Forums > MobyGames > Weekly Mini-Whale Jan. 26th - Top 5 updates!
Simon Carless (1835) on 1/27/2014 5:42 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[INTRODUCTION]
This week's Weekly Whale is going to 'Mini-Whale' format as there's a LOT going on with the site that we're wrestling with. So we're sticking with an abbreviated 'Top 5' updates format - see below! Last week's larger Weekly Whale update is here.
Just to make sure we're all on the same page - MobyGames was founded by Jim Leonard, Brian Hirt, and David Berk in 1999, and acquired by GameFly in 2010. As of December 2013, San Francisco-based Blue Flame Labs has acquired the site - and reverted it to its previous design. Myself - Simon Carless (community helper) - and Reed (designer/developer) are the folks who are making things happen.
[TOP 5 UPDATES!]
- Arcade contributions see megaboost!
As pretty much all of you may have spotted, arcade/coin-op has been added as a format, and the results have already been super impressive - http://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/arcade/ - over 250 games in less than a week, > 1000 screenshots already, and LOTS more items in the approval queue. (And great to see arcade credits like these for Killer Instinct from EvilRyu.) Thanks to Marcin Ostrowski, FatherJack, Terok Nor, LepricahnsGold, GTramp, ALAKA, NewRisingSun, Pseudo_Intellectual, Trypticon and a host of others for jumping straight on the arcade train! Overall, please try to fill out as many tech info details as possible when adding formats or games - it'll make things a LOT more searchable.
- Approval backlogs reduced.
We're almost at our goal of having no >100 item backlogs on ANY of the approval queues for individual formats. Right now, in fact, there's only 3 queues with >100 items in 21+ days - Atari ST MobyRankings (240) ; Mac tech info (350) ; PC tech info (1500, ugh - but WAY reduced from before). Thanks to all approvers for that, and hopefully submitters have seen approvals come through on some super-old items. That'll continue, and next we'll start taking a look at the 'All Games' area for corrections, etc.
- Another new format - Ouya!
For anyone who spotted my news post on this a few minutes ago, the word is out - we've added another format, the second in two weeks, and it's for the Ouya! This Android-based game console has a number of phone/tablet conversions, but also quite a few original games - go ahead and contribute Ouya titles to our database today. And I'll try to give you a shout-out in an upcoming newsletter if it's an Ouya exclusive.
- We're working on plans to launch a PC/Steam game adding drive.
One thing I think that's quite disappointing now is that not all games on services like Steam, GOG and so on are in MobyGames. Our decline in new titles in recent years has been partly due to the rise of digital stores on PC and iOS/Android that have similar info on the store page to Moby - so it's just a bit less fun to dupe info on digital games that already have info pages.
But it's still vital we document - these stores won't be around for ever in that form, people may forget, and we're able to do longer-term company linkage and add credits info that others don't have. So we're working on a FAQ for new contributors with a goal of getting all Steam games onto MobyGames in due course - and a lot more besides. Watch this space...
- Next up for MobyGames...
Other things of note - we're lining up a master list of other missing game formats, so watch for new additions there soon, and feel free to suggest things we may have missed (although we have a SUPER long list, so feel free to make it obscure :P)
On the 'missing format' front, someone also pointed out that the Playdia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playdia - was added to MobyGames some time ago, but has no games contributed to it. Anyone want to break Bandai's duck here and add some info...?
Reed is still working with Brian Hirt (who is volunteering a little spare time!), and the local-executable version of MobyGames is now working (with local data) - we just need to work with Brian to make sure the changes we make work with the production version, and we may be able to start editing the site a little more. We're hoping that will happen this week, but it continues to be a long and complex process.
In the meantime, thanks to all for another banner week (11,000 updates approved, thanks to some serious queue-clearing!), and roll on the MobyRevolution...
Indra was here (20756) on 1/27/2014 6:02 AM · Permalink · Report
Is going to take a freakin' while to get all Steam games in here, without a helpful tool to duplicate release info. Or maybe I should lay back on the DLCs (meh, researching one game takes too long). :p
Klaster, I hope you're reading this!
It would be easier to have a top most wanted games from our new overlords. Like before. A top 10, 20, 50 whatever games wanted, if you will each week. At least a third on that list will be added to the database, per week, I suspect.
Simon Carless (1835) on 1/27/2014 6:23 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Hah, yes, haven't you been doing every Rocksmith DLC ever, Indra? :) But good work anyhow! Yeah, I agree that that many Steam games is a lofty goal, but PC/indie is the one area that we fall down right now, and one area that I'm fairly well-connected to enthusiastic people in, so... ever hopeful!
Indra was here (20756) on 1/27/2014 6:40 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
My only excuse is that I have no life. :p
[edit] PC/Indie games? On it.
