspired by" statements are only appropriate if supported by a reference. Attempting to "connect the dots" between real world and game information where no specific evidence exists is detrimental to the community, misleading, and not allowed.

V. Canon
The Independent Fallout Wiki does not make statements regarding canon, as our community recognizes that the decision, prerogative, and right to do so belong exclusively to the current IP holder. Our purpose is to document the franchise as an unbiased observer, not claim any level of authority regarding the content. The Independent Fallout Wiki's reference policies outline the format utilized to group content based on the source of the supporting material, without making overreaching statements as to its canonicity.

VI. Affiliation
The Fallout franchise is an intellectual property of Bethesda Softworks. The Independent Fallout Wiki has no authority in how Fallout content is created or how its intellectual properties are run. The site is completely fan-made and is not in any way affiliated with Bethesda, or any company, publisher, or studio that has contributed to the franchise. The Independent Fallout Wiki does not claim ownership of the copyrighted content hosted on the wiki, which is labeled with relevant templates.