Couple Feature Requests

[LividChihuahua]

I've been using a dedicated program to store all my games and it's been lacking lately (they have a DB that supposedly tracks games so that they can easily get the data from their server, but lately it's missing games, even big titles like Grand Theft Auto V). I've been considering several options for a new way to store the info (this site, plain spreadsheets, SQL database, even a full site to add and track them (although if the opportunity came up I'd rather work on a existing site rather than trying to build a database from he ground up)).

Anyways the application does have a few features that I don't see here that I think people could get some use of.

First, you have Purchased Date, but how about a text input for location purchased?

A way to track if you've completed a game or not (a simple checkbox is what the app I'm using has, but I think it might make more sense as a drop down, so you can denote if you just beat it, or if you went for 100%, as well as denote games that can't really be "beaten" (like atari games, they could have a high score system to track your highest score however).

A "location" field, this one is probably the single biggest thing preventing me from making a switch, since I have all my games in boxes (I don't really have the space to display them anymore) I've been making extensive use of the custom field to note what box there in so I can easily find them when I want to play them.

Those are the features that I've noticed that I think people may get some use out of and should be easy to implement (in fact, if you have the site up on a revision control system I'd be happy to make them when I get a chance and push the changes to you if you'd like, I'm guessing that the site is built on a standard LAMP setup using the Twitter bootstrap and jQuery, happens to be my usual stomping ground so the only problem would be finding the time).

[matt]

Hey LividChihuahua - thanks for the suggestions! I always like to hear feedback on us vs. other collection apps or sites. We've been really careful on deciding what fields to add to the Collection data for fear of over complicating things. One of my main goals with VGC is to be simple and not bombard the user with options - most of which will never be used.

My personal opinion is that I'd use the Notes field for any of these more specific options. That is an open field and can be defined in any way you see fit. That being said - I usually leave it up to the community to decide what is needed and always wait to gather more feedback.

Thanks again for the feedback and welcome to the site!

[disgaeniac]

Hey LividChihuahua - thanks for the suggestions! I always like to hear feedback on us vs. other collection apps or sites. We've been really careful on deciding what fields to add to the Collection data for fear of over complicating things. One of my main goals with VGC is to be simple and not bombard the user with options - most of which will never be used.

My personal opinion is that I'd use the Notes field for any of these more specific options. That is an open field and can be defined in any way you see fit. That being said - I usually leave it up to the community to decide what is needed and always wait to gather more feedback.

Thanks again for the feedback and welcome to the site!

Agree!

[soera]

I agree with the notes section. You can put anything you want in there and "custom" it to your personal collection. If we added every single option that all the people have asked for to make the collection more personal, it would feel like a job application to add any game to a collection.

[LividChihuahua]

I thought of using the notes field but it's 1 input for three different data points, I didn't feel mixing them together was the best way to solve the problem (not to mention that they would never be individually sortable, sorting by location or completed is quite useful when looking for something in particular).

The app I've been using takes care of this in a different way, allowing the user to select what is seen on the add/edit tabs (there system breaks it into three parts, although that seems rather odd as it's a bunch of extra clicks to see it all). This allows the user to see just the fields that interest them and not show the rest (or at least hide them initially, as they will rarely be edited). If you want the data in your collection then you can go to settings and control what you see on the add screen, if not it'll be hidden away. This would give the site the ability to be as detailed or as streamlined as the user wants.

[disgaeniac]

A lot of it sounds more like "Backloggery" stuff; which, we aren't.

Our intent was just to be a great database of video games -but- we also lucked out with a great community, too 

Merry Christmas VGC ollect(ors) 

[bakaneco]

Myself i would really love a location field, That is the one big one missing for myself.

I am currently using the notes field, but i would love to save the notes field for things like sealed and other one off sort of information.


The reason i love the location field (and have been using in my current tracking) is about the memories, Looking back i can remember getting that pack of games out 3 hours from the city or the game i got on my trip to Rome, Its a great way to remember the hunt and that's my favorite part of game collecting.


Just thought id put in my support for the request

If not a specific location field could we increase the note field to 3 note fields? to allow for that customization

[disgaeniac]

If not a specific location field could we increase the note field? to allow for that customization

That's not a bad suggestion - I'd, personally, have no problems with either a bigger and/or segmented field for the "notes"...

[soera]

I wanted to check on how big the note field was. I counted over 400 spaces. I cant imagine we need more room added. What could be used is an "enter" option to allow multiple lines if anything. And just click "submit" when you are done.

[disgaeniac]

I wanted to check on how big the note field was. I counted over 400 spaces. I cant imagine we need more room added. What could be used is an "enter" option to allow multiple lines if anything. And just click "submit" when you are done.

You're right (and...you have waaay too much time on your hands, brother Bradley:)

I had no idea that there were that many spaces 

Like you said - maybe just different/separate lines for entries.

TBQH, personally, (now knowing that there's room for ~400 characters)...*I* wouldn't have any need (read: IMO, it would be a very, very, low - if not non-existent priority, to change and/or add anything to this) 

I should start keeping track of how many times you all me for my 2 cents 

[soera]

Heh it didnt take long to count. I basically typed qwer over and over and each rotation was 1 ... Once I hit 100, I stopped.

And yeah, the only thing that would be beneficial would be to allow multiple line entries in the note option.

[LividChihuahua]

An idea, since multiple generic "notes" fields would be kinda confusing, how about the ability to name your notes fields whatever you want. (In going with that any additional fields could easily be hidden by default, to keep the clutter out as has been mentioned as a goal). Kinda the same thing I suggested in my last post but instead of  a bunch of hidden fields it would be custom fields we name what we want (personally, I think the custom feilds are a better approach since they inputs can be more directly tailored for the data type). Say, has there been any talk of open sourcing the web app...

The reason i love the location field (and have been using in my current tracking) is about the memories, Looking back i can remember getting that pack of games out 3 hours from the city or the game i got on my trip to Rome, Its a great way to remember the hunt and that's my favorite part of game collecting.

Kinda sounds more like a "Purchase Location" field, I use it the same way. By location I was thinking more like "In storage","At parents house","Loaned out","in Box 33C" that sorta thing.