Style Guide Poll #7: Editions and the Hyphen

[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 is to determine how pervasive the use of a hyphen is. Whether to limit the use of a hyphen to any "Edition name" or to items that have specific editions and/or re-release series as laid out in the Style Guide. I will leave out the second option regarding how multi-packs are handled because I think that solving this hyphen issue will automatically answer that question. I will add an additional option based on re-releases only so that it can potentially be decided also.

The options are as follows (examples in red of method 1/3 are the cause for the discussion, examples in green of alternative options showing how changes would look and do not necessarily mean they are "better" options)

If something needs to be clarified, you can post in this thread. Time limit on the poll has been disabled however I am planning on closing it on 5/26 but may leave it running if there is a continuing debate. Vote changing is enabled as usual.

Method 1: Continue to use the currently adopted way of using a hyphen on all edition names. This ignores common name rules for game that have "Edition" in their game titles.
• Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate Edition
• Fallout: New Vegas - Collector's Edition
• Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts / Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 - Season Pass Edition - Unlimited Edition
• Biohazard Code: Veronica - Kanzenban - Premium Pack
• Street Fighter II - Special Champion Edition
• Grand Theft Auto III - Greatest Hits
• Super Smash Bros. Melee - Player's Choice
• Daikatana - Sold Out Software
• Ghostbusters II - The Hit Squad

Method 2: Use the original Style Guide as it exactly is written under Games denoting Special/Limited Editions, Box Sets, re-release series and/or special packs. This takes into account common name rules for games that have "Edition" names in their titles.
• Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate Edition
• Fallout: New Vegas - Collector's Edition
• Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts / Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3: Season Pass Edition - Unlimited Edition
• Biohazard Code: Veronica Kanzenban - Premium Pack
• Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition
• Grand Theft Auto III - Greatest Hits
• Super Smash Bros. Melee - Player's Choice
• Daikatana - Sold Out Software
• Ghostbusters II - The Hit Squad

Method 3: Change the original Style Guide to use hyphen for all Edition names and budget re-release versions use a descriptor instead. (This uses combination of Method 1 for edition naming)
• Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate Edition
• Fallout: New Vegas - Collector's Edition
• Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts / Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 - Season Pass Edition - Unlimited Edition
• Biohazard Code: Veronica - Kanzenban - Premium Pack
• Street Fighter II - Special Champion Edition
• Grand Theft Auto III (Greatest Hits)
• Super Smash Bros. Melee (Player's Choice)
• Daikatana (Sold Out Software)
• Ghostbusters II (The Hit Squad)

Method 4: Change the original Style Guide to use hyphen for extra Edition releases only and budget re-release versions use a descriptor instead. (This uses combination of Method 2 for edition naming)
• Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate Edition
• Fallout: New Vegas - Collector's Edition
• Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts / Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3: Season Pass Edition - Unlimited Edition
• Biohazard Code: Veronica Kanzenban - Premium Pack
• Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition
• Grand Theft Auto III (Greatest Hits)
• Super Smash Bros. Melee (Player's Choice)
• Daikatana (Sold Out Software)
• Ghostbusters II (The Hit Squad)

Pack names for hardware and accessories will remain unchanged.
Method 3/4 just to give another option. Have been thinking about tabling this for awhile but I would understand if people didn't like changing things like Greatest Hits into a descriptor.

[dhaabi]

Regarding the Marvel Super Heroes vs. example, why do all of the options follow the "- Taikenban" format?  This is comparable to North American demos adopting the same format. So something like Ape Escape Demo Disc would be formatted differently to Ape Escape - Demo Disc given every current poll method implication, even though neither Demo Disc nor Taikenban is an edition, box set, re-release series, or special pack—they're just a product that generally predates the retail item itself.

[tripredacus]

Perhaps Taikenban is the wrong example. I'd prefer a Genteiban example that also has an Edition name present to use in that example.

I wanted a Japanese example but it seems there really isn't any currently in the DB to use, except this:
https://vgcollect.com/item/59538

[dhaabi]

Perhaps Taikenban is the wrong example. I'd prefer a Genteiban example that also has an Edition name present to use in that example.

I wanted a Japanese example but it seems there really isn't any currently in the DB to use, except this:
https://vgcollect.com/item/59538

There are three subsequent Biohazard Code: Veronica Kanzenban prints that should suffice. "Kanzenban" translates to "Complete Edition," and this item is the standard release for the PlayStation 2 port.

[tripredacus]

OK I have used that example instead.

