Help:Releases

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Vehicle Database
Rules, info, and guidelines
Releases • Vehicles • Series • Cases Photos
Development notes
Foundation • Configuration

A release refers to one specific "issuing" of a vehicle, in relation to a series. They represent the primary content of Vehicle: pages and together comprise vehicle database works.

Eligibility

New items

An item may be added to the Vehicle Database if it meets all three of the following criteria:

1. It is produced by Mattel or any of its subsidiary companies, including Fisher-Price, Tyco RC, and Mega Brands;
2. It features at least one, functioning wheel, or is given equal treatment to one that does;
3. It has a five-digit item number associated with it by way of a verifiable, primary source, or a photo documenting its manufacture (even if just a prototype).

Listings from major retailers (e.g. Walmart) which lack a product code, or renewals of existing items via syndication services like Icecat, are not to be entered *ndash; They should instead be added to the "Listings" section of the current mainline series page, or otherwise mentioned in writing on any relevant series pages. Advanced release slates are rarely completed, and we do not wish to be the boys who cried wolf when expectations aren't met.

Upcoming product listings with an item number, but without further confirmation (via photo, poster, etc.) should be set as "unreleased". If the name pertains to a currently known Vehicle, the entry may go on the page of the default version – if a specific character cannot be identified, it should go instead on the "known codes" list. Specific info like country, cast number, etc. should not be assumed, and should remain blank until they can physically be confirmed in-person.

Existing items

An existing release is eligible for re-registration (as a new, separate entry tied to the same product number) if at least one of the following criteria is met:

• A new assortment number is assigned.
• The franchise packaging motif is updated to reflect a new style set.

There are exactly two circumstances where an item may satisfy neither of these requirements, but still qualify.

1. Each mainline year is defined based on the contents of its poster (or checklist). While most annual resets have corresponded with style refreshes, occasionally there have been exceptions. 2011 and 2012 releases are exactly identical but the poster formats (and case numbering) give them reason to be entered separately.
2. Mini Racers blind boxes, for essentially the same reasons as above. Note however that series distinguish them, not just years - Purple Ramone was released in both 2024's series 2 and 3, so each has their own entry.

Composition

A release is added using the {{vehicle row}} template, with the following format:

===Row===
{{Vehicle row
|photo=
|model_name=
etc...
}}

It's very important that the "Row" sub-header label is included above each on the page; this is how the quick-edit links work. If you're editing in source mode, make sure you don't miss it; form edits take care of it automatically.

Column values

Parameter Table Field Description |photo= Photo A basic visual depiction of the unpackaged "loose" model, exactly as reflected by the final product – standard merchandise guidelines likewise apply. The official, Mattel-photographed "stock" photo is always priority choice - however, it takes little a sample size to notice these don't themselves always meet the aforementioned requirement, often showcasing prototypes or production models. In these cases, an original photograph should be substituted whenever necessary, of course with respect to copyright. All packaged photos must be added to the relevant series category. Loose images should be added to the first series they are relevant to, and nothing beyond. |colno= Col. # The collector number or otherwise numerical value marking relation to a set. Include preceding 0s on single-digit values and otherwise transcribe exactly as written. |model_name= Model Name Exact transcription of the provided model name, keeping typos, spelling mistakes, and other unconventional quirks. Final cardback(s) take precedence; poster/Collector Guide transcriptions, titles assigned in biographical media (i.e. Character Encyclopedia, Ultimate Sticker Book, Petersen exhibit), and finally retail or Mattel Global Consumer Support listings respectively create a fallback hierarchy. |year= Year Toy year of initial release. (starting Nov. of previous year) |series= Series The series to which the release belongs: Outputs a color-coded key identifying its position in Mattel series structure as well as broader franchise aspects. Accepted values must be declared within the series index, along with various presets which help generate the entire row output. If the input is unrecognized, the display will state as such over a generic, blank cell. (see also |released= in Configuration below) |segment= Segment A segment is best equated to a sub-series. Retrieves associated title and color values from the segment index, similar to the setup outlined above. Not all series incoporate segments, and particularly outside the mainline, fulfillment of this value may not be necessary. |cast= Cast # A five-digit code similar to the Toy and Asst. #s, but only present on the vehicle base itself. Identifies the mold used in the literal casting of the toy (further info at the Hot Wheels Wiki). Sometimes multiple are transcribed: Each can be entered using |cast2=, |cast3=, and so on. |country= Made In Country of manufacture: China, Thailand, Vietnam, or in very rare cases, Mexico. Identifiable by the Made In printing on the vehicle base or packaging. |toy= Toy # Five-digit toy number (or product number) associated with the item. Typically found on either the back or bottom of final packaging, and/or within Mattel's own internal records. Not to be confused with the assortment number. |asst= Asst. # The parent identification to which an individual item belongs, should it not be a standalone product. Traditionally printed directly under the product number (see above) prefixed by Asst. Standalone items are not part of any assortment - these should be set to the value of {{n/a}}. |case_number= Case # Unlike all other fields explained here, the Case # column value is printed automatically based on respective entry data. Setting |case_number= parameter to false (default true) can disable said feature, though this is rarely desirable outside of very, very specific circumstances. |note1= |note2= etc.. Notes Essential info and comments describing the release (see dedicated section below). |exclusive= Exclusive See notes section for key

The original 2009 Collector Guide intro, explaining the basic marketing components that have traditionally defined the Cars line.

