VGG User Guide: The VGG Database 
VideoGameGeek is built around a central database which contains all the video games, game systems, and game companies, along with all the additional user contributed content.
The following is a summary of the types of items in the VGG database:
Video Games - The video game item is used to describe a particular video game. Different versions of this game, such as those published in different countries, on different platforms, or released in different packaging all fall under the same game, as long as gameplay is the same or nearly the same. Each one of these items is considered a release. A game that shares the same name, but tells a different story, or uses a different method of gameplay, would be considered a different game. For example, a Video Game would be The Legend of Zelda. Different Zelda games would all be their own game item. A remake of the original Legend of Zelda, however, would be considered part of the same game item.
Releases - Releases are contained within a game item, and represent the actual games a user can own. Continuing our above example, the US NES version of The Legend of Zelda would be one release, as would the Japanese Famicom version, Zeruda no Densetsu, as well as each of different language versions of the must more recent WiiWare release of the game.
Franchises - Franchises are an entire family of related games. These games don't have to share the same name, characters, genre, or story, but must somehow be related. The Zelda franchise contains our Legend of Zelda game, along with all of it's sequels, plus games like Link's Crossbow training, since it involves playing as Link, but in a much different type of game.
Series - Series are a much more closely related group of games. Games in a series will share a lot of commonalities, such as theme, characters, or story. Games in a series often share the same name, or have similar names. While our above Zelda franchise contained a number of dissimilar games, the Legend of Zelda series only contains the action-adventure Zelda games.
Characters - Character items refer to a specific character who appears in one or more games. Real life, generic and nondescript characters don't get entries, but meaningful NPC's and strategy game troop types will.
Game Developers - These items refer to the companies, studios, or individuals responsible for the creation and development of a game. Currently only the largest identifiable entity is entered as a developer, so for the Legend of Zelda, we use Nintendo as teh developer rather than listing all the individuals involved, but there is always the potential for that to change.
Game Publishers - These items contain all the companies responsible for publishing a video game. This will include the company responsible for making the physical game, as well as those who own associated IP. For Legend of Zelda, Nintendo is both the manufacturer and the IP holder, so they are our only Publisher.
Genres - Genres define a type of game - its style of play, and mechanics. Genre doesn't care about story or setting.
Themes - Themes are what genre isn't - the ideas expressed by the game: setting, era, or specific topic.
Platforms - Platforms are what you play a game on. Not the specific hardware, but the target a game is developed for. This can be a type of console, or an operating system. The original Legend of Zelda was developed for the NES and Famicom, and then remade for the Wii. Each of these is a platform.
Hardware - Hardware items are the physical systems that a user can own. Just as a Video Game contains Releases, a Hardware item contains Versions. Hardware consists of the different types of game consoles, and all the accessories one can buy for their system - controllers, light guns, and the like all get their own hardware item. To categorize this, there are four different types of hardware:
Consoles: The systems you play games on.
Controllers: The things you use to provide input to the game.
Memory-cards: External components which you use to store game data.
Add-ons: Other external components, such as media readers, cartridge adapters, or video converters.
Generic systems and systems that come in near infinite variety, such as PC's, Macs, and mobile phones, don't get their own hardware items. Instead, discussion of these systems are all lumped into their related platforms which are generally divided by the OS they run.
Following our example, the NES and Wii are both hardware items.
Hardware Versions - In a similar vein to releases, different versions of hardware each get their own version - the Japanese Wii, the US Wii, and the European PAL Wii are all hardware versions. We don't differentiate by color, but if a new version of the Wii was released with a hard drive, that would be considered a different hardware item.
Hardware Manufacturers - Hardware Manufacturers are the companies which make the hardware items. Nintendo makes the Wii and the officially branded accessories, but Mad Catz also makes Wii controllers, so both of these would be hardware manufacturers.
Browsing the Database
You can access items in the database several ways.
The easiest method is to simply click on an item when it appears on the Front Page via the Game Forums, The Hotness, or your Recently Viewed section. You can also click on the items when listed in your collection or wishlist.
When you want to find something specific, VGG's search functionality will help you track it down.
If you're feeling adventurous, you can use the Browse menu, and traverse the individual item categories. Be warned - as the database grows larger with each user contribution, you may find yourself going through page after page.
Common Modules
Many database items use the same modules for providing information to users.
Title Module
For items which use it, the Title Module provides navigation links to various sections within the item page. For items that can be rated, it will also display the average rating for the item, it's rank, and provide links to view user's ratings, public comments, and a graphical breakdown of user ratings.
