Would you use and/or contribute to a game database?

[FrodeSolheim]

FS-UAE Launcher currently supports using a game database to automatically find games you have by scanning your directories for known disk images and/or WHDLoad games, but it is currently a bit difficult for people to contribute to this database -this needs to be much easier

Current features include:

• Scan a list of directories and look for known files
• Found games are automatically added to the game list in the launcher.
• Show cover, title and screenshots for known games.
• Floppy-based games in ADF and IPF format are supported
• Files are identified and found by checksum, not name, so you organize your files as you see fit, and don't need to constantly rename files according to DAT files or similar.
• WHDLoad games are supported -WHDLoad games can be zipped or unzipped, the launcher can find the individual files on disk (or in archives) and re-assemble the WHDLoad game on launch.
• Files inside zip archives are also indexes, and are temporarily extracted on demand.

Thousands of game entries have been automatically created by an algorithm looking at (among other sources) the TOSEC dat files to get a starting point. But of course, not all these configurations work out of the box. Special configuration may be needed. So to get a quality database, humans must test and improve the entries.

I propose a system where the launcher automatically synchronizes game entries from a central server, and where anyone can make modifications to game entries in the FS-UAE Launcher GUI, register an account on the server, and have FS-UAE Launcher submit the fixes to the central server so everyone will benefit from the improvements. This includes specifying custom configuration (if needed) and submitting images.

• The central server will keep history for all changes, so changes can be easily reverted.
• The list of changes will be used to download incremental updates to the database.
• It will be possible to have local overrides for specific configuration values and/or images.
• Images can be downloaded on demand (and cached), so the launcher does not need to download a huge data set to get started.
• This is mainly a configuration database, and it is not intenteded to compete with Hall Of Light or Lemon Amiga for collecting detailed metadata. A minimal set of metadata (year, publisher, etc) is of course relevant, but for extended information, links til HOL/LemonAmiga will be associated with entries.

The database includes many variations of the same games (for instance multiple cracked versions from the TOSEC set). I propose some kind of voting/rating/like system, so only the most popular variants are showed in the launcher by default if you have many variants available (configurable by the user, of course).

The license for the database should be a quite liberal license (a Creative Commons variant?) to allow other projects to use the information as well. It does not make sense (IMO) to build such a database and then try to limit the usability.

It only makes sense to build infrastructure for this if people are interested in contributing.

You should vote if you would like to see this feature developed (and also perhaps subscribe to the thread if you want to follow the discussion)

[FrodeSolheim]

Oh, and I forgot to mention -if there is sufficient interest to justify the development of the configuration database system, I will probably start with a smaller set of users with commit access.

So leave a comment here if you think you would be a good beta tester (and a likely regular contributor)

(Also feel free to post questions and/or comments).

[Dic_Ray]

Cause the gamedata base is so useful for me, I hope the community could help to improve it step by step. How do you plan to implement changes but also avoiding wrong configurations transmitted from users? I would really like the possibility to drag and drop a new game, demo, cdtv or cd32-image in all it's formats and (language) versions and then rate for popularity and for best working settings. Also a graphical preview like iTunes cover view, would enhance the couch gaming experience. By the way, would it be possible to offer fs-uae as plugin for XBMC (XBox Media Center)? Look forward for all your great work an say thank you very much for all that.

[nexusle]

Hi Frode,

For the database there is a cool and good example. MyMovies is a plugin to catalogize Movies in a online database. It's based on SQL and can be filled/edited/improved by the community.

There also exists a pointing system for this tool.

Please have a look on it. I think, this system is adaptable for the game database.

MyMovies runs on Windows.

http://mymovies.dk

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

Cause the gamedata base is so useful for me, I hope the community could help to improve it step by step. How do you plan to implement changes but also avoiding wrong configurations transmitted from users? I would really like the possibility to drag and drop a new game, demo, cdtv or cd32-image in all it's formats and (language) versions and then rate for popularity and for best working settings.

One likely solution is that there will be a set of trusted users who can update information directly, while others will have changes submitted for approval by one of the trusted users / admins / moderators (or what they should be called). In the beginning at least, write access will definitively be limited to a smaller set of users. I have never administered something like this, so I don't have the perfect answers yet

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

Also a graphical preview like iTunes cover view, would enhance the couch gaming experience. By the way, would it be possible to offer fs-uae as plugin for XBMC (XBox Media Center)? Look forward for all your great work an say thank you very much for all that.

