The GameEx Database Project

[bkenobi]

I checked it out...I was curious what was in there. Turns out it's in an XML format that Access can't read, so it was fairly uninteresting to me.

[headkaze]

I checked it out...I was curious what was in there. Turns out it's in an XML format that Access can't read, so it was fairly uninteresting to me.

As a member of the database team should have a copy of GameEx DBM and that program uses this format. If you copy it into the Data\Xml folder you can then convert it to mdb from there. There is no point in doing it really unless you intend on updating it in some way, as I have already sent this as an mdb to Tom and it will be included in the next version of GameEx

While I have you here are you still interested in working on some databases? Seems we only have Flash actively working on some at the moment. I've also updated GameEx DBM quite a bit from it's first release to make it easier to make them.

[bkenobi]

I just started a new job with double the commute and have a new, high energy puppy as well. I barely get a chance to turn the machine on these days. I'd help, but I suspect that I would just lock up a DB that someone else would finish quicker (wouldn't take much ). Anyway, if the project is still going when I get more time, I'll see what I can do to contribute. I was mainly looking to see what the state of the project is ATM.

[greatflash]

I just started a new job with double the commute and have a new, high energy puppy as well. I barely get a chance to turn the machine on these days. I'd help, but I suspect that I would just lock up a DB that someone else would finish quicker (wouldn't take much ). Anyway, if the project is still going when I get more time, I'll see what I can do to contribute. I was mainly looking to see what the state of the project is ATM.

The state of the project is "IN PRODUCTION". At the moment it looks like just me and HK?

Hopefully we will find others to help on the project.. Many hands and all that.

Perhaps i will try to write a tutorial?

[Circo]

The state of the project is "IN PRODUCTION". At the moment it looks like just me and HK?

Hopefully we will find others to help on the project.. Many hands and all that.

Perhaps i will try to write a tutorial?

Damn Greatflash your one busy guy

Hey great work on this guys, FYI I am working round the clock trying to get everything updated to match perfectly with these databases. Very exciting stuff!!!

[greatflash]

Damn Greatflash your one busy guy

Hey great work on this guys, FYI I am working round the clock trying to get everything updated to match perfectly with these databases. Very exciting stuff!!!

Damn Circo your one busy guy

I have used some of your set names as a reference on some of the DB's where info is missing.

Still trudging through them bloody Spectrum Vidsnaps. Adding them to a DB as I work my way through.

Got 40 or so more of the Saturns for ya also at some point (be over 200 now)

Love the site at the moment A+ (go to the front of the class)

NOTE: Dreamcast DB shall be finished this Weekend

[greatflash]

Will this madness ever end???

Anyway, here is the Dreamcast DB. It contains 389 descriptions covering all USA & EURO releases and some of the most popular Japanese games. I will perhaps at some point add all the Dreamcast games (818 in total) to have a 100% complete DB, but for now this is MORE than enough really for all but the most committed collector (seeing as 200+ of the games are unplayable without a full understanding of Japanese).

Also (thanks HK) is ANOTHER updated Saturn DB. This one has the SINGLE date error corrected and also adds a few more games.

I think I have deserved a little rest for a bit and will then continue with the Intellivision or Coleco. The Spectrum one is SLOWLY filling up as I do the snaps for Emumovies and will prob be complete at the same time as i finish them. BBC is 15% done also.

Anyway - joy to the world and £1000 to someone with a cure for RSI :)

HK: "[Console] Sega Dreamcast v1.051 (Flash).rar" received

HK: "[Console] Sega Saturn v1.188 (Flash).rar" received

[Tom Speirs]

Thanks Flash. Its really appreciated.

[greatflash]

Thanks Flash. Its really appreciated.

I do feel quite lonely doing this

Glad to help though..

Working through the Colecovision at the mo. Hopefully will not take too long

[greatflash]

Sorry Tom..

Think i have found another error in the DB file matching while playing with a list (see topic) for Future Pinball.

Files like this:-

Kiss_V110.fpt

KOD_V100.fpt

MagicCity_V100.fpt

RoyalFlush_V1.00.fpt

fail to match with the db, even though the goodname is exactly the same (except for the .fpt extension removed)

What is really strange is that the first occurence of a filename matching this format is matched??? but ALL subsequent ones are not.

the first file is:-

Airport_v100.fpt

I have gone through the entire DB of 120 tables and these are the only ones that fail.

I have included the DB cache file to see if that help??? Could this be related to the "..." eof problem?

EMU_48.7z

[Tom Speirs]

Sorry Tom..