The Title Module also displays tags you and other users have assigned to the item.
Information Module
The Information Module provides the text data associated with the item, along with options for editing or reproducing the item, subscribing to it, and integrating the item with various social networking features.
Each item with an image gallery can have an image defined as it's representative image. This will be displayed in the information module. The item's image gallery can be accessed via the Browse link, or displayed via the Slideshow feature.
All items have a Primary Name, which is the name of the item in the database. This is usually the US English name of the item, though it may be a foreign title where a US version is not available.
Alternate Names are used for additional names the item may be known by. This includes foreign titles, special edition titles, and titles used on remakes or re-releases.
Each item type also has additional fields specific to that type, which are described in the appropriate sections below.
The right side of the information module always displays a number of features:
Number of Fans displays how many Facebook users are fans of the item.
Become a fan adds the item to your Fan list on Facebook.
Corrections allows you to submit corrections on the item for admin consideration.
Clone allows you to duplicate the item record as a starting point for creating a new item in the database.
Customize View allows you to change which modules you see on the item page, and the order in which they appear.
Subscribe allows you to follow forums and posts related to the item using the Geekdo subscription and notifications system.
RSS Feed allows you to follow forums and posts related to the item using your RSS reader.
Like adds the item to your Facebook like list.
The Share links allow you to share the item over Facebook, Twitter, Delicious, and Google Bookmarks and Buzz.
The Object ID is the unique numerical identifier belonging to the item for that item type.
Description Module
The Description Module is used to provide a brief summary description about the item. A one or two paragraph user-created description is preferred, but where not available, a wikipedia summary is acceptable, provided it is properly attributed and includes a link back to the wikipedia page used.
Descriptions are wikis and can be formatted and edited as such. Use the Edit link to modify the current Description, or the History link to view previous edits.
More Information Module
The More Information module is used to provide additional information about an item, beyond the basic summary in the Description module. This can include interesting facts about the item, links to related items in the geekdo database (such as a boardgame version or compilations containing the game), and MicroBadges created for fans of the item.
More Information is a wiki. Content can be added and edited using the Edit link. Previous changes can be viewed with the History link.
Bazaar Modules
Items that can be bought, sold or traded in the Bazaar may have Marketplace, Amazon, and Ebay modules.
The Marketplace module lists copies of the item available on the VGG Marketplace. These can be navigated using the "<<" and ">>" navigation buttons, or the full listing can be reached via the "Browse" link. An item can be put up for sale using the "Sell" link.
The Amazon module provides a link to the amazon.com website if the item is available for purchase through that site.
The Ebay module lists related ebay auctions which have been added to geekbay. These may be sorted by most recent or ending soonest, filtered by only items with a fixed price, or selected to show completed listings. The "Browse" link will take you to the geekbay page for the item. The "Add" link will allow you to add other ebay auctions to geekbay.
Images Module
Many items include the Images module, which allows you to view and upload images to the item.
For items with many images, navigation arrows may be displayed on the right side of the header.
Images displayed can be filtered by gallery: All, Game, People or Creative. They can also be sorted by most popular ("hot"), or most recent.
The Browse link allows you to browse the entire image gallery.
The Upload link allows you to upload your own images to the item gallery.
The Link image option allows you to link an image from another gallery to this item.
Forums Module
Item pages often include the Forums module, which provides an individual set of forums for the item. The displayed forums threads can be sorted by most recent, most active, or most popular (hot), and additional threads can be displayed using the navigation arrows on the right side of the header when present.
The Browse link will show you all of the forums threads and subforums available for the item.
A new thread can be posted using the Post link.
The forums can be searched using the Search link.
Linked Forums Module
Forum posts from linked items may display the Linked Forums module. This module functions similarly to the Forums Module, but shows forum content from other items. The exact forums which are displayed varies by item type. The Relationship options allow you to choose which type of linked items you wish to view forum content for.
Linked Items Module
Items within certain item types may be tied together via linking. Items that have been linked to a specific item will show up in the Linked Items module. Different types of items can be chosen using the Relationship options. Some item types provide drop down filters which can be used to narrow down the number of displayed items.
Files Module
Items which can have files uploaded to them will display the Files module. This module allows you to browse all uploaded files and upload new files. Displayed files can be sorted alphabetically, by most recent, or by most popular.
