Hey guys, I decided to make a thread to call attention to one of our major features here, the Game Database. I'll probably bump it from time to time to let everyone know about new hot games that have been added that you can add to your collections or rate.

First, let me explain a few things about rating games and adding them to your collection. Everyone (yes, even you -1ers!) can rate games and add them to your collection. This is a pretty simple process. Go up to the menu above and select GAMES -> Game Database, or just CLICK HERE. You will see a list of titles you can browse, and you can also search for specific titles with the search feature at the top, and even add games you can't find with the little bar at the top right above the search functionality that says "Submit a Game (keywords)". To add a game to your collection you check the box under "Owned" next to the game, and to rate it you select a number under "You" (you can add without rating and vice versa, if you want to). You can do one game or a whole page at a time, and when you are ready to submit your collection and ratings updates, click the "CLICK TO UPDATE THIS PAGE OF YOUR COLLECTION AND RATINGS" bar that can be found at either the top or bottom. Simple!

You can also rate games and add them to your collection from the individual game pages that you access when you click on any game from the main game page. For instance, if you were on the Mario Party 6 page there is a box in the top right where you can add it to your collection or rate it and click the "PUSH" button to update.

Now, let me explain something about writing game reviews. Again, everyone (yes, even you -1ers!) can write reviews for the site. This is a pretty simple process. Like before, go up to the menu above and select GAMES -> Game Database (or just CLICK HERE. Select the game you want to review (you can use the search at the top to find games quickly) and click on it. Near the top right of the page for that individual game you will see "Add a review" with a little plus next to it. Click the plus, write your review, choose a score (or not, if you don't like scoring reviews) and submit. Easy as pie!

And don't worry about not being formal enough, or sticking to a specific review format, or whatever. As long as you can write a paragraph or two and put your thoughts into a semi-coherent form, everything is good. Also, reviews of older games are totally acceptable, for instance I recently posted a WarioWare: Twisted! review of mine that I wrote like 6 years ago or whatever.

Alright, that's all I have for now. Use the features guys!

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@Jargon Why? It isn't like the Wii VC version, which is literally the SNES version.

Would you lump Super Mario Brothers with Super Mario Brothers Deluxe or Super Mario All-Stars? Pokémon Blue with Pokémon LeafGreen?

@Mop it up Well, why do anything around here?! Working on the site is always part hassle, part satisfaction. Like raising kids or something, lol. And I really thought that I was going to knock the preparations for non-Nintendo stuff out in a single night or two, but lots of considerations come up that you don't think about in advance.

@Mop it up @Jargon This is one of the issues to think about when combining games because there really is no clear-cut, perfect rule to follow. You might have a case where say... Bioshock Infinite is basically the same game on PS3 as it is on 360. Fine. But what about HD remakes, still the same game? Maybe. What about Resident Evil on Gamecube, still the same game as Resident Evil on PS1? What about GOTY editions of games that add all of this DLC and such, still the same game? Remakes like Zero Mission? Ok that last one is definitely its own game, but some of the others aren't as clear-cut.

It wouldn't be a reason to not do it, but, especially with a database created by a bunch of users, it'd be tough to find the rule that could be and would be applied consistently to everything. That's one advantage to keeping things more SKU-based.

Speaking of DLC, it would make sense to make fit that into our database, but that's another thing that brings up weird exceptions you have to deal with. Like how NSLU is technically DLC for NSMBU if you buy it digitally, but can also be bought at retail as its own game.

@Zero I'm sorry, I hope I didn't sound disrespectful. I think what I was trying to ask was, has anyone requested this? Honest question, I have no idea if people have or not.

And yeah, it can definitely be tough to figure out what versions of games should go together. My general rule of thumb is if anything about the game was changed, as that makes it a different experience. Even HD can be a pretty big change for graphics, so if it were up to me I'd have that as a separate entry. But I will follow whatever rules are in place when I add games.

