Project Old NinDB

[mrmolecule]

So, I was browsing around NinDB relatively recently, and I thought to myself: "Hey, something's missing!"

Lo and behold, on a trip to Archive.org, I found a 2006 copy of NinDB.

To demonstrate, we're using Super Mario 64 and the Nintendo 64.

Old version
Current version

In addition to some design differences, one will notice information totally missing. Here's what's gone:
- Genre and Save information (top)
- Serial numbers (though this was only listed on the region listings)
- Staff Credits
- Easter eggs
- Links to cameos
- Links back to main system (in this case, the N64)
- Screenshots
- Alternate versions
- Box art (in SM64's case, there's four versions...Japan had a Rumble version)

In addition, the current N64 game list only lists games by Japanese release date, whereas the old one had an alphabetical list showing an overview with which games were JP, US, or EU. The old one also had specialized lists for Japan, Europe, and US with box art, serial numbers, etc.

There may have been some minor streamlining, but I think that much of the information was lost unintentionally.

What do you think? Can this information be integrated back into NinDB?

[Fryguy64]

Genre and Save information (top)

Save information was useless to everyone. Genre information is still there though. Don't know how you missed it.

Serial numbers (though this was only listed on the region listings)

Serial numbers were, at one time, listed against the release dates (as well as regional titles, and acted as the filename for that gamepage). While the system and game identifiers are normal, they would often be different between regions. I decided to drop them as only mental cases gave a damn.

Staff Credits

I only ever had these for a handful of games. Not one person helped me. Eventually I dropped them, although it's something I would like to put back in at some point.

Easter eggs

Intentionally dropped. Again, nobody submitted anything to the site unless it was Totaka's Song or a cameo. It was too much work and nobody seemed to use the site for them.

Links to cameos

Hang on, considering that you KNOW I'm putting cameos back on the site (on the game page no less) I think it's ludicrous to bring this one up. Sure, I still have a ways to go, but there's a fuckton of cameos, and I'm retaking screens and so forth.

Links back to main system (in this case, the N64)

The games aren't organised by system any more, due to the sheer number of retro compilations, VC and so forth. They are organised by series, but if you haven't worked out that you can click on the system names in the updated release dates, then I suggest you check it out.

Screenshots

Yep, four grainy jpeg screenshots. That I had to take myself. As usual.

Alternate versions

Don't be gay, there's a link to "Related Games" which does exactly the same thing.

Box art (in SM64's case, there's four versions...Japan had a Rumble version)

Again, low-quality grainy Jpegs. I ditched these as boxart has become widely standardised today so having different boxarts for different regions was overkill. However, I would like to add in a gallery. This was part of the plan at first, but getting the site online and up-to-date was the priority (which I'm still working on).

Seriously though, open your eyes Molecule... Half that stuff is still there, just in slightly different places

[The Qu]

If you ever want help with screenshots, Fry, I'm sure you could just ask us on the forum. It's pretty easy to take a screenshot for older games in these days of emulation. So, unless you're asking for specific shots, it wouldn't take long.

[mrmolecule]

Qu is right. I think we can help you with box art, serial numbers, screenshots, and staff credits. And for the record, I did state that some of the things may simply be missing because NinDB relaunched.

[Fryguy64]

Aug 19, 2010 12:41:06 GMT -5 mrmolecule said:

And for the record, I did state that some of the things may simply be missing because NinDB relaunched.

Yes, but half of the things you said aren't missing. They're right there on the new site. And most of the rest were scrapped as pointless.

[Shrikeswind]

Well fuck, had I known you'd ever done that, I'd have gotten in on the staff credits. I try (and usually fail to, but I try) to get them in my records anyways.

Again with shit for my records. Weird.