Игги Друге (46653) on 1/27/2014 6:52 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
I agree that a robot or automated script would be extremely helpful in this endeavour.
BTW, I don't see the Ouya platform when I try to add a game. Is the frontend lagging behind?
Simon Carless (1835) on 1/27/2014 6:22 PM · Permalink · Report
This is now fixed I believe - please mail me if not. (I added Ouya to platform but there's 'platform groups' as well and forgot to add it there!)
Rola (8483) on 1/27/2014 2:29 PM · Permalink · Report
I'd put a bounty for all Star Wars arcade titles. E.g Star Wars Arcade could probably get original arcade version as long as we modify the description (console port had extra enhanced mode).
Did anyone add Pong already?
Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 1/27/2014 3:58 PM · Permalink · Report
Looked into it, found no clear port already in the db, put it on my "to-write-description-for" list, where it remains 8)
Kabushi (261192) on 1/27/2014 4:08 PM · Permalink · Report
No Pong and no Computer Space yet but Nélio added this thing, which is likely the oldest game we will ever get. At least until we start documenting mainframe games.
Lampbane (20792) on 1/27/2014 4:30 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Simon Carless wrote--]Other things of note - we're lining up a master list of other missing game formats, so watch for new additions there soon, and feel free to suggest things we may have missed (although we have a SUPER long list, so feel free to make it obscure :P) [/Q --end Simon Carless wrote--] I don't suppose there's a list we can browse somewhere, or an official thread on the subject?
Nominating the Pokémon mini here -- besides having the distinction of being the smallest cartridge-based system Nintendo has ever produced, it only had 10 games, which should make it easy to do a good writeup on each at minimum (hopefully someone out there will be able to contribute package scans as well!)
The low number of games also raises another suggestion in my mind -- it would be cool and possibly very useful if there was a way visitors to the site could see at a glance which formats are complete (as in, every game has been added), which are mostly complete (maybe missing a handful of games), and which need help (everything else). The "cool" factor for me, would be clicking on a format that is marked in such a way, and knowing that I am seeing a complete list of everything released for that platform. The useful factor would that it would be another way to easily see where the database needs from TLC.
Rola (8483) on 1/27/2014 5:33 PM · Permalink · Report
No offense but you don't know what you are asking for...
Such list is only possible for consoles - those with small "locked" game library, traceable to other sources.
Other platforms require very wild estimates.
Even then, results may be... depressing. I've started doing such summary only to realize we're barely starting to cover certain popular platforms, after 14 years of work...
Such info is best left to veteran contributors/approvers.
Lampbane (20792) on 1/27/2014 5:47 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Rola wrote--]Such list is only possible for consoles - those with small "locked" game library, traceable to other sources.[/Q --end Rola wrote--]
That is exactly what I'm asking for. There have been news posts in the past, stuff like, "every known game for the [console name] are now in Moby!" These posts are always about consoles with smaller game libraries. I'd like a place where these proud, not-depressing announcements are always accessible and viewable, instead of a news post that disappears into the memory hole...
Obviously it would have to be limited to discontinued game consoles.
vedder (70767) on 1/27/2014 6:38 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
I think these are the platforms mentioned in the approver thread. I did some sorting by category and date. Note that no rights can be derived from this list :P Just that an approver mentioned something doesn't mean MobyGames will ever cover these.
moved this list to here: http://www.mobygames.com/forums/dga,2/dgb,4/dgm,188764/
Lampbane (20792) on 1/27/2014 7:24 PM · Permalink · Report
Oh, I have one -- the Pebble. The app store for it (with all the games that would bring) is due soon. Their site says end of January, but even if it's a bit late we can probably assume end of February at the latest (definitely before Mobile World Congress).
Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 1/27/2014 8:07 PM · Permalink · Report
Mobile/PDA/Tablet:
Amazon Kindle (2007)
Since it's on the radar, I remember doing some preliminary research suggesting there were at least a few games on its competitor the Nook also. (2009, also Android-derived.)
Online Services: CompuServe (1982?, US)
"CompuServe was founded in 1969 as Compu-Serv Network, Inc" -- wat?! There are also a ton more significant members to this club, including eg. Prodigy (1984), GEnie (1985), The Source (1979), Delphi (1983)... etc. Don't know if they all had games, but several of them had /many/ games. Then there was France's Minitel and I believe a couple of British services that were similar.
Lampbane (20792) on 1/27/2014 8:45 PM · Permalink · Report
For that matter, are we lumping in all Kindle products together? There are really two different lines here that should be counted separately:
The original Kindle line of e-ink e-readers, which debuted in 2007, with firmware is based on Linux. There are in fact games specifically made for this line, you can locate them on Amazon by searching for "Kindle Active Content."
The Kindle Fire line of tablets, debuting in 2011, which are Android-based devices.
