MarioWiki:Proposals

Current time: Sunday, November 17th, 00:45 GMT

Proposals can be new features, the removal of previously-added features that have tired out, or new policies that must be approved via consensus before any action is taken. Voting periods last for two weeks. Any user can support or oppose, but must have a strong reason for doing so (not, e.g., "I like this idea!"). All proposals must be approved by a majority of voters, including proposals with more than two options. For past proposals, see the proposal archive and the talk page proposal archive.

A proposal section works like a discussion page: comments are brought up and replied to using indents (colons, such as : or ::::) and all edits are signed using the code {{User|User name}}.

How to

Rules

1. If users have an idea about improving the wiki or managing its community, but feel that they need community approval before acting upon that idea, they may make a proposal about it. They must have a strong argument supporting their idea and be willing to discuss it in detail with the other users, who will then vote about whether or not they think the idea should be used. Proposals should include links to all relevant pages and writing guidelines. Proposals must include a link to the draft page. Any pages that would be largely affected by the proposal should be marked with {{proposal notice}}.
2. Only autoconfirmed users may create or vote on proposals and talk page proposals. While only autoconfirmed users can comment on proposals, anyone is free to comment on talk page proposals.
3. Proposals end at the end of the day (23:59) two weeks after voting starts (all times GMT).
   • For example, if a proposal is added at any time on Monday, August 1, 2011, the voting starts immediately and the deadline is two weeks later on Monday, August 15, at 23:59 GMT.
4. Users may vote for more than one option, but they may not vote for every option available.
5. Every vote should have a strong, sensible reason accompanying it. Agreeing with a previously mentioned reason given by another user is accepted (including "per" votes), but tangential comments, heavy sarcasm, and other misleading or irrelevant quips are just as invalid as providing no reason at all.
6. Users who feel that certain votes were cast in bad faith or which truly have no merit can address the votes in the comments section. Users can ask a voter to clarify their position, point out mistakes or flaws in their arguments, or call for the outright removal of the vote if it lacks sufficient reasoning. Users may not remove or alter the content of anyone else's votes. Voters can remove or rewrite their own vote(s) at any time, but the final decision to remove another user's vote lies solely with the wiki staff.
   • Users can also use the comments section to bring up any concerns or mistakes in regards to the proposal itself. In such cases, it's important the proposer addresses any concerns raised as soon as possible. Even if the supporting side might be winning by a wide margin, that should be no reason for such questions to be left unanswered. They may point out any missing details that might have been overlooked by the proposer, so it's a good idea as the proposer to check them frequently to achieve the most accurate outcome possible.
7. If a user makes a vote and is subsequently blocked for any amount of time, their vote is removed. However, if the block ends before the proposal ends, then the user in question holds the right to re-cast their vote. If a proposer is blocked, their vote is removed and "(banned)" is added next to their name in the "Proposer:" line of the proposal, which runs until its deadline as normal. If the proposal passes, it falls to the supporters of the idea to enact any changes in a timely manner.
8. No proposal can overturn the decision of a previous proposal that is less than 4 weeks (28 days) old.
9. Any proposal where none of the options have at least four votes will be extended for another week. If after three extensions, no options have at least four votes, the proposal will be listed as "NO QUORUM." The original proposer then has the option to relist said proposal to generate more discussion.
10. If a proposal reaches its deadline and there is a tie for first place, then the proposal is extended for another week.
11. If a proposal reaches its deadline and the first place option is ahead of the second place option by three or more votes, then the first place option must have over 50% approval to win. If the margin is only one or two votes, then the first place option must have at least 60% approval to win. If the required approval threshold is not met, then the proposal is extended for another week.
    • Use the {{proposal check}} tool to automate this calculation; see the template page for usage instructions and examples.
12. Proposals can be extended a maximum of three times. If a consensus has not been reached by the fourth deadline, then the proposal fails and can only be re-proposed after four weeks (at the earliest).
13. All proposals are archived. The original proposer must take action accordingly if the outcome of the proposal dictates it. If it requires the help of an administrator, the proposer can ask for that help.
14. If the wiki staff deem a proposal unnecessary or potentially detrimental to the upkeep of the Super Mario Wiki, they have the right to remove it at any time.
15. Proposals can only be rewritten or canceled by their proposer within the first six days of their creation. However, proposers can request that their proposal be canceled by a staff member at any time, provided they have a valid reason for it. Please note that canceled proposals must also be archived.
16. Unless there is major disagreement about whether certain content should be included, there should not be proposals about creating, expanding, rewriting, or otherwise fixing up pages. To organize efforts about improving articles on neglected or completely missing subjects, try setting up a collaboration thread on the forums.
17. Proposals cannot be made about promotions and demotions. Staff changes are discussed internally and handled by the bureaucrats.
18. No joke proposals. Proposals are serious wiki matters and should be handled professionally. Joke proposals will be deleted on sight.
19. Proposals must have a status quo option (e.g. Oppose, Do nothing) unless the status quo itself violates policy.

