Adding Console Games to KLOV Database?

mclemore

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I'm thinking of adding better console coverage here, in particular adding system coverage to the main's site encyclopedia. It would have its own category to keep things separate from the coin-op machines.

I'm not thinking of listing individual cartridges, just systems from the Atari 2600 to 360 to 18 million varities of Pong.

I'm also thinking of adding a hand-held category for the Game & Watch collectors, etc.

Doing this would allow people to add console games to their VAPS entries, etc.

Comments?
 
That's sounds like a mixed response in a single sentence!? And you didn't say why you thought it cheapens.

One of the challenges is that as we all age, there are fewer and fewer people around that remember growing up with coin-op. Providing a path from console to coin-op Vid, Pin (and em/mech) sounds like a small part in keeping the (coin-op) hobby alive.
 
One of the challenges is that as we all age, there are fewer and fewer people around that remember growing up with coin-op. Providing a path from console to coin-op Vid, Pin (and em/mech) sounds like a small part in keeping the (coin-op) hobby alive.

Agreed. No reason to list game titles, only the consoles themselves.
 
As much as I love the idea.. I also think a site like this should do one thing, and do it very well.

Too many ingredients ruin a good chili, sometimes ya gotta leave it alone!
 
I like it as it is. The small console section of the forum is enough for me.

Console collecting was like a gateway drug to arcade games for me.

in that sense, I guess it could go over well to bring people in to the hobby.

Sorry... another mixed reaction. I guess I could just go either way on the subject
 
I say it's not a good idea. As much as I'd like to list my consoles, (and I collect a lot of consoles) it would devalue VAPS. suddenly my 4 machines listed in my posts would ballon to over 20 machines.

It would provide an unrealistic number of owned arcade machines. When I need help, I tend to give more credit to people with a large number of arcade machines, than people who have just a couple.

Listing consoles with arcades would dilute VAPS. Now if there were a way to add consoles separately and have a different result for consoles owned, I'd be all for it.
 
Keep it coin op only! That said, I'd like to see coin op expand to include stuff like coin op air hockey, billiards, foosball, change machines, etc. I think all that stuff has a place here and in VAPS before console and hand held stuff does.
 
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I say it's not a good idea. As much as I'd like to list my consoles, (and I collect a lot of consoles) it would devalue VAPS. suddenly my 4 machines listed in my posts would ballon to over 20 machines.

Listing consoles with arcades would dilute VAPS. Now if there were a way to add consoles separately and have a different result for consoles owned, I'd be all for it.

Interesting point about forum tags. I'll have to chew on that a but. In VAPS itself they would be kept totally separate regardless.


Keep it coin op only! That said, I'd like to see coin op expand to include stuff like coin op air hockey, billiards, foosball, change machines, etc. I think all that stuff has a place here and in VAPS before console and hand held stuff does.

Change machines keep coming up...

There were consoles before the Atari 2600, like the Faichild Channel F (a.k.a. the Fairchild Video Entertainment System) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Channel_F), the Magnavox Odyssey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnavox_Odyssey) and several dedicated one-game consoles (http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/dedicated/).

I know... I own several pre-2600 machines...
 
I have mixed feelings about this as well. I enjoy both the coin-op and the home console games. I was born in 88', and the arcades were on their way out by then with home consoles dominating.

There's already a billion sources for home console information, and they're probably more complete than what could be provided here.

If it's just consoles, and not their games, I'm not sure what the point is. That information is not detailed enough to create a draw when I could go to Wiki and get pages of data on just about anything, including a list of games on the platform.

Personally, I say instead of adding more scattered data the entries that are already here could be improved. There are some entries where the pictures for the machines are converted cabinets, and not originals. Create a way for trusted members to adjust the database. Get their restored machines uploaded as real examples of the machines. Get the side art. Get those 3D sketchup model people are making here. Get images of the boards and control panels. All this data exists, but it's just not in the entries.

The integration with VAPS is a good start, but I think it needs to be cleaned up a bit. You want KLOV to be the best site for all things coin-op amusement. Through this, hopefully you can make it easier for anyone out there who wants to own an arcade or pinball machine to get help and information to make that possible.

In short, I don't think adding consoles to the list would have much of an impact as it does not adress the core problem.
 
