My suggestions for the description file format

Post by **vampirefrog** » 2014-04-12, 5:14:02

Hello! As some of you may know, I'm working on importing all the rips into a database. I'm reading the data from the txt file in each zip. This requires that there is some sort of uniformity in the file format, and my conclusion is that there is some uniformity, and I would rate it at 85%. It is pretty good, however there are discrepancies. Let's discuss only Game name, Game release date and image filenames.

Let's take an example:

Forum thread: http://vgm.mdscene.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1438
Game name: Solomon's Key (U, E) /
Solomon no Kagi (J)
Game release date: 1987-07 (U) / 1989 (E) /
1986-07-30 (J) /
1991-01-25 (FDS)

As you can see, the first game name is for both US and Europe, which is fine (let's consider that compression), but then we have "FDS" in the release dates. This makes little sense as far as a consistent structure is concerned, although by looking at it we can figure out that there was a Famicom Disk System release in 1991.

The image filenames are also relatively inconsistent, but as far as I can see, they usually coincide with releases. So, for this particular game, since there were three releases, there were three pics. However, there was a fourth release and no pic for that. Oh well.

What I propose is, instead of Game name and Game release date, or perhaps alongside them, that we have a Release list field, which can look like this:

Code: Select all

Releases:
1987-07     US     Nintendo Entertainment System   Solomon's Key
1989        Europe Nintendo Entertainment System   Solomon's Key
1986-07-30  Japan  Family Computer                 Solomon no Kagi
1991-01-25  Japan  Famicom Disk System             Solomon no Kagi

This would take care of a few things, such as ambiguous country codes (is EU European Union or is it Europe + USA?), connecting release dates with systems and names, and it would make it more consistent and standard (and for me, easier to insert into the DB I am still building). And as far as the images are concerned, we can add the image name at the end of each row as well. Perhaps we can split each column with a character such as ";" or "|".

Now, to go through each pack would be insane, so this can be done with a script, which we can develop together, so that most, if not all of the packs can be just converted automatically.

It is just my suggestion, but I'd like your opinions.

Cheers!

Post by **vampirefrog** » 2014-04-12, 5:30:46

Let us take another example:

http://vgm.mdscene.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1423

Code: Select all

Game name:           Karnov
System:              Nintendo Entertainment
                     System / Famicom
Music hardware:      NES APU (N2A03)

Music author:        unknown (AC / NES)
Game developer:      Data East (AC);
                     Sakata SAS (NES)
Game publisher:      Data East (U) /
                     Namco (J)
Game release date:   1988-01 (U) /
                     1987-12-18 (J)

I don't even know what AC stands for in this case! Is it a system? Why is it not in the "System:" list?

I think we should have publisher and developer info as well:

Code: Select all

Releases:
Date        Country  System                         Title   Publisher
1988-01     USA      Nintendo Entertainment System  Karnov  Data East  
1987-12-18  Japan    Family Computer                Karnov  Namco

Sonic of 8! · Post by **Sonic of 8!** » 2014-04-12, 7:12:56

EU most of cases applies from EUrope (a few European countries have different and specific date releases. Most of them are from UK releases).

AC means ArCade. It is not a country, but I like to give this type of information (e.g.: the composer of the ArCade version of Puzznic is "unknown", but the PC Engine port of Puzznic credits the composer as FMR Gojima).

Post by **vampirefrog** » 2014-04-12, 16:37:39

So, like I said, why isn't the Arcade version in the System field, and does the Arcade version use different hardware? Wouldn't it sound different? Is it a port? Shouldn't the Arcade version of the pack be posted in a different section? Like Arcade: Nintendo? Was it Nintendo Arcade?

Post by **vampirefrog** » 2014-04-12, 16:41:23

I find there are many versions of Puzznic, the one you're referring to is here: http://vgm.mdscene.net/packs/pack/838

And an arcade version, with unknown composer is here: http://vgm.mdscene.net/packs/pack/718

Therefore, the "AC" information in the first one is redundant? Is it safe to ignore it?

Also, are you the only one to use this sort of info?

Post by **vampirefrog** » 2014-04-12, 17:11:07

Now, moving on to 2ch-H's pack: http://vgm.mdscene.net/packs/pack/651

What is 'W'? World? Western Europe? Wild West?

2ch-H · Post by **2ch-H** » 2014-04-12, 18:07:45

vampirefrog wrote:What is 'W'? World? Western Europe? Wild West?

Is the "World".
It became such a representation because it was released in "Savage Bees" is only the title of USA.
Please change if redundancy.

I've been in this style is country.
W = World
U = USA
E = Europe
A = Australia
J = Japan
Change the country name notation?

Sonic of 8! · Post by **Sonic of 8!** » 2014-04-12, 21:00:49

vampirefrog wrote:So, like I said, why isn't the Arcade version in the System field, and does the Arcade version use different hardware? Wouldn't it sound different? Is it a port? Shouldn't the Arcade version of the pack be posted in a different section? Like Arcade: Nintendo? Was it Nintendo Arcade?

Most of cases yes, most of cases yes², yes, system dependent, the choice is yours. Nintendo games from Arcade range from 1978 to 1990, a few of them are loggable into the VGM format. And starting from 1983-84, Nintendo makes arcade boards based on his home consoles. They are:

• Nintendo Vs. System, an arcade system based on NES, but with several hardware improvements;
• PlayChoice-10, an arcade system based on NES, with extra hardware;
• FamicomBox, a Hotel videogame unit based on Famicom;
• Nintendo Super System, an arcade system based on SNES;
• Super Famicom Box, a Hotel videogame unit based on Super Famicom;
• Seta Aleck64, an arcade system based on Nintendo 64;
• Namco / Sega Triforce, two arcade systems with different configurations based on GameCube.

Only Vs. Series are the unique exceptions to this, because the games are a bit changed from the original NES versions. Some Vs. games are ported for the FDS (e.g.: Vs. Excitebike and Vs. Clu Clu Land).

vampirefrog wrote:Therefore, the "AC" information in the first one is redundant? Is it safe to ignore it?

Also, are you the only one to use this sort of info?

Yes, because it credits the original author of the original music. You can remove it if you want.

Yes, I was the only person to use it. Below, my country codes:

U, US = USA;
C = Canada;
J, JP = Japan;
E, EU, PAL = Europe;
A, AS = Asia;
AU = Australia;
CH = China;
HK = Hong Kong;
TW = Taiwan;
R, RU = Russia, mostly Dendy bootlegs;
B, BR = Brazil, common on Sega systems;
K, KR = South Korea, common on Sega systems;
Unl = Unlicensed release, common on NES and GB;
W = World

Post by **vampirefrog** » 2014-04-13, 6:12:03

Wow, thanks for the replies you guys.

In the meanwhile, ValleyBell pointed me to GoodTools as well, so now I can figure out the meanings of the country codes easily.

I won't modify the existing packs yet. What I will do is add the ability to do so in the new database, and it will be very easy to hand-edit each pack. Also, I have decided that unless we import or create some games database, such as the one that SMSPower has, the info we currently have in the packs is sufficient. Because people will be looking for the vgm files, and not info about the game. So I'm not making a games database, but rather, an easier way to find VGM files for downloading. The games database might come later though.

Thanks!