[dhaabi]

To gather more of a conversation since there is no poll interest yet despite the community routinely having problems with our current rules regarding Edition items, let me introduce three examples that some in the past have found issue with:

1) Pokémon
Across Europe, Pokémon titles may either have Version or Edition as part of the formal title. Because of our rules, the Edition releases are formatted with a hyphen. On the other hand, the Version releases are not.
Pokémon Versione Rubino
Pokémon - Rubin-Edition

2) Disney Infinity
Sequel entries are titled as n Edition such as Disney Infinity 2.0 Edition. Currently, our rules dictate that these sequels should all include the hyphen as part of the entry name formatting. A hyphen following an entry name is intended to convey that it is some sort of re-release or, obviously, a unique edition of that item. However, the Disney Infinity sequels are there own standalone games.
Disney Infinity
Disney Infinity 2.0 Edition
Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition

3) Edition formally in the title
While example 2 specifically mentions Disney Infinity, the current rule effects any standalone game that has hyphen in its title, whether or not it is some sort of re-release or unique edition.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition | The formal title of the game when it was ported to previous generation systems (PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox One.) There is no version simply titled "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game" across these platforms.
Poi - Explorer Edition | The formal title of the Nintendo Switch port. This is the only release of this item for the platform.
V-Rally - Championship Edition | This is the only release of this item for the platform.

Method 1 implications
• Pokémon Versione Rubino
• Pokémon - Rubin-Edition
• Disney Infinity - 2.0 Edition
• Disney Infinity - 3.0 Edition
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game - Complete Edition
• Poi - Explorer Edition
• V-Rally - Championship Edition

Method 2 implications
• Pokémon Versione Rubino
• Pokémon Rubin-Edition
• Disney Infinity 2.0 Edition
• Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition
• Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game: Complete Edition
• Poi: Explorer Edition
• V-Rally: Championship Edition

With the examples I'm presenting, Method 3 and Method 4 are not relevant, as none of these examples are re-release versions.

If voting remains indecisive, then it is guaranteed these these kind of items will be formatted with a hyphen, whether or not they accurately represent an Edition or re-release type of item.

[tripredacus]

Method 2 is in effect now (but technically since 5/26/22 or maybe since the original Style Guide was written).

No change to the Style Guide was needed, but the Adv Guide was changed to match. I'm still not sure I have it worded properly, or have the best examples. You can see the new text, see Fallout: New Vegas, in the Item Name post here:
https://vgcollect.com/forum/index.php/topic,10837.msg177773.html#msg177773

Let me know if I should word it differently, or if there are more or better examples I can use there.

[dhaabi]

No change to the Style Guide was needed, but the Adv Guide was changed to match. I'm still not sure I have it worded properly, or have the best examples.

Let me know if I should word it differently, or if there are more or better examples I can use there.

I feel as if the order of the style guide section could be restructured for better clarity and progression with some minor additional updates. Below is my suggestion:

The Hyphen and the Edition
For releases that have a special, limited or budget release outside of the standard game release, we put the Edition Name after the game name using a hyphen ( - ) symbol.

Re-release series: Greatest Hits, Classic NES Series
Yakuza 0 - PlayStation Hits
LittleBIGPlanet - Greatest Hits
Imperium III - FX
Jane's WWII Fighters - Classics

Examples of using actual vs common re-release names:
EA Classics = Console Classics. EA Classics is put into Alt-Name.

Classics = CD-ROM Classics


However, this formatting should not be used for items that have "edition" as part of the formal game title.

Examples:
Disney Infinity 2.0 Edition
Pokémon Rubin-Edition <-- update entry name

Edition re-release versus Edition game title
The original release for Fallout: New Vegas has a "regular" release and a Collector's Edition.
Fallout: New Vegas
Fallout: New Vegas - Collector's Edition

This game was then released a second time with a new title, as well as additional budget releases. In this case, the main release does not use the hyphen, while the budget releases do.
Fallout: New Vegas: Ultimate Edition
Fallout: New Vegas: Ultimate Edition - Greatest Hits
Fallout: New Vegas: Ultimate Edition - Platinum Hits

Using the term "main game" may be confusing, as the standard version for some games includes "edition" as part of the formal game name. Also, it should not be stated that both the hyphen ( - ) or a dash ( — ) should be used for this formatting. We only utilize the former.

You and I have briefly mentioned the idea to exclude certain "edition" releases from using the edition format, such as "Demo Disc" and "Taikenban" items. Should we move forward with these exceptions?

[tripredacus]

I have made those changes to the item name post.

Demo Disc, Trial Version, Taikenban, etc do not need to use a hyphen

[dhaabi]

Re-release series: Greatest Hits, Classic NES Series
Yakuza 0 - PlayStation Hits
LittleBIGPlanet - Greatest Hits
Imperium III - FX
Jane's WWII Fighters - Classics

The above text was accidentally left over from the revision and is still under the "Edition Names in non-Latin languages" sub-section in addition to being under "The Hyphen and the Edition."

[tripredacus]

Fixed that.