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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@PogueSquadron But many of us also use the database to keep track of our game collections, and it's really annoying to only get to keep track of half our collection. In fact, I'd say that is one of the primary reasons that I built the database back in the days, the "what are people excited about" is the top 10 page, which is separate from the database for a reason. The database is just raw data.

I'm not downing your personal reasons for using the database, but I don't think you can speak for the site as a whole. The majority of database users were for the additions in the poll I ran. And it will still be just as easy to see what Nintendo stuff people care about. Just use the Nintendo-only filter!

@Mr_Mustache

You can't look at a single snapshot in time to judge something like that. When Mario has a reason to gush, it's gushed. Look at how often Animal Crossing threads have been staying on the front page. My main discussion thread is something like over sixty pages. That's discussion mostly too and not trades.

I've been playing Mario Golf a little, so if you'd like I can go post in that thread. I probably will regardless of reason at some point. Last I posted in there I was on the fence. I also cannot wait to discuss the Super Mario 3D World Wii U title coming in 2.5 months. But I wont start a thread about it till we're closer. There are other things to talk about.

@DrFinkelstein

Yeah..I see the Animal Crossing threads. (sidebar: do we REALLY need 3? We manage to keep everything contained to a single Monster Hunter 3U thread)

--Anyway, we P&M here about how little respect the Wii U gets, and we're all upset with how poorly it is selling..and then you look at a NINTENDO SITE, and only 3-4 threads on the front page are about the home console! Don't you dare blame Nintendo and their releases, because they just had a price drop, and we've got a HUGE fall coming. Wonderful 101 is out in like a week. The front page REEKS of "don't dig the Wii U? Just get Bioshock instead. Or a 3DS."

So, if we, at a NINTENDO SITE can't even talk about Wii U...what the HELL are we complaining about?
(I know what I'M complaining about, but that stuff is A-OK to you guys.)

@PogueSquadron The non-Nintendo stuff isn't going out to the news feeds because the site is, despite Mustache protests, still a Nintendo fan site. To me it's one thing to have these options for our userbase to use, but our public content is another thing entirely. I've set things up so game official discussion threads and review threads can only be made for stuff on Nintendo platforms. So there won't BE any non-Nintendo stuff there to go to the feeds anyway.

@Mr_Mustache I'm not sure what you're complaining about. If you think there is potential for a Nintendo-related thread that hasn't been posted yet, by all means make it.

@Zero

Who gets feeds? I sure as heck don't. What goes out on a feed is "irrelevant" to me.

Our Podcasts contain Non-Nintendo talk, too.

Mr_Mustache said:

The front page REEKS of "don't dig the Wii U? Just get Bioshock instead. Or a 3DS."

And what's wrong with that? Even the most hardcore Nintendo site shouldn't be saying "Don't dig the Wii U? Too bad! You have to get one." or "Don't dig the Wii U? Then get the fuck off the site."

Yeah we actually have a very small amount of non-Nintendo threads going on right now.

I don't want to turn this into a discussion about what threads NW will or will not allow. Obviously we have to have some OT threads because we're not IGN or NWR - we don't have off topic boards that people can go to. That's the compromise we make for a Nintendo themed forum. So unless Zero changes the site's structure and has a couple different boards to post on, I don't think we can expect that to change, nor should we want to.

In regards to specifically the database, I still think keeping it as simple and fun is the best way to go. It's a reflection of our Nintendo-dom, and as long as it's easy to add games and see what people are playing, that's all we can really hope for.

@Jargon

Do you not believe the Wii U is worth owning? I can tell you with great certainty: "it is."

@Mr_Mustache

It's worth owning for me, for sure. But I'm not every person, and neither are you.

By the way, I count 19 threads relating specifically to Nintendo on the front page, 1 about a non-Nintendo video game and 3 miscellaneous OT (music, fantasy football, gadgets). Not really what you're making it seem like.

@Mr_Mustache And what is irrelevant to you is all that matters, huh?

"The public" gets feeds. Which is where our new users come from (outside of those who come from word of mouth.) So the fear that all of these not Nintendo fans will swarm the site because it is no longer Nintendo... not a fear. All the public sees is Nintendo stuff on a Nintendo site.

@Jargon But it doesn't actually say that at all. Mustache is reading some weird junk into it.

BTW, the front page of the forum is ALL Nintendo-related threads except:
Bioshock Infinite
Fantasy Football
What are you listening to?
Tech / Gadgets / etc.
Futurama

So if this trend holds, essentially this complaint about all of this non-Nintendo gaming talk here comes down to about 1 non-Nintendo gaming related thread for every 20 Nintendo gaming related threads? Don't see this as a big deal.

@Zero

True. And the fact that he seems to be upset about the 3DS and Animal Crossing having so many threads make me think this is more about his personal desires than anything else.

