I want to run a new poll, to take care of one of the largest omissions from the style guide. Specifically, what names games have.
Current Style Guide:
Game Titles:
Use the item's regional release title, written in the language written on the case, but in the Latin alphabet (the letters we commonly use). If the title is in Japanese, use the most recognized transliteration.
- Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (NA)
- Dragon Quest VIII: The Journey of the Cursed King (EU)
- Dragon Quest VIII: Sora to Umi to Daichi to Norowareshi Himegimi (JP)
Here are the options for the poll:
1. Use common nameCommon name can be easily determined by looking at the item in hand. This name may be from the front, spine or copyright text on the item. In order to enforce this naming policy, we will be required to have a list of
approved sources for validating names. For example: Mobygames.com, Gamefaqs, Sega/Sonic/NECRetro.org.
There would be some exceptions to this rule, and that would be situations where some games have title arrangements that do no exist on the game itself. For example, the recent release of Mega Man Legacy Collection on Switch is often represented on other websites as "1+2" but this is not how it is rendered on the item itself. All other style guide rules have priority over the use on other websites.
To enact this rule would be to remove the perceived requirement to enforce full titles, such as having Disney/Pixar, M Night Shamalan or excessive colon usage. We can then treat item titles loosly enough so that if a game is titled according to our style requirements, and is backed up by the name on one of our "approved sources" then it should be enough. We should still use alternate spellings and whatnot in alt-name field. Full title may be put into description.
2. Full front title as it appearsThe game title will be the full front title as it appears on the game's case if applicable. This would require that all Disney/Pixar/Dreamworks/M Night Shamalayn have those prefix. All games with stylzed logos (even those with kerning errors) such as Mega Man become Megaman. Games with mostly unused front titles would be correct, such as .hack/sign series.
Common title would go into alt-name.
Not applicable- Spine title: some games do not have a spine title
- Spine first, front second, media third: rule tracking per game would be difficult
- RDA Primary Proper Title of using a game's Title Screen is not applicable as we do not track individual softwares, rather physical items and would not create a general enough ruling format for compilations, or games without title screens.
- RDA Secondary Propert Title of using a game's title as printed on the physical media does not take in account for games with no titles on the media, or physical games sold without media.
Please add other ideas for poll options hereI don't think we should just have 2 poll choices, so let's hear what other ideas you have. Perhaps we can put the "spine first, front second" option as #3, but before considering that as a choice to put up for voting, you would need to determine a system to properly handle that, both for users to reference and for admins to implement.