FS-UAE Launcher was never intended to be used from the couch, this use case would be better served by FS Game Center (http://fengestad.no/fs-game-center/screenshot.png), an XBMC extension, or similar. But FS Game Center will be much more useful and easy to use if the game database system is developed, since little/no configuration would then be needed here. People can contribute fixes via FS-UAE Launcher, and the game center will receive updates from the server.

I don't intend to develop extensions for XBMC, but it is certainly possible, and someone else can do this independently from me (and still use the same database system it they want).

Originally Posted by nexusle

Hi Frode, for the database there is a cool and good example. MyMovies is a plugin to catalogize Movies in a online database. It's based on SQL and can be filled/edited/improved by the community.

There also exists a pointing system for this tool. Please have a look on it. I think, this system is adaptable for the game database. MyMovies runs on Windows. http://mymovies.dk

I think it is more likely I will create infrastucture to directly support the specific uses for Amiga games / the launcher. It is often more work to try to adapt other tools (not directly suited for the purpose) than to create exactly what you need. Anyway, it is really no technical difficulties -but it is some work of course.

Also, to make it really accessible, the edit interface should be included in the launcher, so you can easily test a game, make modifications, re-test it (etc).

[Dic_Ray]

Especially this eye candy FS Game Center would demand rock solid configurations to offer the best couch gaming experience.

I guess a prerelease of it with a certain amount of preconfigured games and demos would produce enough interest in the whole community of former Amiga users now shared over a quite wide range of operating systems, that you, dear Frode, already offer suitable FS-UAE builds for. Through this a wider range of game testers could feel encouraged to share their individual "best" configurations, which than should be compared and validated through the selected users with write permission for the data base.

I don't find the right words to express my fascination, that you make come true an Amiga emulator for all these operating platforms - something which seems few month ago absolutely unrealistic and only a dream. I'm totally amazed, how straightforward you just do it. Respect to all your work.

Would be nice, if you could offer such a prerelease and push the next step to perfect Amiga gaming in a matter like push a button on your tv remote control.

Hi,
I'm an old Amiga's user ....and this is a great initiative.

[bcripon]

Frode,

As I wrote in the other thread, I would be happy to contribute what I could. Since I did not have an Amiga for that long, I did not collect tons of the old games since I did not play them back in the day.

However, I would be happy to contribute the items that are currently missing in the database (HDF games from Amiga Forever 2012, cracks that are not included in your database currently). Right now, I do not know how to contribute.


Bob C

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by Dic_Ray

Especially this eye candy FS Game Center would demand rock solid configurations to offer the best couch gaming experience.

I guess a prerelease of it with a certain amount of preconfigured games and demos would produce enough interest in the whole community of former Amiga users now shared over a quite wide range of operating systems, that you, dear Frode, already offer suitable FS-UAE builds for. Through this a wider range of game testers could feel encouraged to share their individual "best" configurations, which than should be compared and validated through the selected users with write permission for the data base.

I don't find the right words to express my fascination, that you make come true an Amiga emulator for all these operating platforms - something which seems few month ago absolutely unrealistic and only a dream. I'm totally amazed, how straightforward you just do it. Respect to all your work.

Would be nice, if you could offer such a prerelease and push the next step to perfect Amiga gaming in a matter like push a button on your tv remote control.

It's kind of a chicken-and-egg problem, it's a lot of work to get even a pre-release out, which may be necessary to generate community interest, which in turn may be necessary for me to put in the time in the first place This is why I created this thread/poll to check the interest - I would like to get some reassurance that it would not be time wasted

But if we decide the venture seems worthwhile, you don't have to wait until the feature is 100% complete. As with FS-UAE, I would probably release early and often. Though I would wait until it had reached a certain degree of maturity, of course. Releasing stuff too early just makes for a lot of support!

(Btw, FS-UAE was originally created for FS Game Center - for my own use - before I decided to publish it, so publishing FS Game Center would "complete the circle" ).

Originally Posted by lomdav

Hi,
I'm an old Amiga's user ....and this is a great initiative.

Hi there! It is a good sign when people registers a new account to join the discussion

Originally Posted by bcripon

Frode,

As I wrote in the other thread, I would be happy to contribute what I could. Since I did not have an Amiga for that long, I did not collect tons of the old games since I did not play them back in the day.

