The site includes a Games database where games that are published to the site are automatically added. This database can be edited using the Game List or individual game pages.
We switched TASVideos navigation from centered around systems to being centered around individual games. Items in the Game selection drop-down menu on Userfiles and the catalog page linked from each submission are directly taken from the available game entries. Playground runs will also go on game pages when the functionality is built. There are other planned features as well.
This page is to explain how to navigate the games list, how the individual pages are structured, and how to maintain the database.
Table of contents

Games list

At the top of the page is a search bar, which uses the same search engine as the regular search at the top of every page (For more information, see the postgres text parsing documentation). Next to the search bar is a dropdown list of systems so one can narrow down searches to what system a game is for, or view all games that have entries for said system.
If one has the privileges to edit game pages, there is a "Create" button that allows one to create a new game entry.
Below that is the list of games, with four columns:

Game entries

When several independent games on the same system have the same title, they warrant separate game entries, and the main thing that distinguishes between them is added in parentheses, usually the publisher. Examples: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Taito) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (UBI Soft).
If several games look like slightly tweaked variations of the same game, to the point when their movies can obsolete one another, they need to be in the same game entry.
When different episodes or level sets of the same game come on different mediums, and can't be selected from the same menu, they warrant separate game entries.

Structure of Game Pages

Description

Describes the game.
This section follows the same TextFormattingRules as a regular wiki page.

Details

Lists
(TODO: link to separate genre guidelines page once created)
Additional details that are not shown on the actual page but are able to be edited through this section:

Publications

All publications are shown here and can be selected by branch. Clicking the title takes you to the publication page. Playground TASes should eventually be listed below this.
Below the publications, there is an alternative list of publications linked, a linked publication history of the game, a link of all submissions tied to this game entry, and all userfiles that are tied to this game entry.

Game Versions

In this section is a list of versions of this game and info about them including

Genres

(Note: Some content is paraphrased from moozooh; see original forum post.)

Action

Action is a broad term for games where various forms of violence are a major part of game-play; usually it's the main way for the game to interact with the player (and, more often than not, vice versa). This is often indicated by the player's character having one or more weapons or melee attacks which are used to traverse the game environment and deal with the enemies on the way.
Note that this game genre is commonly defined as one where you are required to act quickly and precisely, which is so common at TASVideos that it can be considered default. So not to mark 90% of all TASes as Action, we use the definition that is closer to that of Action film genre.
There are genres that are, by this definition, subsets of "Action":
(Do not use "Action" for these.)
Examples:

Adventure

This genre commonly gives the player secondary goals and allows him/her to revisit earlier locations with no hard time limit.
There are genres that are, by this definition, subsets of "Adventure":
(Do not use "Adventure" for these.)
Examples:

Fighting

A subset of action games that generally feature melee combat between the protagonist and a certain number of antagonists. At TASVideos, this tag is used for versus fighters (1-on-1 or similar) as well as for brawlers (where several enemies are let on the screen in packs, only allowing the player to progress when every one of them is defeated).
Examples:

Platform

Not a genre per se, "Platform" indicates that the game environment is primarily composed of platforms (forgoing logic or realism in their placement) that force the player to traverse them using jumps or similar ways of movement.
The difference between this genre and Action is that navigating platforms is the main focus in this style of game. A game like Mega Man can be a platform game, however shooting with the Mega Buster and defeating enemies is an important part of gameplay as well. This makes it both a Platform and an Action game. Careful thought should be given to whether a game should have "Genre: Action", "Genre: Platform", or both as tags.
This is the most typical genre for TASVideos by far.
Examples:

Puzzle

This genre encompasses all games where logic and puzzle-solving are the main ideas.
Examples:

Racing

A subset of sports games (don't let the two overlap) where the primary objective is to complete a course as fast as possible either against a timer or one or more opponents.
Examples:

RPG

Role-playing games are a subset of adventure games that are notoriously hard to describe and discern. Usually they have at least two of the following characteristics:
Examples:

Shooter

A subset of action with large emphasis on shooting and dodging enemy projectiles (or killing enemies before they can shoot them). For 2D games this more often than not implies single-hit-deaths.
Examples:

Sport

A genre that encompasses all sports games, including all board/card games. Racing games are a subset.
Examples:

Storybook

A subset of adventure with a menu-driven interface. Most or all of the interaction is turn-based and is done on a fixed screen by the means of a cursor.
Examples:

Strategy

A well-established genre where the player has to manage their combat forces and/or economical resources in real-time or by taking turns. The objective is to achieve certain goals (more often than not being the elimination of the opposing parties). "God simulation" games are also covered by this tag.
Examples:

Unofficial Games

There are several types of unofficial games (combinations may happen):

Game Groups

Game groups are sets of games that are related in some way. Currently there are two different uses of game groups. The first are for linking various franchises or series together. The other is for documenting derivative games such as hacks, level packs, etc. If a group of derivative games exists, it should be linked in the description of the original game.
The full list of groups can be found at GameGroups/List. Additional game groups can also be created there if one has the proper privileges.

Combining/Removing entries

Combining entries can be done through rewiring. This is a higher level access privilege that can be reached through Games/List. This will move over all relevant versions, publications, submissions, and userfiles from one entry to another. This leaves behind a now orphaned entry.
Rewiring should be done when cross obsoletion is likely to occur or if two versions of a game are similar enough that somebody searching is likely to want to see both.
Deleting entries can be done through the Edit button in the Details section if nothing is attached to that entry. Note that deleting currently does not automatically remove genres and game groups, so make sure to remove those first in a separate edit.
GamesHowTo last edited by adelikat 4 days ago
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