Geeklist Module
Geeklists may contain many different types of items. When a specific item is included in a GeekList, that GeekList will show up in the GeekList module for that item. Displayed GeekLists can be sorted by title, most recent, or most popular.
The Summary link will show each instance where the item appears in all GeekLists.
Web Links Module
The Web Links module is used to display URL's which are related to an item. These can be official company pages, fan-sites, or other sites that would be of interest to someone viewing that item.
Video Games
Each video game item has its own page on VGG. Games can be browsed via the "Video Game" option under the "Browse" menu, but due to the number of games in the system, users are recommended to use the search function to find specific games they are looking for.
The Information module provides the platforms the game is available on, and genre, theme, franchise, and series associated with the game.
The Game Mode refers to the ways in which the game can be played - single player, co-op, local multiplayer, etc. Note that not every version of the game may share all the modes, as some releases may have features others lack. Likewise, the minimum and maximum number of players may not hold true for all releases.
Release Date refers to the first date which the game was published.
Publisher and Developer list all the companies involved with any release of the game.
Any expansions for the game are listed under Expansion. Any games which this item is an expansion for are listed under Expands.
If this item is a compilation, all the games it contains are listed under Compilation Items.
Lastly, Character lists any characters in the game which have had character items created.
 The #Releases section contains all the different releases for the game. These will be discussed in more detail below.
Preferably, every game should have a user created summary in the Description module. A spoiler-free paragraph describing the premise and style of the game is preferred, but box cover summaries or information provided on the manufacturers website are also acceptable. If none of these other options are available, a summary from wikipedia can be used, but must be properly referenced.
Characters who have database entries will show up in the Characters section.
The More Information module can be used to provide additional information about the game, provided that it is spoiler-free.
Any walkthroughs that have been published for the game will show up in the Walkthroughs section. A new walkthrough can be added using the Add Walkthrough link. Walkthroughs must be the original work of the submitter, and those posted on other sites are not allowed unless their creator is the one submitting them.
Video Games include the Bazaar modules for buying and selling games.
Images uploaded for the game can be found in the Images module.
The Forums module is where you can discuss the game with other users. You can browse the threads created by yourself and other users, post your own thread, and search that specific game forum using the links in the header. You can sort by recent, hot, or active, and you can view specific categories of postings: Game Reviews, General discussion, Game Strategy, and Game News, all focused on that game.
Linked forums contain the forum content of games that expand or are expanded by the game you are viewing.
The Files module contains files that users have created and submitted for the game. These may be maps, faqs, mods, and other content that can be used with the game.
The Geeklists module lists any geeklists that reference the game.
The Statistics section crunches the numbers of all the users who have created game records for the game. This includes the Average Rating, number of users owning/wanting/trading, provides a link to any public comments users have made, and provides way to view just your GeekBuddies ratings of the game.
Links to game items that expand this game can be found in the Linked Items module.
The Web Links module lists external websites which users have submitted that are related to the game. These could be official publisher websites, fan sites for the specific game, or external reviews. Add link allows you to submit a URL to be added to the database, while Propose Default allows you to nominate an existing URL to be published in the information section (This is usually an official publisher page for the game).
The User Information section allows you to create your own records for the game as discussed in the Collections topic in an earlier chapter.
Compilations
Compilations of video games are treated as their own video game item. They have their own pages and releases, but use the Compilation Items field to list the individual games they contain. In this manner, a user can own a compilation as a single item in their collection, rather than having to own each game. Currently information on compilations to not show up on the pages of the individual games they contain, but enhancements to compilation functionality are planned for the future.
Releases
Releases function as sub-items with a video game. Releases are the individual versions of the game sold to the public, and differ by platform, country/region of origin, language, media type, and packaging. If a game is released on different platforms and in different countries with their own unique packaging and language, each combination of platform and packaging is considered a release. Likewise, special/limited editions and Greatest Hits-style bargain editions also are considered their own releases.
The Releases section of a game page will list all the releases entered into the database for that particular game. This provides a condensed view of the record for each release. You can view a specific release's page by clicking on the "view" link for that release.
The Information module provides all the details for the release.
Video Game lists the parent game item of the release. Name lists the title specific to the release, and may be in the language of the country the release was published in.
Nickname refers to the unique name of the release in the database. Nicknames are generally in the format of "Country/region of origin"+"Platform"+"Media Type", such as US Windows DVD Release, or Japanese Playstation. Media types are only used where a game is released for a platform in several different media formats, something not common today, but which has occurred often historically.
