User talk:82.1.127.95

Characters in BioShock

Why are they worthy of inclusion? Because they have importance to the plot? I'm afraid that importance to a fictional world does not transfer to being important to the real world. And without that importance to the real world, what purpose is there to putting them on this list? If you want to indiscriminately discuss this topic, do it on a Wikia, where there are likely to be very little in the way of things to prevent such discussion. However, Wikipedia takes a firm stance on excessive plot summary such as this - where they could be the most irrelevant characters to basically everyone on Earth, but because they are major characters in a game, this makes them exceptional to the rule. - The New Age Retro Hippie used Ruler! Now, he can figure out the length of things easily. 11:13, 29 August 2010 (UTC)

Not every article requires a list of characters on the basis that if they cannot establish notability to the real world, then it must be unnecessary to exist. Another purpose of a list is to fill in more detailed content that, while important, would be excessive in the plot summary of the article. Dr. Steinman is not important enough to warrant an article. In spite of this, if Dr. Steinman were a recurring character, then there would be reason to include him. For example, while several characters in the Mario list do not establish notability, they act as recurring characters in the series. What reason is there to include Dr. Steinman, when all he does is serve as an antagonist in one portion of the game? That you suggest that importance to the real world is based exclusively in plot tells me one thing: You have no idea of how Wikipedia operates. If a reliable, secondary source discusses Dr. Steinman, particularly one who is an expert in, say, psychology, that is "real world notability."

To establish importance to the real world as something unachievable by a video game character is absurd. Yes, Atlas, who has been discussed in literature, is no more important than Dr. Steinman, who is in the game for an hour and serves less as a necessary component of the game and more as a boss.

We write articles for people who are not fans. The article is about education. While in theory, discussing Dr. Steinman may be viewed as educational, the level of importance to even the plot is far less than most in the game. Even the three characters still on the list that are arguably not worthy of inclusion, the three of them have far more impact on the overall game. Dr. Steinman's importance to the real world is significantly less than the most important characters - Andrew Ryan, Augustus Sinclair, Sofia Lamb, Eleanor Lamb, the protagonists, and the Daddies/Sisters. These characters are also more important in the plot as well.

Invoking WP:OSE is silly. It does not work because I am demonstrating that if your interpretation of what can be included in lists of characters, so many character lists that actually have WAY more characters would be explosively large. Thus, arguing that a guideline or policy allows your interpretation of how the list should be cannot fly because it would apply to all lists. And I doubt that they intended to allow indiscriminate inclusion of content. - The New Age Retro Hippie used Ruler! Now, he can figure out the length of things easily. 22:12, 3 September 2010 (UTC)