Lampbane (20792) on 1/27/2014 9:17 PM · Permalink · Report
This thread seemed to suggest that if OUYA made it as a platform, we'd treat Kindle Fire the same way?
I'm not taking anything said in that thread as gospel, btw, just thought that it's probably worth another look now.
Simon Carless (1835) on 1/27/2014 10:15 PM · Permalink · Report
We're going to have a platform for Kindle (very soon!) but it'll be original Kindle OS only right now - I think Kindle Fire is really just an Android tablet, right? So we'd just list Kindle Fire games in Android...
Игги Друге (46653) on 1/28/2014 4:02 AM · Permalink · Report
Let me blatantly plug my screenshots of an authentic Air Warrior battle on GEnie from the early nineties.
BTW, there was a C64-specific online service (which I think turned into AOL later) that had a Lucasgames frontend.
Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 1/28/2014 4:37 AM · Permalink · Report
If you mean Lucasfilm's Habitat, I believe Sciere already documented it here (as it was platform-specific.) The general case was Quantum Link, and I have no idea what else was out there game-wise.
Oh, hey, Wikipedia delivers: " included online multiplayer games like checkers, chess, backgammon, hangman and a clone of the television game show "Wheel Of Fortune" called 'Puzzler'; ... In October, 1986 QuantumLink expanded their services to include casino games such as bingo, slot machines, blackjack and poker in RabbitJack's Casino"
Игги Друге (46653) on 1/28/2014 4:04 AM · Permalink · Report
Put it back. The SG-1000 was added without consulting the wiki. The SG-1000 is a subset of the SC-3000, and we have no idea how to handle this platform that is part-computer, part-console.
Foxhack (32100) on 1/29/2014 2:04 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Игги Друге wrote--]Put it back. The SG-1000 was added without consulting the wiki. The SG-1000 is a subset of the SC-3000, and we have no idea how to handle this platform that is part-computer, part-console. [/Q --end Игги Друге wrote--]
... Part-computer, part-console?
Didn't you just describe a Commodore 64?
Игги Друге (46653) on 1/30/2014 1:12 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Foxhack wrote--] [Q2 --start Игги Друге wrote--]Put it back. The SG-1000 was added without consulting the wiki. The SG-1000 is a subset of the SC-3000, and we have no idea how to handle this platform that is part-computer, part-console. [/Q2 --end Игги Друге wrote--]
... Part-computer, part-console?
Didn't you just describe a Commodore 64? [/Q --end Foxhack wrote--]
No, why? Are you thinking of the C64GS?
Foxhack (32100) on 1/30/2014 1:36 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Игги Друге wrote--] [Q2 --start Foxhack wrote--] ... Part-computer, part-console?
Didn't you just describe a Commodore 64? [/Q2 --end Foxhack wrote--]
No, why? Are you thinking of the C64GS? [/Q --end Игги Друге wrote--]Remember that old computer systems aren't my area.
I always saw the C64 as a weird console / computer hybrid because it could take carts and it could take floppy disks.
Игги Друге (46653) on 1/30/2014 3:24 AM · Permalink · Report
It was very commonplace for 8-bit computers to have cartridge slots. The SC-3000 isn't different in that regard, the only thing that separates it from the C64 (which also had a very shortlived console counterpart, the C64GS) is the fact that its console version, the SG-1000, was aggressively marketed and often isn't regarded as a mere console version of a computer. A fact that isn't helped by our adding the SG-1000 as a console platform without any mention of the SC-3000.
vileyn0id_8088 (21040) on 1/27/2014 9:56 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start vedder wrote--]CP/M DOS (1973-4)
[/Q --end vedder wrote--]
Just "CP/M"... it was never "DOS" (unless you count later mutations like Concurrent/Multiuser/DR-DOS, but I wouldn't consider those to be the same platform as CP/M).
On that note, I was wondering about the Sanyo MBC-550... an early "PC incompatible" MS-DOS machine with its own hardware quirks and a small library of games that wouldn't run elsewhere. Perhaps the Tandy 2000 belongs here as well?
Игги Друге (46653) on 1/28/2014 4:07 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start vile_r wrote--] On that note, I was wondering about the Sanyo MBC-550... an early "PC incompatible" MS-DOS machine with its own hardware quirks and a small library of games that wouldn't run elsewhere. Perhaps the Tandy 2000 belongs here as well? [/Q --end vile_r wrote--]
Likewise there is the Apricot PC, the Sirius/Victor 9000, and a strange machine by NEC, called the PC-some thousand.
Игги Друге (46653) on 1/29/2014 12:20 PM · Permalink · Report
From NEC, we have the PC-6001 (very big games platform), the PC-8200 (early portable, also OEM'd as Tandy TRS-80 Model 100 and Olivetti M-10), the PC-2001 (early pocket computer, looking like a wide pocket calculator), the PC-8001 (business computer forerunner to the PC-88, with a rather wide game library) and the odd MS-DOS-running contraption I mentioned before, the PC-100.
