Database Developer/Publisher names

[greatflash]

Just to compliment Stigzlers topic on logo's, here is a list of the names currently used in the databases as of right now

There should be no duplicates and all dev/pub that had a name 'xxxx, the' are now presented as 'the xxxx' to match game titles.

If you see anything awry or find something that perhaps needs change, just pip me...

DeveloperList.txt

[Draco1962]

Thanks, Flash!

[nullPointer]

This is great Flash, thanks a lot! I'm guessing that Stigz will also find this to be exceedingly useful for his logo project.

[stigzler]

Exceedingly useful and timely, flash. Thank you. Just hoping not too many discrepancies from old list I used. Tonight I'm mainly gonna be merging.

[greatflash]

There will be a fair few changes I am afraid. Hopefully not an insurmountable amount.

The more games are added to the database, the more changes are made. Sorry.

[Draco1962]

Change, add/merge, it's all in a day's work.

[stigzler]

No worries - not predicting a drama...

[stigzler]

...but maybe a crisis! heh

Thanks for attaching the list, flash, but it's left me a bit confused. The original list had about 5000 entries, and this one has about 1,700.

Also, a lot of the developers on the original list appear to not be on this one....

Lastly - the db3 files have developer and publisher as separate columns/fields (with their values sometimes not matching). Aren't they separate attributes for each game?

I'll hold fire on changing the gsheet until get my head around this a bit more...

[nullPointer]

Also, a lot of the developers on the original list appear to not be on this one....

Lastly - the db3 files have developer and publisher as separate columns/fields (with their values sometimes not matching). Aren't they separate attributes for each game?

I'll hold fire on changing the gsheet until get my head around this a bit more...

In the process of database improvement there was a lot or effort put into de-duping publishers and developers. I don't know whether that would have reduced the total number by a factor of 3 but it could be within the realm of possibility. Also I think the list for the logo project consists of a flattened list of publishers and developers whereas the database structure currently does make a distinction between the two.

So yes the publisher and developer are separate attributes for each game. One relevant example I can think of to represent this is MegaMan 6 released on the NES. It was developed by Capcom but published by Nintendo. That's just one example but I'm sure there are dozens (upon dozens) more.

Also remember that the databases are currently in a state of flux being that they are still receiving regular updates and whatnot. I would anticipate the number of publishers and developers seen in the databases will continue to grow as more and more databases are marked as being complete.

[stigzler]

See what you're saying, null and the idea about the 5000 list being a combo of pubs and devels would make sense.

However, just looking at the .db3 for SNES, I find the following developers:

"7th Level, Inc." - not on flash's list

Also, in the C64 db3:

Developer
221B Software Development
321-Software
39 Steps, Hewson Consultants Ltd., Imagitec Design Ltd., Gremlin Graphics Software Ltd., Vortex Software
39 Steps, Tigress Marketing
4Mation Educational Resources

Again, not in Flash's list.

Not moaning or anything, just confused - and feel it might be important to get this right at the start, before people (hopefully!) go off and spend precious time working from these names.

Guess Flash will let us know. After all, he is the savior of the universe

[nullPointer]

Hmm ... yes I see what you mean. It may be that Flashes list contains only "known good developers/publishers" from databases that have been updated to current standards (vs. old legacy databases that have yet to be updated). Flash can probably fill us in a bit more on that front.

Check your PMs (in a sec at any rate ... )

[greatflash]

Ok. Time to pip up again

A lot of work has gon into making the dev/pub names consistent. The ones in the list are the names of the ones that have been edited to match and are part of finalised databases.

There are a lot of other devs that are not in the list purely because the associated games are not in the databases currently. This will appear as and when they are added to the database. As I say, the list will grow.

I have been working pretty hard on increasing the databases in readyness for a certain release.

So, my advice for now is to keep the culled names and update the existing with the ones from the list. These are verified names (unless anyone feels changes are needed) and the names that will be pulled by gx for use in name matching. The names that you have on the culled list have not be verified (and many will also be variety a on existing name) so should not be expected to be the final names that gx will use.

Sorry if that is not a great deal of help?

Actually, the way I would do it for now is to only use the verified names and update that list as and when I post an update. That way all logos will match internally with gx for now and improve over time as more and more devs make there way onto the verified list (which happens rather quickly).

[greatflash]

Sorry for any typos. Using iPhone whilst in the bath

[greatflash]

Ps.

For compilations devs/pubs will be listed as "various" for consistency.

So, "39 Steps, Hewson Consultants Ltd., Imagitec " may not end up in the list. Though, also to note, 99% of the time this will be listed individually. No rom is released as a compilation apart from a few carts and hardly any compilations are listed in tosec, nointro, etc for obvious reasons.

Sadly. Dbm and gx do not have a way to have multiple devs in a single database entry. Also, how would they know which game a dev is associated with?

The only real compilations listed are for a few carts and disks. In these few instances, "various" should suffice IMHO.

