Template talk:NPC

Created
Created this template to link NPC in articles. The template takes the following input:

Faction: Alliance, Horde, Neutral Name: Name of the NPC Thott: Number on Thottbot

Example: would create the following link --Montronax 16:28, 15 March 2006 (EST)


 * Thott variable removed at some point. -- Fandyllic (talk &middot; contr) 2:16 PM PDT 28 Oct 2007

subst:?
I think the way to use this template best is to subst: it to increase server performance. While I don't know wether this is a problem at the moment, it might easily become a problem in future, so we should avoid unneccesary database connects when we can. Asgar 03:47, 27 June 2006 (EDT)

Removal of external links
As this is a little used template, I am commadeering it for myself, and removing the external links to Thottbot and Warcry, in keeping with the trend previously established with removing the Thottbot link from Template:Questlong. --Mikaka 21:22, 16 January 2007 (EST)
 * I also changed the input format to be easier to use. --Mikaka 21:30, 16 January 2007 (EST)

Icon
Is there any way we could incorporate a race icon into this? It would make the code for the NPC lists and Quest lists much simpler.... -- 21:37, 10 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Incorporated ability to use small icons from Wowpedia:List of race icons. See example of Wickerman Guardian above. -- Fandyllic  (talk &middot; contr) 2:16 PM PDT 28 Oct 2007

Doesn't work for some NPCs
I love this template. It gives you all the information you need on a vendor with a mouseover, but otherwise it only shows the NPC name and faction symbol. A great way to keep the page from cluttering up while still giving needed information. However, I've found that it doesn't work for some NPCs. For example:  I also don't see it working for bosses, like the Wickerman above. How do we fix these broken tooltips? -- 22:44, 1 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Add a correctly-formatted npcbox to the NPC's page. -- 22:45, 1 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Excellent! Thank you. I've already fixed Lokhtos Darkbargainer. --  22:54, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

Aldor/Scryer
Thinking it would be useful to have small Aldor and Scryer icons that can be used in NPC templates. For example, would produce, or something similar. Ideas?--Tiwuno 00:44, 12 January 2008 (UTC)


 * I will try to work on this. It should be pretty easy. --[[Image:gengar orange 22x22.png]] Fandyllic  (talk &middot; contr) 4:35 PM PST 15 Jan 2008


 * Done. Just use "Aldor Neutral", "Aldor", "Scryers", or "Neutral Scryers" instead of "Alliance", "Horde", or just "Neutral".
 * &rarr;
 * &rarr;
 * &rarr;
 * &rarr;
 * This didn't require any change to the NPC template. --[[Image:gengar orange 22x22.png]] Fandyllic  (talk &middot; contr) 4:59 PM PST 15 Jan 2008

Can anyone help me test Template:NPC/dev?
I don't want to turn this on until it's had some testing by some other folks than me. Please try out NPC/dev in as many permutations you can think of. All that is added currently is support for racegender= parameter for icons based on the various  templates on the Wowpedia:List of race icons. See Template talk:NPC/dev. It doesn't yet support templates of the type .--  Fandyllic  (talk &middot; contr) 4:34 PM PST 15 Jan 2008

Smallicon
It should work with any kind of image now.. although it will look better with small icons. -Howbizr (talk) 03:42, 8 November 2008 (UTC)

Icons
Personally... I prefer using RaceIcon in addition to this template, just because if we use the image parameter for this template, it requires you to know the exact file name. Now, if we could change it to make it possibly smaller or less to type it would be nice. For instance, SmallIcon and .gif really aren't needed since it's always required anyway. is all you should really need for that parameter. I think a lot more users (including myself) would use that parameter if it was made simple.

