HOL and other Amiga games databases

[Galaxy]

I was wondering if anyone has done any cross referencing between HOL and other Amiga game databases on the net such as the one at BTTR http://www.back2roots.org/Games/List/ , AmiSector One http://amiga.emucamp.com/compendiums.htm or the Amiga Games Database http://www.angusm.demon.co.uk/AGDB/AGDB.html (to name a few).

I realise that these dbs all cover different information but it seems that there is quite a lot of duplication or effort, and that perhaps if everyone's work was pooled a very comprehensive all-in-one database could be created - (and for example include things like cheats and reviews).

[fiath]

I was planning to create a site that linked games between databases. Basically the idea was that each game have a "universal id" that people linked with (actually the HOL id since it is so much more complete than anything else), and from there, people could go anywhere else. This was going to link HOL, CAPS, ACID and maybe some others I forgot.

Unfortunately I just don't have time for it at the moment, but it is on my todo list to do some day if nobody else does.

I think the problem with pooling effort you mention is that different projects strive for different goals, and they want different things. You can't really combine these things, and the people involved almost certainly wouldn't want to anyway.

[RCK]

- AmiSector One was already merged with BTTR
- HOL & BTTR had once a time plan for crosslinking, but I don't know if Hippie & Bobic are still alive
- Don't know about Amiga Games Database, but some HOL's team members know well angus

[CodyJarrett]

Here's a list of current Amiga databases that I know of:

The A-Z Of Amiga Games: http://www.spookyflix.com/Amiga/Amiga.php
Every Amiga Game Ever Released (EAGER): http://eager.back2roots.org/
The Golden Amiga Games Database (GAGE): http://www.amigagames.com/gage/
The Hall Of Light (HOL): http://hol.abime.net
The Legacy: http://www.thelegacy.de/index2.html
Nostalgica: http://www.nostalgica.nu/

[DrBong]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

I realise that these dbs all cover different information but it seems that there is quite a lot of duplication or effort, and that perhaps if everyone's work was pooled a very comprehensive all-in-one database could be created - (and for example include things like cheats and reviews).

I'd like to think that HOL is heading in the direction of being comprehensive and is further along that continuum than other databases at present We're actually quite a bit younger than all the other Amiga game databases you and Cody have mentioned.

Cheats are already included in HOL with verification status in some cases (i.e. whether they work in Codetapper's tests), which is something that no other database has done to my knowledge. Maps for games have recently started to appear in HOL too.

We've also been including scans of magazine reviews where available (e.g. Wild Life). I've got a vast magazine collection, but there's only one of me unfortunately and we don't get too many contributions of this sort from outside the team. I think user reviews have been planned (but can't be sure- ask RCK), if that was what you're getting at. Trouble is that we have lots of great ideas, but coding admin and user interfaces to implement them is something that requires time and energy (pretty much exclusively from RCK). I can only imagine the nightmare of trying to create user and admin interfaces in an effort to merge databases and create an all-in-one database

[CodyJarrett]

Originally Posted by DrBong

We're actually quite a bit younger than all the other Amiga game databases you and Cody have mentioned.

Although the HOL public release was on the 14th December 2002, there was a period before when it was being worked on offline and discussed before even that.

Also, the core of the data existed in the form of a spreadsheet that I started way back around 1997/98 (I think). At one point, Walker took on the task of entering most of this info through RCK's interface. The first DBSs (Double Barrel Screenshots - the titlescreen/gameplay combo) that I have date back to the 28th October 1998 (Apache Flight, Alpha Waves, Dynasty Wars...).

[robotriot]

There's also the database over at Mobygames.

[Bobic]

Originally Posted by RCK

- AmiSector One was already merged with BTTR
- HOL & BTTR had once a time plan for crosslinking, but I don't know if Hippie & Bobic are still alive
- Don't know about Amiga Games Database, but some HOL's team members know well angus

ermm - yes, we're still alive and do well. BTTR isn't dead. Even if we haven't made an update during the last months, we have collected Gigabytes of new material and some new permissions, of course More news in a few weeks, when we (hopefully) solved this damn problem with our new server HDs.

[RCK]

cool

[cebulba]

the problem when comparing moby and TL for example is, that these are not ONLY for AMIGA, of course.

btw thanks for the links, some I didn't know and will add them to my WEBRING
Hurry boys - sign up today
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There are a lot of different DB, yes , and all have some good ideas. I use nearly all of them to browse for games, as some do have more info others even don't have the game listed I'm searching for.

I have a dream, that one day all contributors, webdesigners and retro enthusiasts will join together in the ULTRA-HYPER-SUPER-DUPER-game-database (to say it in denglish )

Did you know that the only last existing german AMIGA print magazine (AMIGA PLUS) sometimes refers to HoL and/or CAPS?
so keep up the good work buddies

time for soccer,
cu
Olli K.

[IFW]

"Did you know that the only last existing german AMIGA print magazine (AMIGA PLUS) sometimes refers to HoL and/or CAPS"

Scans, please?

[Mr Creosote]

Originally Posted by cebulba

Did you know that the only last existing german AMIGA print magazine (AMIGA PLUS)

Eh? My subscription to Amiga Future is still providing me with regular delivery of a print magazine....

[Amiga1992]

Hey! Glad to hear Amiga Plus is still running! I wish I could get that over here...

[cebulba]

Originally Posted by Mr Creosote

Eh? My subscription to Amiga Future is still providing me with regular delivery of a print magazine....

yeah...correct.
AMIGA FUTURE is the "Gaming" part of AMIGA PLUS. As far as I know both are published by the same company?

and both are only available to subcription...hence there are not enough people to buy these games regular at local stores...

nevertheless still alive

there are only few printing magazines available at this time...I know of a Australian one (AMIGA issue blablablub)...any UK magazines besides THE EDGE still refering to AMIGA software and games...worth to mention hardware developments?

[Bobic]

Amiga Plus and Amiga Future magazines are coming from different companies these days. The company behind Amiga Plus released the other magazine for half a year back in 2001, but it wasn't lucratively enough for them.
Amiga Future is produced by Andreas Magerl, the man behind APC&TCP company, today and is really a nice magazine.

As Cebulba said, Amiga Plus sometimes brings news about updates on the legal download sites as well as links to HOL. I've uploaded an example to The Zone.
They also have a monthly emulation corner with news, information and hints about WinUAE, Amithlon etc.

@Akira: I'll talk to the editor in chief if a subscription to Argentina is possible.

This mag looks awesome! I didn't know any publication survived to this day.

I wonder how many they sell each month.

[Amiga1992]

Originally Posted by Bobic

@Akira: I'll talk to the editor in chief if a subscription to Argentina is possible.

That would be swell! But I don't think I can afford a subscription

[Peanutuk]

Is there a website for this magazine?

[Mr Creosote]

HOL was mentioned in the latest issue of Amiga Future (which stopped being a pure gaming magazine a long time ago by the way) as well. I uploaded a scan to the zone - HOL's news is in the lower left corner. Previous issues also had news about CAPS and other websites we all know

Both magazines have websites, of course:
AMIGAplus
Amiga Future

[RCK]

Thanks for those scans guys