I have been asked to implement parent/clone relationships to the datfiles.

The ultimate suggestion was to add a simple <generic name=""/> line/tag, which would contain the parent's name/title. The whole idea is easy to realize, though, editing those fields would require some work and best of all extra edit forms, independent from disc edit forms, to keep the whole thing as easy as possible.

Therefore, before i begin with coding anything based on my mind i decided to ask for your ideas and suggestions on how to optimize the whole thing smile

PX-760A (+30), PX-W4824TA (+98), GSA-H42L (+667), GDR-8164B (+102), SH-D162D (+6), SOHD-167T (+12)

My suggestion:

I would suggest, the <generic name=""> tag should relate to a specific Region order.

For example: USA > Europe > Japan > Spain > France > Germany > Italian etc...

Multi-Disc Games, like Final Fantasy should merge all together to keep it easy and maximal compression.

Editing: Editing should allways be done by some specific users.

I think the editing stuff can be done by two users. One user can allways edit the relationship between Games. Another User can check it and tick if it is okay or not.

An overview would be very nice, where the editors can see, which Games allrdy have a <generic name=""> relation tag and which games haven't one and this overview should show, if the relation was allrdy checked by the other editor.

Ecco wrote:

I would suggest, the <generic name=""> tag should relate to a specific Region order.

For example: USA > Europe > Japan > Spain > France > Germany > Italian etc...

Multi-Disc Games, like Final Fantasy should merge all together to keep it easy and maximal compression.

Ecco, i think this is a matter of datfile managers smile

PX-760A (+30), PX-W4824TA (+98), GSA-H42L (+667), GDR-8164B (+102), SH-D162D (+6), SOHD-167T (+12)

Yes, I know.

But you will need to tag the <generic name=""/> line with a name.
You could use here numbers too, but I think it's easier just to use a title smile.

Some Games have in different Region different titles. It wouldn't make a matter, but I think it's easier to maintain this dat, if you decide to use a title of the game. As editor you could get confuse, if somebody edited the relation with a japanese title and you have edited the relation if the US title and wonder, that the datfile manager doesn't find a relationship between them tongue. Just one idea smile

No clue how you can get it into the Redump DB, but the GameCube parent/clone dat is 95% done. Only thing missing is the multi-game demos.

I'm with Ecco. There should be a naming standard for the generic titles.

why not like MAME does ?

for exemple :

<game name="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v2.00)" cloneof="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v1.00)">

<game name="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v1.00)">

My ideal:

  • Follow a region order but make the generic name as generic as possible (Resident Evil > Biohazard, no additional tags like region)

  • Group re-releases of the same game (goty, dual shock etc), keep expansions (dynasty warriors xtreme legends, empires) separate and collections (deus ex complete) separate. At first glance it might seem like a good idea to group some of these situations, but it forms too many complications and introduces as many negatives as positives

  • Have the backend a number id, no parent as such (the dat creation code handles the release to grab the generic name from). clone-clone-clone... seems easier to implement + edit than parent-clone-clone... and more flexible

The dat could store an id instead of a generic name. This makes post-processing with a datter mandatory for many situations so is not ideal, but a clone dat of any sort is good.

PS3Dec (decrypt ps3 images), PS3DumpCheck (check integrity), GetKey (dump PS3 metadata), DatSplit (split redump dats), GPack (compress related images together)

I think we should go with jamjam's sugestions, since he allry work longer on this merged Sets and do many experimentations.
He has allry some experience and know where the problems are smile

jamjam wrote:

The dat could store an id instead of a generic name. This makes post-processing with a datter mandatory for many situations so is not ideal, but a clone dat of any sort is good.

That's actually what i would prefer too. An ID would replace the parent and the issue with parent naming would be released to datter, which has to sort it out anyway.

We could name it <group id=""> or whatever you guys prefer to call it like, as i standalone tag or as suggested befor...

EliUmniCk wrote:

<game name="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v2.00)" cloneof="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v1.00)">

PX-760A (+30), PX-W4824TA (+98), GSA-H42L (+667), GDR-8164B (+102), SH-D162D (+6), SOHD-167T (+12)

EliUmniCk wrote:

why not like MAME does ?

for exemple :

<game name="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v2.00)" cloneof="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v1.00)">

<game name="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v1.00)">

MAME uses the most recent USA version as a parent, earlier versions and japanese ones are clones.

F1ReB4LL wrote:
EliUmniCk wrote:

why not like MAME does ?

for exemple :

<game name="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v2.00)" cloneof="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v1.00)">

<game name="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v1.00)">

MAME uses the most recent USA version as a parent, earlier versions and japanese ones are clones.

I was just talking about the use of the "cloneof" element. ^^

Do like u want to determine which disc is the parent ^^

I think the solution with the id is a good one smile
I would just suggest one extra:

In the Database we could use id names.

example:

<game name="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v2.00)">
<group id="00556">

I would suggest to build in a search field.

For example:

You want submit a Game and don't know the group id.
You type in the name: *Tekken

You get all results to "Tekken" and and see which Titles with Tekken have which group id and just take the id that fits to the group.

I know, you can check the Discs manually too tongue
But that's more comfortable. I just don't know, if this will get into high server loads??? smile

13 (edited by MrX_Cuci 2013-05-09 22:50:30)

Grouping different verslons Seems like a bad idea. Goty edition is vastly different to original edition for example. Besides there could also be 1.1 goty editions. I would rather go mame style. Using the igr function of clrmame you can filter out the regions you personally want. Newest version should be parent no matter what region.

GOTY edition is hard to categorise as it could mean many things, in my limited experience it means little more than a re-release with the latest patch, which is what I meant by it. When something gets re-released as game +  major expansion pack/major dlc combo on the same disc , then I think it should be in its own group (ie up to 3 groups: standalone game, expansion pack, combo). Some things will be borderline, it'll have to be discussed on a case by case basis.

It's all subject to opinion, and some of it will be hard to sort out (particularly pc, consoles play much nicer normally). Basically I think the golden rule should be if a disc could go into multiple groups, put it in a new group. If we follow it we wont go far wrong.

PS3Dec (decrypt ps3 images), PS3DumpCheck (check integrity), GetKey (dump PS3 metadata), DatSplit (split redump dats), GPack (compress related images together)

15 (edited by Ecco 2013-05-10 18:05:18)

I have one example:

Elder Scrolls, The - Morrowind

All Morrowind Standalone Versions should be merged as a set.
All Bloodmoon Addon Versions should be merged as a set.
All Tribunal Addon Versions should be mergend as a set.
All Morrowind GOTY Version should be merged as a set (Includes Morrowind, Bloodmoon, Tribunal).


Another Example:

Deus Ex Standard Edition should be merged together with Deus Ex GOTY Edition as a set.
Why: The GOTY Edition has no further Expansion Packs, no DLC, and no new content. It's just patched to the newest official Version and has some additional Bug Fixes.

http://deusex.wikia.com/wiki/Deus_Ex:_G … ar_Edition

I think it's to decide individually

16 (edited by Ecco 2013-05-28 15:04:27)

soooo.... any new news about this topic  roll ???