Given the amount of articles using this template I'm not going to make this change without a bot ready to do the necessary steps though, unless people disagree with this? 02:46, March 28, 2010 (UTC)


 * No comments =( oh well, change made. So now instead of  it's simply    00:08, May 22, 2010 (UTC)

Placement
And while we're talking about icons, I was thinking it might look better if the race icon came before the horde/alliance icon. That way if RaceIcon was also used in the same table it would match up better. 02:51, March 28, 2010 (UTC)

Pop-up
I'm just gonna come right out and say it: I think we should axe the pop-up attached to this template. It provides little benefit and a lot of annoyance. How does everyone else feel? -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 19:56, 29 November 2016 (UTC)
 * I'm ok with it. Xporc (talk) 20:06, 29 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Never been a fan of it, even if I don't outright hate it. I wouldn't miss it in any case. PeterWind (talk) 13:59, 30 November 2016 (UTC)
 * I actually think it can be useful in Zone NPC articles and the like, but I don't particularly care one way or another. EDIT: I personally mainly use the template in lists and infoboxes because I find that it's quicker/more convenient to type and because it takes up slightly less space in the wikitext than the usual RaceIcon + plain link. Compare:  In other words, the pop-up doesn't really make any difference to me and in the places where I do use the template, it's because I think it's more convenient than the alternative. I do try to avoid using it in the actual text, though. --  17:10, 3 December 2016 (UTC)
 * Bumping this since somebody seems extremely keen on utilizing this template everywhere despite the template itself specifying that it should only be used for NPCs. Since I understand the argument regarding the icon, and the part that seems to irritate most people is the pop-up, is there someone familiar enough with this template who knows which part generates the pop-up and can remove it? -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 21:13, 30 March 2017 (UTC)
 * It's probably the AJAX part... Can't help, sorry. Maybe foxlit? At least now Garbrit has agreed to only use it in lists and infoboxes. Dislike it but I can at least work with that compromise. Xporc (talk) 21:16, 30 March 2017 (UTC)
 * If one user is the problem, then the template is not at fault.-- 21:40, 30 March 2017 (UTC)
 * In this case, it's more the catalyst for a greater discussion. We've previously questioned whether the template had any value at all in any capacity, and to me it seemed like the argument against the template generally came down to the pop-up. So it seemed to me that the best solution is to just kill the pop-up and leave the link formatting part of the template that some people find useful. -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 22:16, 30 March 2017 (UTC)
 * Okay, so just so you guys know, it's actually really easy to remove the popup. See https://wow.gamepedia.com/index.php?title=Template%3ANPC&type=revision&diff=4369884&oldid=3228371 I put it back for now because i'm not neutral on this topic, and I don't want to act myself while I'm in this state. Xporc (talk) 09:38, 8 April 2017 (UTC)

Levels
With the level squish in Shadowlands, it is too much of an hassle trying to keep everything up-to-date. I'd say we drop the parameter from this and keep the level data specific to the NPC's infobox instead. TL;DR, okay to remove the level parameter from this template? Surafbrov (talk) 03:05, 7 January 2021 (UTC)
 * As far as I know, the level parameter of this is mostly only used on older pages anyway, so I'd say it's safe to remove it. -- 13:01, 7 January 2021 (UTC)
 * ye, usually when i see calls to this template or with levels specified, they’re on old quest pages—and in those cases i tend to remove either the levels or the entire template. honestly i see the level param, as well as the mob template’s combat icon and aggro parts, as unnecessary clutter. —Eithris (talk) 17:57, 7 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Okay actually, here's a proposal: I can see where the combat icon is useful, like only in those lists on the race's articles e.g. Fel beasts or Core hound. But this template can perform the exact samething as the mob template for the combat icon. Just input "combat" as if it is a faction like Alliance/Horde. Other than the combat icon, the mob template doesn't provide anything else. How about we deprecate it and only use this template where it would make sense (Fel beasts list example or the infoboxes to show the Race icon) Surafbrov (talk) 19:15, 7 January 2021 (UTC)
 * I wouldn't mind keeping mob since it's a bit quicker to type than, but I guess it is a bit redundant. I don't mind either way. -- 19:31, 7 January 2021 (UTC)
 * That's reasonable, but it isn't as much effort than just typing a few extra letters just for . But the template would only be useful to quickly display the combat icon while the boss icon is forced by the   parameter, like , which is as much effort as typing out  . I don't see any reason for a shortcut version but not against it just like Gossip icon has shortcuts of its own. Surafbrov (talk) 20:49, 7 January 2021 (UTC)
 * ahh, i forgot about lists on species pages. i was only thinking of quest objective lists or regular prose. but yeah, either way, agreed on merging ‘em. the only truly unique thing i see about mob is its aggro option, and i’d just as soon toss that too —Eithris (talk) 19:44, 7 January 2021 (UTC)