GTA Wiki:Manual of Style/Vehicles

In order to keep our wiki providing the best information vehicles to the public there are set guidelines that should be used in order to create high-quality articles that ensure the best information and a convenient reading experience for readers. Standard rules such as "neutral point of view" and third-person perspective apply for editing for vehicle articles.

Format

The standard format that shall be used for all new vehicle articles created after 01 Jun 2015 is as follows. Under Heading 2 (heading 3 for insets), the following sections must be created in this order;

• (No headings required for opening section). Necessary maintenance templates such as {{unreleased}}, {{stub}} or {{cleanup}} along with the vehicles infobox {{Infobox vehicles}} containing a front quarter image (of the most up-to-date version of the vehicle where available) and a rear quarter image linked. Beside the infobox should be a single sentence introducing the vehicle; it's full name (Note: the manufacturer name should be kept separate for vehicles that have appeared in games that did not have manufacturer designations), body style and the title(s) that it appears in.
• {{quote}}s from the in-game online dealership(s) that sell the vehicle.
• Design
• Design & Performance Gallery 
• Design History Gallery/Slideshow with all prior game version images.
• Performance
  • Overview {{GTA IV Vehicle Stats}} / {{GTA V Vehicle Stats}}
• Modifications (GTA SA and/or GTAV customs shop table of modifications)
• Special occurrences (if any)

Repeat the above for multi-generation vehicles appearing in the same game or where a variant alters any of the above significantly enough to warrant it.

• Main page image gallery
• Locations (with game appearance sub-headings)
• Cultural references
• Notable owners (if any)
• Trivia (with game appearance sub-headings)
• Navigation

Content

Each of these sections requires content, whilst maintaining neutrality and third-person perspective;

1. Design sections should include, at the beginning a short paragraph outlining the vehicle's real life inspiration(s). An individual paragraph for design of the front, side (including roof) and rear of the vehicle. Making a total of four paragraphs. 
2. Performance sections should include a headed overview, to give readers quick access to statistics about the vehicle. Prior to the overview, the section should include a neutral, objective review paragraph referring to how the vehicle handles, its speed/ acceleration and construction, damage and deformation characteristics, in the context(s) that are relevant to the vehicle. Subjective opinion should be avoided.
3. Design and Performance Gallery should include images of the vehicle in stock condition. Each exterior image should be a quarter view. An interior shot and engine shot along with images of 1st person LoD of the interior, badging detail and extracted badging/texture images from the game files, front, side, back, top and bottom "elevation" views making a total of no more than 12 (more if a roadster version exists) images in the gallery. Each image must adhere to the media policy and not include watermarks or markings.
4. Design History Gallery should include images of the vehicle in stock condition from each prior game appearance. Each exterior image should be a quarter view. Gallery may be presented as a slideshow.
5. Main Gallery should include any general images relating to the vehicle, anything other than stock in game appearance, including variants, special (e.g. unique NPC owned examples), spawn locations, liveries, video trailer and promotional screenshots, in-game billboards and advertising, and naturally spawned modified versions etc).
6. Special Occurrences are commonly occurring versions of the vehicle that appear without player intervention; vehicles that are driven by other characters or appear exclusively in missions. Images for these variants should be included in the main page gallery rather then the Design and Performance gallery above. In the case that many permutations (x > 5) can be obtained from one mission or activity, only one example should be given.
7. Locations (divided into each game appearance) are in bullet-point format, including areas where the vehicle is driven by other characters and parked locations.
8. Trivia sections (divided into each game appearance) are in bullet-point format and shall include radio information, errors or unique features that the vehicle may have. Cultural reference sections will be used if the vehicle has any connection to media, language or culture in any way.
9. Navigation sections should include the relevant navboxes, but should only be added after text has been added to all of the lead infobox categories, (so that editors can easily add new categories to the lead infobox without wrecking it; the navboxes disable the visual editor).

Tips and advice

English varies between regions, as Grand Theft Auto is developed in Scotland, its origin it therefore European, however Grand Theft Auto is a globally-sold product. For vehicle articles, to avoid disputes and edit-wars regarding terms used, a simple solution is this; regional terms that have different words altogether (e.g. bonnet/ hood) should be written as they are in the bracket, however for words that are one letter different (e.g. tyre/ tire), the spelling shall be determined based on the origin of the vehicle. Vehicles that hail from NA will use NA region spellings and EU, AU and JP vehicles will have respective English spellings for such words.

Using regional spellings that are reflective of the vehicle's origin means that no readers are alienated and can still feel that their regions vehicles are being described in a natural manner. Using both region's words displays to readers that we are trying to cater to everyone.

When providing content for design and performance sections, any technical language should be linked to a Wikipedia page (e.g. referring to carbon fiber as CFRP) so that readers have quick access to the meaning of any technical language or can gain better understanding if need be.

If there are any issues then the talk pages are always the first place to head to.

What to avoid

• Opinions and biased information.
• Speculation will be met with very low tolerance and will most likely be removed.
• Adding images of custom vehicles created by a player bringing a vehicle to a modification shop to article pages, as the natural forms are all that is allowed.
• Adding images alongside text in loose form. Images should only be in the lead infobox or one of the organised galleries.
• "The sky is blue" trivia points; we would like to avoid the possibility of patronizing our readers.

Template

A blank template that contains the necessary formatting can be found here.

Notice

This manual of style is subject to change at any time (from admin or community-based decision), however new rules will not come into effect until the first day of the following month.