Pseudo_Intellectual (66360) on 1/28/2014 2:55 AM · Permalink · Report
Terminal games (?) MUDs (1975, should this really be a platform, or can this be handled in another way?)
And the answer to that MUD question is really in the earlier line: terminal games was suggested as a catch-all for games that were executed remotely on some big iron black box but would take input from and deliver output to user terminals in a platform-agnostic format -- a MUD doesn't care if you're a Mac or a PC, just if you know how to read ASCII. (Historically, all those "black boxes" were mainframes of various hardware and software provenances; today by and large they are all unix machines of various types. Speaking of which, we will need "Unix" as an environment for first versions of a few games such as Rogue; 'MAG (Mike’s Adventure Game) was created by Mike Teixeira at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in 1982-1985 on a DEC PDP 11/70 running Unix.' Either the mainframey hardware end needs to be supported or the "software platform" aspects of unix, multics, time-share basic, fortran, cobol need to be supported. (well, only maybe cobol.) Either tack would account for this corner of the early software world, though they are both somewhat byzantine.) "Terminal games" was figured as a way to cast a big enough net to also account for IRC games and that one known gopher one, as well as the platform-independent online services. Basically: everything game-played through the internet that doesn't involve a web browser. Today that largely entails telnet.
Игги Друге (46653) on 1/29/2014 1:04 PM · Permalink · Report
You can add Hitachi BASIC Master and BASIC Master Level 3 (different CPU architectures), Panasonic JR-100 and JR-200 (incompatible, so two platforms), Bandai RX-78 (very game-centric home computer, small library), Luxor ABC-800, Colour Genie, Casio Casiopea (PDA), the Mitsubishi MULTI8 and the Toshiba Pasopia. And there is a funny Chinese handheld called the "Game king" (遊戯王).
BTW, the Casio PV-2000 is not a computer version of the PV-1000 console. They're not at all compatible. On a related note, the Laser 2001 is the computer equivalent to the Creativision.
Lampbane (20792) on 1/29/2014 1:46 PM · Permalink · Report
We might want to put Google Glass on the radar now.
Havoc Crow (29831) on 1/29/2014 10:26 PM · Permalink · Report
Is "Watara Supervision" different from the "Supervision" we already have?
j.raido 【雷堂嬢太朗】 (94209) on 1/30/2014 1:37 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start JudgeDeadd wrote--]Is "Watara Supervision" different from the "Supervision" we already have? [/Q --end JudgeDeadd wrote--] Nope, they're the same thing. We actually have the entire library on file already. :)
Игги Друге (46653) on 1/31/2014 11:06 PM · Permalink · Report
Looking at what TOSEC has archived, I find some other systems with game libraries of their own:
Interact Family Computer/Lambda Victor (USA 1979, France)
Galaksija (Yugoslavia, 1984?)
Processor Technology SOL-20 (USA 1976)
HP 9000/200 series (USA, 1981?)
Orao (Yugslavia, 1985?)
Pecom 32/64 (Yugoslavia, 1985?)
Microkey Primo (Hungary, 1984?)
Philips P2000 (Netherlands 1980)
Nascom 1/2 (UK, 1979?) http://www.nascomhomepage.com/#VirtualNascom
PMD 85 (Czechoslovakia 1985)
Foxhack (32100) on 1/27/2014 7:29 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Simon Carless wrote--]4. We're working on plans to launch a PC/Steam game adding drive.
One thing I think that's quite disappointing now is that not all games on services like Steam, GOG and so on are in MobyGames. Our decline in new titles in recent years has been partly due to the rise of digital stores on PC and iOS/Android that have similar info on the store page to Moby - so it's just a bit less fun to dupe info on digital games that already have info pages.
But it's still vital we document - these stores won't be around for ever in that form, people may forget, and we're able to do longer-term company linkage and add credits info that others don't have. So we're working on a FAQ for new contributors with a goal of getting all Steam games onto MobyGames in due course - and a lot more besides. Watch this space... [/Q --end Simon Carless wrote--]I've been adding bits of GOG and Steam stuff to the database, but it's well... irritating to see the WRONG cover art remain here, even after I've submitted corrections. That's mostly due to the approvers not being able to remove the wrong artwork. I think.
And then there's stuff that gets a new platform added. Why can't we just ADD a platform to existing cover art, without having to send a correction request? That just delays things unnecessarily longer than needed.
chirinea (47496) on 1/27/2014 7:32 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Foxhack wrote--]And then there's stuff that gets a new platform added. Why can't we just ADD a platform to existing cover art, without having to send a correction request? That just delays things unnecessarily longer than needed. [/Q --end Foxhack wrote--]This.