Criteria for merging/splitting games?

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Plok (216273) on 3/4/2017 9:29 AM · edited · Permalink · Report

When are games supposed to be placed under one entry, and when are they to be split?

Transport Tycoon (1994) has a PlayStation entry that has 3D view, that neither the DOS version nor the later Deluxe re-release have.
Railroad Tycoon II (1999) and its Gold Edition (2000) - both have a Dreamcast entry, which may be the identical one according to the back cover (so, a case of a misplaced cover in the vanilla game's entry, as seen in (C) 2000 on it), but it also has a 3D mode that the PC release does not.
Drome Racers (2002) has a GameCube release that has an exclusive Battle Arena mode that the PC and PS2 releases don't (although an unfinished arena made it in residual files for the PC that can only be accessed through modding - see here)
RollerCoaster Tycoon: Gold Edition (2000) has a unique American release (later default on Steam and GOG.com) which comes on a single disc, and has a unique executable build (v1.20.015 as opposed to the final Loopy Landscapes patch v1.20.013) that is incompatible with common trainers and such, and comes with fan-made tracks as an extra.
Heroes of Might & Magic II Deluxe Edition and Gold Edition (both 1998), appear to be the same thing, and I did submit this as a correction, but it was returned to me on the basis that the latter's US back (notice how there's no US cover art for the former?) claims there's 25 new maps added.
SimCity 3000 Unlimited (2000) has a "UK Edition" variant that I already had separated from the main SimCity 3000 (1999) entry as it claims to be based off Unlimited in the back cover (I have some pending to prove it), but it also claims to have some extra UK scenery that I've yet to see (dis)proven.

What to do with these?

Freeman (65148) on 3/6/2017 3:22 PM · Permalink · Report

As far as I know, if the differences can be easily summed up and aren't of a significant nature, then the entries can remain together and the unique features mentioned as part of the description. There's probably disagreement as to what constitutes 'significant', but I think if the game engine, perspective, and overall design (ie. same walk-through) remain the same, then a split isn't necessary.

Cavalary (11445) on 3/10/2017 11:02 AM · Permalink · Report

'scuse me while I also make use of this thread, but didn't see why a separate one should be made, so... Is it right to have Kromaia Ω as a single entry for PS4 and Windows, with a description stating it's the improved console release of the Windows version? See the PS4 release notice just mention one new Armor exclusive to the Ω, but still looking oddly at it, both name and description at least.

Simon Carless (1834) on 3/10/2017 6:06 PM · Permalink · Report

Correct - this was a goof by Yova, I returned the Windows version to him and he'll submit a scraped version of just the Steam version under the different name.

Regarding different versions of games getting different entries, now we have 'game helper' versions', we're still trying to keep stuff separate, but it's starting to look a little bit arbitrary when there's not a description saying why the version is different.

In this case it was clear cos the game has a different name. But when you have - for example - an entry helper version of Madden which has different DS version, but both have 'scraped' descriptions, a casual user of the database will go 'huh - why are there two entries again?' Of course, the whole 'having two entries that are unlinked' is kinda messy in the first place, arguably - if the games were released at the same time and had the same subject matter. But it's our rule and we should try to stick with it!

This is something we'll have to look at addressing with the new site - I'm hoping there would be some way to link them together. (It's related to the same entity issue we have with DLC that is unlinked to the game...)

Iggi (36165) on 7/3/2017 6:16 PM · Permalink · Report

Personally I'm not a fan of splitting games (at least in our current system), especially for such minimal changes. If the addition of a single ingame armor on one platform like in this case makes this a different game, then why do we have only one entry for SoulCalibur II where each platform has an exclusive character?

At least the Standards would strongly indicate this should be the same game entry: http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards#different .

Btw.: Of course a version will be "improved" when it is released later - somehow you have to explain the delay ;-)

Plok (216273) on 7/4/2017 7:41 PM · edited · Permalink · Report

There's the other extreme - I recently tried to split Windows and PlayStation 1 releases of Dune 2000 since the PS1 version has a 3D engine while the Windows one has a sprite-based 2D one (hey, an entirely different ENGINE !). They didn't let me.

Foxhack (32100) on 7/4/2017 9:48 PM · edited · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Plokite_Wolf wrote--]There's the other extreme - I recently tried to split Windows and PlayStation 1 releases of Dune 2000 since the PS1 version has a 3D engine while the Windows one has a sprite-based 2D one (hey, an entirely different ENGINE !). They didn't let me. [/Q --end Plokite_Wolf wrote--]I kinda agree with you, but if the only difference is the way the game renders its graphics, then they don't need to be split.

But, apparently the PC version has 40 missions, while the PS1 one has 30. That, to me, is enough for a split. But I'm not the one that makes that call.

Plok (216273) on 7/5/2017 1:49 PM · Permalink · Report

[Q --start Foxhack wrote--] [Q2 --start Plokite_Wolf wrote--]There's the other extreme - I recently tried to split Windows and PlayStation 1 releases of Dune 2000 since the PS1 version has a 3D engine while the Windows one has a sprite-based 2D one (hey, an entirely different ENGINE !). They didn't let me. [/Q2 --end Plokite_Wolf wrote--]I kinda agree with you, but if the only difference is the way the game renders its graphics, then they don't need to be split.

But, apparently the PC version has 40 missions, while the PS1 one has 30. That, to me, is enough for a split. But I'm not the one that makes that call. [/Q --end Foxhack wrote--] 3D and 2D are different enough in their own right, and in RTS, they make a huuuuuuuuuge difference in gameplay (elevation levels and clipping, anyone?).

As for the mission count, you can argue that the PC version also has 3 x 9 missions because many of them have different map variations that you can choose from the menu, while they retain their briefings and objectives. I'll look into that further, though.

Simon Carless (1834) on 7/5/2017 3:01 PM · Permalink · Report

My hope in the longer-term is that all split things released at the same time will be viewable under the same linked entry, but with a description of what differs between the versions. This would be far neater :) But for now we'll continue with this uncertain split concept...

lights out party (84612) on 7/8/2017 11:32 PM · edited · Permalink · Report

IMO, if the differences between two platforms can easily be summarized in screenshots (such as a 2D/3D difference but with the same perspective or other change in art style) or tech specs (such as multiplayer differences), it's better to not split.

Especially older ports to other platforms very often had content/graphics differences and otherwise we'd end up with often ten or so different entries for a single successful game.