As for New Super Luigi U, I think this is just an exception. It'll probably be the one and only piece of DLC that was also a retail disc, so we may not really have to worry about how to classify these things, and just set this as either a game or DLC and leave it at that, even if it isn't exactly correct.

Yeah lots of people have requested it. Some have even stated that they don't use the database now since, being Nintendo-only, it means they still need to use another database elsewhere to track / manage their full collections anyway, and they don't want to be messing with two different databases. Though whether they actually will move to this one once they can list anything here, who knows. It's still tough to get people to give up what they're already using.

Plus I kind of wanted it too, since I currently have no way to track my non-Nintendo stuff the way I track my Nintendo stuff here.

The way the database has worked and will continue to work, at least for now, is that, except for the virtual console (and moving forward anything similar on non-Nintendo platforms), any new release of a game is its own entry, even if it is just a port or whatever.

@Zero Ah I see, that makes more sense now, thanks for explaining. I guess it is what it is.

All this reminds me, I haven't added anything to the database in a long time! I should get on that...

Jargon said:

@Mop it up

I'd say that's still lumpable

That doesn't seem lumpable at all. Its got a whole bunch of different things. This isn't like only changing "Jihad" to "Lazer" in Ogre Battle, we're talking about additional dungeons and characters.

If THAT is lumpable, whats to stop Wii U games from being lumped with old HD games on other consoles (ie: Arkham City and Armored Edition)? Would you lump all of the Rayman games for Wii U / 360 / PS3?


I don't even know what to...

@Mop it up

In the end, I think they're pretty much the same games.

@Mr_Mustache

Yup I'd lump.

Some of the changes to the database just make me want to use it less than I already do (which is not much). I think simpler is better in regards to it.

Here's what I think we should do with the database:

1.) Just have the most relevant systems at the top, kind of like how we have United States and Canada at the top of a lot of pulldown menus.
2.) Don't worry about whether or not a game is digital or retail, or whether or not is has an online component.
3.) List all the Nintendo consoles:

Wii U
3DS
Wii
DS
Gamecube
Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Color
N64
SNES
Game Boy
NES

And for anything else, just add "Other." If people want to add 360 games or whatever, let them add games, but we'll just keep them under their own umbrella.

The Negative World Database IMO should first and foremost be a reflection of the community. We don't need a ton of info. We just need to know which games are on which platforms, which are most popular, which are most wanted, etc. It's not really a shopping list. We just want to know how the games relate to the community.

And having an "Other" category lets us add whatever we want (I imagine there will be very few of these games anyway), so we can get in some of our other favorites.

It would also state again that we are first and foremost a Nintendo community. I think the forums are fair game for any kind of discussion, but in regards to the database, let's keep it Nintendo centric. I don't have Mega Man on my background for nothing.

@PogueSquadron I like simple too, but certain additions were kind of necessary in order to get VC away from being its own platform and integrated into the others better.

The actual act of adding to collection / adding to log / rating games has remained the same though. It's just a tad bit more work to add a game to the database itself. "Online" has always been there though, because people used to be able to add friend codes for online games. Now that there is one system code this is no longer necessary... perhaps it could be removed as a field.

I think you're going to be wrong about the "other" games, I'm sure there will be a lot. I'm going to add my entire collection, for one, which includes a bunch of Sony stuff. But I also feel like you're not looking from the perspective of how people could fully use the database features. To throw every other platform into one "other" makes it more difficult to use for those other platforms, while not really adding any advantages.

I understand the concern about clutter but there are a million ways to deal with that. Even in the filter right now I could (and maybe will, if it seems to be the best way to handle it) make it so that when someone moves the Nintendo option to "Yes" it only shows Nintendo platforms in the platform option. It's one extra step to select "Yes" first, but that's like an added second of time. Hell, if enough users really don't like seeing the non-Nintendo stuff, I could add a user option to pick a default database view, and whoever doesn't want to see non-Nintendo stuff would never have to. Not worth worrying about too much. Actually even easier would be to just have a few different links in the Games menu next to database... "All", "Nintendo only" or whatever. People who want to only see Nintendo stuff just select that link instead of All. Easy peasy.