Basic proposal and support/oppose format

This is an example of what your proposal must look like, if you want it to be acknowledged. If you are inexperienced or unsure how to set up this format, simply copy the following and paste it into the fitting section. Then replace the [subject] - variables with information to customize your proposal, so it says what you wish. If you insert the information, be sure to replace the whole variable including the squared brackets, so "[insert info here]" becomes "This is the inserted information", not "[This is the inserted information]". Proposals presenting multiple alternative courses of action can have more than two voting options, but what each voting section is supporting must be clearly defined. Such options should also be kept to a minimum, and if something comes up in the comments, the proposal can be amended as necessary.

---

===[insert a title for your proposal here]===
[describe what issue this proposal is about and what changes you think should be made to improve how the wiki handles that issue]

'''Proposer''': {{User|[enter your username here]}}<br>
'''Deadline''': [insert a deadline here, 14 days after the proposal was created, at 23:59 GMT, in the format: "November 17, 2024, 23:59 GMT"]

====Support====
#{{User|[enter your username here]}} [make a statement indicating that you support your proposal]

====Oppose====

====Comments====

---

Users will now be able to vote on your proposal, until the set deadline is reached. Remember, you are a user as well, so you can vote on your own proposal just like the others.

To support, or oppose, just insert "#{{User|[add your username here]}}" at the bottom of the section of your choice. Just don't forget to add a valid reason for your vote behind that tag if you are voting on another user's proposal. If you are voting on your own proposal, you can just say "Per my proposal".

Talk page proposals

Proposals concerning a single page or a limited group of pages are held on the most relevant talk page regarding the matter. Proposals dealing with a large amount of splits, merges, or deletions across the wiki should still be held on this page.

For a list of all settled talk page proposals, see MarioWiki:Proposals/TPP archive and Category:Settled talk page proposals.

Rules

1. All active talk page proposals must be listed below in chronological order (new proposals go at the bottom) using {{TPP discuss}}. Include a brief description of the proposal while also mentioning any pages affected by it, a link to the talk page housing the discussion, and the deadline. If the proposal involves a page that is not yet made, use {{fake link}} to communicate its title in the description. Linking to pages not directly involved in the talk page proposal is not recommended, as it clutters the list with unnecessary links. Place {{TPP}} under the section's header, and once the proposal is over, replace the template with {{settled TPP}}.
2. All rules for talk page proposals are the same as for proposals (see the "How to" section above), with the exceptions made by the additional rules below:
3. The talk page proposal must pertain to the subject page of the talk page it is posted on.
4. When a talk page proposal passes, it should be removed from this list and included in the list under the "Unimplemented proposals" section until the proposed changes have been enacted.

List of ongoing talk page proposals

• Merge Mushroom, Dash Mushroom, and most of Super Mushroom (discuss) Deadline: November 18, 2024, 23:59 GMT
• Expand and rename List of characters by game (discuss) Deadline: November 20, 2024, 23:59 GMT
• Decide whether to create articles for Ashita ni Nattara and Banana Tengoku and/or include them on List of Donkey Kong Country (television series) songs (discuss) Deadline: November 23, 2024, 23:59 GMT
• Determine how to handle the Tattle Log images from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (Nintendo Switch) (discuss) Deadline: November 30, 2024, 23:59 GMT

Unimplemented proposals

Proposals

Break alphabetical order in enemy lists to list enemy variants below their base form, EvieMaybe (ended May 21, 2024)

Standardize sectioning for Super Mario series game articles, Nintendo101 (ended July 3, 2024)

^ NOTE: Not yet integrated for the Super Mario Maker titles, Super Mario Run, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

Create new sections for gallery pages to cover "unused/pre-release/prototype/etc." graphics separate from the ones that appear in the finalized games, Doc von Schmeltwick (ended September 2, 2024)

Add film and television ratings to Template:Ratings, TheUndescribableGhost (ended October 1, 2024)

Use the classic and classic-link templates when discussing classic courses in Mario Kart Tour, YoYo (ended October 2, 2024)

Split articles for the alternate-named reskins from All Night Nippon: Super Mario Bros., Doc von Schmeltwick (ended October 3, 2024)

Clarify coverage of the Super Smash Bros. series, Doc von Schmeltwick (ended October 17, 2024)

Remove all subpage and redirect links from all navigational templates, JanMisali (ended October 31, 2024)

Prioritize MESEN/NEStopia palette for NES sprites and screenshots, Doc von Schmeltwick (ended November 3, 2024)

Stop considering reused voice clips as references (usually), Waluigi Time (ended November 8, 2024)

Allow English names from closed captions, Koopa con Carne (ended November 12, 2024)

^ NOTE: A number of names coming from closed captions are listed here.

