User:Knife/Policy
The series is continually adding games to its portfolio and we should be aware of guidelines set in place to deal with the new content these games are bringing. This page emphasizes on unreleased video games but will also cover any other type of unreleased media, which will collectively be referred to as “projects”. In addition, the page covers how information can turn into beta elements and what to do in case of a cancelled project. This page does not detail how to start an article on a new project, but rather how to deal with information regarding new games and other media.
Released vs. unreleased projects
If a project is slated for an international release, the project is considered released only when it is released in an English speaking country. This is because content may change in the translation process and Super Mario Wiki has a primarily English speaking audience. If the project clearly is not going to be released in an English speaking country and it has been released somewhere else, the project can be considered released. The official release date is what is used when determining when a project is released, regardless of when retailers start selling the product.
New articles pertaining to upcoming projects
Generally, new articles on subjects in upcoming projects are only allowed if the articles have sufficient information backed up by reliable references. Articles that only mention the future appearance of the subject or other minor details will be deleted immediately. If an article does have sufficient information, place {{new subject}} at the top of the page to point out that the article is subject to major changes. Once the information has been rewritten and more content has been added, the template may be removed.
Previously existing articles in upcoming projects
Information about subjects in upcoming projects with pre-existing articles is allowed as long as the information is not speculation and is accompanied by solid references. Unlike new articles pertaining to upcoming projects, there is no minimum for length of content. Statements like “[subject] may make an appearance in [future project]” are not allowed. When adding information about an upcoming project to an article, make a separate section to distinguish it from existing information. Place {{new subject-section}} at the top of this section to signal to other editors and readers that the information is subject to change because the project hasn’t been released yet. Once information has been rewritten and more content has been added, the template may be removed.
Beta elements, vaporware, and cancelled projects
It is almost inevitable that a project will have certain aspects of it cut or changed from the final product. The information before it is altered for the final product is referred to as beta elements. When editors discover discrepancies between information about an unreleased game and its final product, editors should move that information to the relevant beta elements page.
Although rare, it is possible for a project to be left in perpetual development or be completely cancelled. When the former occurs, the project is referred to as vaporware. When a project becomes vaporware or cancelled, a page should be created for the vaporware/cancelled project and all relevant information needs to be merged to that article.
References
- Main article: MarioWiki:References
Whenever adding information about upcoming projects, it is necessary to cite your sources. This is because the information comes from secondary sources rather than the project itself. When making a new article or adding information to an existing article about an upcoming project, you need to cite your sources. Edits that do not follow this standard will be reverted without notice. Once the project has been released and the information is clearly present in the released project, you may remove these references. Just remember that references should stay in cases where the information is only present from secondary sources.
Revision
The procedure for rewriting information about an upcoming project upon release will vary depending on the quality of the information prior to the rewrite. You may follow this checklist for some guidance:
- Change all future tense words to present tense. For example, replace words like "will appear in" to "appears in".
- Remove unnecessary references. Examples of this are information with references which can readily be found in the released project.
- Add more content if possible.
- Add or update images/templates as necessary.
- Remove the {{new subject}} or {{new subject-section}} templates.
This list doesn't necessarily have to be followed in all cases.