[Draco1962]

For the Logo Project we could create a "Various" snap to suffice for that end so there are no issues visually although I suspect GameEx should pull in a default graphic (Gameex.png).

[greatflash]

Just "various" as an image would do.

If gameex culls the images based on the dev name, then a dev name of 'various' would pull the image of a matching name.

[nullPointer]

Thanks for the clarification Flash!

Sorry for any typos. Using iPhone whilst in the bath

Ha! Danger truly is your middle name you madman!

[stigzler]

Ta for the reply, flash,

Actually, the way I would do it for now is to only use the verified names and update that list as and when I post an update. That way all logos will match internally with gx for now and improve over time as more and more devs make there way onto the verified list (which happens rather quickly).

Been a long day at work, so my head's a little fuzzy...

When you say the "culled list" - you're meaning the old/long(5000) one that's currently on the spreadsheet?

The "verified" is the one in the OP?

So - your suggestion is to start over with the 'new' "verified" list of 1,700??? And get rid of the "culled" list?

If so - that would be both good news and bad!!!

Good news: Task has dropped form 5,000 developers to 1,700!!!! Yay!

Bad News: Gotta go through all the images uploaded/matched so far, rematching to the 'new' verified names?

Not moaning - just seeking clarification..

Oh, and are the dev/pub names likely to change again at any point in the future? If so, would you be keeping the matching 'legacy' names in the db (would make batch renaming images a lot easier)

Cheers for the info, flash.

[greatflash]

Yeah, culled means the original list that was culled from the current (gx loadable) db's.

Personally, it is up to you what you want to go with, but my only thought is that the list you have will contain many duplicates. ie. 'The Bitmap Brothers' 'Bitmap Brothers, The' and many variations on the Co. Ltd. extensions.

I was just thinking that the official db dev list is at least tidied and reduced, though of course it is not a complete list.

Either way is up to you.

[stigzler]

OK - feels like a huge move this one. I'm gonna totally wipe that sheet with all its data so far and start afresh with only the names in your text file. I'll have to rename all the images as well....

Just to check my understanding - the current .db3 files in the most recently updated GE data folder represent a mixture of "verified" developer names within systems (i.e. all variations standardized to one name) and the older, more duplicated versions. For example, SNES.db3 has following in db3 file:

Atod AB
7th Level, Inc.
BEC Co., Ltd.
Birthday
Bits Corporation
DE Act Team

These have no match in your list above. I'm guessing this one hasn't been 'standardised' yet? (i.e. verified)?

You talk about "the official db dev list" - what is this? It's not the .db3 files that sit on our PCs then?

Forgive me, but I'm struggling to get my head around it all.

Bottom line is - I'm wanting any image names to match anything that GE outputs (such as [emulator] or [developer] for plugins) - so if I use the txt above, you'll add in any missing developer names as individual system databases are processed?

Oh and lastly, think there's some formatting errors in the txt file. For example, Broderbund:

"Brøderbund Software" (in txt file)
"Brøderbund Software" (in db3 file)

Any way to get the new list with correctly formatted text?

Thanks and sorry to be a pain.

[greatflash]

The database text file lists correctly 'Brøderbund Software'.

just to clarify the entries in the current databases that are in gx.

The gx database contains the entire lists of everything... ie. both verified (meaning edited and checked) entries along with totally unchecked entries. The database list I added contains only the verified entries (for obvious reasons). You will see MANY errors within the databases in gx (as these are included). In the last release of the databases, I used only verified entries and this caused problems as people were not happy with having data missing for many games and were happier to have incorrect or partial data than none at all.

But... when it comes to needing correct names for developers, then this data really needs to use verified names otherwise I believe this will cause more problems to match and rename in the long run.

As I said, it is totally up to you which you would rather use? I can release a list with ALL entries if needed, though you would not know which ones were correct and final.

[stigzler]

Cheers flash. Im guessing over time all of the database will be vetified, potentially making the old developer names obsolete...

In terms of the logos project, this could mean that people spend time making logos for devels that at some point will change....

This leads me to think that prob best course would be to use your new list and then update that list as further vetification happens... to avoid people feeli b g theyve wasted time

Does this sound about right?

Ta for ter ongoin help

[greatflash]

Personally, this is the way I would decide.

It has the plus that you are working on logo's that are name-set (for the most part - things can still possible change a 'little').

[stigzler]

The database text file lists correctly 'Brøderbund Software'.

Ah, another lesson learned... open txt files in notepad and not wordpad. The latter meeses with yer s**t, man!

Great, another setback on the spreadsheet!!

[stigzler]

Flash - working through the list in the OP now. However, some dev names aren't showing up in the GE online Games Database (e.g. "Team Pineapple") - might be my misunderstanding, but the db your produced that list from is the backend to the online db??

Just curious - don't want to go off sourcing images for the wrong db!