Style Guide Poll #4: Games with Accessories

[tripredacus]

Please read the entire thread before choosing a poll option. Poll will run for 7 days (give or take) and the results will win out and become the rule. Users have the ability to change their vote. Rules in the Style Guide can be voted on again in the future or new ones can be brought. You can submit additional ideas to bring up for voting in this thread:
https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,8361.0.html

This poll is specifically to determine into which categories accessory packs that contain games should be placed. Poll is limited to two options as no additional ideas were tabled in the Submissions thread previously linked.
We are using the term accessory to mean peripheral devices and not hard-ware add-ons. For example, a Sega 32X is still considered to be Hardware. Also we are considering all accessory packs that include games as a single thing and not going to have a debate as to whether an item is an accessory with a game, or a game with an accessory as this can get quite confusing. And lastly, Computer components that include games (such as video cards and sound cards) are not to be considered accessories, so with Method 2 below, a video card including a game would not go into the game category. We also currently do not consider Amiibo to be accessories.

The choices are as follows:

Method 1
- all accessory packs that include games (even where games are prominantly featured) go into the accessory category.
- all pack-in games from accessory packs (if they are different than the retail release) go into the games category.

Method 1 aims to keep the amount of database entries at two items. The accessory pack itself would represent the loose accessory and the complete pack including the game and an additional entry for the loose accessory itself would not be created.

Method 2
- all accessory packs that include games go into the games category.
- all pack-in games (if different from the retail release) from those accessory packs go into the games category.
- all items from within the accessory pack would go into the accessory category as a loose item.

Method 2 would make it as such that the Accessory Pack would go into the games category and the loose accessory would go into the Accessory category unless that accessory was sold separately without a game.

Examples of Accessory/Game packs to help you decide:

- https://vgcollect.com/item/154938 - Bass Pro Shops: The Strike - Championship Edition
- https://vgcollect.com/item/48388 - Super Scope 6
- https://vgcollect.com/item/9227 - Wii Fit Plus
- https://vgcollect.com/item/29992 - Steel Battalion
- https://vgcollect.com/item/16460 - Time Crisis Plus Guncon
- https://vgcollect.com/item/54444 - Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
- https://vgcollect.com/item/65084 - Cabela's African Adventures - Top Shot Elite
- https://vgcollect.com/item/138984 - Lethal Enforcers II: The Western Including the Justifier
- https://vgcollect.com/item/69502 - Nights Into Dreams + 3D Control Pad
- https://vgcollect.com/item/21330 - Bandai Karaoke Studio
- all DJ/Guitar Hero/Rock Band/Singstar Microphone/DDR/Controller sets
- many other examples.

This vote was brought by mastafalik, you can read a couple of posts about it here: https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,8361.msg163040.html#msg163040
Although there have been posts on the forum about this before.

[telly]

Would the results of this also apply to hardware that comes bundled with a game or accessory?

[mastafafik]

In my opinion the correct way is Method 2.
"All accessory packs that include a retail game go into the game category (Description notes all contents)." - Such bundles are kind of edition of the game, like special edition etc., so it should go yo the game category. For example here we have three different versions od the "Bass Pro Shops The Strike - Championship Edition (Includes Fishing Rod Peripheral)" [as it is written on the box] for Nintendo Switch.
https://vgcollect.com/item/155491 - UK edition
https://vgcollect.com/item/155759 - UK / DE edition
https://vgcollect.com/item/154938 - US edition
There are three different game bundles, but with the same accessory, so it is logic that it should be in game category in correct region.
Same with bundles with Aim Controller:
https://vgcollect.com/item/125788 - Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller + Farpoint [PL] - Polish edition
https://vgcollect.com/item/125394 - Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller - Farpoint - US edition
https://vgcollect.com/item/154964 - Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller + Firewall: Zero Hour - UK edition
https://vgcollect.com/item/141313 - Sony PlayStation VR Aim Controller + Bravo Team - UK edition
Different games and releases, but the same accessory, so they should be in game category, because putting those bundles into accessory category is nonesens since they are the same items.
Also on the market (on-line shops, ebay, amazon etc.) such bundles are in "game" category and "accessory" is for stand alone accessories.
Such bundles (complete with the game and the accessory) should be in "game" category.

"All pack-in games from accesssory packs go into the game/demo category (Description notes which pack(s) the game came in)" - It is the game alone, like somebody can have only the game without the main bundle box etc., so he can add such entry to his collection.

Same situation with " All individual items (the accessories themselves) from within the accessory pack go into the accessory category as loose items (Description notes which pack(s) the item came in)" - Somebody can add it if he has only the peripheral form the bundle, like many people have only the Zapper for NES. If somebody has only the accessory and not the game, then he will add the accessory to his collection, not the whole bundle

Our goal is to be the biggest database about electronic entertainment, so it should be also the most detailed database for real hardcore collectors. What makes our database different from the others is that if there in no such entry existed, then you can add it. So there can be at least three entries for one bundle: one for the whole bundle; one for the game only and one for the accessory only.
In such case everybody can add that entry to their collection which exactly corresponds with the stuff they have.