Think i have found another error in the DB file matching while playing with a list (see topic) for Future Pinball.

Files like this:-

Kiss_V110.fpt

KOD_V100.fpt

MagicCity_V100.fpt

RoyalFlush_V1.00.fpt

fail to match with the db, even though the goodname is exactly the same (except for the .fpt extension removed)

What is really strange is that the first occurence of a filename matching this format is matched??? but ALL subsequent ones are not.

the first file is:-

Airport_v100.fpt

I have gone through the entire DB of 120 tables and these are the only ones that fail.

I have included the DB cache file to see if that help??? Could this be related to the "..." eof problem?

Hi Flash,

If I remember correctly, GameEx strips the version number when searching, so therefore it will only support one match. Therefore you should only have one entry per game regardless of version number. Is that a huge problem?

EDIT: Sorry, I think I see what your saying, its the format rather than matching that is the problem, or not?

Can you get me the mdb?

[greatflash]

Hi Flash,

If I remember correctly, GameEx strips the version number when searching, so therefore it will only support one match. Therefore you should only have one entry per game regardless of version number. Is that a huge problem?

EDIT: Sorry, I think I see what your saying, its the format rather than matching that is the problem, or not?

Can you get me the mdb?

I would not have thought it would have stripped the version number in this instance? "xxx_v100", I could understand it if the version was bracketed, other than that; what would be the point of stripping it if it is an integral part of the filename?

Anyway, the problem is that it does not find a match at all, only the first as stated in the original post. This is strange?

Also, A thought! If the db's that you are trying to match to return the names with the () text removed, would it not be better to just match as much as the DB gives you rather than gameex removing data? I.e.

[file] Pillowfighter (1983) == [db] Pillowfighter.

So, if the DB only contains Pillowfighter, match with the first file that has this name! seeing as this match only needs to be done when reading a db, this would make it more versitile. So, if there was more data in the DB file, then Gameex could use this to further the match, making a hit of the first complete match.

but

[file] Pillowfighter (1983) == [db] Pillowfighter (1983).

would also match

then you could allow multiple versions of a rom and also strict matching for Gamebase64 and Spectrum roms.

Gamebase64 example

[file] Pillowfighter (111) <> [db] Pillowfighter (391).

[file] Pillowfighter (111) == [db] Pillowfighter (111).

[file] Pillowfighter (111) <> [db] Pillowfighter (883).

Hope you follow, being an programmer i tend to write in the way i think!

I have re-posted the DB, I had posted an earlier one in a post that you may have missed "Future pinball - doing the do for fp" that I could really use your comments on, so please visit it and catch up! pretty please.

The suggestions I have made, i believe are VERY important to make the DB's perfect. To get a 100% match and also the correct dislayed name is what the DB's are really all about. What is the point of a perfect DB if GameEx does not manage them correctly so that data polled from them is either missed or incorrect? Sorry to get on my high horse, but blame HK for letting me on this project. He pulled me in with offers of fame and fortune. Feel a bit of a gullable tit now!

_PC__Future_Pinball.zip

[Tom Speirs]

I would not have thought it would have stripped the version number in this instance? "xxx_v100", I could understand it if the version was bracketed, other than that; what would be the point of stripping it if it is an integral part of the filename?

Anyway, the problem is that it does not find a match at all, only the first as stated in the original post. This is strange?

Also, A thought! If the db's that you are trying to match to return the names with the () text removed, would it not be better to just match as much as the DB gives you rather than gameex removing data? I.e.

[file] Pillowfighter (1983) == [db] Pillowfighter.

So, if the DB only contains Pillowfighter, match with the first file that has this name! seeing as this match only needs to be done when reading a db, this would make it more versitile. So, if there was more data in the DB file, then Gameex could use this to further the match, making a hit of the first complete match.

but

[file] Pillowfighter (1983) == [db] Pillowfighter (1983).

would also match

then you could allow multiple versions of a rom and also strict matching for Gamebase64 and Spectrum roms.

Gamebase64 example

[file] Pillowfighter (111) <> [db] Pillowfighter (391).

[file] Pillowfighter (111) == [db] Pillowfighter (111).

[file] Pillowfighter (111) <> [db] Pillowfighter (883).

Hope you follow, being an programmer i tend to write in the way i think!

I have re-posted the DB, I had posted an earlier one in a post that you may have missed "Future pinball - doing the do for fp" that I could really use your comments on, so please visit it and catch up! pretty please.

