Console listings with slight variations on the console itself

[leonefamily]

Couldn't find any mention of it in the OG Style Guide as well as the Advanced Style Guide, but let's say there is a console out there with only one box art variation but inside you can have 2 possible variations of the same console. To be more precise, it's a console that was manufactured by a certain brand which merged with another company (and changed name in the process) during the production of the console, the box art shows the brand pre-merger and inside you get a controller that always have the branding from pre-merger as well (from what we know of) while the console itself either has the pre-merger logo on it if you have an early unit or the post-merger logo if you have a late unit (but always retain pre-merger branding on the box). Should I do two different listings for the two different console variations depsite the box art staying the same or should I do "BrandA/BrandB Console" in the title and include a description stating "BrandA branded on early models, BrandB branded on late models" or finally do the same but just keep Brand A on the title (while keeping same description) since it is always Brand A on the box art?

[dhaabi]

If you're positive that both items' box art are completely identical, then create two separate item entries such as ItemName (Brand). However, if there is any other indicator on the boxes such as distinct item numbers that differentiate each version from each other, have the item number be a part of the title such as ItemName (000). Or, if there is any text on the box that differentiates the two items from each such as where the item was manufactured or where the box was made/printed, that is suffice information to enter as the entry name descriptor as well. Ideally, title descriptors should represent differences found foremost on outer packaging, if applicable.

The work tripredacus has made across Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Hardware may be beneficial to browse for how it may be best to submit the entries (more specifically, the Sonic 2 System variants were a huge deep dive in research.)

Ideally, include Cart/Media/Disc images for both entries, regardless of how the entries are formatted.

[leonefamily]

I can't prove 100% that the box art is EXACTLY the same, because the console is stupid rare and there is just one known CIB instance on the internet, and it is a BrandB console complete in a BrandA box, manuals, controllers, e.t.c. and it just makes a lot of sense to assume that nothing was swapped considering how short-lived and absurdly rare BrandB variants are (they probably just ended production as soon as the merger was complete and they just stamped the last consoles with BrandB logos and packaged them in their remaining BrandA boxes, but that's just my speculation) which makes even more sense when considering that every single BrandB variant I've ever seen on the internet (and I've searched every corner of it) always have a BrandA branded controller with them (so we can safely assume that BrandB variant of the controller doesn't exist, so why not the box).

[tripredacus]

Need specifics in order to make a judgement on the thing you are talking about.

In general for consoles, it is the box we track and not necessarily the console inside. We try to match up consoles to boxes, as you can see this work is done in the Genesis/MD, PS2 and Gamecube console categories so far.

Once it can be verified that it does come with multiple consoles and that piecemealing can be ruled out, you would use the description on the entry to indicate it can come with the different models. That is done on this entry:
https://vgcollect.com/item/113580

In contrast, a console release where it has been found with multiple consoles but piecemealing is suspected has a description that does not provide the full console info. https://vgcollect.com/item/113575 The Lion King pack at time of research has been found with 1x China, 2x Thailand and 1x Indonesia models, the reason for no confirmation is that Sega's "Made in" on the box matches the "Made in" on the console 99% of the time.

The last thing to mention is that if a console model is known to exist but it is not known what box it came in, then the entry does not get a listing until we do. Sticking with the Genesis examples, there is one known instance of this, a 1601 non-TMSS Made in China console that exists but has never been found in a box, only in loose form on the secondary market. Until it is confirmed what box that console came in, it does not get an entry in the DB until we can determine a good way to list consoles as well as console packs.

[leonefamily]

Alright, I didn't want to be specific at first because I didn't want someone else to rush the edits before I do them, which happened to me on the forums, so I didn't want that to happen again. But screw it, it's this item:

https://vgcollect.com/item/199914

First models were Goldstar branded. During the production of the console Goldstar became LG Electronics in anticipation of its merger with Zenith Electronics LLC (which happened the next year). We know with 99% certainty that the controller was always Goldstar branded even on LG branded consoles. But for the box, only one has ever surfaced, and it's Goldstar branded with a LG console inside (but controller and manuals are Goldstar, which correlates with what we already know).

https://www.etsy.com/listing/827198564/very-rare-3do-lg-alive-2-cib

It would be somewhat safe to assume that the box was not swapped considering everything I've mentionned and the fact that the console is ridiculously rare (so good luck even finding another box to swap) but still couldn't say for sure.

I created the VGcollect item for this console while using the Goldstar name but I used a picture from a LG console, as I viewed both as the same console. But then I had a second thought, so that's why I created this thread.

[tripredacus]

1 is not enough for correlation.

There should be one entry for Goldstar Alive II where the box is the front_art and a picture of the Goldstar console in cart_art. The console picture should not have the controller present. Just using the existing entry of 199914 but replace the front art with the box.

A second entry can be created with a title LG 3DO Alive II with the console picture of the LG version in cart_art and no front or back art slot used. Again, the console image should not have the controller present in the picture.

EDIT: Also be aware that Etsy is not a secondhand/used items source, it is a created products source. Consider the fact that the seller who is selling this console also sells repro boxes. So their offering cannot be trusted either as having legitimate box/paperwork, or allow it to be safe to presume the entire offering isn't piecemeal even if the box is legit.

[leonefamily]

Thanks for your clarifications. Should I also add in description that Goldstar is first model and that LG is second model, or should I just leave them blank?

Also, the 3DO Hardware section is a bit inconsistent. Half of the names have either one of those two formats:

3DO - [Brand + model]
("3DO - Panasonic FZ-1"), ("3DO - Panasonic N-1005"), e.t.c.

or

[Brand] 3DO [model]
("Goldstar 3DO Interactive Multiplayer"), ("Sanyo 3DO TRY"), e.t.c.

What format should we officially adopt?

[tripredacus]

Release date will indicate release order. Putting anything into description about that would be info duplication so it should not be done.

Console and Accessory follow the same format. It is at the top of the Item Name post in the Adv Guide:
https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10837.msg177773.html#msg177773

All of the Panasonic models have the wrong names, and the others have the correct names.

[leonefamily]

Problem is, I don't know exact release dates for these consoles and I doubt anyone ever will. But sure I will keep the description as it is.

I will correct the names for the Panasonic models but there is one problem, there is the FZ-1 and the FZ-10 but both have the same official name which is "Panasonic R.E.A.L. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer". Right now their names have just the model number to differenciate them, so should I do..

Panasonic R.E.A.L. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer (FZ-1)
(alt name: Panasonic FZ-1)

or

Panasonic 3DO FZ-1
(alt name: Panasonic R.E.A.L. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer)

[tripredacus]

Panasonic 3DO FZ-1
(alt name: Panasonic R.E.A.L. 3DO Interactive Multiplayer)

This looks good.

[leonefamily]

I submitted the edits. Thank you!

I will continue to do lots of cleaning in the 3DO section. I am in personal contact with the owner of the website archive3do.com and he is being super helpful about 3DO releases, being himself probably the most dedicated 3DO expert out there.