Three layers of information
Every page separates information into three layers:
- Verified patch fact — a release, addition, removal, or documented behavior tied to an official announcement.
- Stable field principle — route planning, information control, stamina discipline, and other strategy that survives balance changes.
- Provisional observation — early live behavior that needs more testing and is labeled as such.
Why exact numbers need friction
Growth time, damage, diet contents, regeneration, and ability tuning can change. Community servers may also override parts of the default experience. An exact number without a branch, patch, and review date looks useful while quietly making the whole page less trustworthy.
The publishing rule
If a value can move, it must carry enough context to be rechecked. When that context is not available, explain the concept and leave the number out.
This creates cleaner stat blocks and better guides: players learn the decision, editors know what needs review, and a hotfix does not invalidate every paragraph around it.
Status labels are promises
- Live means the guide currently treats the creature as playable on the tracked public branch.
- Hordetest means behavior belongs to a testing branch and may not match public servers.
- Announced means the creature is known but not presented as a verified public playable.
An announced page can explain the verification boundary. It must not invent controls, damage, growth, diet, or a tier placement.
Sources and review dates
Release facts should link to an official Steam announcement. A review date records when the page was checked; it is not a claim that every server uses the same balance. In-game controls, diet panels, patch notes, and server rules remain the live source of truth.