long live pending - MobyGames

DreinIX (10446) on 6/12/2009 11:25 AM · edited · Permalink · Report

Welcome to MobyGames!

By the way, what type of contribution was it? Usually screenshots and cover art are the fastest items to get approved and the ones that usually take too much time are trivia, hints, etc. It also has to do with whether everything is fine with the item you contributed, whether you've included sources (if needed) and how obscure the platform for which you contributed is. Usually the more obscure it is the less approvers are working on. On top of all that and supposedly approvers is said to have a second thing outside of Moby that if I remember correctly they call life. Yeah right. :-)

formercontrib (157510) on 6/12/2009 12:13 PM · Permalink · Report

You can't argue with that! No proof exists that confirms that life outside of Moby exists ;)

Indra was here (20756) on 6/12/2009 6:21 PM · Permalink · Report

I seem to be spending more time on Facebook than MG lately. :p

SharkD (425) on 6/26/2009 2:19 AM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start DreinIX wrote--]On top of all that and supposedly approvers is said to have a second thing outside of Moby that if I remember correctly they call life. Yeah right. :-) [/Q --end DreinIX wrote--]

Real or Second?

Mobygamesisreanimated (11069) on 6/12/2009 12:14 PM · Permalink · Report

We've had a lot of these threads lately. Maybe someone should update the FAQ or, since most people probably don't read it anyway, put up a sticky with a more realistic description of approval times.

vedder (70767) on 6/12/2009 12:19 PM · Permalink · Report

It would be nice if contributors could see at least some of the population of the various queues so they know what to expect.

Or I don't know have a numbe behind the submission that represents the number of submissions pending that are older than that one (for that specific queue). Ok, that's not very realistic, since we can skip items. But at least it gives a bit of an indication and might give the idea of progress.

Alaka (106066) on 6/12/2009 7:23 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Hel Noisemaker wrote--]6 days ago my first contribution... still pending... :( let me stop contribute and wait if there will be approved [/Q --end Hel Noisemaker wrote--]

Actually, the more you contribute the better chance something you have contributed will be approved. So don't stop just because 1 item hasn't been approved yet.

Indra was here (20756) on 6/13/2009 8:24 PM · edited · Permalink · Report

[Q --start ALAKA wrote--] Actually, the more you contribute the better chance something you have contributed will be approved. So don't stop just because 1 item hasn't been approved yet. [/Q --end ALAKA wrote--] Contributing too much at the same time however, may be regarded as a terrorist spam attack! :p

Sic Coyote (47) on 6/22/2009 1:54 AM · Permalink · Report

I added some stuff ages ago (about two years) I was trying to add one of my favourite games from my childhood, but after checking all my details and trying to fit it in to the right categories and writing a description, it was rejected because the description wasn't long enough or something.

Then I just gave up on contributing felt like the place was a bit bureaucratic if it wants to become something akin to the imdb for games, which I was thinking was needed and this was the nearest to. I felt a bit knocked down for my efforts, doesn't help get people interested in contributing when it's difficult to get stuff past the approvers.

I've just checked and that game still isn't on here, and there's no record on my account of any of the stuff I tried to contribute.

Just a little rant that's been simmering for 2 years.

Foxhack (32100) on 6/22/2009 2:56 AM · Permalink · Report

You should've seen some of my early entries. They were awful.

What game are you talking about?

Zeppin (8408) on 6/22/2009 3:24 AM · Permalink · Report

My first entry was abominable. My current entries are little more than functional.

When I first joined MobyGames, however, I was primarily interested in adding tech-specs and credits, so this wasn't much of an issue... Now I wind up with a fuller WIPed queue than pending queue. :P

Alaka (106066) on 6/22/2009 3:00 AM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Sic Coyote wrote--]I added some stuff ages ago (about two years) I was trying to add one of my favourite games from my childhood, but after checking all my details and trying to fit it in to the right categories and writing a description, it was rejected because the description wasn't long enough or something.

Then I just gave up on contributing felt like the place was a bit bureaucratic if it wants to become something akin to the imdb for games, which I was thinking was needed and this was the nearest to. I felt a bit knocked down for my efforts, doesn't help get people interested in contributing when it's difficult to get stuff past the approvers.

I've just checked and that game still isn't on here, and there's no record on my account of any of the stuff I tried to contribute.

Just a little rant that's been simmering for 2 years. [/Q --end Sic Coyote wrote--]

Are you sure it was flat out rejected? If it was just the length of the description that was in question, it should of been just sent back to you for you to work on to improve. What's the name of the missing game btw?

Xoleras (66141) on 6/22/2009 3:19 AM · Permalink · Report

It probably was auto-rejected by the system after the WIP timed out (leaving the WIPed game entry 3 days untouched). Approvers don't reject game entries just because based on the length of a description, and definitely not right away.

