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| How do you Catalog your Game Collection |
| schi0249 - Apr 18, 2007 |
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ratfish | Apr 19, 2007 | ||
| [cough]vgrebirth.org[cough] | ||||
) options. XML, Excel, or Access. Each of which will require some preproduction building the template unless there's some tool out there that does it for you. |
Amon | Apr 21, 2007 | ||
I am making a program to catalog games  what features do people want? | ||||
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Amon | Apr 21, 2007 | ||
| Thats totally do-able... if someone emails me a few game releases lists (or points me to a place with them) I could have most of those populated, if not just empty fiends to enter. | ||||
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Amon | Apr 21, 2007 | ||
that I can also do  , one question though which context sensitive options would there be other than jp saturn having a spine card? | ||||
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Jedi Master Thrash | Apr 21, 2007 | ||
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I just picked using Excel (or any free spreadsheet program). I looked at Access once, but it took so much effort just to create the record types and field options. With a spreadsheet, I could just create one header row with the fields, and then fill them in. And the drag+fill features make it easy to copy field values across multiple selections (and the auto-complete sometimes helps, and sometimes is annoying, but sometimes it's nice to be able to just type "Ge" and it fills in "Genesis" for you). And any queries I'd want to make with a database I can accomplish with the auto-filter feature of the spreadsheet. For instance, pretty much the only queries I do are searching for all games by one system, or searching for all games missing the manual, or something like that. And auto-filter handles that perfectly. And for the random info I put into the "condition" field, I can just use regular CTRL+F search to find it. I usually never like software that pre-categorizes things for me. Like most on-line game databases always categorize all games generically as "shooter" or "simulation" or something. I'm quite picky about whether my game is a horizontal, vertical, 1st person, 3rd person, or isometric shooter, and know the difference between a platform shooter, an action platform, a beatemup, and an adventure game. Like all those music organized softwares that are bundled with everything... I hate how they force-categorize all your music into their imaginary world of "genre". Everything is either "rock/alternative" or pop or country... and they're usually all categorized wrong anyway. I'm quite picky about which of my CDs are melodic metal, prog metal, neo-classical metal, symphonic metal, 80's metal, true metal, power metal, power-prog metal, and opera-metal. None of which would I be caught dead classifying as "rock/alt"... Here's a small sample of my spreadsheet format (html output from excel, so it might not work in anything but IE 7): http://www.jedimasterthrash.com/sega/GameDB.htm... The most handy use of the database was for finding missing parts. For instance, I could never remember if I needed an extra power supply or an extra Rf switch for all my genesii. Or which games I'm missing manuals to. And then of course should I be dumb enough to go to DiscLand's 20% sale or manage to get over to Hi-Score of Toyriffic, well then I definitely better remember which games I already have. The other purpose was just for figuring out which game I should play. For instance, if I have a friend over, I might want to find all the 2-player shooters and pick one. Or I can search for games without a filled-in Category field, because then I know I haven't even tried them out yet... | ||||
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schi0249 | Apr 21, 2007 | ||
| Totally off topic here. I forgot you live in MN too. I shopped at Discland when they were next door to the current location. Back then it wasn't rare to find a good deal. I picked up a complete copy of X-mas Nights for like $.50. I also got my X-Eye from them for only $25. Last few times I went there, I couldn't any killer deals. | ||||
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Amon | Apr 22, 2007 | ||
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Thanks for all the suggestions. I should have a beta out later this week if all goes well. I'll have it connect to a database over the net to store the data... (this is a requirement for the project. I will also have it output to a file as well (might not make the beta). Also it will be using the .Net framework, my appologise in advance (again a requirement). I believe there are too many games out there for me to parse through and include in my program so a lot will be user input and check boxes. Heres what I think I should have... please let me know if I am missing anything or if I should take something out System (drop down menu), Type(drop down, including accessory), Title, Release year (can be blank and drop down), publisher (can be blank), region (drop down), media type (drop down), max players(drop down), condition(drop down and or user input) online play (check box), extras (check box + input for things like spine card collectors edition stuff etc), box (check box) manual (check box) status (drop down of options along the lines of havent started, started, near complete, finished) save file (input box or drop down where you can specifiy where the save file is located can be blank) notes (can be blank input box for general notes) If you guys think this is worth while I may do this as well... if pc game thats installed have an input box or a dialog box to get the location of the game and have a button to lanch the game | ||||
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schi0249 | Apr 22, 2007 | ||
| Sounds like a great project. I can't wait to see it. | ||||
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RevQuixo | Apr 22, 2007 | ||||
Such hostility. Amon, let me know if you want to tie your program to VGR. We already have an xml feed that isn't being utilized after a creative differences disagreement with the collectorz.com folks. RevQuixo | ||||||
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