Advanced Style Guide update and feedback thread

[tripredacus]

Removed the word "photoshopped" from the Images section of the Style Guide
https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,22.0.html

I will be making an addendum on the Adv Guide regarding acceptable uses of image editing in the coming days.

[empovyle]

Can you elaborate a little more on The Hyphen and the Edition rules? Why does Fallout: New Vegas - Collector's Edition get a hyphen but Fallout: New Vegas: Ultimate Edition does not? Is it just because the Ultimate Edition released afterwards? 
 
For a game like Godfall - Ultimate Edition (https://vgcollect.com/item/248048), why wouldn't it have a colon instead of the hyphen? 

How do the contents of the edition impact the naming scheme? If there's extra content included on the disc or in the digital game purchase, such as DLC, expansions, or exclusive content, does this make a difference on the naming choice? What about editions that include things like DLC codes (not on the disc), or downloadable content like soundtracks or themes, separate from the game itself? 
 
Edit: Also, what about digital games that are labelled "Standard Edition" -- is this worth putting into the name field or should it just go into the alt name field? If it goes in the main name field, should the normal game title go into the alt name field? For example, this one https://vgcollect.com/item/247882 "Immortals Fenyx Rising: Standard Edition" as the main name, "Immortals Fenyx Rising" as the alt name.   
 
Sorry for having so many questions! Just want to make sure I'm doing things right. 

[tripredacus]

Changed text on The Hyphen and the Edition from
"For releases that have a special ..."
to
"For physical releases that have a special ..."

Yes, New Vegas Ultimate Edition is a different release entirely. Usually a regular edition and LE/SE/whatever share the same media.

As seen above, digital games should not use hyphen.
When we made the rule change, it implied that existing items in the db would need to have their name changed to reflect the new policy. No one went on a bender to do this, so there are still items with the old method. I change them as I come across them.

Alt-name removed from Immortals Fenyx Rising. The alt-name should not have the same text string as in the title.

[tripredacus]

Added to Item Name post near the top

"Use the Chicago APA Style for capitalization of titles: https://capitalizemytitle.com/style/APA/"

[dhaabi]

Added to Item Name post near the top

"Use the Chicago APA Style for capitalization of titles: https://capitalizemytitle.com/style/APA/"

Chicago and APA are two different formatting styles. Which do you mean? So, for example:

APA | Disney’s Learning With Mickey
Chicago | Disney’s Learning with Mickey

[tripredacus]

Which is an example of one where with would be lowercase in your example and Starring would be capitalized as in the Top Cat example?

[dhaabi]

Which is an example of one where with would be lowercase in your example and Starring would be capitalized as in the Top Cat example?

"Starring" is never formatted in lowercase lettering when in title sequences, no matter what style is being used. It is a verb, and verbs are always capitalized.

The chief difference between APA and Chicago will mostly lie in how prepositions are formatted.

APA: Above, Around, Between, From, Into, Toward, Under, With
Chicago: above, around, between, from, into, toward, under, with

[dhaabi]

OFFICIAL Style Guide

After the release of a game do not upload covers that have a ESRB RP rating unless it is a demo disc/cart. For European games, do not upload images with the "Provisional" label under the PEGI rating.

ADVANCED Style Guide

6. Pre-release stock photo
Pre-release stock photos are identified in most cases by having a temporary content rating. A game released in North America may have an ESRB RP rating, or a game released in Japan after 2006 may have a CERO 審査予定 (CERO All) rating.

If the Advanced guide is an extension of the original rules, then that section of text should mention to not upload or submit these kinds of images post-release. See here: https://vgcollect.com/item/251540

[tripredacus]

Added this to item name in regards to Common Name sources:

A name source may have errors in their title that need to be corrected before used here. These may include using numeric vs roman numeral, title for a localised version that doesn't match the art, or a translation/romanization error.

Note that the way either Style or Adv Guide is written, there is not a hard requirement to use a GameFAQs name, or a common name exactly as represented. If a name source has an error you should not use the bad version as a title here. This is really only to come into play when dealing with "non-common" games. Common Name source was enacted primarily to deal with game series that have a common title different than what is on the box art. Such as .hack series, Call of Duty Black Ops 4, Resident Evil 7, Tomb Raider, etc.

[tripredacus]

Updated/Clarified the types of items allowed in Steam category in the Official Style Guide. New text:

What Steam items can be added to the site?
Games, Demos and most DLC can be added.

DLC that we do not track (no entries should be made)
- Soundtracks
- Digital Artbooks
- Workshop items
- Season Passes

Also do not make entries for Steam Inventory items such as cards, pack, gems, icons, wallpapers, coupons or in-game items such as CS:GO crates/skins, or other game cosmetics such as for CS:GO, H1Z1 or TF2 (just to name a few examples).