Decide whether to cover the E3 2014 Robot Chicken-produced sketches, ThePowerPlayer (ended November 16, 2024)

Require citations for dates, Starluxe (ended November 16, 2024)

Talk page proposals

Split all the clothing, Doc von Schmeltwick (ended September 12, 2021)

Split machine parts, Robo-Rabbit, and flag from Super Duel Mode, Doc von Schmeltwick (ended September 30, 2022)

Make bestiary list pages for the Minion Quest and Bowser Jr.'s Journey modes, Doc von Schmeltwick (ended January 11, 2024)

Allow separate articles for Diddy Kong Pilot (2003)'s subjects, Doc von Schmeltwick (ended August 3, 2024)

Split Banana Peel from Banana, Doc von Schmeltwick (ended September 18, 2024)

Merge Spiked Thwomp with Thwomp, Blinker (ended November 2, 2024)

Split Cursed Mushroom from Poison Mushroom, Pseudo (ended November 12, 2024)

Merge specified orbs with item counterparts from prior games, Pseudo (ended November 14, 2024)

Create articles for specified special buildings in Super Mario Run, Salmancer (ended November 15, 2024)

Writing guidelines

Add brainwashing to the list of Frequently misused terms

I think a personal pet peeve of mine has come to me, and that's the frequent usage of brainwashing as an umbrella term for mind control. In many works of fiction, it's not too rare to see mind control be a driving plot point. However, it's something completely impossible in real life. Brainwashing, on the other hand, is something possible in real life. I don't want to get into the real-life nature of brainwashing, but to put it bluntly; people can get brainwashed not by silly, fictional mind control chips but by propaganda and/or abuse. Brainwashing is especially true for cults.

However, it's prevalent for the term "brainwashing" to apply to any attempt at science fiction mind control and possession. I can't list many examples; you've probably seen multiple instances where mind control is labeled as brainwashing, even in Super Mario games such as Super Paper Mario. One of the lines in the game state, "See, they've already sworn eternal allegiance to Count Bleck, 'K? And now you need to, so I'll just go ahead and pencil you in for a 10 o'clock brainwashing." I'll go more in-depth about this later, but it's an inaccurate comparison because brainwashing works through manipulation, and the victim has to agree to it to become brainwashed. Mind control involves taking control of someone else's mind, which they have no control over. What decided me do this is seeing the Tricky the Triceratops article mention he was "brainwashed" by Wizpig when the game manual states the bosses are in his control (unless some other material does state brainwashing). I mean, is it accurate to state that Shadow Queen is brainwashing Peach? Not really; she is just possessing her body. And for the record, we try significantly to avoid bad umbrella terms. The biggest are "beta" and "sub-species." With beta, we had an issue of people referring to an old version of a game as this, without any proof it's a beta build and just as a horrible term to describe any pre-release concept, including concept art. Sub-species were incorrectly used to describe variants of different enemies and were entirely speculative in many instances. The arguments that these terms work fine the way they are wholly ignore the fact that we are spreading misinformation here.

So if you couldn't tell for some reason, this proposal aims to put brainwashing in as one of those frequently misused terms in the Good writing section on the wiki. That way, users don't blanketly use the term to describe any term of mind control as brainwashing. Now I should clarify that this only refers to instances that don't state it's brainwashing. As brought up with the Super Paper Mario example, brainwashing is used as an umbrella term in that game as a synonym for mind control. If that is indeed the case, it's also valid to label it as brainwashing since the game is using that term. This is to avoid it when that term isn't used and perhaps any time brainwashing is brought up in these games as a term, it could be stated that it's actually mind control to not confuse readers, but that could be an awkward solution so putting in the misused terms is probably good enough.

