dhaabi's VGC Database Work

[dhaabi]

Following tripredacus and telly, I thought it may be beneficial to keep track of the progress I've made with VGC's database as I've just finished tackling a project I originally underestimated.

After about eight months, I've finally finished cataloging new entries and updating existing ones within PlayStation [JP]. In that time, PlayStation [CN] and PlayStation [KR] categories have been added to the database as well. Overall, I'm pleased with the work across the three categories, as nearly every entry is as fully fleshed-out as can be, aside from Box Text information. When I began the main [JP] project, the category had roughly 1,875 entries and now currently holds 4,620 entries. Technically, that number can still grow, as I didn't go out of my way to create separate entries for bundled items that include games in their own separate packaging. At the same time, there is information that I came across that I couldn't find physical evidence for, in addition to finding items that I couldn't properly identify well enough to create a proper entry.

Moving forward, I feel as if, for now, I will largely be working on improving the PlayStation categories, although I may venture into other areas from time to time. My next immediate project is to work on the PlayStation Demo category. I've already collected as much information that I've been able to find for PlayStation demos and non-retail releases, and I plan on tackling at least the Japanese side to it, although I'm sure I'll work toward the other regional sections within the category as well at some point. However, there is a lot less documented information on these items, unlike with retail releases.

I've documented all the information in a spreadsheet, although there is still a fair chunk that has been difficult to find information for. If you're wanting to take a look at what information I've collected so far and to see if you can fill in some of the blank information yourself, I'd be very appreciative.

On that note, if anyone would like to help me with information across some of the areas I've worked on and plan to work on soon, I've made additional spreadsheets that can be viewed publicly that details all the information I currently have gathered and what I'm still missing. If you know any additional information for the items I can't verify or have any knowledge whatsoever and would be willing to share, that would be a tremendous help. Thank you!

MISSING INFORMATION
Missing JP PlayStation Demo / 非売品 Spreadsheet
Missing PlayStation [JP] Entries Spreadsheet
Missing PlayStation [CN] Entries Spreadsheet
Missing Official PlayStation Accessory Entries Spreadsheet
Missing PSP UMD Video [JP] Information Spreadsheet
Missing PlayStation 5 Hardware Information Spreadsheet

Atari Demo Disk
Computer and Video Games Issue 128
Microsoft Xbox 360 - Lips
PlayStation Demo Disc - Ver.1.15
Playstation UR NOT (Red)e

Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?
Metroid Prime TotalGames.net Guide
Drag-On Dragoon 2 Strategy Guide Book
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero Ultimate Strategy Guide
Tron 2.0 Official Strategy Guide