Release date lists the first date of publication for the release. As game publication is often staggered around the world, different releases may have different dates.
Release Publisher and Developer list the companies involved in the production of the game. As different companies and studios may be involved in the development or porting of games to different platforms, these may differ between releases. In some cases, there may be multiple companies involved in the development or publication of the release.
Platform identifies which system or systems the release can be run on. Generally, a release will have a single platform, but occasionally a multi-platform release of a game has been issued, and each platform would be listed here.
On a similar note, Media identifies how the game is actually provided to the user, such as 3.5" floppy disk, CD-ROM, DVD, or Downloadable Content. As with platform, generally a release will only have a single media format, but there are games that have been released with multiple media types in a single package.
The DRM field is used to provide users information on what digital rights management system a publisher has used on a release. DRM is not tracked on VGG for console systems.
Region is used to identify games that are region coded to only play on hardware manufactured to be sold in the same geographical location. While many console systems have used region locking, not all do, and on some it is optional. PC and Mac games are not region locked, but some DRM mechanisms do exist which attempt to control online gaming, and the Region field may be used to notate this.
The Video Game Rating field is used to list any rating assigned to the game by a software rating board overseeing the region the game is sold in. Not all countries/regions use rating systems, and many older games have no rating.
Languages is used to identify what languages the release is playable in. A game should be fully playable by a user who understands the listed language, and this field is not used for games that include foreign audio tracks and subtitled unless the entire game interface can also be set to use that additional language.
Just like the video game page, the right side of the Information module provides links for integrating a release with various social networking sites and managing subscription notifications. A release may be cloned or corrections may be submitted via links found here as well.
The Description module can be used to provide additional information unique to the release. Using wiki formatting, this may include details on the contents of a special edition or key details specific to the release itself.
Platforms
Within the VGG database, Platforms represent the game system/operating system which a game release is developed for. A user can view all the platforms in the system by choosing "Platform" from the "Browse" menu. Clicking on the link to a specific platform will take you to its specific page.
The Information module provides the general details related to the platform.
Manufacturer identifies the company or companies who produce the game console or operating system.
The hardware section lists all the hardware items associated with the platform. These can consist of consoles, controllers, data storage devices, and additional game-related accessories produced and sold for the platform. Operating System platforms like Windows will not have any console or storage device entries, but game controllers are valid hardware items.
The Description module provides a brief overview of the platform. This may discuss features, differences between hardware releases, and history of the platform, among other things. A user-created description is preferred, but properly referenced wikipedia summaries are also acceptable.
The More Information module provides additional details about the platform. Information on region coding and software compatibility is often put here. Microbadges associated with the platform are also often displayed here.
The Linked Items module allows you to browse the hardware and video game items that are available for the platform. Choosing the desired relationship (Hardware or Video Games) will display an alphabetical list of the appropriate items. Scrolling through this list is done via the arrow buttons on the right side of the module header when multiple pages are needed.
The Images module displays any images uploaded to the platform. For platforms, accepted images are generally limited to iconography associated with the platform. Specific images of hardware should be uploaded to the respective hardware item page.
The Forums module provides a discussion area for topics specifically related to the platform. These may include comparisons between different versions of hardware on the platform, troubleshooting, news, and other similar topics. Discussions about specific games belong on the game forums, and comparisons between platforms belong in the general forums.
The Linked forums module displays activity on game forums for games linked to the platform.
Finally, any geeklists that include the platform will be displayed in the Geeklists module.
Hardware
Hardware items are currently divided into four categories: consoles, controllers, memory cards, and add-ons.
A console item represents the actual game consoles, and contains a version for each functionally different release of a game system for each geographical region it is sold in. Changes in physical form factor are considered new hardware items, but changes in color or internal changes that do not directly impact the user experience are not.
Controller items represent the various input devices used with a platform. These include both official and third party control devices, and both general game controllers as well as controllers designed for specific purposes, such as rhythm game controllers.
Memory card items include all external solid state data storage devices designed for a platform. Generic USB drives are not included.
Add-on items consist of all the other accessories sold for a game system. Example add-ons include console wi-fi adapters, hard drives, and video output adapters.
Hardware items can be browsed via the "Hardware" option under the "Browse" menu. They can also be reached via the hardware lists on a platform page.
The hardware page's Information module is similar to those found on other items.
The release date lists the first official availability of the hardware, if known.
Hardware category lists which of the categories discussed above the item belongs to.