The suggestions I have made, i believe are VERY important to make the DB's perfect. To get a 100% match and also the correct dislayed name is what the DB's are really all about. What is the point of a perfect DB if GameEx does not manage them correctly so that data polled from them is either missed or incorrect? Sorry to get on my high horse, but blame HK for letting me on this project. He pulled me in with offers of fame and fortune. Feel a bit of a gullable tit now!

I actually like your suggestion and think its a great idea, but chill out a bit, we are on the side and have the same goal buddy

[greatflash]

I actually like your suggestion and think its a great idea, but chill out a bit, we are on the side and have the same goal buddy

Bugger me! You like a suggestion of mine... I can't wait to tell the wife.. Will have to go in the garden and dig her up first though

Implementing it would need some good testing before released though.. There is a chance it could mess other matches (can't really see how though?)..

Best get back to work!

ps. if it helps, while typing i read the message using a billy connelly voice!

[Adultery]

If you manage to get that FAQ off the ground, I'd be willing to help.

[greatflash]

If you manage to get that FAQ off the ground, I'd be willing to help.

I will see what i can do in the next few days...

I am very busy at the moment, but will see what i can to.

[Adultery]

Like I'm gonna rush you into putting me to work! Haha!

[greatflash]

Like I'm gonna rush you into putting me to work! Haha!

I will have a Tutorial done by the weekend - HA, your are a marked man now

[greatflash]

Dum, dum, dum, dum, Another one bites the dust, dum, dum.....

Ok, here is a DB for the Colecovision. This one contains all games from 3 DATS expanded fully. Every game has year, publisher, and description. This must be the most complete list of Colecovision games available. 3 of the release years have been found within the rom file itself as not displayed during play (no other site shows these years). The only modification to the DB over the previous DB's is an entry in genre for "Demo". This had to be added as the list contains demos that are not games, ie. graphical and aural.

This will be a nice list for when the DB's go live...

Intellivision next - after i do a Tutorial

All the best to fellow GameEx lads and lasses.

Strike me please HK

HK: "[Console] Coleco Vision v1.031 (Flash)" received

[Tom Speirs]

Dum, dum, dum, dum, Another one bites the dust, dum, dum.....

Ok, here is a DB for the Colecovision. This one contains all games from 3 DATS expanded fully. Every game has year, publisher, and description. This must be the most complete list of Colecovision games available. 3 of the release years have been found within the rom file itself as not displayed during play (no other site shows these years). The only modification to the DB over the previous DB's is an entry in genre for "Demo". This had to be added as the list contains demos that are not games, ie. graphical and aural.

This will be a nice list for when the DB's go live...

Intellivision next - after i do a Tutorial

All the best to fellow GameEx lads and lasses.

Strike me please HK

You da man.

In regard to FAQS, at one point I was interested in adding FAQ support to GameEx, and putting the data in the dbases taken from http://www.gamefaqs.com

Maybe HK could get the FAQS with GameExDBM and I could add support for viewing them in gameex.

Thoughts?

[greatflash]

You da man.

In regard to FAQS, at one point I was interested in adding FAQ support to GameEx, and putting the data in the dbases taken from http://www.gamefaqs.com

Maybe HK could get the FAQS with GameExDBM and I could add support for viewing them in gameex.

Thoughts?

I must admit that I do like that idea. It is always nice to have as much general information on a game or system available from within GameEx rather than recourse to a web browser. Sometimes you find a game you like and would love to know more. This can only be a good thing - how you would choose to implement it, i am not sure. Without getting told off (though I am sure i will), getting the game info (DB's) working fully in Gameex is something I would like to see first. From that working basis, other things could be added with ease (ish).

Also... (god, here I go), having the option to add image paths to an individual emulator would also aid to this enlightenment of information . I personally have mag reviews, game maps, mag adverts, etc named for each game (as much as possible) that would be great to have the option to view from within GameEx. These I have started uploading to Emumovies.

Oh well - now working on a Tutorial (Starter edition ) for the database manager in the hope others may see it is not too bad and join the project.. No harm trying...

[greatflash]

PS. Kept a log on the Colecovision DB, it took 14.5 hours to complete

[Tom Speirs]

Flash,

Can you email please, so I have your address. I should have a beta for you to look at shortly, supporting using an exact match first and using the name field for the dbases. I should be done with it in a couple of hours.

[headkaze]

Great work as always Flash!

Can you email please, so I have your address. I should have a beta for you to look at shortly, supporting using an exact match first and using the name field for the dbases. I should be done with it in a couple of hours.

I think he'll be happy about that

[Tom Speirs]

Its ready. Please remind me of your email.