Author Topic: HOW TO HANDLE REVERSIBLE COVERS AND REPEAT?REDUNDANT ENTRIES  (Read 1553 times)

So, I'll try to keep this explanation simple.

Many PS4 games, especially Limited Run titles have reversible covers.

https://vgcollect.com/item/144239

https://vgcollect.com/item/164542

Games like Aaero have two entries in the database with the covers denoted in brackets. This should be a single entry that should somehow capture that the game was distributed with both covers facing outward at random. You can't consider tham alternate covers, simply opposite sides of the same coin (entry), and this single entry as it stands in the database, can only select one cover to display, as the outward facing side. I feel reversible covers should be handle differently than they currently are, as there is no way to adequately capture both sides in the same entry, but there should be. Thoughts
PSX LEGACY

A Physical Chronicle of games for posterity.

dhaabi

Re: HOW TO HANDLE REVERSIBLE COVERS AND REPEAT?REDUNDANT ENTRIES
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2022, 11:53:13 pm »
Every user on our site collects differently with some collecting sealed copies. If an individual item can be sealed with one of two cover choices outward-facing, a sealed collector may or may not know about this circumstance. If our database only includes one entry featuring only one of the two artwork possibilities, this leaves confusion open in addition to what a user may own not being best represented in the database. Therefore, for items like these, two entries are permitted.

This is not to say that all items with reversible covers are permitted to have unique entries. It is only in the instance of sealed copies are alternate entries permitted. For example, the Day One Edition of Nier: Automata features reversible cover art but only one side is ever outward-facing. Therefore, only one entry can be made for this specific item unless some other variant possibility is discovered.

Re: HOW TO HANDLE REVERSIBLE COVERS AND REPEAT?REDUNDANT ENTRIES
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2022, 12:36:57 am »
I get that, but having two entries for the same game that was distributed with both sides facing outward, it technically incorrect, as they are not two separate releases, they are the same item and the same release. It also unnecessarily over inflates the size and scope of peoples collections and creates a false narrative. I think the best way to handle the games that released as reversible with either side facing out, would be to add a classifier , ie. cover variance  > randomized reversible. Once the classifier is selected, it would allow two cover photos to be uploaded, and the user can select which of the two covers is outward facing on their copy. The mockup box shot the entry (once in the database with both possible covers entered into the single listing), could be a hybrid shot of the boxart with both covers in the thumbnail.
PSX LEGACY

A Physical Chronicle of games for posterity.

Re: HOW TO HANDLE REVERSIBLE COVERS AND REPEAT?REDUNDANT ENTRIES
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2022, 08:02:05 am »
How would it create a "false narrative"?  If a game had two different (sealed) covers, and someone owned both of them, they have two different physical copies, each with different physical properties.  Even if your solution (which would likely require a significant change to how the data is stored in the database) they would still require two separate entries in order to properly have the collection logged.


tripredacus

Re: HOW TO HANDLE REVERSIBLE COVERS AND REPEAT?REDUNDANT ENTRIES
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2022, 09:42:15 am »
Don't think of items (in physical categories) in the database as games, but rather as unique (retail) products.

leonefamily

PRO Supporter

Re: HOW TO HANDLE REVERSIBLE COVERS AND REPEAT?REDUNDANT ENTRIES
« Reply #5 on: July 28, 2022, 10:59:37 am »
I have to agree with all mods on this topic. I prefer to have everything separate in the database.
Freeze iou imperialist pig! Zat is ze propertay of ze Gouvernement Français. Hand eet over!

Re: HOW TO HANDLE REVERSIBLE COVERS AND REPEAT?REDUNDANT ENTRIES
« Reply #6 on: July 28, 2022, 12:51:49 pm »
A good example of the kind of tedium they intend
https://vgcollect.com/search/advanced/15/hedgehog%202/no-filter/ALL/ALL/ALL/ALL/ALL/no-filter/no-filter/no-filter

Just look how many entries there are for Sonic the Hedgehog for Genesis.


tripredacus

Re: HOW TO HANDLE REVERSIBLE COVERS AND REPEAT?REDUNDANT ENTRIES
« Reply #7 on: July 28, 2022, 04:19:33 pm »
A good example of the kind of tedium they intend
https://vgcollect.com/search/advanced/15/hedgehog%202/no-filter/ALL/ALL/ALL/ALL/ALL/no-filter/no-filter/no-filter

Just look how many entries there are for Sonic the Hedgehog for Genesis.

Use quotes on that query, you are also getting anyting with the number 2 in the name or alt-name as search results.