The manufacturer field lists the company who produces the hardware. In the majority of cases, a hardware item will only ever have one manufacturer entry.
Platform lists which platform the hardware is associated with. Consoles will only have a single platform (backwards compatibility isn't considered here), but some accessories may be usable on more than one platform.
All the Hardware Versions are displayed in the Versions module. Information on versions is discussed further below.
The Description module provides details on the particular hardware item. This may discuss features unique to this hardware, along with anything else that makes it different from other hardware items. A user-created summary is preferred, but properly attributed wikipedia summaries are also accepted.
The More Information module can be used to provide other information about the hardware. Available colors and special editions, technical notes, and interesting trivia are examples of things that one might find here.
The Bazaar modules show instances of the hardware that are available for sale via the bazaar.
Any uploaded images of the hardware can be found in the Images module.
Hardware Versions
Hardware versions encapsulate all the information available about a particular packaging of a hardware item, including differences between regions, pack-in games, and additional accessories.
The Information module lists the associated nickname for the version, it's manufacturer, and initial release date and region in which it was sold.
All pertinent information on the version can be included in the description. Any historical notes, all included accessories, and any changes from an earlier version can be included here.
Franchises
Franchises can be browsed via the "Franchises" option under the Browse menu.
The Information module lists any series that are considered part of the franchise.
The Description module provides a brief summary of the franchise. User-created descriptions are preferred, but wikipedia summaries are accepted if properly notated.
The More Information module provides a wiki space for additional information on the franchise.
The Linked Items module displays Video Games and Video Game Series that have been added to the franchise. Clicking on the relationship links allows for selection between games and series, and the filter drop downs allow for displaying only games which meet the selected criteria.
The Forums module provides a discussion area for the franchise. Discussions on individual games should take place in the appropriate game forum.
The Linked Forums module displays threads from the game forums that are a part of the franchise.
The Geeklists module displays geeklists which include the franchise.
Series
Video Game Series can be browsed via the "Series" option under the "Browse" menu. Due to the number of entries in the database, users are recommended to use the search functionality to find a specific series.
The Information module will list any Franchise the series is a part of, and all games which make up the series.
Details about the series can be found in the Description module and the More Information module.
All the games in the series can be viewed via the Linked Items module.
Series related logos and images can be uploaded to the series page's Images module.
The Forums module provides a place to discuss the series. Individual game discussions should take place on the game forums for that game. These discussions will appear in the Linked Forums module.
Geeklists which include the series will be displayed in the Geeklists Module.
Characters
Characters can be browsed via the "Characters" option under the Browse menu. Because of the number of entries in the database, users are recommended to use the search function to find a specific character's page, or to browse them under a specific game's page.
The Description Module should be used to provide a spoiler-free description of the character.
Different versions of the character will be listed in the Character Versions module. Character Versions will be discussed below.
Additional information about a character, such as discussing differences in the character between games, can be included in the More Information module.
All games in which the character appears will be listed in the Linked Items module.
Images of the character, such as artwork and in-game captures, can be included in the Images gallery.
Discussions about the character can be made in the Forums module on the character's page. Discussions about the game(s) the character appears in should take place in the appropriate game forums, which will display in the Linked Forums module.
If the character has been included in any geeklists, this will be displayed in the Geeklists module.
Character Versions
Character versions are used to differentiate the changes a character may undergo between games, or as part of an in-game plot development (a boss character becomes a PC, or an ally hideously mutates and becomes an enemy). They are also used where troop types of the same name occur in different games. Each version is assigned a category, such as Player Character, Boss, or Helpful NPC that defines their role in the game.
Character versions are listed on the character page, and individual versions may be accessed by selecting them.
The Information module lists a version's category, and the video games that version appears in.
The Description module provides information on that particular version. This may include a description, character stats, or other useful or interesting information on the character.
Companies
Company pages list game developers and publishers, and hardware manufacturers. A single company may fit one, two, or all three of these roles. Each role may be browsed in the database via the Browse Menu.
The Information module provides a link to the companies official web presence, if available.
The Description module provides a summary of the companies roles as developer, publisher, and or manufacturer. It can also provide a brief history of the company, and links to the pages of companies it is connected to ( such as former owners, or companies that it was purchased by or merged with).
The Images module provides a gallery of images associated with the company, generally company logos.
The Forums module can be used to discuss the company. Discussions of individual products it is involved with should take place on the appropriate game or hardware forums, which will appear in the Linked Forums module.
