Hacking GameTDB - game information database + covers

[zorglub07]

Thanks djtaz, I saw this list (source: http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Title#00010004) but it is meant for System and Game Channel titles ("German-speaking regions. Only if separate versions exist, e.g. Zelda: A Link to the Past"), with four-letter title ID, no hint that it can apply to discs and contradicting information ("X Not a real region code") so I wanted more evidence. There is no I in this list for instance, and N is for "Japanese Import to USA and other NTSC regions" while it could have been Netherlands for discs.

 

[CuriousG]

Is there anything in place to fix wrong covers? I noticed that there are some covers that are supposed to be 3D covers and they're just regular covers.

How about implementing something so that when there are titles without certain covers you can click a link and it shows what covers are needed or something to that effect. Maybe have some type of vote so that covers that are high in demand get listed first so it can be filled sooner.

 

[zorglub07]

Is there anything in place to fix wrong covers? I noticed that there are some covers that are supposed to be 3D covers and they're just regular covers.
How about implementing something so that when there are titles without certain covers you can click a link and it shows what covers are needed or something to that effect. Maybe have some type of vote so that covers that are high in demand get listed first so it can be filled sooner.

The site is not currently set up to display 3D covers, it only displays regular cover and official disc art, but you can upload custom disc art and download it from the loaders. The multiple covers you see for PAL games are regional covers. If you mean you downloaded wrong covers from a loader, please tell me if you see a problem by PM.
The 3D pack comes straight from Neorame so I would assume it is clean? but I'll look to be really sure.
For now I screen all uploads, but I will add the ability to delete wrong covers for advanced users/moderators later.
I don't think having a "request section" is really helpful because people could spend the time searching for a cover rather then requesting it and hoping someone else will do it. The popular games are popular even if there is no request system so the most popular covers will be uploaded first.
Having a list of missing covers would be nice, I'll try to add that later.

 

[cooldudechand]

cooool....looks good...and easy

 

[Muntrue]

Just adding a shameless plug for www.muntrue.nl where we have pretty much all 3D / 2D / Fullcover / Disc artwork =)

 

[zorglub07]

Your site looks good muntrue.
If I may add, WiiTDB also has pretty much all 3D / 2D / Fullcover / Disc artwork

 

[Muntrue]

Ah i just noticed

looks really good!

 

[mousex]

Can you add some "report" page to wiitdb.com? I sometimes recognize some misstakes with covers which I can't correct (as a example, Simpsons game (Germany version) has the German 3d boxart uploaded as the English one and I can neither delete it nor upload German 3d boxart (or 3d boxart at all).

 

[zorglub07]

Can you add some "report" page to wiitdb.com? I sometimes recognize some misstakes with covers which I can't correct (as a example, Simpsons game (Germany version) has the German 3d boxart uploaded as the English one and I can neither delete it nor upload German 3d boxart (or 3d boxart at all).

3D covers do not use the new region specific folders yet, they are only available for the main game ID like all covers used to be, I added a message to reflect that, so for RSND69 it is normal to see a German cover. I will add a way for some users to fix covers. The report page is a good idea, it will be added.

 

[geedub]

wouldnt the size be better displayed as dvd5 or dvd9 , or even scrubbed size ( WBFS ) ?

also i was wondering if there will be EN UK and EN USA , the main reason being only one EN can be uploaded and the game age ratings are different ?

not that im being fussy , just curious !

 

[giantpune]

isn't that covered by the pal/ntsc part? pal=uk EN, ntsc=usa EN

 

[Benjay]

correct.

EN covers are in the PAL section , and US covers in the NTSC

 

[zorglub07]

wouldnt the size be better displayed as dvd5 or dvd9 , or even scrubbed size ( WBFS ) ?
also i was wondering if there will be EN UK and EN USA , the main reason being only one EN can be uploaded and the game age ratings are different ?
not that im being fussy , just curious !

