Game Developers & Genres

[Dazz]

While working on a tags system, we came to the conclusion that we need to work to improve data related to games before we proceed. A number of the tags that we would be looking to add would be basic information that shouldn't be seen as a variable or non-required.

By this I mean Developers and game Genres. I'm proposing we begin to take extra data in for game submissions for these fields, using pre-filled drop downs.

An example will be that under Game Name: we'll include a Developer(s): and Genre(s):

We'll then include links to browse all developers and genres on the top navigation of the site. This will provide the user with a page similar to the home page of a console, and a letter navigation to the same effect.

We would begin with a number of obvious massive companies such and Nintendo, Konami, SEGA, Capcom etc. but also allow people to add new developers which would be added to the drop down list. As staff we will need to be on top of this, as we won't want multiple divisions of the same company to come up on the site. However, I'm also concerned that we might get a TONNE of developers appearing in this list, what with the number of indie titles we have. I initially proposed that we limit the system to only pre-defined companies, and have an "Other Developer" selection (similar to Other Systems as a console). However this will likely cause some issues with us picking who to include as a big enough company to give their own section. If a game is by an "Other Developer" should we allow a user to put the name of the developer in still? That way it can still be found later should we decide to put it as a major dropdown item?

Thoughts on how to handle this?

I think that Genres should be all pre-defined. I know many games have no real genre (Katamari is a good example) so we can't cover all bases but all of the majors ones. We can poll users here to compile this list too.

Maybe for Developers we have a threshold of "it need x number of games" to appear in the list, so anyone added as an "Other Developer" can have that count be checked and we can decide whether to include them in the drop down.

Let us know your thoughts.

[SuperFlomm]

Is devs appearing multiple times an issue on VGFacts? If not I don't see why it should be an issue here. Just tell the submitters to check if a developer exists in the dropdown menu before adding them.

[Petie]

That wasn't the concern. The issue is having way too many developers here and making the feature nearly useless. It's different on VGFacts since trivia can be submitted for a developer but here, we don't want hundreds of obscure developers that will only have a game or two listed for them.

[daemoth]

For the developper, if you want to manage a huge list, a search bar could be added to the list.
canyourunit.com use that system for the list of games they have.

For the genre, you should be able to choose multiples elements and an orders for them.

[Dazz]

I'd like to explore the option of something like that, but again the concern would also be browsing a developer with only 3 or 4 games. With that kind of input, those developers would still be listed - as such, you'd have a tiny section to go through. Unless we go with larger companies and use this for the "Other Developer" selection still when inputting the name (if we take that route).

[daemoth]

I'd like to explore the option of something like that, but again the concern would also be browsing a developer with only 3 or 4 games. With that kind of input, those developers would still be listed - as such, you'd have a tiny section to go through. Unless we go with larger companies and use this for the "Other Developer" selection still when inputting the name (if we take that route).

Hmm? I dont see the problem behind having a developers with few games or having a tiny section to go through. When you do a search, you want as few results as possible, cause it means you search was accurate. And the list will be easy to manage with a drop-down list with search bar.

[Petie]

The plan isn't to do it in a list form though. Each developer or genre "page" is going to be the equivalent of a console on the site now. The same letter-based browsing structure and list style. The existing search system will be expanded to include the new fields and will link to these new pages. The only thing we haven't settled on is how to list out all of the developers and genres but I don't think a system like the one you linked is optimal - I've never been a fan of those infinite scrolling systems. Could be we'll just list them out the same way we do the games but in text-mode only for the developer and console lists.

[daemoth]

The plan isn't to do it in a list form though. Each developer or genre "page" is going to be the equivalent of a console on the site now. The same letter-based browsing structure and list style. The existing search system will be expanded to include the new fields and will link to these new pages. The only thing we haven't settled on is how to list out all of the developers and genres but I don't think a system like the one you linked is optimal - I've never been a fan of those infinite scrolling systems. Could be we'll just list them out the same way we do the games but in text-mode only for the developer and console lists.

Right, i understand now, you guys want to use the main site UI to display Developers and genre instead of the consoles ( took me long enough ) 
Well, there should be 2 list of genres and devs, the short one that display only the main dev. and genres using a threshold for the main site UI, and the extensive one, used in the list of the advanced search system and when you to submit a genre/dev to a game.

About the list of canyourunit, you know you dont have to scroll right? You just write the first letter and then the list is updated.

[Petie]

I'm not sure you do understand actually. We're not replacing the consoles and we're not having separate lists. We're using the same style as the console display for developers and genres. Picture clicking on SNES where you get the letter bar and recent additions. That exact view except you just clicked on Developers. It's in addition to everything we have now, not in place of it.

And yes, I'm aware you don't have to scroll but for people who are just browsing, they may not already know what they want to see and infinite scroll systems do not lend themselves to that type of visitor.

[daemoth]

I'm not sure you do understand actually. We're not replacing the consoles and we're not having separate lists. We're using the same style as the console display for developers and genres. Picture clicking on SNES where you get the letter bar and recent additions. That exact view except you just clicked on Developers. It's in addition to everything we have now, not in place of it.

And yes, I'm aware you don't have to scroll but for people who are just browsing, they may not already know what they want to see and infinite scroll systems do not lend themselves to that type of visitor.

Yup, that what i understood. The main UI is gonna have a mode, either it displays Consoles, Genres or Devs.

And yeah, i was talking about the drop-down list with a search bar for the advanced search menu if we use an extensive list of devs. I doubt anyone would browse randomly in those.

[Petie]

Yup, that what i understood. The main UI is gonna have a mode, either it displays Consoles, Genres or Devs.

No, no mode. Nothing about the current UI is changing. We'll just be adding, somewhere, links to browse developers and genres in the same style as consoles. I'm currently envisioning literal "Developers" and "Genres" links under the list of consoles but that hasn't been decided yet. The developers and genres will be displayed in place of games initially. Clicking on one of them will bring you to an as of yet undesigned list of games (possibly just a sorted list like search would return or possibly the same interface but now showing games under the selected developer - I'm not sure yet as we haven't actually discussed it). As far as I'm concerned, we won't be replacing the console links with a list of developers or genres, though I suppose that could be feasible if the list is kept relatively small.

Actually, while the above was my initial plan, reading your view of what you thought I meant actually gave me an idea that apparently Dazz also had so we'll likely be going with tabs at the top of the left navigation. It will default to consoles but you can switch to developers or genres and have the game list the same way they do for consoles. We're still working on refining the specifics but we have the beginning of a plan at least.

And yeah, i was talking about the drop-down list with a search bar for the advanced search menu if we use an extensive list of devs. I doubt anyone would browse randomly in those.

Which is why we don't want to have 10 million developers. But either way, the planned interface will be able to handle large or small numbers without the need for infinite scrolling or dropdowns.