The Database: Entry #1 - Abadox: The Deadly Inner War

[Gloves | 11,759]

On 12/22/2022 at 12:06 PM, Code Monkey said:

I'm disappointed I wasn't included. I wasn't ready to release this yet but I've been working on an Android application to do just this (and track your collection) for the past few weeks. It'll contain games separated by print run (not just variants) by date and a lot more. If I'm allowed to scrape some of the information from here with credit, then I will also contribute to this where I can. I did just buy the second rarest NES manual last night so I'll have photos of that soon.

Do you already have a lot of data collected and stored? Or are you doing design etc.? I wouldn't mind working together, enlisting help, sharing information, collaborating, whatever. 

If it makes you feel any better, literally nobody was included. I on a whim posted this after a random discussion in another thread about what made the NA database "special" and people have been asking for a database to be built for a while now (I get asked like once a month).

[Link | 2,708]

3 hours ago, Code Monkey said:

No, I wasn't ready to. More information will come when I have some screens to show.

So... how can you be disappointed that you "weren't included" for your contribution that literally nobody knew about? I and I'm sure many people will look forward to this, but... come on dude. 

 

[Code Monkey | 2,005]

23 hours ago, Gloves said:

Do you already have a lot of data collected and stored? Or are you doing design etc.? I wouldn't mind working together, enlisting help, sharing information, collaborating, whatever. 

If it makes you feel any better, literally nobody was included. I on a whim posted this after a random discussion in another thread about what made the NA database "special" and people have been asking for a database to be built for a while now (I get asked like once a month).

I have my own collection with multiple variants of almost every NES game and I'm tracking print runs based on date codes of chips, boxes and manuals. I just finished the login authentication and it's pulling every game with box art from my web server so now I just need to have it load each individual print run when selected and also allow for people to track their collections. After that it's eBay pricing, Heritage Auction pricing, Wata population counts, whatever information I can legally get included. I'm not optimistic about Heritage and Wata but I'll try.

21 hours ago, Link said:

So... how can you be disappointed that you "weren't included" for your contribution that literally nobody knew about? I and I'm sure many people will look forward to this, but... come on dude. 

 

Half joking, half not, wasn't a big deal.

[PekoponTAS | 171]

I don't really miss the database personally. I like that this is more of a regular forum.

[Brickman | 3,978]

Really excited to see this come together. I can help with some of the Famicom stuff (but not abanox). 

I’ll be able to help out if you ever tackle GC. I’m roughly 10 short of a complete GC Japanese set.

[Code Monkey | 2,005]

Okay well here's my actual contribution to this thread:

Contents:

• cartridge (NES-A3-USA)
• manual (NES-A3-USA)
• box (NES-A3-USA)
• California Games Poster (MIL-NES-US)
• Nintendo Power Subscription Card (PMG-PT-USA)
• Flat Black Dust Sleeve (not sure which)
• Styrofoam block (not sure which)
• game baggie

Manual (non Circle-T, non star, oval seal, TM) date code is 00123.

I don't have the box for this.

Cartridge is oval seal TM.

Edited December 26, 2022 by Code Monkey

[Code Monkey | 2,005]

Box front: http://hindsightgaming.com/images/boxes/1/Abadox - The Deadly Inner War (USA).png

Cartridge front: http://hindsightgaming.com/images/cartridges/1/Abadox - The Deadly Inner War (USA).png

Manual front: http://hindsightgaming.com/images/manuals/1/7.jpg

I also have full manual scans and the backs of all of these as well for every NES game. Also title screens and video samples of every game here somewhere.

[Code Monkey | 2,005]

Can you see this video?

https://game-video-snaps.s3.amazonaws.com/Abadox+-+The+Deadly+Inner+War+(USA).mp4

[Gloves | 11,759]

6 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

Can you see this video?

https://game-video-snaps.s3.amazonaws.com/Abadox+-+The+Deadly+Inner+War+(USA).mp4

Yep.

[Gloves | 11,759]

28 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

Box front: http://hindsightgaming.com/images/boxes/1/Abadox - The Deadly Inner War (USA).png

Cartridge front: http://hindsightgaming.com/images/cartridges/1/Abadox - The Deadly Inner War (USA).png

Manual front: http://hindsightgaming.com/images/manuals/1/7.jpg

I also have full manual scans and the backs of all of these as well for every NES game. Also title screens and video samples of every game here somewhere.

You don't have the box for this game, but you have a photo of the box front - where did you obtain these images?

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

I think he means he doesn't have the proper one for that variant.  I could be mistaken though.

[Code Monkey | 2,005]

15 hours ago, Gloves said:

You don't have the box for this game, but you have a photo of the box front - where did you obtain these images?

I've accumulated scans of everything over the years.

[spacepup | 2,404]

6 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

I've accumulated scans of everything over the years.

I believe the real question is - are they scans / pictures that you took, or ones you found from the internet / elsewhere?

It is my understanding that we want the content used in our database to be VGS-generated, so there will be no accusations of our "stealing" data/images from other places.

[Gloves | 11,759]

6 minutes ago, spacepup said:

I believe the real question is - are they scans / pictures that you took, or ones you found from the internet / elsewhere?

It is my understanding that we want the content used in our database to be VGS-generated, so there will be no accusations of our "stealing" data/images from other places.

And beyond accusations of such, we also would want to ensure proper credit is given. 

