Four evidence labels
Official means the developer, publisher, project page, or another primary rights holder has stated the claim. Observed means a detail can be seen or heard in released material without assigning it an unannounced name or function.
Historical means a claim is supported by a dated object, text, museum record, or scholarly source. Theory means Cathay Codex is proposing a comparison for further reading; it is not presented as confirmed game canon.
- Official — primary project statement
- Observed — visible or audible in released material
- Historical — supported by dated cultural evidence
- Theory — limited editorial comparison
From frame to claim
A gameplay frame is first logged by timestamp, visible action, objects, setting, and interface. The record is then compared with official descriptions and, where relevant, cultural material. The final sentence must stay within what those sources can support.
A paper object may be described as red, folded, carried, written upon, or used during an action. It should not receive an official item name, ritual lineage, skill-tree position, or plot function until a primary source provides one.
Source hierarchy
Primary project pages and official videos lead game claims. Museum collection records and dated objects lead visual-history claims. Scholarly publications are preferred for contested history. Secondary news coverage may help discovery but should not replace an available primary source.
Every evergreen research page should show a byline, published or reviewed date, source path, and correction route. Pages about active development also show what remains unknown.
What we refuse to infer
Shared series branding does not establish a shared plot. Visual resemblance does not prove direct adaptation. A single combat sequence does not define a final system. A promotional image does not identify the playable character unless the project states it.
These limits are part of the product, not legal padding. They make a page safer to cite, easier to revise, and more useful after the initial news cycle.