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what's your preferred game database?
I got worried about MobyGames decline in popularity some time ago. Surely it has issues, like no promised interface/database update, but it's still hard to top it. In the meanwhile new websites with little content take over, because they're owned by companies pumping the marketing hype, while MG is being kept by GameFly in a cellar.
I was wondering, where people go first when they do their game research? Mind you, I'm not talking about reading latest press releases (news, previews), but digging up some info about forgotten title ...or seeking another wargame about Korean war... or looking for another title featuring your favorite voice actress. That differentiates a games database from some websites which only feature reviews (AdrenalineVault) or which collect info like FAQs/cheats (GameFAQs). MobyGames aims to gather all platforms, be it Amiga, PC or Atari. Platform-specific websites means Hall of Light, LemonAmiga, Lemon64, WolrdofSpectrum etc. Before you say Abandonia - it has a different purpose, it's about "abandoned" games, not even all old PC titles fit here (say, no TIE Fighter entry). Try to list pros and cons of your website of choice in relation to other sites. |
When I search a game this is the order I usually follow:
1. Mobygames 2. Gamefaqs/Gamespot/IGN 3. Wikipedia 4. Allgame I usually don't go beyond this, unless google redirects me elsewhere. Also, I would like to mention Allgame is really a gem. Needs more exposure and features and it would be the perfect company-sustained database. |
Hands down
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Mostly MobyGames and Wikipedia, often TVTropes, sometimes AllGame.
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Wikipedia ✔ constantly growing, huge user base and immense popularity (because it's not just about games) ✔ can list cancelled games or titles in production ✘ basically no screenshots - as a rule, so don't hope for a change ✘ next to no credits ✘ draconian rules of what you can contribute ✘ it's a wiki - if you complain about lack of advanced search options at MobyGames, here it's even worse MobyGames ✔ advanced categorization (e.g. Anglo-American War of 1812 anyone?) and search options ✔ older than Wikipedia, many rare entries ✘ popularity / activity dropped in the recent years ✘ you may wait weeks or months to see your contribution approved (it desperately needs increasing its Approver workforce) ✘ since the 2010 acquisition by GameFly I lost hope to ever see the frontend being updated, because what once required a couple of willing people with free time, now is going to cost $$$ ✘ can't list cancelled games or titles in production any platform-specific website ✔ the best source about the given platform ✘ ...and only that platform - doesn't always mention/link to other ports of the game ✘ often just screenshots/covers, but no text description ✘ poor categorization ✘ usually features downloads, often treating them as abandonware, which may lead to legal problems someday and its subsequent disappearance from the net I tried to be as objective as I can - despite the fact that if you read my other posts you already know where my heart belongs... It would be very interesting to see this poll on the front page. |
I think "specify" means post in the thread? If so, my "other" response is explained by my using DuckDuckGo as my first attempt. This allows me to specify not only the game I want to research, but also any hook I can think of for locating the particular info I want.
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I use Wikipedia
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When doing my initial research, I typically start with Wikipedia. From there I will usually go to Mobygames, or even TVTropes , which is surprisingly enough a good resource for video game information.
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Mobygames is usually enough for my needs. If I don't find something there, I dig it out on some site with best review through Google. Which often turns out to be IGN or Gamefaqs.
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I'm afraid I don't fully understand the question, but I try my best w/o voting because of that.
I mostly look after reviews, where usually the best source for me is gamespot.com What I really in need many times is walkthroughs, and that's gamefaqs.com for me, and when the need of manuals as additional information to be able to play is demanded, then replacement.com is perfect If I need a gameplay presentation (or when written material is not clear) youtube provides the best service. Many professional revier, tester and even companies put there videos. The site is useful too to find similar games when I'm up to a certain style of game (by providing a "related" option what abandonia does too). If I'd need a specific technical information, developer's name, original concept, franchise info (other games of the title, other kind of products), what I rarely need I use wikipedia If I ever get interested in a voice of character, character bio or other related stuff (these are specific but strong needs when they occur), the first source I try is imdb.com |
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Does Youtube count? Usually when I want to know how the game looks and plays, I look up for a video. It tells more than a single screenshot.
For text info though, its usually Mobygames, Wikipedia, TV Tropes (although I usually check that one after completing the game, since its quite a spoiler-fest) and finally, whatever-site Google leads me to. |
Youtube will show you gameplay of a title that is known to you. You can't use it to aid your search for some guy asking "I'm looking for that game... you know... with pink elephant".
IMDb is ill-suited for cataloguing games, they don't even have hardware/OS platform division (it should be in the release info section). Remember that publishers keep using the same title for games which aren't a simple console/PC conversion, but a whole new product. Wikipedia won't give you minimum system requirements nor complete credits. |
abandonia
I use abandonia.com for searching games :rolleyes:
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Out of the choices given, MobyGames. In terms of release information, credits, cover scans and tech specs, even today I don't know of any other site that even plays in the same league there. But I have a lot of databases and resource sites bookmarked which I, when researching a game, usually "Open all in tabs".
Most of the really popular sites are crappy. IGN, Giant Bomb, even AMG are usually very incomplete, have a lot of flat-out wrong information, and are very limited in their scope. Terribly unreliable overall. There are some great sources which are undeservedly not better known. Some of my favourites are:
Have a look at them! :) |
Mobygames
TheLegacy |
Mobygames and Wikipedia
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I've voted for MobyGames, but I also use Wikipedia sometimes, as well as GameFAQs and AG.ru.
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I tend to look for accurate release dates and cross-reference them, and also professional reviews.
I have so far been content with GameFAQs, although they haven't escaped the plague of getting infected with Web 2.0 bloat. My custom Content Blocker is successfully filtering most out of it. A few FAQ authors have spoken with respect of the site and its original human creator, and that credit is still good with me. However, many old[er] games don't have accurate data, and occasionally only re-issue dates are given (or are given undue weight) in credits. Rather U.S.-centric site. Wikipedia is growing. Some game content has since been removed from it, but not in the release data sections. Companies have quite accurate names. With my content blocker at maximum, I can search GameSpot for reviews, but since they are occasionally biased, I cross-check them with Adrenaline Vault. That site goes down and resurfaces repeatedly. MobyGames looks good. This is the third time I've come across the site. I think I might have been there in my searches, but I don't recognize its current design. |
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