@Mr_Mustache

Nintendo games should have main discussion threads. Thread 1. Trading is time-relevant and the primary discussion would be significantly disjointed with various people trying to trade items while others try to discuss the game. Thread 2. Turnip Prices, maybe not essential. Could have been a part of Trading. Yet, I didn't make that thread. Others apparently felt it should be separate. Thread 3.

Short answer, Yes.

Where is anyone squashing Wii U discussion? Plus, where is the front page totally anti-Nintendo? Allow me to screengrab this.


Nintendo-Related Threads
Mighty No 9 Kickstarter, Shantae on Kickstarter for Wii U, Streetpass, Animal Crossing, Breath of Fire II on VC, Wind Waker HD's bonus, Retro Game Club, Giana Sisters on Wii U eShop, Nintendo Download for this week, Roy's Top 10 Nintendo Hand Bosses, Earthbound Epic Center, Fortune Street, 3DS SD card usage, Pokemon X and Y news, Club Nintendo, Rayman Legends discussion, and the latest Nintendo podcast, which features only a small amount of Walking Dead on Steam discussion because it was relevant to Backlaugust.

Non-Nintendo Threads about Gaming
Bioshock Infinite is gorgeous

Non-Gaming Threads
Site Database discussion, Fantasy Football, Music people are listening to, Technology and Gadgets thread, Futurama is Cancelled again

So again, I think you focus so much on Bioshock when your 'snapshot in time' concept doesn't hold water. Of those 19 or so Nintendo threads, 10 have relevance to Wii U.

Edit: Geez, you all had the same argument as me but I took longer to display it.

Solid teamwork, guys. As you were.

@Mr_Mustache

None of us are communicating. It just so happens the truth about the forum, by your own rules of snapshotting in time, proves against your point. Hell, I appreciate your concern because you and I want a common goal, to have a great Nintendo forum that focuses on Nintendo games. Thing is, it still does.

I don't want to feel like I'm being antagonistic against you and trust that nobody aims to do that to you. I hope you don't feel like that.

It's not just a snapshot in time though, I've been here since literally day one (you know, since I built the place) and I know what my intentions for the forum have always been, and how, for the most part, the forum has matched those intentions. There was never, ever any idea of barring non-Nintendo game talk. We wanted to get away from the negative parts of IGN, not tell people they can't get excited and talk about good things.

Of course, things do change a bit in time, and obviously everyone doesn't have to agree with my ideas. In fact, every idea that I have, tons of people disagree with, so nothing would ever get done if I never did anything that people disagreed with. Which is why I do a lot of public polls and open major decisions up to discussion before moving forward. And when we did the poll / discussion for non-Nintendo games in the database, more people were for it than against it.

I also try to weigh the pros and cons in my head. In this case it's like... if we don't do it, what do the people who want it done lose? If we do it, what do the people who don't want it done lose? And it seemed to me like not doing it leaves a big hole in the functionality for the people who want it done, while doing it only adds a bit of annoyance to the people who don't want it... but I thought about and have implemented and plan to further implement ways to make this as small of a change for these people as possible, hopefully limiting any real annoyance.

Believe me, I never just rush ahead and do anything. I consider a lot, including the opinions of the members here.

All other considerations aside, anyone have any thoughts on how to handle "add-on" platforms like Sega CD and 32X? Should we make these unique platforms, or combine them with the platform that they connect to (Genesis?) I can see arguments for either way, and I think there will be cases beyond just the Sega stuff. Like there is that 64 DD drive, which never came to the West, but if it had?

@Zero

When I think of a Sega CD title, I think of the Sega CD. Same for 32X or 64DD or what have you. I say, Make em separate.

I think Sega CD as well. I still think the Nintendo consoles should be at the top of the list though, just to reiterate that they do take priority on here.

Places like GameFAQs have add-ons like the Sega CD and Sega 32X listed as separate systems, so I think it is generally accepted that they are separate.

Regarding the FORMAT label. I've been thinking about the objections brought up in regards to having to know this information before posting new games (yes, I do think about what people say sometimes!) and I think maybe I went overboard there. I originally envisioned this new label as necessary when combining eShop games with their respective platforms because I still wanted a way to do the top 10 eShop games lists and such, but now I'm thinking... why not just have a "DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE?" type label instead? It would still allow me to do top 10 eShop games and such, while not requiring additional knowledge from users before adding new games. In fact, it requires no more knowledge of a game's platforms than the old way did... back then it was, for instance, 3DS or 3DS eShop... this way it would be 3DS digital exclusive: no or 3DS digital exclusive: yes to get the same exact thing. Does this make sense?

With that said I'm at work today and I have no test environment here so I'm probably going to make some changes to the database live during the day. Some stuff might be broken / etc. for a bit while I'm hashing it out. I'd refrain from adding any new titles until I am done.

PS. Ok, Sega (and all other company) add-ons will be their own platforms. Makes the most sense to me too.

@PogueSquadron Makes sense, will do.