Incorrect platform names, inconsistencies

[virividiann1198]

Not sure where to post this but here it goes. I've noticed a couple inconsistencines with the Platform database in Launchbox, so I'm posting these so they get eventually fixed.

Follows the naming standard '[Manufacturer] [PlatformName]'. 

ColecoVision > Coleco ColecoVision
WonderSwan > Bandai WonderSwan
WonderSwan Color > Bandai WonderSwan Color

Notable exceptions: Enterprise (a PC), Mega Duck (made by 3 manufacturers), Spectravision (brand for a number of PCs).

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ColecoVision

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WonderSwan

 

[Sylwahan]

I agree the WonderSwans probably should have Bandai added, but the Coleco one seems redundant. I don't think it works to follow that naming standard to the letter, but it's better to do what seems natural. Otherwise the "Nintendo 64" platform should technically be renamed "Nintendo Nintendo 64" since the name of the console is "Nintendo 64" and not just "64", but that would be ridiculous.

I do wonder about a couple of other platform things though, mainly why the name "Playstation" and not "PlayStation"? Especially since most of the other platforms (including the above three) follow the official camel case.

Also should the SuFami Turbo be added as a separate platform considering other add-ons like 32X and 64DD are listed as separate? Or is it because the SuFami is third-party, even though it was officially approved by Nintendo?

[Mikerochip]

@virividiann1198 I've raised this issue before, and been ignored, so, I wouldn't hold your breath. (Almost 3 years ago)

There's a fair few inconsistencies in the database system naming.

The vast majority of systems listed here were sold under a single name, eg Mega Drive, and won't get mixed up with any other consoles, yet, the platform isn't called Mega Drive, it's called Sega Mega Drive.

But, the platform for all the Nintendo (except the Virtual Boy, for whatever reason), Bandai, the NEC Super Grafx (and yet the Turbo Grafx-16 has NEC in the title), Nueon, Colecovision, lack the the manufacturer.

There's more, too.

see:

A different argument is why all systems have the American name, rather than A) the original (launch) name eg the Mega Drive was called the Mega Drive in Japan, or b) the most popular name eg again, the Mega Drive was called the Mega Drive over the vast majority of the world. Japan, India, the rest of Asia, all of Europe. It's only called the Genesis in the US. (Nevermind the Korean or Hebrew names for the console)

Is there any way the alternate naming for systems, and also games, could be showed on the page for the game/system?

eg Donkey Kong Country / Super Donkey Kong on the SNES.

To that end, do you need an official "other names" field, as well as an alias?

Since, there are games who's name only appears as kanji, but have a written English title which is only the translated title of the game.

 

Anyhow. Just some thoughts.

[neil9000]

13 minutes ago, Mikerochip said:

A different argument is why all systems have the American name

Because the database is American based, this is how it has been built from the start. We use American naming as well as the English language for descriptions.

[Lordmonkus]

In other words, everyone has their own opinion of how things should be named and if we change the names to suit your personal opinion then that will conflict with someone elses opinion and we're back in the same position.

 

[Mikerochip]

Yeah. Of course. But, isn't a naming convention .. exactly that, a convention?

The question on the table is why are some systems arbitrarily given half a name (the system only), and others given a full name.

You have laid down a set of rules for the naming convention of games, which is fine, but, systems are a sort of "whatever the mod who entered it feels like it should be called"?

Why not have an actual naming convention for systems too.

 

It's more than a little frustrating to have 2/3 of the systems named [Manufacturer] + [Machine Name] and the rest just [Machine Name].

[Lordmonkus]

If i'm not mistaken (and I could be) but I believe when Jason created the database he simply used https://thegamesdb.net as a template at the time because there were big problems with up time on it.

Now I am not gonna sit here and debate how things should and shouldn't be named, I simply do not care because I have never had an issue getting any of the metadata or media for any of my games. I will only say that as far as the list of things to worry about and be fixed / worked on the database platform naming is really far down that list.

As someone who spends a lot of time reading the forums and on discord this is an issue that never comes up.

[neil9000]

Not to mention that you can simply name the platform exactly the way you want it to be, and just specify a scrape as. So you still get all games scraped, as well as the platform being named the way you personally want it. So this really is a non issue.

[Mikerochip]

Well, it came up at least once before

It's not an "issue", it's just inconsistent looking.

It might be no harm to have an actual convention going forward though.

Anyhow. It's up to you guys obviously.

 

 

[Lordmonkus]

2 minutes ago, Mikerochip said:

It's up to you guys obviously.

It's up to Jason.

[fromlostdays]

Just remember that you can name your systems whatever you want and just "scrape as" the Launchbox database name for the system. I'm not saying consistency shouldn't be an aim but it isn't as if you're locked in to the database names. It doesn't have to look "inconsistent" to you, whatever your preferences are, which is the most important thing. 

[pacmanman]

10 hours ago, fromlostdays said:

Just remember that you can name your systems whatever you want and just "scrape as" the Launchbox database name for the system. I'm not saying consistency shouldn't be an aim but it isn't as if you're locked in to the database names. It doesn't have to look "inconsistent" to you, whatever your preferences are, which is the most important thing. 

Yeah, that was mentioned earlier