CLEAN CATEGORIES
3DO: 3DO Accessory, 3DO Demo, 3DO Hardware, 3DO [EU], 3DO [JP], 3DO [NA]
Casio: Casio Loopy Accessory [JP], Casio Loopy Hardware, Casio Loopy [JP], PV-1000 Hardware, PV-1000 [JP]
Game.com: Game.com Accessory, Game.com Hardware, Game.com [NA]
Nintendo Network: DSi Shop [NA], Nintendo eShop (Switch) [NA]
Nintendo Other: Game & Watch, Nintendo iQue [CN], Nintendo Mini Classics, Pokémon Mini Hardware, Pokémon Mini [EU], Pokémon Mini [JP], Pokémon Mini [NA], Virtual Boy Hardware, Virtual Boy [JP], Virtual Boy [NA]
Nintendo Switch: Nintendo Switch Accessories, Nintendo Switch Demo, Nintendo Switch Hardware, Nintendo Switch [AU], Nintendo Switch [CN], Nintendo Switch [EU], Nintendo Switch [JP], Nintendo Switch [KR], Nintendo Switch [NA], Nintendo Switch [TW]
Pioneer: Pioneer LaserActive Hardware, Pioneer LaserActive [JP], Pioneer LaserActive [NA]
Playdia: Playdia Hardware, Playdia [JP]
PlayStation: PlayStation Accessory, PlayStation Demo, PlayStation Hardware, PlayStation [AU], PlayStation [CN], PlayStation [EU], PlayStation [JP], PlayStation [KR], PlayStation [NA]
PlayStation 2: PlayStation 2 Accessory, PlayStation 2 Demo, PlayStation 2 Hardware, PlayStation 2 [AU], PlayStation 2 [CN], PlayStation 2 [EU], PlayStation 2 [JP], PlayStation 2 [KR], PlayStation 2 [NA]
PlayStation 4: PlayStation 4 Accessory, PlayStation 4 Demo, PlayStation 4 Hardware, PlayStation 4 [AU], PlayStation 4 [BR ], PlayStation 4 [CN], PlayStation 4 [EU], PlayStation 4 [JP], PlayStation 4 [KR], PlayStation 4 [NA], PlayStation 4 [TW]
PlayStation 5: PlayStation 5 Accessory, PlayStation 5 Demo, PlayStation 5 Hardware, PlayStation 5 [AU], PlayStation 5 [BR ], PlayStation 5 [CN], PlayStation 5 [EU], PlayStation 5 [JP], PlayStation 5 [KR], PlayStation 5 [NA], PlayStation 5 [TW]
PlayStation Network: PlayStation Network (PS4) [NA], PlayStation Network (PS5) [NA]
PlayStation Vita: PlayStation Vita Accessory, PlayStation Vita Hardware, PlayStation Vita [AU], PlayStation Vita [CN], PlayStation Vita [EU], PlayStation Vita [JP], PlayStation Vita [KR], PlayStation Vita [NA], PlayStation Vita [TW]
Virtual Reality: Dedicated VR Accessories, Dedicated VR Games, Dedicated VR Hardware
Wii: Wii Accessory, Wii Demo, Wii Hardware, Wii [AU], Wii [BR ], Wii [EU], Wii [JP], Wii [KR], Wii [NA]
Wii U: Wii U Accessory, Wii U Hardware, Wii U [AU], Wii U [EU], Wii U [JP], Wii U [NA]
Xbox 360: Xbox 360 Accessory, Xbox 360 Demo, Xbox 360 Hardware, Xbox 360 [AU], Xbox 360 [CN], Xbox 360 [EU], Xbox 360 [JP], Xbox 360 [KR], Xbox 360 [NA]
Xbox One: Xbox One Accessory, Xbox One Hardware, Xbox One [AU], Xbox One [BR ], Xbox One [CN], Xbox One [EU], Xbox One [JP], Xbox One [KR], Xbox One [NA], Xbox One [TW]
Xbox Series X: Xbox Series X Accessory, Xbox Series X Hardware, Xbox Series X [AU], Xbox Series X [BR ], Xbox Series X [CN], Xbox Series X [EU], Xbox Series X [JP], Xbox Series X [KR], Xbox Series X [NA], Xbox Series X [TW]

* complete, incomplete

[jason]

Thanks so much for your hard work on this front!

[weirdfeline]

Nice!

[Flashback2012]

Thanks so much for your hard work on this front!

Seconded. 

[monkeyjam]

Really nice, thank you!

[mastafafik]

Thank you for your hard work! 

[leonefamily]

PlayStation [KR] would make no sense to add to the database because it was never released in South Korea. The first PlayStation they got was the PS2 with model SCPH-30005 and SCPH-30005 R.

Edit: Oh wait I forgot, despite never getting the console they did get a few late PS1 titles (because PS2 retrocompatibility)

[dhaabi]

PlayStation Demo has been fully organized and updated. Every entry has been as fleshed out with as many details as I could find, aside from Box Text information for large compilation items. I was not expecting the ridiculous amount of "Demo 1" variants.

However, I still am unsure about these three items. If anyone knows any information for them, feel free to make the appropriate edits.
Atari Demo Disk, PlayStation Demo Disc - Ver.1.15, Ur Not e

My next task is to add Japanese demos to the PlayStation Demo category

[dhaabi]

Just finished cleaning up PlayStation Portable [JP]. There were a surprising amount of duplicate entries in addition to a dozen of UMD entries that needed to be re-categorized to PSP UMD [JP].

PlayStation 4 [NA] and Nintendo Switch [NA] should be now clear of all watermarks.

[jason]

Just finished cleaning up PlayStation Portable [JP]. There were a surprising amount of duplicate entries in addition to a dozen of UMD entries that needed to be re-categorized to PSP UMD [JP].

PlayStation 4 [NA] and Nintendo Switch [NA] should be now clear of all watermarks.

Thank you!

[dhaabi]

After two months, I've finished cleaning up all PlayStation 4 and Switch categories. My focus was to update items that are marketed online as Limited Edition but have no markings on the packaging itself that signifies as such. At the same time, I removed every instance of promotional artwork that I came across while adding improved artwork when I could find good quality images when entries were left without any artwork. Across all regions, items that were published by Limited Run Games, EastAsiaSoft, NIS America, and Idea Factory were serious problems when it comes to users supplying promotional artwork for image fields. Many of these same entries featured game case artwork that is found within Limited Edition packaging as any of the three art slots, which have also been updated or removed.

