• Jackal
  • Moderator (Retired)
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  • Registered: 2006-12-23
  • Posts: 4,132

Hi, I noticed that a lot of dumps get added with useless info, for example:

- IFPI codes + inner ring serials.. I think these are just useless.. correct me if I'm wrong
- Disc number + disc title for discs that are only 1 disc and don't have a unique title on the disc.. @asapy, this isn't needed smile
- Dumping info in the comments fields that isn't removed by moderators when added

I also think the way Saturn headers are added now isn't good.. maybe Dremora can make a seperate info box for it at the bottom of the page.

And I hope Dremora can check the db if there's any junk left in the comments fields or serial fields that needs cleaning tongue thx

2 Reply by themabus (edited by themabus 2008-02-19 12:32:35)

  • From: Macondo
  • Registered: 2007-08-21
  • Posts: 966

for PCE, i think, the ring is a good thing to have. it's the only way to tell various releases from each other, without reading CD itself. in necstasy ther's 6 tokimekis with the serials alike but different rings. so for example if you want a particular CD this helps a lot, you can write it down in a store to check later at home or ask on-line seller to mail it to you.

ECMa130 @20091225 :: friidump 0.5.3 :: PSXstuff :: SaturnPrograms :: MyStupidPrograms2 :: MyStupidPrograms

themabus's Website

  • From: London, UK
  • Registered: 2006-12-21
  • Posts: 285

Vigi wrote:

I also think the way Saturn headers are added now isn't good.. maybe Dremora can make a seperate info box for it at the bottom of the page.

Well, I don't really understand why do we need all this info stored either in comments or in a separate box. Most of it (serial, date, version, disc number, title, system, region) already has separate fields.

Dremora's Website

  • Jackal
  • Moderator (Retired)
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  • Registered: 2006-12-23
  • Posts: 4,132

if some saturn games have maybe 5 versions with only the first sector different, maybe it's possible to somehow preserve these differences without creating 'dupe' dump entries.. and I agree that there's no real point in listing the header as either a comment or a separate info field.. maybe it's possible to take 1 version as a base and make the other clones (similar to MAME).

Maybe there's any sense in stripping out the first sector so that all versions will have the same checksum.. and list the different headers separately in the same dump entry? I think it's similar to SafeDisc / DNAS in a sense that one or more sectors are skipped that differ on each disc so the resulting checksum can be replicated and all the relevant data is still preserved..

  • From: Italy
  • Registered: 2007-10-16
  • Posts: 192

It may be useful if madmagician thinks so. After all, he is the Saturn guru.
A dedicated infobox for 1st sector would be useful as I agree that in the current state (in comments) it's very ugly. I usually place other info in the comments about alternate serials and versions.
The Saturn database is still very empty, it's easy to decide to add things before many dumps are submitted. I think that the more accurate the documentation is, the better!

  • Registered: 2006-12-24
  • Posts: 3,847

Vigi wrote:

if some saturn games have maybe 5 versions with only the first sector different

1st sector identifies the disc itself, there won't be "5 versions with only the first sector different" - if the first sector differs, there should be other differencies as well.

  • Registered: 2007-09-11
  • Posts: 402

First sector is basically a header, it would make no sense to change it without changing the actual game code. Hell, if true Saturn would be the only game system on Earth of the last 30 years to have different headers same code big_smile

  • Registered: 2006-12-24
  • Posts: 3,847

Different header usually means region-hacked one.