So, that is why I think that Method 2 is the good choice

Quote from: tripredacus on January 08, 2019, 10:46:08 am


    Anytime this discussion comes up, there always seems to be some quick decision on which way it should be. For example, it would be irresponsible for us to adopt Method 2 and then not create all of the item entries in the Accessory category. This method cannot be chosen just to put accessory packs into the game category and be done with it.

I will try to fix it. No problem for me.

[mastafafik]

Would the results of this also apply to hardware that comes bundled with a game or accessory?

No, hardware bundled with games or accessories will stay in Hardware category.

[pzeke]

I believe I got the overall gist of this, but just for the sake of being clear...

Method 2 would mean if I were to submit SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals to the database, I would also have to make an entry for the headset, correct? Same with, say, FlingSmash and Skyward Sword?

Although not accessories, would Method 2 also apply to items similar to inFamous 2 - Hero Edition?

[mastafafik]

I believe I got the overall gist of this, but just for the sake of being clear...

Method 2 would mean if I were to submit SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals to the database, I would also have to make an entry for the headset, correct? Same with, say, FlingSmash and Skyward Sword?

Although not accessories, would Method 2 also apply to items similar to inFamous 2 - Hero Edition?

You don't need to make an entry for the headset, because it is included in that bundle. You can make an extra entry just for the headset alone if you want.

Method 2 also apply to items like inFamous 2 - Hero Edition. It is a game bundled with backpack, figurine etc. If you have, for example, the figurine only, so you can make an entry for the figurine alone.

[pzeke]

Just what I thought - got it.

I vote for Method 2.

[ojciecgracz]

Method nr2

[retroholik]

Hi everyone. I voted for method 2. 
Definitely European market is more diverse, has more editions of games, so accesoria is just an addition.

[tripredacus]

I believe I got the overall gist of this, but just for the sake of being clear...

Method 2 would mean if I were to submit SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals to the database, I would also have to make an entry for the headset, correct? Same with, say, FlingSmash and Skyward Sword?

Although not accessories, would Method 2 also apply to items similar to inFamous 2 - Hero Edition?

You don't need to make an entry for the headset, because it is included in that bundle. You can make an extra entry just for the headset alone if you want.

Method 2 also apply to items like inFamous 2 - Hero Edition. It is a game bundled with backpack, figurine etc. If you have, for example, the figurine only, so you can make an entry for the figurine alone.

To be extra clear... for SOCOM
Game category: Game pack with headset
Game category: Game that was sold separately (usually has "headset required" printed on the front)
Game category: Pack-in game from the Game pack if different than the "headset required" version.
Accessory category: the headset from the game pack. Note in description that the headset came with the game.

Note on the accessory record. If that particular accessory was sold in its own packaging outside of the game pack, the entry should be for that release, with the front/back art being that actual packaging. Then you say, the item was also available as a pack-in item for SOCOM.

[pzeke]

Crystal clear. Thanks.

[tripredacus]

The vote has passed, and now we will consider "Accessories that come with games" to be the same as "games that come with accessories."

What this means is that any Accessory (but not Console or Hardware) pack that includes a game, or a game that includes an accessory, should be put into the appropriate Game category. The new rules for this have been added to the second post in the Style Guide (Scott's post from March 2011) below the Hardware section. This also includes some general rules for Accessories which were missing from the Style Guide in the first place.

Link to the Style Guide:
https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,22.msg156.html

Take a look at all that I put into there and see if there is any problems or if I left anything out.

Other small updates to the Style Guide done were:
1. Updated the Release Country/TLD portion, including some requirements to help identify EU releases.
2. Removed the line regarding item naming that said to just put "bundle" in the title if you don't know what the name of the pack is.
3. Removed the declaration that barcodes less than 12 digits will be rejected when submitted for an edit (it was redundant, users should expect that anything against what the Style Guide says would be rejected)
4. Added a link to the Ratings thread.
5. Added a link to the Latin Characters thread.

[ignition365]

Okay.  Question for this listing.

https://vgcollect.com/item/113320

PSVR with Playstation Worlds.  Personally I look at PSVR as hardware and not an accessory, but I'll leave this open to discussion.

[tripredacus]

Yeah that is one thing that we haven't figured out. What exactly makes something a hardware? Is the item required to play the game or not? I don't think we should limit it to that because it would mean some "games with accessories" wouldn't count as games because the accessory was required.

But I think that it is an accessory, as it isn't a console. And it doesn't come up to the same level as say, the 32X or Sega CD which are not consoles or accessories, but we put them into the Hardware (Console) category.

Which might be a whole other can of worms... if the Sega CD isn't a console, is it then an accessory and thus could be put into the Game category because it comes with a game? It does serve as basically the same function as the Game Boy Player for the Gamecube, which we have all of those in the Gamecube Accessory section... Or should the Game Boy Players be put into the Gamecube Hardware section?

[telly]

In my opinion because all of those items have to be attached to a console in order to function, they're accessories. None of them could play games if they weren't married to their parent console.

I don't see why we can't have accessories in the database that also play games. An accessory is something which can be added to something else in order to make it more useful or attractive

I would be in favor of moving the CD and 32x to the accessory category though I haven't looked at the sections myself.. and don't those have standalone variants as well?