Forums > News > New MobyGames DB addition: magazine advertisements!
Simon Carless (1834) on 10/24/2018 10:33 PM · Permalink · Report
As threatened for a while, contributors are now allowed to upload magazine ads that they've scanned onto MobyGames! We're really excited to build a database around these, since there's nowhere online that you can see them all in one place.
Some quick guidelines: Magazine Advertisement is now a promo image 'type'. So to add them, simply go to add 'promo images', create a new promo image group called Magazine Advertisements, and title each image with the magazine name, country, issue, and date. [Fabricated example: Sinclair User (United Kingdom), Issue 73 (September 1994).]
(If there are already some magazine ads uploaded for that game, then just add them to the existing promo image group. There are also a few edge cases, so feel free to discuss them in comments. And good luck!)
Simon Carless (1834) on 10/24/2018 10:34 PM · Permalink · Report
(BTW, here's an example from Kabushi already, since we were discussing it on the Discord and he got a head start!)
Foxhack (32100) on 10/25/2018 1:04 AM · Permalink · Report
Q --start Simon Carless wrote-- [/Q --end Simon Carless wrote--]I mentioned this in Discord, but the issue formatting should probably have some leeway for changes.
Example: I just added a scan from an American comic book. The book is Strange Tales #15, published by Marvel Comics in the US. The current formatting rules would mean I would add this scan like this:
Strange Tales (United States), Issue 15 (June 1988).
... which looks completely wrong. Not to mention, this would screw with search engine results. So I propose they be allowed to be listed like this:
Strange Tales #15 (Marvel Comics, United States, June 1988).
The publisher is important here, because comics can be published by different companies in the same country.
Simon Carless (1834) on 10/25/2018 2:00 AM · Permalink · Report
I agree that the publisher is important for comics, but I wouldn't mind adding publisher as optional directly after the name of the publication, and keeping the formatting the same:
Strange Tales (Marvel Comics, United States), Issue 15 (June 1988).
I think this is pretty clear? Not EXACTLY the same as how comics sites do it but readable enough I think.
Roberth Martinez (7352) on 10/25/2018 2:30 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Excellent! Since i've already uploaded three magazine scans related to AirCars, can anybody add them to the new image type? But re-arrange them in this following order after the first magazine ad variation, as you'll be surprised to find how different the very last ad is: https://www.mobygames.com/game/jaguar/aircars/promo
- Magazine Ad #1; Magazine Ad #2 (make it three, as the image is not the one that relates to the screenshots in the database); and finally Magazine Ad#3 (make it the second now). :)
EDIT: Actually. I'll use the feature now and once i re-add the magazine ads of AirCars, kill the original uploaded images please ;)
Kam1Kaz3NL77 (569120) on 10/25/2018 4:35 AM · Permalink · Report
So i can browse my game magazines (Power Unlimited, Netherlands) and add add commercials from within which are game related. Nice......Now just the task to find where i left them :p
Havoc Crow (29859) on 10/25/2018 7:25 AM · Permalink · Report
So, a question that needs to be settled before a lot of submissions get sent. Do we accept magazine ads scanned by other people and taken from other websites? (As we do for other kinds of promo art.) Or do we only accept ads that the contributor himself has scanned? (As we do for cover art.)
Simon Carless (1834) on 10/25/2018 1:22 PM · Permalink · Report
As long as the scan is good quality and the person who scanned it doesn't feel like they 'own' the scan, I am fine with 'promo art' rules. (I know this is a slightly hedge-y reply, sorry.) Ownership of scans is a super weird thing.
Jonathan Sutyak (219) on 10/25/2018 4:20 PM · Permalink · Report
Not sure if the magazine name and issue is required but for the most part you probably wouldn't know those things if taken from another source. I've got a few thousand scans I did myself and I was considering contributing some but I've no idea which magazine/comic book or issue any of them are from. Also, even though on my blog I mention others can use them as I don't technically own them and I like to share, I've put hundreds of hours into scanning and editing so I'd hope nobody would just copy all of them without giving credit. Not saying you would, just something to consider if you have one particular source in mind.
MAT (240968) on 10/25/2018 10:28 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Here in Japan, some bigger stores often have pamphlets that are 2-5 foldable pages and are usually placed on shelves next to the game in question to provide more info about the game.
Also, what about printed game catalogues that came with games? Also, some game manuals have promo about other games inside, would those be acceptable as well?
I don't see why not, but they proably shouldn't go under Magazine, maybe under a different type?
Edit: Added one such electronics store promo pamphlet for this game but is currently pending approval. Marked them under Other. But it is safe to say there are many those and even more game catalogues and promo pages in game manuals so those too should get their own section in dropdown select box, imho.
Edit #2: We have rather brief list of promo art type which is:
- Screenshot
- Concept Art
- Wallpaper
- Render
- Logo
- Avatar
- Magazine Advertisement
What is actually very common and people often add it under Logo is "Box Cover" or "Package" so that too should definitely exist since people keep on grouping incorrectly, myself included.
