Messages

46

Site Feedback / Re: Image Editing Guidance - Poor Quality Images Being Re-Uploaded

« on: July 11, 2023, 12:50:36 pm »

The problem is I do offer better representations yet it is denied or instantly replaced by a shoddy image as mentioned before. I can find countless examples of this:
https://vgcollect.com/item/249267 - Light in the Image
https://vgcollect.com/item/244393 - Poor Lighting
https://vgcollect.com/item/231970 - Poor angle/framing

I'm all for getting authentic images, but not at the expense of quality - Especially if it comes to a peelable sticker or a photo taking priority because the item is sealed.

When discussing database items, link to which items you're referring to. 249568 is one item you're concerned about. The original submitted stock art looked something like this.

The above item has acceptable quality and adds important information lacking from the stock art. If you are making such efforts for incorrect stock art, then you may as well do the same for actual art—but that is your prerogative.

The image I posted for that listed wasn't Provisional but of the items packaging as is. Your image you have taken/retrieved has an extra Hologram, but the lighting reflection and angle is poor. Where as my image was a clear depiction of the front cover. i don't mind if there is an image which replaces the one I offered aslong as the quality isn't diminished.

47

Site Feedback / Image Editing Guidance - Poor Quality Images Being Re-Uploaded

« on: July 11, 2023, 09:37:48 am »

Hello,

I've already made note of this issue before but it is still happening - https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,12144.0.html

I am not just referring to PS1 titles either. I recently added a bunch of sports titles with clear stock images, yet soon after I find they have been replaced by poorly taken images from eBay. A lot of the time this is often justified by hologram stickers over the games sealed packaging... All I see is it brings the quality and effort I put into the site down and it is frustrating.

I can understand if the photos have more details but if they're going to replace a clear stock image it needs to be clear also, meaning:
- Not taken at a poor angle.
- Not taken with light reflecting on the packaging, ruining the image.
- Not taken in a low light making it unclear.

When I use images for the site I do make effort to make them presentable, I put them into photoshop, crop and resize where needed. So it is annoying to see that work put aside to see a shoddy image in its place.

Like everyone contributing, I want the site to be a great resource and look presentable. But there are times I am now hesistant to work on the site as i expect the details to soon be replaced by less quality material. I know the Admin team here works hard and I am glad there are people who check all details to be approved to stop any ol' junk appearing on here but this is something I feel needs a closer look upon.

I see on the topic about Styke Gudies this is to be addressed next, so I wanted to put this forward for consideration:
https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10837.15.html

48

General / Re: What are you playing?

« on: July 09, 2023, 03:32:55 am »

I'm late to the Final Fantasy XVI conversation due to been super busy IRL but this week I have plunged 25+ hours into it.

Overall I am enjoying it, the story and characters have pulled me in and there have been plenty of exhilirating moments. However... I don't like the gameplay. The stucture of the games navigation is horrible. I can't stand having to use a Menu (World Map) to transition to locations. The problem with this is it diminishes the sense of adventure, you don't tend to travel as when you select the location on the map you're pretty much there. Later you can go about your own way and re-visit locations but there isn't much point.

The sidequests are generic as possible, I find myself skimming the dialogue as i am not interested half the time. With FF  I look forward to sidequests/mini-games which differ from the main game - Chocobo Racing, Blitzball, Triple Triad! FF hasn't utilised this well for years, sure XV had fishing but that's almost an industry mini-game trope at this point.

Then there is the combat, I'm not a Turn-Based Purist! I do enjoy Action-RPG's but XVI's combat has little variation:
Attack - Evade at right times - get Stagger Bar Half Empty - Use Tug Spell - Use Special Attack - Get Stagger Bar Fully Empty - Spam All the Specials - REPEAT. Every Encounter I have had has been like this. Because of the narrative way you obtain Elemental attack it is not utilised into the gameplay, so there aren't really any unique weaknesses for enemies.
For normal enemies I find I use Lunge - Attack - Ground Grapple (Using the grapple to evade incoming damage) - REPEAT.

I just find the gameplay really uninspiring, even navigating the landscape areas, there are too many invisible walls where there is no need for them. There is little effort put into seeing the enemies interact with each other like I have seen in other RPG's, nor is there any way to get a pre-empt reward.

For me the real pull is the story, it is compelling and I really have enjoyed my time with the characters. But as a game, it just feels very basic. I'll see how I feel upon beating the game but I can't see my opinions changing too much.

49

General / Re: Anyone else suck at finishing RPGs?