I agree with Shanman, keep the main site coin op only. I have a few consoles that I play regularly and pachinko machines as well but I don't think this is the place for them. This is why I point people to Pachitalk whenever they ask about pachinko machines...
 
Interesting responses. As far as consoles and not their games... my main interest had been the early systems to create a census of them, etc. Adding 20 game records for Atari 2600 and later systems were primarily for completeness and were not intended to be a definitive resource on them. It would mostly be a non-issue (20 records out of 20,000).

The interesting part would be pre-cartridge systems or protos of cartridge systems... like:

http://cgi.ebay.com/APF-TV-FUN-Vide...-PONG-/330448867748?pt=US_Vintage_Video_Games

or

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/2000/a2000.html


It wouldn't take away from the current site's needs, as the work would be done by someone that couldn't really address the other issues due to lack of familiarity with the coin-op items.


So far the audience sounds unconvinced. I don't know if the few comments above speaks for a concensus or just the opinionated. More comments please or maybe I'll do a poll (or maybe two...one for the idea, and one for how many of us here care about non-coinop at all)
 
I think that coin - op only is the way to go...
I collect and modify several console systems
There are other sites that are dedicated to consoles that have the time and space dedicated to covering that topic
The forum about consoles is more than enough for this site, I think that it was a great idea so that people that share this hobby can interact with eachother over the next generation consoles (Playstation Network, Xbox Live)
Beyond that I think it would only dilute this site.

Plus I think you guys have your hands full here without an influx of people asking stupid questions about consoles (Can my 360 play Xbox games?) and not to mention the tireless, mindless droning of teens fighting about which new Crapstation game is better than the new Shitbox release...

I come here because the people are helpful, respectful, and for the most part courteous and kind, I feel what you are proposing could put that into jeopardy.

SORRY
/[rant]
 
I'm torn with the idea. On the one hand, it would be nice to tout my collection of consoles here. On the other hand, it's kind of nice to be focused on one thing this site does best -- coin-op and pinball talk. It might be a hard sell for many members that are die-hard into "machines that take quarters/tokens," but go ahead and experiment if you think it would benefit the site.

What you already have here is great. I've gotten a ton of help and appreciation for one of the aspects of my hobby I hold dear...classic arcade.

I run a community-centric vBulletin site for video games, and I'd love it if my forums got even 1/3 the attention this one does for arcade and classics. Alas, my members will mostly concentrate on the newest systems.

That said, you have something special here, and it's why I keep coming back. Hope that feedback helps.
 
Plus I think you guys have your hands full here without an influx of people asking stupid questions about consoles (Can my 360 play Xbox games?) and not to mention the tireless, mindless droning of teens fighting about which new Crapstation game is better than the new Shitbox release...
[rant]

Um... It's interesting this feeling keeps coming up. That wasn't the purpose of the propose nor the goal. There are plenty of other sites and publications that cover the modern PS/360 world...or even the last generation of games. The propose was to include platforms in general. 360 would get like a single page, the interesting stuff would be old and obsolete...

Even fully built out such entries would likely be 1% of the database or less.

And again, one of my concerns and core issues we have discussed internally, is how to get interest and support from the console world back to coin-op. I'd like to get to the point that modern manufacturers/publishers help support the growth of this site. Modern coin-op manufacturers have enough problems of their own currently to worry about anything else.

Maybe I need to write up a little more susinct summary of my thoughts and ideas here. If everyone still doesn't like them, fine. I just want to know that everyone understands them.

The console stuff has been slipping in for a while already without any mindless droning of teens about it.

For example.. see this VAPS entry:

http://www.arcade-museum.com/members/member_detail.php?member_id=387084

Now I do think I need I need to keep the Fairchild Channel F's from messing up the VAPS stats here...


I feel KLOV should get cleaned up and up to date before even thinking about adding anything new to the site.

Mike

The process continues at a good pace, and adding anything new (this or anything else) doesn't affect the former since it's different people with different skill sets doing the work...

I have someone that has been helping on the site now (Youtube and billboard links etc) and he doesn't know an original cabinet from a butchered one. I'm trying to find something he can do on the site now... we just finished everything he has in queue.
 
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