Revision (current)
Last Updated by adelikat 18 days ago
The site includes a [Games/List|Games database] where games that are published to the site are automatically added. This database can be edited using the [Games/List|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.
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!!! 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 [https://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/textsearch-controls.html#TEXTSEARCH-PARSING-QUERIES|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:
* Id: Each game entry, whether individually released or part of a multicart, has its own numerical ID that can be used to link them and is used in the URL for that specific entry. For example, ''Super Mario 64'' is [246G], ''Super Mario All-Stars: SMB3'' is [422G] and ''Quattro Adventure: Treasure Island Dizzy'' is [1001G]. The number is based on when that specific entry was created.
* Name
* Actions, which has:
** Edit: Only appears if one has the privileges to edit game entries, and allows one to edit said entry
** Versions
!!! 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: [817G] and [2362G].
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 [Text Formatting Rules] as a regular wiki page.
!! Details
Lists
* Platforms the game was released on. This is pulled from the list of game versions.
* An abbreviation for the game name
** Limited to 24 characters
** Use lowercase only, use dashes to separate words, no spaces or underscores
** Must be unique
** Abbreviations were previously limited to 8 characters and required for all games. Therefore many existing games have unhelpful or confusing abbreviations.
* Display Name, the name of the game that will be listed on the site. See [PublisherGuidelines#GameName].
* Link to Game Resources Page if it exists
** Formatted as GameResources/SystemCode/GameName
* Discussions: Forum threads discussing the game. This is set through the Catalog option on the forum thread.
* Game Groups: groups of relevant games. This is currently for series/franchises and derivatives of specific games. More information can be found in the [GamesHowTo#GameGroups|relevant section].
* Aliases: alternative names or search terms, separated by commas. What to add:
** Commonly used abbreviations, e.g. ''SMB3'' for ''Super Mario Bros 3''.
** Arabic numerals if the game has roman numerals, e.g. ''Ikari Warriors 2'' for ''Ikari Warriors II''.
** Other titles, e.g. ''Kage'' (Japanese title) and ''Blue Shadow'' (European title) for ''Shadow of the Ninja'' (US title).
*** If you know the writing system of the original release (often Japanese), add that. E.g. 悪魔城ドラキュラ for ''Castlevania''.
** Removed punctuation and alternative spellings. E.g. ''RC ProAm'' for ''R.C. Pro-Am'', ''Megaman'' for ''Mega Man''.
* Genres. Guidelines for genres can be found on the [MovieTagGuidelines#Genres|Movie Tag Guidelines] page.
([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:
* Screenshot Url: by default the screenshot of the game pulls from the baseline branch, but otherwise it could be manually set here.
!! 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
* System the version is for
* Name: The file name of the game's ROM/executable. If different game versions have the same filename, specify the version in parentheses.
* MD5 and SHA1 hashes
** It is not recommended to use bizhawk to obtain these as it can display the incorrect hash
* Type: Unknown, good, bad or hack (is this a good or a bad dump? Or some sort of hack?)
* Title Override: when different game versions were published with the same goal thanks to version differences, this field allows to indicate which is which.
** If official game titles for those versions are the same, a region or a numeric revision should be appended in parentheses after the game name. Example: [1466G].
** For different official titles, English or Romanic titles are preferred. Example: [140G].
* Version (number)
* Region: U, E, J, etc.
** W is worldwide, if regions are not applicable
!! Genres
(Note: Some content is paraphrased from [user:moozooh]; see [Forum/Posts/218442|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 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_film|Action film] genre.
There are genres that are, by this definition, subsets of "Action":
* [MovieTagGuidelines#Fighting|Fighting];
* [MovieTagGuidelines#Shooter|Shooter].
(Do not use "Action" for these.)
Examples:
* [1686M|Mega Man]
* [2312M|Metal Gear]
* [1761M|Super Bomberman]
! 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":
* [MovieTagGuidelines#RPG|RPG];
* [MovieTagGuidelines#Storybook|Storybook].
(Do not use "Adventure" for these.)
Examples:
* [1685M|The Legend of Zelda]
* [1054M|Maniac Mansion]
* [1368M|Super Metroid]
! Fighting
A subset of [MovieTagGuidelines#Action|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:
* [485M|Double] [1279M|Dragon] [1156M|series]
* [934M|Mortal] [759M|Kombat] series
* [2488M|Punch-Out!!]
! 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 [MovieTagGuidelines#Action|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:
* [1715M|Super Mario] series
* [2410M|Sonic the Hedgehog] series
! Puzzle
This genre encompasses all games where logic and puzzle-solving are the main ideas.
Examples:
* [1252M|Lemmings]
* [703M|The Lost Vikings]
* [2142M|Tetris] games
! Racing
A subset of [MovieTagGuidelines#Sport|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:
* [946M|Diddy Kong Racing]
* [1348M|Excitebike]
* [1126M|Super Mario Kart]
! RPG
Role-playing games are a subset of [MovieTagGuidelines#Adventure|adventure] games that are notoriously hard to describe and discern. Usually they have at least two of the following characteristics:
* massive nonlinearity – the player can revisit most (or all) of the earlier visited locations and make choices that affect the game's continuity at several parts of its progression;
* [[nearly-]]direct control of the character development – depending on the game it may mean everything from player character's equipment and personal attributes to morality and outlook on the game world;
* ability to handle in-game situations in several different ways – for instance, by fighting, reasoning, or deceit/bribery.
Examples:
* [2339M|Chrono Trigger]
* [1482M|Dragon Warrior] series
* [2079M|Final Fantasy] series
! Shooter
A subset of [MovieTagGuidelines#Action|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:
* [1783M|Contra]
* [711M|Gradius]
* [814M|Star Fox]
! Sport
A genre that encompasses all sports games, including all board/card games. [MovieTagGuidelines#Racing|Racing] games are a subset.
Examples:
* [1438M|International Super Star Soccer]
* [1118M|RBI Baseball]
* [1029M|Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3]
! Storybook
A subset of [MovieTagGuidelines#Adventure|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:
* [1952M|Déjà Vu]
* [1858M|Shadowgate]
* [2130M|Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom]
! 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:
* [1424M|Advance Wars] series
* [1878M|Fire Emblem] series
* [1312M|Shining Force]
! Unofficial Games
There are several types of unofficial games (combinations may happen):
* __Bootleg__ - A game based on an existing franchise, released on ''hardware without due authorization'' from the franchise owner.
* __[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_modding|Custom level set]__ - A game released on ''software'', that uses ''official'' ecosystem for modding.
* __[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_game|Fangame]__ - A game based on an existing franchise, released in ''software'' form ''without due authorization'' from the franchise owner.
* __[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ROM_hacking|Hack]__ - ''Unofficial'' modification of an existing game, released primarily in ''software'' form.
** [2639M|Super Demo World]
** [4227M|Super Boy II]
* __[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homebrew_(video_games)|Homebrew]__ - A game ''unofficially'' produced by ''hobbyists'' for a ''proprietary'' system which was not intended to be user-programmable.
** [1786M|Battle Kid]
* __Prerelease__ - An ''official early access'' (demo) release of a game.
* __Unlicensed game__ - A ''commercial'' game by an ''established developer'' for a ''proprietary'' system, that ''failed'' to meet console manufacturer's policies and get an official "seal of approval".
* __Unofficial port__ - An ''unauthorized'' game largely based on an existing game from a different system that attempts to ''replicate'' the original.
* __Unreleased game__ - A game that was more or less complete but its release got ''canceled''.
** [1236M|Star Fox 2]
!!! 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.