Game packs or bundles should not be added. All Steam items we add must have the word app in the Steam URL, for example:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/49520/Borderlands_2/

Ref: https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,22.msg84274.html#msg84274

[ignition365]

Updated/Clarified the types of items allowed in Steam category in the Official Style Guide. New text:

What Steam items can be added to the site?
Games, Demos and most DLC can be added.

DLC that we do not track (no entries should be made)
- Soundtracks
- Digital Artbooks
- Workshop items
- Season Passes

Also do not make entries for Steam Inventory items such as cards, pack, gems, icons, wallpapers, coupons or in-game items such as CS:GO crates/skins, or other game cosmetics such as for CS:GO, H1Z1 or TF2 (just to name a few examples).

Game packs or bundles should not be added. All Steam items we add must have the word app in the Steam URL, for example:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/49520/Borderlands_2/

Ref: https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,22.msg84274.html#msg84274

Example and request for clarification

Is this correct regarding Fallout 4's DLC for an example
These are acceptable:
Fallout 4 - High Resolution Texture Pack <https://store.steampowered.com/app/540810/Fallout_4__High_Resolution_Texture_Pack>
Fallout 4 Far Harbor <https://store.steampowered.com/app/435881/Fallout_4_Far_Harbor>
Fallout 4 Vault-Tec Workshop <https://store.steampowered.com/app/480631/Fallout_4_VaultTec_Workshop>
Fallout 4 - Contraptions Workshop <https://store.steampowered.com/app/480630/Fallout_4__Contraptions_Workshop>
Fallout 4 Nuka-World <https://store.steampowered.com/app/490650/Fallout_4_NukaWorld>
Fallout 4 - Wasteland Workshop <https://store.steampowered.com/app/435880/Fallout_4__Wasteland_Workshop>
Fallout 4 - Automatron <https://store.steampowered.com/app/435870/Fallout_4__Automatron>

These are not acceptable:
Fallout 4 Season Pass <https://store.steampowered.com/app/404090/Fallout_4_Season_Pass>
Fallout 4 - Creation Club <https://store.steampowered.com/app/598110/Fallout_4__Creation_Club/>

[tripredacus]

It is correct. However I want to add that there is no impetus for non-item owners (aka db curators) to go and start adding all this extra DLC, especially if you don't care to use those options personally. If someone wants to add it, then they can.

[tripredacus]

Added colon after punctuation information to Item Name post.

Subtitles after Punctuation
Subtitles use a colon but should not use a colon after punctuation. Some games will use punctuation such as ( ! ) or even a period ( . ) in an ancryonym before a subtitle. In these cases, the colon should be omitted.
Example: https://vgcollect.com/item/129976
correct: Overcooked! Special Edition
incorrect: Overcooked!: Special Edition

If there are other example you'd like to see included, feel free to post them here.

[dhaabi]

This grammar rule applies to all three sentence-ending symbols: the period ( . ), the exclamation mark ( ! ), and the question mark ( ? ). So, that should be noted in detail in the style guide.

? example: https://vgcollect.com/item/237620
correct: Saimin Seikatsu: Kousou Dakara Shikatanai!? UMD-PG Edition
incorrect: Saimin Seikatsu: Kousou Dakara Shikatanai!?: UMD-PG Edition

[pfogel]

I'm pretty confused with the explanation for Item numbers in the style guides. Not only in comparison of the two guides, but mostly because of the advanced guide itself.

The advanced style guide ( https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10837.msg178223.html#msg178223 ) has a priority list as

The priority list of which number is added to the item number field in the DB is:
1. The spine or side
2. The back
3. The front
4. Hidden or only on sealed samples
5. The media
Additional item numbers should be put into the description.

In the following explanations front and media is never mentioned but I think front is still pretty clear.

Hidden or only on sealed samples is within that 5 point list, but the explanations states those numbers should put into the description.
For the hidden numbers:

In the previous example we had shown how Nintendo has a number to represent the game, and another to represent the release. On older boxed releases this is the same but the item numbers are printed on the box tab/flap. Because it is impossible to see this number on a sealed sample, we put this into the description instead.

Just like the box flaps I wouldn't see the Item number of the Media on a sealed sample. Additionally the hidden numbers are prior to media on the list. Would I put media numbers in the description as well?
If so, I think the official style guide would also be misleading.

From the official style guide ( https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,22.0.html ):

Item numbers are the factory assigned number given to each product. Item number field priority is: Package spine, Package back, or that which is printed on the enclosed media. Additional item numbers can be put into the description field, including where that item number is located.

So the priority is
1. Spine
2. Back
3. Media

While I'm not sure about the media, based on the advanced guide I would have assumed to put the box flap number into the Item number field.