[Code Monkey | 2,005]

Anyone that has ever built a MAME cabinet is familiar with Emu Movies, a site where you can pay $25 per year and get access to their FTP with box scans, cartridge scans, manual scans, manual PDF scans, video snaps and anything else you can imagine for every game for every console ever. They even have scans of inserts and advertisements where the game appeared. I used these to build my Hyperspin project but you'll have to check their licensing guidelines to use the media. I think it just requires a link back to them if it's not for commercial use.

You're welcome.

[Gloves | 11,759]

Just now, Code Monkey said:

Anyone that has ever built a MAME cabinet is familiar with Emu Movies, a site where you can pay $25 per year and get access to their FTP with box scans, cartridge scans, manual scans, manual PDF scans, video snaps and anything else you can imagine for every game for every console ever. They even have scans of inserts and advertisements where the game appeared. I used these to build my Hyperspin project but you'll have to check their licensing guidelines to use the media. I think it just requires a link back to them if it's not for commercial use.

You're welcome.

I'm aware of such services, which is part of why in the past I've said there already exists databases which would make making our own a moot endeavor. If we were to do this, we'd not be using such sources of data and potentially requiring proof of ownership.

[Code Monkey | 2,005]

This is Hyperspin, it's a front end for MAME cabinets.

 

[Code Monkey | 2,005]

1 minute ago, Gloves said:

I'm aware of such services, which is part of why in the past I've said there already exists databases which would make making our own a moot endeavor. If we were to do this, we'd not be using such sources of data and potentially requiring proof of ownership.

If you want to keep it to member photographed content, I can provide you with a cartridge scan. The manual I already provided is mine.

[Gloves | 11,759]

2 minutes ago, Code Monkey said:

If you want to keep it to member photographed content, I can provide you with a cartridge scan. The manual I already provided is mine.

Appreciate the offer. For now it's still in the air whether we'll go ahead with this in the first place; I'd really need to see a relatively large amount of potential in it to move forward.

[Link | 2,708]

2 hours ago, Gloves said:

I'm aware of such services, which is part of why in the past I've said there already exists databases which would make making our own a moot endeavor. If we were to do this, we'd not be using such sources of data and potentially requiring proof of ownership.

I agree. gamesdatabase.org is where I always end up when looking for NES manual scans and they are great. But we can't hijack their or anyone else's work. Partnership might be a potential avenue, and it could make sense to talk with such folks and not reinvent every spoke of the wheel, but that's a conversation that would need to happen before using other peoples' and sites' scans etc.

I'm just glad @the_wizard_666and @Dr. Morbisand @ThePhleoand others like them who have done a lot of this kind of stuff are here. 

What I hope VGS can provide with this project is something more comprehensive than what's available anywhere else. Otherwise what's the point, right? But it all has to be ours or collaborated with permission. 

[the_wizard_666 | 1,325]

The thing is, data cannot be copyrighted.  You can go to any website and take whatever data you require, so long as you're not copying anything that isn't simply factual data (reviews, etc).  While it's good form to give credit, there's no real requirement.  Photos, however, are a different beast.  Every photo or scan is owned by the person who photographed/scanned the item in question.  Databases that take user submitted content have disclaimers that when you submit to their database you are either relinquishing ownership or are essentially licensing them to use it for whatever purpose they need.

So basically, any information can be sourced from anywhere without issue.  Photos and scans would have to be owned by whoever submits them.  And any extra content, like reviews and such, would have to be either brand new content unique to the database, or be authorized by the original author to be reprinted on the site (like if you have reviews posted on GameFAQs for example, you could migrate that content because it's YOUR content...but you can't copy someone else's review without their express written consent).

As for whether it's worth doing, I say yes, it absolutely is.  Sure there's sites that exist that serve similar purposes, but there are few good ones that check off all potential boxes (variants, rarity, etc).  NintendoAge's database was such a loss because it really was the only one out there that checked all the boxes, at least insofar as what was covered by it.  What I envision for a potential VGS database would be something similar to RFGeneration, but far less unwieldy.  It would cover rarities of all parts of the package.  And it would also include the technical data that can be found on the NES Cart Database.  It's a daunting prospect to cover everything, but it'd also be an amazing resource that would be far, far better than having to go to several sites just to piece together what you're looking for.

[spacepup | 2,404]

I agree with variant details, technical data, etc.

Though, to be honest, I'd personally rather just keep "rarity" out of it.  They vary over time and are wildly subjective, so in terms of factual data in a database, I don't think it's relevant to the scope, personally.  

This isn't all up to me, but that is my opinion.

[Dr. Morbis | 2,088]

6 minutes ago, spacepup said:

I agree with variant details, technical data, etc.

Though, to be honest, I'd personally rather just keep "rarity" out of it.  They vary over time and are wildly subjective, so in terms of factual data in a database, I don't think it's relevant to the scope, personally.  

This isn't all up to me, but that is my opinion.

Totally agree.  I would keep value and rarity out of it.  They're both subjective and change regionally and over time, and once a database starts to get a few years old, these need to be "maintained" but that never happens.  Just put actual data up that doesn't change.  If an error is spotted down the road, then yeah, someone can update it, but the cartridge code for Abadox is the same now as it was in 1990, and it will still be the same code after we're all dead...

Edited December 27, 2022 by Dr. Morbis