« on: July 09, 2023, 03:16:25 am »

I find in general with games I have lost interest with post game content - unless it has interesting story details I'm already over the game. This also goes for DLC, if there is big stroy content in DLC and I have already moved onto my next game, iwont go back and play it until I re-play the game years later. When the game ends I am sucked out of the experience and invested in anotehr so new DLC almost feels like I would be experieincing it out of context. i still haven't played all the DLC epsiodes for Final Fantasy XV - Partly because I know they cut the 2nd Season pass and put it in a book...

I try to keep to one main story game at a time, but took so long with Legend of Dragoon it has fallen on the side, I won't touch it again until I beat XVI at the very least. Then for games like Persona, while I enjoyed Persona 3 FES it DRAGGED ON!!! Due to Persona's calendar game structure, it's not like other games where you explore extra content at your will you have to experience each day as it is and usually the main story of JRPG's can be 40-60 hours, Persona 3 FES took me 120+

I think I will be fine with Final Fantasy XVI, but I have heard there are other difficulty modes upon completion, I won't be bothering with that, I just want to experience the game and be done with it.

50

Video Game Database Discussion / Steelbook Catagory Suggestion

« on: June 27, 2023, 10:44:55 am »

Hello,

I've had difficulty adding a Steelbook entry (I won't go into it in this topic...) but felt it was worth putting my two cents through on the matter.

I've noticed a lot of the images on the section are inconsistent, some have both sides in the same image for example. Yet I thought it would be best to have the following:
Front Image - Front of the Steelbook
Back Image - Back of the Steelbook
Disc Image - The Inside of the Steelbook layed flat

The reason for the 3rd image is to display the interior. I believe this would be the best place to do so because really none of these Steelbooks will have games in them - Otherwise they would be listed in the games catagory (PS4 (EU) for example) - Either that of the Steelbook would be inlcuded within an Edition and once again listed within the appropriate game catagory. So with the disc image being free would it not make sense to utilise it this way?

51

Video Game Database Discussion / Re: Duplicate List 2023

« on: June 27, 2023, 10:20:55 am »

Before we had a Steelbooks catagory, I thought that made sense. But now we have a seperate catagory for Steelbooks alone wouldn't it make sesne to display the interiror if it featured unique artwork?  Because if the disc for the game was inclulded it would be a certain Edition not just a steelbook and wouldn't be in this catagory.

As for the barcode, none of the GAME Steelbooks came sealed, I watched the colleague at GAME open a box of them and none of them were sealed but it is the same item and does not need 2 listings.

52

Video Game Database Discussion / Re: Duplicate List 2023

« on: June 27, 2023, 09:23:19 am »

I put on the Final Fantasy XVI Pre-order Steelbook and a duplicate has been made:
Original - https://vgcollect.com/item/247670
Duplicate - https://vgcollect.com/item/247676

I see the Duplicate has details on being sealed with a sticker but that seems hardly necessary to have two listings of the same item.

Also, I posted an image of the inside on my listing whcih has been removed, I have re-posted it and don't see why it shouldn't be there.

53

General / Steelbooks with Games

« on: June 27, 2023, 05:18:17 am »

Hi,

I know I can be really picky when it comes to the design of Steelbooks that we get with games. I think what it comes down to is that I don't like seeing cases without all the official identification on it - Console logos, Age Rating logos etc. There's just something inauthentic about it depsite even being an official product to me. I find they look odd on my shelf compared to everything else.

My ideal set up for a steelbook is to have one which is bare of any logos, has the title of the game on the middle part (Which faces outwards on a shelf) THEN has a clear plastic sleeve that goes over the steelbook which has all the official details on it. In particular I love the late PS3- Early PS4 designs which would have the PS3/PS4 logo at the top left corner, age rating at the bottom left and sometimes the logo for the game placed to fit the image of the steelbook - Look at games like Beyond: Two Souls, Final Fantasy XV, Until Dawn for examples. I really miss this.

Nowadays, I find that a Steelbook is often a bonus item. So when you pre-order a GAME you will get an additional Steelbook case with the case of the base game... so either way one is going in storage. It's either that or youe will get a Special Edition with will have a big outbox containing the base game case & a Steelbook in a bulky case... I don't like bulky cases on my shelf either - So for Final Fantasy XVI, I just have the base game on the shelf. With SIFU it was just an Artbook& Steelbook, so I had to decide on eithe the Bulky case or just the Steelbook, I went with the Steelbook and it stands out like a sore thumb - Hated the game anyway so I may sell it, but that is a seperate conversation 

Anyway, I was just curious on what other collectors thought on Steelbooks and how they like to present/receive them. I really do like getting Steelbooks but for me without a detailed sleeve they just seem like a fake case.

