String resource markup format

I stumbled over this comment in the converter source:

# TODO: transform and cleanup the read strings...
# (strip html, insert formatchars/identifiers, ...)

When take a look at the strings, the following format is being used:

• <Team>
• <b>Mini-map<b>
• Create <b> Samurai<b> (<cost>)
• ..

I see two different "features" in there. The first one is the pseudo-HTML (it's not HTML as no proper closing tags are being used) that's being used for markup. The other thing is placeholders.

My suggestion is the following:

• Use a markdown subset for markup: *italic*, **bold**, ***bold italic***. Maybe also the underscore variants (although I prefer simplicity).
• Use a placeholder syntax inspired by Python 3's named .format() syntax: Create **Samurai** ({cost}). I don't think we need formatting syntax like !s or :.2.
• Convert all uppercase placeholders to lowercase. Convert camelCase (not sure if that even exists) to snake_case.
• Strip unneeded whitespace

So the examples above would become:

• {team}
• **Mini-map**
• Create **Samurai** ({cost})

An alternative placeholder could be like in the Django template language: {{ placeholder_name }}. That would also leave open the possibility for filters: {{ begin_date|date:"d.m.y H:M" }}

Opinions?

Start by reading the converter source around the TODO to understand how resource strings are currently transformed and cleaned up. Review the existing pseudo-HTML markup and placeholders, then clarify the proposed syntax and acceptance criteria with maintainers; done would require an agreed format and consistent handling of the existing examples.