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"The
Gamebase Collection"
Coming Soon! - Download
the Game List
What
is The Gamebase Collection of Information?
The
Gamebase Collection of Information is a collaboration
of efforts from a group of like-minded C64 enthusiasts.
In its simplest term, it is a database of C64 games,
but dig under the cover and you will find the most complete
and accurate archive of C64 game information that has
ever been compiled. Currently the collection has around
14000 individual game entries, but still it is growing
as rare games are being found and added to it all the
time. The Gamebase Team is constantly working on the
database, adding new games and gathering more information
on existing games.
The
Gamebase Collection will be online at or about the same
time the official non-beta GameBase
program is released. We plan to have the collection
in both offline and online formats. The offline version
will be available for download with GameBase, while
the online version will be right here on Gamebase64.com,
and will come with a versatile search engine. You'll
be able to search the whole collection by Game Name,
Publisher, Programmer, Genre, Musician, Cracking Group
and more! All the screenshots should be online, as well
as game docs and other extras.
Our
Philosophy
The
Gamebase Team are aware that there are numerous versions
of many of the C64 games available on the web and in
individuals' collections, and since the project began
we have made every effort to include only the *best*
found versions of these games, i.e. versions with multiple
trainers, highscore-savers, loading/title-pics, included
docs etc. Where possible, and where necessary, we have
merged different game-versions into one new version
for the collection.
Since
our number of 'Unchecked' games has reached zero for
some time now, let's explain what we mean when we say
'we check' a game: -
a)
We load it up and scan it for the information that needs
to be added to Gamebase's database fields (that is programmer's
name, mucisian's name etc.)
b)
We play it a little bit in order to check if it looks
OK, doen't crash etc. This along with Michael's checking
the game's files for bad sectors etc when copying them
to fresh D64 or T64 images, is our possible quality-check
at the moment.
With
the above we want to point out that when we say 'checked'
we don't mean checking it in every possible way. It
would be impossible to release Gamebase if we had to
make every check possible to each game we include, especially
if you consider that some games, for example RPGs, need
months in order to be checked properly. Once the collection
is released, though, we will rely on you, the Gamebase
user, to report any bug/defection you notice in the
games you play. We will then check the information you
submit and, if found to be valid, will add it to the
relevant comment field of the game concerned. This way
everyone will be aware of the faulty game version and
will be able to help us with submiting an okay copy
he may have for inclusion in our next update.
Database
Fields
For
each game in the database, we store the following 'Game
Info': -
| Field
Name |
Field
Type |
| Unique
Game ID |
(number) |
| Game
name |
(text) |
| Publisher |
(text) |
| Year
Published |
(number) |
| Programmer |
(text) |
| Musician |
(text) |
| Genre
(split into parent and sub genres) |
(text) |
| Minimum
no. Players |
(number) |
| Maximum
no. Players |
(number) |
| Simultaneous
Play flag |
(yes/no) |
| Language |
(text) |
| Comment |
(text) |
| Game
Filename |
(text) |
| File
to Run within archive |
(text) |
| Image
Index within Game File |
(number) |
| Sid
Filename |
(text) |
| Screenshot
Filename |
(text) |
| Game
has Extras |
(yes/no) |
| Link
to game's Prequel |
(number) |
| Link
to game's Sequel |
(number) |
| Link
to related game |
(number) |
| Adult
flag |
(yes/no) |
| Control
Method (joyport1, joyport2, keyboard etc.) |
(number) |
| Favourite
flag |
(yes/no) |
| Game
File exists flag |
(yes/no) |
| Sid
File exists flag |
(yes/no) |
We
also store the following 'Version Info' for each
game: -
| Field
Name |
Field
Type |
| Cracker |
(text) |
| No.
Trainers |
(number) |
| High
Score Saver |
(yes/no) |
| Game
Length (blocks/disks) |
(number) |
| PAL/NTSC
indicator |
(number) |
| True
Drive Emulation |
(yes/no) |
| Loading
Screen |
(yes/no) |
| Included
Docs |
(yes/no) |
| Comment |
(text) |
The
following 'Personal Info' is also stored: -
| Field
Name |
Field
Type |
| High
Score |
(text) |
| Difficulty
Level |
(text) |
| Personal
Rating (1-5) |
(number) |
| Classic
Game Flag |
(yes/no) |
| Times
Played |
(number) |
| Date
Last Played |
(text) |
| Notes |
(memo) |
The
Gamebase CD
The
current plan (although none of this is set in stone
yet) is to initially have 1 CD when the collection is
released. This will be an "emergency" CD containing
GameBase, the Gamebase Collection
database, all the screenshots (100mb+) and any extras
we have ready at time of release. This CD will be available
for those people with slow (or no) access to the internet.
A
while after the initial release, when important bugs/changes
have been made to the database and frontend, we plan
to release an "Official Gamebase CD". This
will have the updated frontend, database, screenshots,
extras and a few special surprises not available from
the web.
As
for the other, so-called "games" CD... well,
currently the Gamebase team has no plans to distribute
this due to copyright reasons. The games will hopefully
become available on some of the more popular C64 FTP
sites in the filename format under which they are stored
in gamebase -- (most of them are already available in
said sites but in a different filename format. If you
want to link those with gamebase you'll have to do it
yourself). If persons wish to make a CD for the games
and distribute it, as has been done numerous times with
the various collections that float around, it's up to
them -- the Gamebase team will not be distributing it.
As
I have said, none of this 'CD stuff' is confirmed yet,
it's all very vague at the moment. Be sure, however,
that we'll keep you updated.
-
The Gamebase Team
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