However, I would be happy to contribute the items that are currently missing in the database (HDF games from Amiga Forever 2012, cracks that are not included in your database currently). Right now, I do not know how to contribute.

Which is why it needs to be easier! (revision control tools like git could be used for collaboration purposes with the database as it is, but I think *most* users would be put off by the learning curve to get involved)

[ransom1122]

Frode,
get me involved. im there with whatever spare time i have

hear from you soon

[FrodeSolheim]

Though the number of poll respondents was not very impressive, the poll result in itself was nice (but that probably only means that only people who cares voted ;-))

There has been some development on this project . Here's a short progress report:

- An web-based system is being developed for displaying and editing game configuration information.
- The system associates each change with a user, and keeps a history of all previous changes.
- Changes can be added by users without full write access, but these changes must be approved by someone else with privileges.
- The launcher synchronizes game information from the server. It fetches only updates from the server, so the synchronization process is quite efficient.
- Images can be downloaded by the launcher on demand, so the initial data which needs to be transferred is not enormous.
- Support for LHA files is being added to the launcher, so contents of LHA files can be indexed (for example LHA-packed WHDLoad games).

[Silhouette]

This sounds great. I haven't voted, mostly because I want to vote the first option but I'm not sure if I have time enough to contribute much...

I will definitely use such a database though.

[joufflu]

Hi Frode,

There is also the retroplatform library from cloanto : http://www.retroplatform.com/ & http://rp9.com/. I do not know if there is a free available api or web services for accessing this library but they indicate :
[...]
RetroPlatform Library, a database of more than 10,000 titles (with an additional 10,000+ already queued for inclusion)
[...]

David

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by joufflu

Hi Frode,

There is also the retroplatform library from cloanto : http://www.retroplatform.com/ & http://rp9.com/. I do not know if there is a free available api or web services for accessing this library but they indicate :
[...]
RetroPlatform Library, a database of more than 10,000 titles (with an additional 10,000+ already queued for inclusion)
[...]

David

Hi, yes I have seen it It does indeed have many overlapping goals, but the database seems a bit too closed, and does not have the level of openness I seek where everyone can contribute to and improve the database in a transparent manner. It also does not seem to have all features / flexibility I'm looking for. Creating a system to do exactly what's needed seems to be the best course of action. This system will at least be very open/transparent, and information can be cross-referenced and shared with other systems where applicable. It is possible information can be imported from the RetroPlatform library if the license / terms of use allows it.

[FrodeSolheim]

I moved several of the latest posts to a new thread since the poll itself really is over

"Online Game Database for FS-UAE Launcher"
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=66811

Please post questions and whatnot in this new thread (and/or add a thread subscription if you want to follow the topic)

years ago I bought a 4 CD set of ECS Amiga games off of Ebay...all in .ADF format. When I scan it in FS UAE Launcher 2.1.8dev it doesnt recognize any of them.

I am assuming that I just add the directories to scan and click "Scan", then it should automatically show up in my configuration settings if recognized, correct?

[FrodeSolheim]

Originally Posted by themagicm

years ago I bought a 4 CD set of ECS Amiga games off of Ebay...all in .ADF format. When I scan it in FS UAE Launcher 2.1.8dev it doesnt recognize any of them.

I am assuming that I just add the directories to scan and click "Scan", then it should automatically show up in my configuration settings if recognized, correct?

Yes, this is the purpose of the online database extension to the launcher. Right now, the database is only available for registered beta users while testing / improving the system. I'll be happy to create an account for you

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

If you want to participate in the beta, please PM me with your e-mail address. You will then get a registration e-mail from the system! Also, include the name of your favorite game (or pick one) and the game will be included in the initial test set.

The web interface for the database is available here: http://fengestad.no/games/

(The scan function is not only useful with the online database. It is also useful when playing games online, since disks can be matched automatically)

Originally Posted by FrodeSolheim

Yes, this is the purpose of the online database extension to the launcher. Right now, the database is only available for registered beta users while testing / improving the system. I'll be happy to create an account for you



The web interface for the database is available here: http://fengestad.no/games/

Hell yea.. I'd like that. Let me know what you need to get the account created.

[FrodeSolheim]

Registration e-mail sent (a few hours ago)

The goal is create a quite open system, but initially, it is useful to have contact information for all users, and also it lowers the bar to contribute changes and test that part of the system when your then already have a login!

Some more info / ideas in this thread: Online Game Configuration Database for FS-UAE Launcher