Example of Nintendo only link

So yeah, mention concerns, but know that I've thought about them and am planning on making things work smoothly for everyone. For those who only want to see Nintendo stuff, it really won't be that different than before.

@ZeroZero said:

To be honest the idea of a forum open to non-Nintendo discussion but the database not being never made much sense to me.

Linko

Zero said:

Well, whatever happens with the database, the SITE is not becoming a multi-platform site. News, reviews, top 10 lists, etc. will still be Nintendo-only and members will still be required to understand and respect that this is a Nintendo fansite first and foremost.

Zero said:

The site will never be multi-platform!

We've had some quacking for a while, and we're fixin' to add a bill and webbed feet real soon.

So you're saying a site that has always allowed Nintendo fans to talk about other games on the forum because most Nintendo fans are also fans of other games has become something completely different because Nintendo fans can now manage their entire game collection on here because most Nintendo fans are also fans of other games? Sorry, don't agree with that assessment.

All public content is still Nintendo only, all members sign up knowing full well it is a Nintendo site and that there are certain "rules" they must follow to be a part of it, all members must respect Nintendo in discussions (discussion which isn't going to change because of database changes), etc.

You just have to get over the fact that some... actually most... Nintendo fans do play a wide variety of games on a wide variety of platforms.

@Zero

Oh, I'm fine with that, I fully understand that.

But you can't say "we'll never be multi-platform!" when we've got a non-OT Bioshock thread on Page 1, a Spelunky thread (non-OT) on Page 2, and Humble Bundle things on Page 3 right now. What is that stuff? Just threads in the breeze?

You know, as far as some users are concerned, the message board is the -ENTIRE- site.

@Mr_Mustache We also have a Fantasy Football thread. Does that mean we are a Fantasy Football site? No? But we totally have a thread about it! Nintendo fans like talking about other things sometimes. Oddly enough, sometimes those other things are video games on other platforms.

Mr_Mustache said:

You know, as far as some users are concerned, the message board is the -ENTIRE- site.

I'd say that is the majority of the users, which is why I don't understand why letting people have more options in the database, which is just a small part of the site, suddenly changes the entire site into something else.

@Zero

Fantasy Football thread is OT. Just like the Movies thread. Oh, and, the people playing Fantasy Football are all Negative World members. AMAZING!

--No no; my point was that some people came to NW to get away from "LOOK HOW AWESOME BIOSHOCK IS," and yet its banner flies with unbridled enthusiasm on Page 1 (14 pages!!). Wonderful 101? Page 3. What about the Pikmin 3 thread? Halfway down Page 2. This game we've all been waiting for years. Halfway down Page 2..

I think the forum is fair game for whatever kinds of discussions we want to have, but I think the database line needs to be drawn at games available only on Nintendo consoles. After all, Nintendo World Report doesn't have reviews for other platforms. And didn't you once say "Why can't we be the NWR of forums?" I'm probably misquoting you, but I think that when it comes to game rankings, info, etc, we need to remain a Nintendo only site.

And I still think that in regards to the database, game info isn't as important as just knowing what games we all own and on what platform. The game database should be a reflection of what Nintendo games we all have, and which ones we're looking forward to.

That's why I think having an "Other" category makes the most sense. It's not unlike how we put [OT] at the beginning of any thread dedicated to a Non-tendo game.

I might be coming into this convo late in the game but I am glad we have a place to talk about Bioshock. I don't want to hear from the gamers who don't play Nintendo games. To have friends who are Nintendo fans (many first and foremost) but who discuss a game/franchise I love on another system is nice. I appreciate it. The fact that it's currently bumped isn't great evidence considering it fell many pages before being bumped again and it's only bumped up because of new activity I believe, just like how Pushmo was recently big on the main page again for a moment.

