Video Game Reviews Database development thread

[Ashley]

We would approach it in the same way we do when someone submits a review no one on staff has seen: we consult several, several sources we trust and analyze what they say against what the reviewer says.

[Mithrandir]

Yup. I have a lot of REALLY avid gamer friends at my church who LOVE to drone on and on about video games. Either:
1. They may sign up for CAA just to post reviews.
2. or they will look over reviews and let me know what they think.

And there are lots of sites out there who do very thourough video game reviews. Our purpose here it not to re-invent the wheel, rather to give a "one-stop-shop" for our members, and anyone else who happens by...

[Azier the Swordsman]

PM reviews to me, I wouldn't mind checking them out.

As for MY reviews, I'm a perfectionist, so I'm always as accurate and detailed as possible when it comes to stuff like this.

[Link Antilles]

Soooooooooooooo.... Oldphil, any new news of newness about the VGRD? I'm still here and playing video games.

[Cognitive Gear]

Wow! I've been tryin to think of something that I could do to be helpfull around here... I think I just found soething! I hope that this gets off the ground soon. I would love to either help go over reviews, or provide a few myself (Note: I may have some time restrictions occasionally, but I will help as much as I can! ^^)

[Ky Kiske]

I might not be a great tech guy but I've played my share of games and I will be glad to help contribute.

[Mithrandir]

Thanks for the note! At this time, this project is on hiatus until my wrists heal up a bit, and we get a few other things fixed up.

*looks around*

Yeah, a little paint, some plaster in the walls...

[rocklobster]

I'll probably submit a review for Soul Caliber 2. BTW, does "bad religion" apply to made-up religions, like Talim's being a wind priestess?

[Fsiphskilm]

I'm sure bad

[Link Antilles]

I'll probably submit a review for Soul Caliber 2. BTW, does "bad religion" apply to made-up religions, like Talim's being a wind priestess?

I believe so and the rating would represent degree of how much emphasis it put on it (some try to skew with Christian values). Talim's being a priestess would probably fall at a 1/10, because it's only mentioned in the character's profile (am I correct?) and most gamers (including myself, unless I had to review the game) would ignore it or think not too much of a fighting game's contestant’s stories in general.

I'm sure bad religion would be used to describe things that are blasphemous to christianity.

Technically, from your example, the gay part of the Wiccans would fall under "sexual themes."


As for things like psychic powers, and gambling, that may be very offensive to some Christians and not so much by others, would fall under "other negative themes", I think.

[rocklobster]

[quote="Link Antilles"]I believe so and the rating would represent degree of how much emphasis it put on it (some try to skew with Christian values). Talim's being a priestess would probably fall at a 1/10, because it's only mentioned in the character's profile (am I correct?) and most gamers (including myself, unless I had to review the game) would ignore it or think not too much of a fighting game's contestant’s stories in general.

Yes, that is correct, except for her "wind, guide me" line. OK, what about Sophitia's invoking the Greek gods? Granted, no one celebrates that religion anymore, although we still read the myths. Personally, that being the case, I doubt anyone would have problems. I'll post my review in a separate thread so you can comment.

[Link Antilles]

Yes, that is correct, except for her "wind, guide me" line. OK, what about Sophitia's invoking the Greek gods? Granted, no one celebrates that religion anymore, although we still read the myths. Personally, that being the case, I doubt anyone would have problems. I'll post my review in a separate thread so you can comment.

I cannot remember, but does she (Sophitia) call upon them during a battle taunt? If so, this like Talim's wind issue, worth a small mention. However, the main focus should be darker playable characters, like Nightmare and such.

I don't think Mithrandir wants folks to be posting reviews, right now. Now, if you want my feedback, you can PM it to me if you like.

[Mithrandir]

Link is pretty much right on. If we get too many reviews here now, that's a bit unweildy. I *AM* glad that people are still interested, though.

[Myoti]

I can't think of much to help in the set-up, but I'd definetly like to help write/look over reviews when this gets up.

[Slater]

so, when do you think that that database will be ready? as you know, I have one review ready to submit...

[rocklobster]

OK, Link, I'll PM you a trial review by Monday. Here are some other titles you can reserve me for:
Ehrgeiz
Final Fantasy VII
Kingdom Hearts I
Katamari Damacy
RPG Maker (PS One version)

also, what's the word on series that seem to have titles that aren't that much different from each other, like your sports titles or your wrestling. I mean, pretty much the only thing those do with each sequel is update rosters (and move lists for the wrestling stuff) and tweak create a character modes.

[Mithrandir]

I'd like to request we not "reserve titles" just yet. We've got a bit of work to do still, and that's a snowball that will just continue to get larger. And larger. And... you get the idea.

[rocklobster]

Can we review web games too? Like Insaniquarium or homestarrunner's stuff?

[Azier the Swordsman]

So, what's the progress so far?

[Mithrandir]

Well, I'm currently persuing other interest areas. I'll get to this one, but it may be a while. I'm spending quite a bit of time cleaning up stuff, right now.

[Mithrandir]

I'm resurecting this (I don't know when this will be ready, but I want you to know I haven't given up. ) I'm focusing on a slightly modified version of Link's list (not to be confused with a linked-list).


Here's how you can help. I need some brainstorming, and maybe a bit of information about the following things:

1. How do we want to do the platforms? I think it would work best as checkboxes where you can select all that apply. I will need help coming up with an exhaustive list of consoles.
2. How do to Number of players? Radio buttons: 1, 1-2, 2+, 3+, 4+ would work well.
3. Sound/Music: Open text field, or 1-10 radio buttons?
4. Genre: Do we want checkboxes? Should we use the genre options from the ARD?

[rocklobster]

I like the radio buttons better than the open field. I think we need a checkbox for multi-platform games. That should reduce things a bit.

[Yeshua-Knight]

hmmmm, now why didn't i notice this thread before.....i had to go looking for it to see if one really existed

ok, i agree with the checkboxes for the platforms, that way everyone knows what platform is which

Number of players? radio buttons would work fine, or if you could find something that resembles the buttons from the old nes controller that could work too

Sound/Music: i'd go with a 1-10 scale, but perhaps have an optional blank for extra comments on the music, like if it was soothing or very upbeat, that sort of thing

Genre: i would use checkboxes, but also provide one labeled other simply because there is every once in a while a game that you just can't fit into any of the main game genres, either because it combines so many parts of other genres or because it doesn't have anything to do with any of the other genres, these would be rare, but they do exist

and on a personal note, i'm very much looking forward to the opening of the game review section, i do miss the days when i could go to the guild and post a review myself, but alas, such is life

[Raiden no Kishi]

I don't want to create too much work, but I think a combination of radio buttons/checkboxes and text boxes would be ideal. For example, when a game is made for multiple platforms, you could check all that apply, then [if you've played it on multiple platforms] write in which system has the best port. Alternately, you could just give a text box, which would mean that you wouldn't need to put together Ye Olde Master List of Nearly Every Console Ever. For genre, I'd be tempted just to put a text box, since they mix elements of genres together now. For sound/music, definitely a text entry for what you thought of it. This would include voice acting [if applicable] as well. Radio buttons would be fine for number of players.

T-K: IIRC, "radio buttons" doesn't refer to the image used, but to a set of those little round buttons in a web form that allow you to only select one. They're usually round. If I'm right, they got their name from old-school car radio preset buttons, which were more mechanical than they are today. The button would remain pushed in until you pressed another, in which case the first button would pop back out.

.rai//

[Mithrandir]

Raiden is correct. We're still working out some of the kinks behind the scenes, but we'll likely have something in the near(ish) future.