Carded photos

To add a photo (whether loose and carded) enter the desired filename, without the File: prefix. |photo= is the primary left-most "Photo" column. This image should always be LOOSE i.e. outside of card/package.

• |card=, |card2= set the respective number ID. The photo displayed in the tooltip will always be the lowest value, i.e. it's okay if there's no main |code= value. |int_card= for international cardbacks using the same item code (different ones i.e. mainline singles pre-2017 Cars 3 should be a separate row).

Configuration

Parameter	Description
|released=	Set to X to mark an entry unreleased. If |series= is also set to a recognized value, its name will also be displayed under the main 'unreleased' link.
|toy_placeholder=	A temporary, placeholder value to substitute for an absent |toy= number, in regard to linking entries, with respect to multi-contents, cases, etc.
|series_number=	"Middleman" number value, distinguishing one of multiple sub-series which each have their own collector number set. Currently only used for the Lightning McQueen and Mini Racers blind boxes.
|chase=	Denotes  (Chase)* or Super Chase status. Chase or Super Chase – full or abbreviated – respectively.
|format=	Can be one of three values: Multipack, 2-pack, or (default) Single. Controls whether a "multi-contents" note should be displayed. Note the admins will periodically move these configurations into the {{series index}}, it is much more useful to contact them rather than just use this.
|pack_order=	Accepts Integer only. Sets an order of priority to be sorted on both case displays and the contents note generation. If two or more have an equal value, they will be sorted alphabetically.
|pair=	Manually formatted "paired release" partner name for note and case displays. i.e. {{v|Guido#FJH93_2017|Guido}}

Notes

Any and all insertion of narrative voice is accomplished using notes. They should be quick and concise, relaying any noteworthy information which is not inherently observable from the data already provided.

First and foremost, it must be understood that a few very specific types of notes appear automatically, and don't require any additional input. They are however, not infallible and may benefit from modification, or need to be replicated manually.

• A model whose |format= is set to 2-pack or Multipack will list all others with which it shares that release. In most cases, the appropriate format value is pre-configured in the series index, from where it can automatically be retrieved based upon the |asst= and/or |toy= number values – but not always. |format= can always be set manually as a final override. The title shown in place of the generic Multipack item label is also to be registered externally, by defining a {{multipack}} template on the appropriate series page.
• Series lists and the search interface will show a NEW label when an item is the first non-unreleased entry on its respective Vehicle: page.
• If |show_unreleased= is set to true in a series list, relevant contents will say "Unreleased".

Everything else is expected to come from user input. Notes can be added via |note1=, |note2=, etc. (max 10). Nonetheless, should the count exceed three or four, it's usually a sign the text should either be simplified or potentially moved elsewhere (such as the appropriate series page) and substituted with a link thereto.

Notes most commonly will detail comparisons between the current entry and others on the page (usually prior ones).

• Changes and variations are assumed to be permanent unless, or until, explicitly stated otherwise. This works together with the exact photo principle to provide easy tracking of the model's current status, in lieu of repeatedly transcribing changes with respect to one single, static point of reference (usually either the first or most common version). Long story short: A change which applies to all or several future releases of a given model (for instance, a new Thailand variant) need only be described the first time it is observed. Subsequent rows re-using the new photo will inherently confirm carryover of updates.
• Favor objective statements over declarative ones when pointing out "errors" and inaccuracies. Claim-based writing in this context rarely accomplishes that which pure presentation of evidence cannot: The mere indication that one character uses another's artwork, particularly when their other releases do not, grants the reader freedom to draw from that information whatever they choose – which, should the declarative statement have had validity, will often resemble said conclusion anyway. In simple terms, this method lets us cover largely the same ground while minimally jeopardizing neutral point of view.
• Any content which does not extrapolate or clarify upon the given, raw data must accompany a citation to corroborate, or give credit to, its claim. Technical limitations prohibit the Cite extension – that is, <ref/> tags and their respective output – from working inside the Vehicle Database. Still, traditional sourcing rules stand: Web-links can be signaled by a trailing external link – e.g. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet (ref) – or simply hyper-linked over a couple relevant words in the text itself.

Lastly, exclusivity should be discarded in favor of using the |exclusive= table column field. The base value set is as follows; See the exclusive index for complete listing.

ID	Name	Alias(es)	Logo
1	Walmart	WM, Wal-Mart
2	Kmart	KM
3	Toys R Us	Toys "R" Us, TRU
4	Target	TGT
5	SDCC	San Diego Comic Con
6	Red Line Club	RLC, HWRLC
7	MattyCollector.com	MattyCollector, Matty, MC

Troubleshooting

Occasionally, the Cargo extension will fail to complete its transaction(s) while storing release info into the database. If an item is expected to appear in a query, but does not, performing a null edit on the relevant Vehicle: page often resolves the issue.

Beyond that, make sure you have {{table end}} at the very bottom of the Vehicle page, beneath all row entries. (Make sure it's not up higher).