Initially, my objective was regarding Limited Edition items, but it turned into addressing every entry name I noticed that was formatted incorrectly or just wrong altogether. Entries should now be consistent, which was a problem with entry names requiring TLD or Limited Edition information especially. I found these goals to be important in aiding users quality examples for submitting new item entries, as most new entries submitted into the database are for current-gen categories while users generally ignore the style guide and instead observe existing entries.

I took a little time to dive into first-party Wii variants. So far, I've added more than 60 variants to the Wii [NA] category. If you own any first-party NA Wii game, chances are it is one of the variants I created an entry for. I also came across a good resource for PlayStation 4 Brazil games, so that category has been given good attention to as well.

Lastly, I worked on researching current-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Surprisingly, I was able to find quite a lot of regional variants for the latter, with the PlayStation 5 Hardware category already having 26 entries in the category. I think focusing on current-gen categories especially is important, as finding information online is much easier now than later. As far as hardware outside of the current generation, the Nintendo Switch category has been fully updated to address entries with incorrect formatting and poor front art. While working here, I added a healthy amount of new entries too.

[tripredacus]

One thing that I have done when trying to validate entries for the modern LEs, especially considering that people tend to make entries for SKUs instead of items, is to look for unboxing videos on youtube to determine what something looks like before it is opened, if it has some other things not actually included but sold together, etc. I do not really get the point of unboxing videos (they are generally quite boring to me) but for informational purposes they are very valuable.

[dhaabi]

if it has some other things not actually included but sold together

This is another huge personal gripe for me. There are more Limited Edition bundles with the game itself packaged separately outside of the Limited Edition packaging proper or without any game at all than people think. In the end, I moved 16 entries like these originally in gaming categories into Swag - Toys/Novelties.

[dhaabi]

It's been a while since I've updated. In the last few months, I've continued focused on cleaning existing categories in-full and will continue to do so. I've mostly been working backwards starting from current gen, as it's easiest to find information for modern releases. At the top of this thread's post, I will list the categories I've gone through or double-checked to ensure that they're clean, meaning that all entries are relevant to the category, there are no duplicate entries, entry names are correct, and, if possible, ensuring that every entry has front image art.

Aside from general cleaning, here are some contribution highlights:

PlayStation ID thread: It's complete, just not posted. I still need to clean PlayStation [EU] before I'd like the thread to go live. However, I'm waiting on a bug issue to be resolved before I begin updating entry names particularly.

PlayStation Accessory: I focused on submitting Japanese first-party items and official memory cards. There are resources covering some information for these items, but a lot of my own research was needed. I haven't been able to find anything close to a definitive official item list, so there are still plenty of official third-party items not in the database. Here is a spreadsheet of what I've gathered so far and am still missing. At some point, I'd like the category to house as many NA and EU items, but the category is good enough for now.

PlayStation 2 Accessory: Besides cleaning, I mostly added memory cards. In this category alone, I added 96 (!) unique memory card entries.

Xbox 360 Hardware: This was an absolute mess before addressing anything. Microsoft hardware categories from the this generation onward ideally should include the storage capacity as part of the entry name as there are far too many of the same bundles that can only be differentiated by this aspect. If anyone has any information regarding Microsoft Xbox 360 - Lips, it'd be great to contribute.

Virtual Reality: I re-categorized existing VR entries into their respective placement in the Dedicated VR categories. Before, all three categories (Accessories, Games, Hardware) were empty but each now have entries. There isn't much here currently, but it's a start.

Playdia [JP]: This category is now as detailed and complete as it probably will ever be until unknown releases become found, although I do believe all retail releases are now present.

[dhaabi]

I've updated several Demo categories for more modern platforms where digital demos are also available to download alongside physical items also existing. For digital demo entries, they are to be placed in their respective digital category (such as a downloadable Nintendo 3DS demos being placed in a Nintendo eShop (3DS) category.) Digital items of any kind do not belong in physical categories.

Some items I re-categorized were placed in their relevant digital category, while others were placed in Hardware, Promo Videos/Movies, and standard relevant game category.

These categories have all been cleaned with digital items having been moved:
Nintendo 3DS Demo
Nintendo DS Demo
Nintendo Switch Demo
PlayStation 3 Demo
PlayStation Portable Demo