Skylanders

[rayne315]

so i have a whole bunch of skylanders that are all loose and simply do not know the names associated with each one (the name is not printed anywhere on the figures). i believe this is a major issue with the database entries/titles for the skylanders and am wondering if placing the model number in the title/alternate title would be an appropriate fix for search-ability for all the figures. I would like to know what people think regarding these figures.

an example of the proposed change would be whats placed below or something similar.
https://vgcollect.com/item/75981
Skylanders Giants: Slam Bam (83995888) [NA]

For reference model numbers are found on the bottom of each item and are unique to each charachter mold, not each different version, so you will still have things like https://vgcollect.com/item/60689 and https://vgcollect.com/item/61693 having the exact same model number.

[emporerdragon]

I don't think it's really necessary. After all, it's not done with any of the other Toys to Life figures, and none of them have the names on the figures either.

Also, the games themselves tell you what the character is, including any additional suffixes, when used ingame (They just don't recognize a chase variant, like the Gold/Silver figures). And there are checklists both packaged with the game and via an ingame menu. The model numbers are also not fully unique/non-unique to the molds either. For example:
1) Both the Spyro and Dark Spyro from the Adventures line use the same mold but do not have the same model number
2) Ninjini and Scarlet Ninjini from Giants share a mold and have the same model number, despite being completely separate items rather than a chase variant
3) Boomer from Adventures and Boomer from the Eon's Elite collection do not have the same mold, but do have the same model number.

If you're having difficulty telling what skylander is what, an easy way to narrow it down to the series is by looking at the base:
Adventures: Green
Giants: Orange
Swap Force: Blue
Trap Team: Red
Eon's Elite: White
Superchargers: Vehicle engine instead of colored base
Imaginators: Rectangular octagon instead of colored base

[tripredacus]

Also, the games themselves tell you what the character is

Never forget that there exist people who collect but do not play or have the required games for things like this.

Title is definately a no, but alt-title should be fine. If this number also appears on the packaging, it could be used as item number instead, then you could use advanced search for Skylanders in title and the code in item number field. BUT only if this number is on the packaging.

[tripredacus]

I bought a couple of these to see how they look. The number that is on the bottom of the packaging does not match the number that is on the figure's base. Here is an example:

Skylanders: Swap Force - Trap Shadow
https://vgcollect.com/item/58035

Number on package: 84801303
Number on figure base: 84801888
Number on sticker sheet: STK733545
Number on trading card: 84801302

We can search for incomplete item numbers! This will work because the first 5 numbers on a figure's base should match up to the first 5 numbers on a figure's packaging. This is also true of the other figure I bought which is from Skylanders Giants.

So, this basically means that the figure base number does not go into alt-name field. I have updated the entry for Trap Shadow, that is how a Skylander item should appear in our DB. Any entries that have been modified to put the figure's base number into alt-name field should be removed.

In order to find the Trap Shadow, I was able to do an advanced search and put Skylanders in name and 84801 into item number. It shows me the item:
https://vgcollect.com/search/advanced/no-filter/skylanders/no-filter/ALL/ALL/ALL/ALL/ALL/84801/no-filter/no-filter

[rayne315]

I bought a couple of these to see how they look. The number that is on the bottom of the packaging does not match the number that is on the figure's base. Here is an example:

Skylanders: Swap Force - Trap Shadow
https://vgcollect.com/item/58035

Number on package: 84801303
Number on figure base: 84801888
Number on sticker sheet: STK733545
Number on trading card: 84801302

We can search for incomplete item numbers! This will work because the first 5 numbers on a figure's base should match up to the first 5 numbers on a figure's packaging. This is also true of the other figure I bought which is from Skylanders Giants.

So, this basically means that the figure base number does not go into alt-name field. I have updated the entry for Trap Shadow, that is how a Skylander item should appear in our DB. Any entries that have been modified to put the figure's base number into alt-name field should be removed.

In order to find the Trap Shadow, I was able to do an advanced search and put Skylanders in name and 84801 into item number. It shows me the item:
https://vgcollect.com/search/advanced/no-filter/skylanders/no-filter/ALL/ALL/ALL/ALL/ALL/84801/no-filter/no-filter

That is very unfortunate. the whole idea of placing it into the alt name was to have it searchable without the actual name. when you have the packaging you can look it up because it says the item name on the package, when you have just the trading card it contains the name so you can look it up that way, I had not realized these came with stickers but I looked them up and they contain the name of what figure you have so they are searchable, but when you have just the item there is only 2 ways to look them up.

1. search through the whole of our skylanders database to find a pic of one that looks like what you have. or
2. use Google to look up the model number match.

neither of these methods are fast and one of them directs traffic away from this site. it would be one thing if our advanced search also searches through Descriptions but unfortunately it does not. you also can not expect people to have the state of mind to specifically leave off 3 numbers in the model number to make the advanced search method work.

It seems to me that we still require a way to make just the figure searchable.

and yes this is an issue with all toys to life figures so whatever is decided upon will need to work with Disney infinity/amiibo's/skylanders/lego dimensions

here is an example of one that has already been modified with the model number in the alt name. https://vgcollect.com/item/24667 Double Trouble - Skylanders Spyro's Adventure [NA]. this can be directly searched using the model number 83977888.