This site should not be exclusive when it comes to video game discussions but I do appreciate as, Pogue detailed, the strong Nintendo focus. I worry about the idea of opening the site up like is happening but at the same time, I guess it would be pretty cool to be able to share what Steam games or Xbox games I own. We talk about Sega Genesis games here for instance and I am glad that we do, but of course it doesn't seem like it's some other company because Nintendo has had Genesis games on their console for a while.

I don't think that the inclusion of other consoles into the database will encourage other non-nintendo fans to join, which is probably okay because this site should first and foremost be about Nintendo fans and for Nintendo fans. However, as I said above, I like that I can talk about Bioshock if I want and then gush about Mario Bros.

How this fits into ya'll's convo, I dunno. Just felt like adding my two pennies.

@DrFinkelstein

Oh? You should gush about Mario some more as he isn't even listed on Page 1 at all.
He's in a Poll on Page 2, and Mario Golf (GBC) on Page 3. Where is the gushing?

@Mr_Mustache If you came to Negative World to get away, I think you were misguided. It's always been this way man. Heavy Rain love, 2009. PC Indie game love, 2009. PS3 love, 2009. Virtua Fighter 5 love, 2009. Anand and his 'Splosion Man obsession, 2009. Valkyria Chronicles love, 2009

On and on. You're lamenting the loss of something that only existed as an ideal in your own head. We have always been a group of Nintendo fans talking about anything and everything we care about, which of course includes games on non-Nintendo platforms. Never in the history of Negative World has this been not ok. What isn't ok is haters showing up talking exclusively about non-Nintendo stuff while hating on Nintendo stuff.

I dunno, to me it's like the equivalent of telling a bunch of people on an "open" Baseball forum that they should talk about anything else they want because it's just Baseball fans hanging out and we don't mind off-topic stuff... except never talk other sports like Football and Basketball. Talk about how much you love hot dogs, talk about your favorite Spice Girl, talk about koala bears, but don't talk about other sports! That just doesn't make sense to me.

@PogueSquadron We won't have reviews for non-Nintendo stuff either, nor official game discussion threads for it, so it isn't affecting our public feeds at all. It's just going to be in the database. All public feeds remains the same, the forum remains the same. The only changes are to the database, and maybe we'll have a single non-Nintendo top 10 list appear on the top 10 page, but certainly we won't have all of the non-Nintendo consoles have their own top 10 lists.

But yeah, we will have rankings, etc. for non-Nintendo stuff, and why not? I actually think it will be very interesting to see what the most beloved non-Nintendo stuff is here. Will it be the same kind of stuff as other sites, like Halo, Call of Duty, etc.? Or will it be weird obscure stuff? I think 'Stache or someone was worried about non-Nintendo stuff topping the biggest Nintendo stuff here, but I really don't see that happening. Halo topping Ocarina of Time on Negative World? Yeah right.

I think it's important to realize what the database actually represents. We don't go there for info, but rather to see what the Nintendo community is excited about. I think that's what separates us from other forums. It's why, in our podcasts, we briefly talk about Non-tendo games and mainly focus on Nintendo content.

So yeah, I think having side discussions and comments about Non-tendo stuff is great, but in regards to "official" NW content, I think it should stay at just the Nintendo stuff. I have always viewed this as a Nintendo site that sometimes meanders into other game discussions, and I think including MS and Sony stuff on the database kind of goes against that.

At the very least, I think a compromise could be made where any non-tendo game is put into a category of "Other."

Edit: On a side note - why not have information about the database go out into the news feed? Why isn't that an official part of our site? When you add games to the database, you can make a thread about it that goes into the FB feed. I don't know why that would be any less official than any other part of the site.

@Mr_Mustache

What's stopping you from posting about how great Mario is right now?