I took my plain FF16 Steelbook and put it in the FF15 Special Edition Sleeve to show you what I mean as an example:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fznh4ceWAAEtI0s?format=jpg&name=medium

54

General / Re: June 2023 - Recently Added to Collection/Recently Purchased New

« on: June 27, 2023, 03:30:47 am »

PS5
Final Fantasy XVI + GAME Exclusive Steelbook
Final Fantasy XVI Deluxe Edition - I ordered this from Coolshop & still have not received it! (NEVER Pre-Order from thsi company!)

PS4
Ni No Kuni II

Xbox 360
Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Director's Cut (360)
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (360)
Silent Hill HD Collection (360 - Digital)

55

Modern Video Games / Re: Like a Dragon: The Game Without a Disc

« on: June 12, 2023, 03:14:12 am »

I'm guessing their thought on this is becuase it is more of a shorter spin-off game. However, I rememebr on the PS4 we began getting shorter experiences on disc - Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, inFamous: First Light or Uncharted: Lost Legacy. These gamse would be considered generous DLC but they all got their own physical release, which I loved! If there is substantial DLC and we get no Complete/GotY Edition, have the option to buy the DLC at a lesser price on disc is a great option.

56

Modern Video Games / Re: Like a Dragon: The Game Without a Disc

« on: June 11, 2023, 03:26:35 am »

This is terrible news beacuse it has taken SO long for the Yakuza series to become accessible - Something which was achieved in the PS4 era and has made the series much more relevant today! I hope this isn't a trend which is going to starttaking place after Alan Wake II has announced the same Digital Only nonsense - A game that also went to great efforts to make the 1st game more accessible with a Physical Remaster.

I never buy Digital Games for a reasonable price, it would bhave to be something non Physical (Or non Limited Run etc.) & under £5-10. I can't justify spending much on Digital Content.

57

Classic Video Games / Re: Croc is coming back apparently.

« on: June 08, 2023, 02:56:37 am »

I loved the original Croc game! It was a very N64 feelign game on the PS1 (& PC/Saturn...) with plenty of charm. I still haven't played through the 2nd game properly as it took a more open world-ish adveture feel. Which is okay but the pacing was very slow at times.

I'd be all for this... or like I always say even just a port of the original through PS+

58

General / Re: Do any of you folks use gameplay trackers

« on: June 07, 2023, 03:00:15 am »

I'm not so much into Trophies anymore - Ever since they changed the system figures it put me off. I have over 10000+ now and it just doesn't do much for me. Especially as most dwindle down to generic collectables which bore me.

I do sometimes check Howlongtobeat beat when deciding what to play next, sometimes I want a 5-10 hour experience so that comes in handy for checking out info on games timescales.

59

General / Re: Your Top Video Game Franchises

« on: June 01, 2023, 03:40:33 am »

My take on this is for franchises that I tend to get excited for whenever I hear somethign new on or have enjoyed more entries than not.

Final Fantasy - Peak games VI - X, little cautious about XVI still...
Metal Gear Solid - Though MGS5 has made me waver, i tend to treat it as non-canon.
Resident Evil - The ports on PS4 have made this series more accessible & enjoyable, it's the series I have enjoyed most in recent years.
Shenmue - I still enjoyed Shenmue 3 despite it's lack of progression in narrative.
Life Is Strange - Haven't enjoyed the games as much since Deck Nine took over development, but I'm open to see what they can do.
Yakuza - Another series which has really benefitted from PS4 Re-releases/remakes. The whole series is accessible to enjoy and so I have!
Kingdom Hearts - Convoluted, yes. Still, I have enjoyed the cross-over experience with S-E & Disney.
Silent Hill - I like most SH games, 1-4 + Shattered Memories. Hoping we can get something good out of the incoming flood of SH games.
Tekken - I'm mixed on this one, It's still a big deal but I haven't enjoyed a Tekken game since Tekken Tag 2. Tekken 7 had a good 4-5 story mode but was bare bones beyond. I'm not excited for Tekken 8 due to the modern Fighting game business model, I may still pick it up years down the line once they're over the Season Passes.
A Plague's Tale - Only 2 titles in the series but it is one which has made a great impression! I love narrative focused adventures and this game has no padding. Exhilarating from start to finish.

60

General / Re: May 2023 - Recently Added to Collection/Recently Purchased New

« on: May 25, 2023, 05:20:08 pm »

PS5
Hogwarts Legacy

PS4 - Plaasia Imports
Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water
SaGa Frontier Remastered

PS3
Assassin's Creed Rogue
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 - C.E.
Grant Theft Auto V
Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit
The Orange Box
Plants Vs Zombies Plant Warfare

Xbox 360
Assassin's Creed
Dead Space 2 (Digital)
Dead Space 3 (Digital)
Soul Calibur (Digital)

Xbox
Project Zero

Gamecube
Metroid Prime