As giantpune and Benjay said, EN for PAL US for NTSC-U, but here is no possible confusion:
When you edit an NTSC game you can only upload the cover as US and JA for a NTSC-J game.
when you edit a PAL game, you can upload the cover as EN, FR, DE, ES, IT.
About the dvd size, it's like that in the database to be able to check iso size. If it was "dvd5" any other software that would be used to check crc using this file would have to know the exact size of a Wii disc image. But it could be changed to "DVD" for display on the site. About WBFS, I was thinking of adding WBFS crc, but I'm not sure if it would be really worth it?

Something new I think you will like:

You can now upload any cover size on http://wiitdb.com .jpg or .png, it will be converted to the right size and format for you

You can still upload 160x224 png, but it is easier and preferable to upload a good quality jpg without heavy compression to get high quality covers for the loaders.

check out the quality difference a good source makes: http://wiitdb.com/Game/R4QP01
compare the usual old EN cover to the FR one which was added among my French cover pack.
(browse the site WiiTDB Search and compare EN to FR covers for all popular games if you want to see other examples)
I think it would be fun to try and replace all those ugly covers from low quality jpg source by high quality covers, it will be possible soon.
png is a lossless format, there is no reason to be stuck with blur and jpg artifacts, it can look perfect...

To sum it up you can now upload high quality covers, discs, custom discs... and fullcovers

 

[Benjay]

i've something to ask you zorglub.
actually , fullcovers are at a 512x340 size.
Wiiflow accepts 1024x680 fullcovers , and that makes a big quality difference on the coverflow.(really big , i can read what's written on back covers with this size).

Is it possible to do something about this ?

I ask this but i'm not sure you can , because of the other loaders and the size they accept for fullcovers.

edit : i've just figured out that it would need to re-upload all fullcovers at a higher size , and so to find them all in a higher size^^

 

[zorglub07]

To get full covers of higher size they would need to be uploaded, but that is possible.
You can start uploading high quality full covers as normal fullcovers, and I can add a new option for "fullcovershq"

 

[Benjay]

good , now we only need to find these covers in high quality ^^

 

[dj_skual]

deleted

 

[dj_skual]

think there are a problem with the latest addition windows
think there will be most readable to put the last addition at the top of the list and not in the other way
like it seem with the actually way the new addition aren't showed
thx

 

[dj_skual]

deleted

 

[geedub]

isn't that covered by the pal/ntsc part? pal=uk EN, ntsc=usa EN

yes if done correctly

correct.

EN covers are in the PAL section , and US covers in the NTSC

thats the way it should be , how many have you checked ?


QUOTE(zorglub07 @ Jul 6 2009, 09:22 AM)

As giantpune and Benjay said, EN for PAL US for NTSC-U, but here is no possible confusion:
When you edit an NTSC game you can only upload the cover as US and JA for a NTSC-J game.
when you edit a PAL game, you can upload the cover as EN, FR, DE, ES, IT.
About the dvd size, it's like that in the database to be able to check iso size. If it was "dvd5" any other software that would be used to check crc using this file would have to know the exact size of a Wii disc image. But it could be changed to "DVD" for display on the site. About WBFS, I was thinking of adding WBFS crc, but I'm not sure if it would be really worth it?

Something new I think you will like:

You can now upload any cover size on http://wiitdb.com .jpg or .png, it will be converted to the right size and format for you

You can still upload 160x224 png, but it is easier and preferable to upload a good quality jpg without heavy compression to get high quality covers for the loaders.

check out the quality difference a good source makes: http://wiitdb.com/Game/R4QP01
compare the usual old EN cover to the FR one which was added among my French cover pack.
(browse the site WiiTDB Search and compare EN to FR covers for all popular games if you want to see other examples)
I think it would be fun to try and replace all those ugly covers from low quality jpg source by high quality covers, it will be possible soon.
png is a lossless format, there is no reason to be stuck with blur and jpg artifacts, it can look perfect...

To sum it up you can now upload high quality covers, discs, custom discs... and fullcovers

yes i accept that ! but i didnt explain myself properley lol

there is still a lot in the PAL EN section that are infact NTSC US, but i know its still early days and these will hopefully be fixed over time.

btw dont get me wrong im just pointing this out , id rather have any cover for my kids !

the main one i went onto replace was Bolt as i have Volt lol and just checked a lot of others when i was there