To the existing list please tell Reed to add these options as well...
- Packaging -- this would include cover art as well as any bonus content included (i.e. figurines, ost, artbooks)
- Pamphlet Advertisement -- could be generic since it could be a retail store pamphlet or it could be from some conference or presentation like E3 or TGS etc., it could also be ads from pamphlets included with the game, though those are usually added in the cover set
- Catalogue Advertisement -- this would be similar to magazine but scan would be from a game catalogue where game in question is featured
- Game Manual Advertisement -- same as magazine and catalogue, but the source is game manual, usually on last page or two there is ad for some other games... sometimes it's back of manual, but that is already added under covers so duplication isn't necessary
Simon Carless (1834) on 10/25/2018 1:54 PM · Permalink · Report
We're going to talk about adding other promo types (and you are welcome to add miscellaneous stuff in 'Other' for now) but I think no extras for right now cos we need to get through approving all the new magazine ads, haha :)
S Olafsson (59686) on 10/25/2018 5:30 PM · Permalink · Report
Not having page numbers is a missed opportunity IMHO.
Foxhack (32100) on 10/25/2018 8:34 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start S Olafsson wrote--]Not having page numbers is a missed opportunity IMHO. [/Q --end S Olafsson wrote--]I'm actually making a note of the pages that are on the inside or back covers. Like so. I added that info in the comments field, and it gets displayed along with the image.
I will be adding the page numbers to new scans I make, but I didn't keep that info in my first batch of scans. Sorry. :(
MAT (240968) on 10/26/2018 2:33 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Are photos of huge posters acceptable? I remember when Assassin's Creed III came out, there was a huge poster/wallscroll on the store building, about 20m high and 10m wide at least. I think I took a photo of it back in 2012/3. Would such a photo be acceptable under promo art? :)
And one more thing, what about ads that come with the game? Usually single paper sheet ads for some other game? We already add those with the cover set, but it would make sense to also add them to promo section of the game in question, no?
Roberth Martinez (7352) on 10/26/2018 10:56 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Harmony♡ wrote--]I've been saving years of Nintendo Power and Game Informer issues for this. Guess I'll be busy this weekend. [/Q --end Harmony♡ wrote--] That remins me that i have a huge load of Club Nintendo (mexican) issues lying on my house that i need to dig out now!
Foxhack (32100) on 11/3/2018 2:59 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Roberth Martinez wrote--] [Q2 --start Harmony♡ wrote--]I've been saving years of Nintendo Power and Game Informer issues for this. Guess I'll be busy this weekend. [/Q2 --end Harmony♡ wrote--] That remins me that i have a huge load of Club Nintendo (mexican) issues lying on my house that i need to dig out now! [/Q --end Roberth Martinez wrote--]Damn I'm jealous. I just lost a few Mexican Gamepro magazines to rain that got into my storage. And it happened a week before these ads went live. :(
I should still have some other mags from my time in high school... somewhere...
Pseudo_Intellectual (66362) on 10/28/2018 8:05 AM · Permalink · Report
Sold my stack of Nintendo Powers this year, this change didn't arrive quite soon enough!
MAT (240968) on 11/2/2018 3:54 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
Not sure if both are fine so it's up to the user, but we don't group screenshots from various sources, so I was wondering, when it comes to magazine scans, game manuals, catalogues, is grouping preferable to separation?
Example of grouping: https://www.mobygames.com/game/world-war-ii-prisoner-of-war/promo
Example of separation: https://www.mobygames.com/game/ps3/gran-turismo-5/promo
I personally like how Kabushi groupped it as it is more compact and all in one place, easy to go through.
But we don't usually group other things either. So, just to be sure myself, and also so others can clearly see after reply to this, which version is acceptable and if both, which is more preferable?
Simon Carless (1834) on 11/2/2018 4:14 PM · Permalink · Report
Oh, I missed that you were doing this. The original instructions were that all magazine ads are grouped together in one group called Magazine Advertisements. For your 'other' uploads, which aren't technically magazine ads, yeah, it might be nice to group them. I guess you could group them in groups called 'Other Advertisements'?
MAT (240968) on 11/3/2018 12:41 AM · edited · Permalink · Report
I'm pretty sure we'll add "Game Manual" and "Game Catalogue" as selections in drop-down menu, so grouping them under "Manual" and "Catalogue" groups should be good. I'll fix them, good to know.
EDIT: Seems like there's no way for me to move promo images between groups like you can do with covers. Not sure if I should resubmit or leave them until support for editing is implemented. Or if anyone knows a way to move them, please let me know.
Simon Carless (1834) on 11/3/2018 2:07 PM · Permalink · Report
Yeah, that sounds good! We'll have to leave the existing ones along but it's not too bad I don't think :)