Proposer: Wikiboy10 (talk)
Deadline: July 6, 2023, 23:59 GMT

Support

1. Wikiboy10 (talk) Per proposal
2. Tails777 (talk) As someone who has lazily used the term brainwashing as an umbrella term, I find this to be a useful suggestion. Per proposal.
3. MegaBowser64 (talk) let's stop being brainwashed into incorrectly using "brainwash".
4. Doc von Schmeltwick (talk) - As someone who has hypnotized herself in real life before for the heck of it and studied effects of mental-altering processes, I think we should indeed be more accurate to this subject.
5. ThePowerPlayer (talk) There are clear differences between these terms that should be addressed. Per proposal.
6. Camwoodstock (talk) - Yeahhh, unless the game itself expressly calls it brainwashing (see: SPM), we should probably not be throwing that word around willy-nilly, especially if more accurate alternatives exist.
7. Pirate Goomba (talk) - Well, if the word "brainwashing" is being used incorrectly, then the Wiki should make sure that people don't use it just to mean "mind control".

Comments

Should cases of hypnosis also be included? It's often used as a synonym for mind control in media as well, even though it's very different from brainwashing or mind control alike in real life. rend (talk) (edits) 13:00, June 22, 2023 (EDT)

New features

None at the moment.

Removals

None at the moment.

Changes

Make changes to {{Quote}}, {{Distinguish}}, and {{Redirect-distinguish}} templates and delete {{Quote2}} and {{Distinguish2}}

I've come up with a change. I'm looking forward for {{Quote2}} and {{Distinguish2}} to be deleted to make way for optional linking for {{Quote}} and {{Distinguish}}, respectively, with {{Quote}} to receive optional italicization for the game, year, subject, etc.

For example, if you write {{quote|Koopalings! Your time has come!|[[Bowletta]]|''[[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]''}}, you'll end up with:

“Koopalings! Your time has come!”

—Bowletta, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

If you write {{distinguish|[[Mario Kart Tour]]|[[Mario Bros. Tour]], [[Mario vs. Luigi Tour]]|[[Mario vs. Peach Tour]], you'll end up with:

Not to be confused with Mario Kart Tour, Mario Bros. Tour, Mario vs. Luigi Tour, or Mario vs. Peach Tour.

If you write {{redirect-distinguish|Squeek|[[Squeak]]|[[Squeekly]]}}, you'll end up with:

"Squeek" redirects here. Not to be confused with Squeak or Squeekly.

Proposer: GuntherBB (talk)
Deadline: June 27, 2023, 23:59 GMT

Support

1. GuntherBB (talk) Per proposal
2. ExoRosalina (talk) Per proposal, I think the code could much better.
3. Wikiboy10 (talk) It's a bit specific but it always bothered me how I can't easily change the name on the first quote.

Oppose

1. Swallow (talk) If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Also, please be specific with what exact changes would happen if this passes.
2. Hewer (talk) Per Swallow.
3. RealStuffMister (talk) agreeing with Swallow here
4. Koopa con Carne (talk) per all
5. MegaBowser64 (talk) Unnecessary, plus what would we change?
6. Spectrogram (talk) I don't see a point in change for the sake of change.
7. Killer Moth (talk) Per all.

Comments

There seems to be a bit of ambiguity among the opposition. I think I know what the proposer is trying to accomplish, so let me try to clarify:

Currently, the templates {{Quote}}, {{Distinguish}}, and {{Redirect-distinguish}} force automatic links (and automatic italicization in the case of {{Quote}} as well), meaning that if you type {{quote|Koopalings! Your time has come!|Bowletta|Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga}}, you'll get the following:

“Koopalings! Your time has come!”

—Bowletta, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

Since the templates force automatic links, users are forced to use {{Quote2}} and {{Distinguish2}} instead if they don't want the templates to use any links (note that there's also no Redirect-distinguish2 template); if they don't want to use links, they need to type {{quote2|Koopalings! Your time has come!|Bowletta|Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga}} to get the following:

“Koopalings! Your time has come!”

—Bowletta, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga

The proposer finds the existence of {{Quote2}} and {{Distinguish2}} highly unnecessary since they seem only to exist because {{Quote}} and {{Distinguish}} force automatic links whereas {{Quote2}} and {{Distinguish2}} make links optional; the proposer would rather have links and italicization on the main templates {{Quote}}, {{Distinguish}}, and {{Redirect-distinguish}} to be made optional, instead of having two versions of the same template; merge the alternate versions to the main versions so to speak, make the alternate versions the main versions even. That way, users can, for instance, simply use {{Quote}} and not have everything being linked or italicized automatically, and if they do want to use links, they can add them manually. This would also avoid linking manually in a Quote template to become a mess like this:

“Koopalings! Your time has come!”

—[[Bowletta|Bowletta]], [[Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga]]

Personally, I do understand if users find having two separate quote templates just because one forces auto-links and one doesn't, clunky and unnecessary. rend (talk) (edits) 11:49, June 22, 2023 (EDT)

Miscellaneous

None at the moment.