And don't compare MobyGames with the bureaucracy of IMDb... I remember when I tried to add a few AKA's there a few years ago. They were rejected right away because of "write reviews first before being allowed to add alternate titles". This is like when we would say "submit at least 10 cover art scans first before we even bother to look at your release info". =)

Sic Coyote (47) on 6/22/2009 4:21 AM · Permalink · Report

well the game was Mad Show for the Amiga/Atari ST, and I'm sure I did get a worded response,

ah found the email "The description you provided is not long or descriptive enough. Users looking up a game on MobyGames will want to learn about it; could you provide more information for their benefit? Choose a single release country - 'worldwide' is used for downloadable games. Developers in release info should be added for companies (Silmarils in this case), not individuals. Those can be added as credits, once the game has been approved."

Sciere (930479) on 6/22/2009 5:33 AM · edited · Permalink · Report

Well, what part was problematic? We're very lenient and helpful towards new contributors, but you need to keep sending it back with the changes. And again and again until it's fine. There's a good chance your next entry will pass straight away based on that experience - we've all been there. Some even never left.

Foxhack (32100) on 6/22/2009 5:36 AM · Permalink · Report

Man, I wish I'D gotten such helpful emails when I started out.

Anyway, we all learn how to do stuff via trial and error. It took me years before getting the hang of game descriptions. OI've been here since 2003 and I still have trouble with some stuff.

Don't feel bad. We've all been there.

Indra was here (20756) on 6/22/2009 6:20 PM · edited · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Kitsune Sniper wrote--]I've been here since 2003 and I still have trouble with some stuff. [/Q --end Kitsune Sniper wrote--] Hell, we've all been here since gawd knows when and still have trouble with stuff. You'd think we'd get smarter by now but nooooo...

O.K. maybe this just applies to me. :p

Indra was here (20756) on 6/22/2009 6:13 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Sic Coyote wrote--]I felt a bit knocked down for my efforts, doesn't help get people interested in contributing when it's difficult to get stuff past the approvers. [/Q --end Sic Coyote wrote--] Heh. It's the "initiation process" we all go through here. Hell, most of our early contributions are junk based on our standards now. Downside of having the "quality over quantity" policy I suppose.

Foxhack (32100) on 6/22/2009 6:46 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Indra Depari of 'da Clan Depari wrote--] [Q2 --start Sic Coyote wrote--]I felt a bit knocked down for my efforts, doesn't help get people interested in contributing when it's difficult to get stuff past the approvers. [/Q2 --end Sic Coyote wrote--] Heh. It's the "initiation process" we all go through here. Hell, most of our early contributions are junk based on our standards now. Downside of having the "quality over quantity" policy I suppose. [/Q --end Indra Depari of 'da Clan Depari wrote--]At least we're not like that other site which has lots of games but completely empty entries.

Sic Coyote (47) on 6/27/2009 1:21 PM · Permalink · Report

well submitted another thing, a cover, and it got rejected. I guess nothing is better than something in that slot.

"The box cover(s) you submitted were too low-res to be accepted. We require a resolution of at least 200 dpi (about 1200 pixels wide) in box covers."

DPI IS AN EFFING PRINTING TERM IT HAS NO RELEVANCE TO THE WEB.

And do not argue with that because it's a fact.

DJP Mom (11333) on 6/27/2009 2:41 PM · Permalink · Report

Here's a link to the MobyGames Standards page, so you know what is expected before you make a submission, and try checking your scanner software for an option to adjust the resolution, like this:

Foxhack (32100) on 6/27/2009 5:22 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Sic Coyote wrote--]DPI IS AN EFFING PRINTING TERM IT HAS NO RELEVANCE TO THE WEB.[/Q --end Sic Coyote wrote--]Fine, scan a picture at 50dpi, then blow it up to 900 pixels wide.

Now scan a picture at 500dpi, and resize it to 900 pixels wide.

Notice a difference? Yes? Well, now you know WHY we ask for that. :P

Xoleras (66141) on 6/27/2009 6:08 PM · Permalink · Report

As Mom illustrated, DPI is not restricted to printing. It also applies to scanning.

If you scan a 1 inch by 1 inch big image using 100 DPI, you get a 100 by 100 pixel image.

If you scan a 1 inch by 1 inch big image using 200 DPI, you get a 200 by 200 pixel image, which is 4 times the area of the other one.

If you compare a 16001400 (300 DPI) Jewel Case back with a 550450 (100 DPI) one, what's the difference? The first is offering plenty of detail, which the second is lacking. In fact, with 100 DPI, the back covers are so small that it's hard to read anything clearly.

With this in mind, cover arts require to be scanned with at least 200 DPI.

Note: approvers aren't actually looking at DPI values, but about the pixel dimension. The DPI value is there to help the contributors, as scanning software uses DPI values to set rather then pixel dimensions.

As said, this applies to scanning. If the image is created digital, DPI does not matter at all.

So the other two possibilities are Promotional and Electronic covers:

Promotional covers need to be at least 600 pixel wide and be sharp.

For Electronic covers, there aren't really any restrictions. However those apply only to specific covers made for download releases, which do not have box covers.

Indra was here (20756) on 6/27/2009 6:22 PM · Permalink · Report

Lovely thing about the internet. There's always a nerd around the corner who probably knows 10 times more than previous nerd.