Items the company is involved with will be displayed in the Linked Items module. By choosing the desired relationship (Game Developer, Game Publisher, Hardware Manufacturer), the module will list the items the company is associated with under that role.
Web sites providing information on the company can be submitted for inclusion in the Web Links module.
Developers
Companies with the role of Video Game Developer can be found via the Developers option under the Browse menu.
Publishers
Companies with the role of Video Game Publisher can be found via the Publishers option under the Browse menu.
Manufacturers
Companies with the role of Hardware Manufacturer can be found via the HW Manufacturers option under the Browse menu.
Genres
Genres can be browsed by choosing the Genre option under the Browse menu.
The Genre page's Information module provides no additional information beyond the module's default capabilities.
The Discussion module provides a summary of the Genre. A one or two paragraph user summary is desirable, but using a properly attributed wikipedia summary is acceptable.
The Linked Forums module displays forum content of all the video games that are attributed to the genre. The Linked Items module displays these actual items.
Themes
Themes can be browsed by choosing the Theme option under the Browse menu.
The Theme page's Information module provides no additional information beyond the module's default capabilities.
The Discussion module provides a summary of the Theme. A one or two paragraph user summary is desirable, but using a properly attributed wikipedia summary is acceptable.
The Linked Forums module displays forum content of all the video games that are attributed to the theme. The Linked Items module displays these actual items.
Ratings
Ratings can be browsed by choosing the Ratings option under the Browse menu.
The Discussion module should provide a definition of the rating, preferably that provided by the organization responsible for issuing the rating.
The Releases module lists all the game releases that carry that rating.
Images
Depending on the context, clicking on an image may take you to one of several different pages. When used to represent a game or other item, it should take you to that item's page. When clicking on it from a gallery, an image module, or when directly linked into a forum post, it will take you to the image page for that image. A gallery of all user uploaded images can be accessed via the Images option under the Browse menu.
At the top of the image page is a title link to the item which the image belongs to, and a subscribe button allowing you to follow comments made on the image. Below that is the gallery navigation bar, which allows you to view and select other images within the gallery.
The left column provides information about the image: It's Image ID, the previous and next images in the gallery, and items the image is linked to. Below that is the date the image was uploaded, which gallery category the image belongs to, and the user who uploaded it. The Recommend box allows you to thumb the image, or to tip [VGG_User_Guide:_Contributing_to_VGG[#GeekGold|GeekGold]] to the user you submitted it. Categorize Image allows you to provide a label as to what the image represents such as a box cover, a component, or to flag the image as Mature. Finally, the license which has been assigned to the image is listed.
The actual image can be viewed in several different sizes, selectable via the size boxes above it. Original displays the image as it was uploaded to VGG. Each of the other size categories scales down the image to fit within certain limits. Images that were originally small to start with will not have some of the larger size categories as options. Below the image is any caption which the user gave the image, and any tags you or other users have assigned.
The bottom of the image page provides a comment section where you and other users can make comments on the image.
Image Gallery
The Image Gallery page displays the images that have been uploaded to an item, along with information on each image. The gallery menu bar allows you to sort and filter displayed images via drop down menu, as well as to choose to view an automatic slideshow of the gallery. You can also upload an image via the Upload link.
A thumbnail of each image in the gallery will be displayed, along with the assigned license and the images caption. You can choose to recommend an image via the thumb button.
The More link will expand the display to show the user who uploaded the image, the date uploaded, and any comment they made on the image. From here you can also propose a representative image, and link the image to a specific version, or to another item in the database.
Representative Images
All items can have a representative image. This is the image deemed to best represent the item. For games, this is the front box cover, while for hardware it is a clear image of the console or accessory. You can propose an image to be the representative image from the Gallery page, by clicking on the More option, and choosing "Propose Representative Image". This will queue the image for approval via GeekMod. Note: you may only propose an image once.
Files
Files are uploaded by other users, and may vary from FAQs, to maps, to mods, and other such things.
Clicking on a file from a Files module will take you to the page for that file. You may also browse all user uploaded files via the Files option on the Browse menu.
The File Info module allows you to subscribe to the file, and be notified of any updates or comments made to the file. The item which the file belongs to and the title of the file follow. The language of the file is also noted here. Below this is the user who uploaded the file, and the license which has been applied to it. Any tags you or other users assign to it are listed next, which is followed by the recommend box with which you can thumb the file or tip GeekGold to the uploading user.
The download link to the file is provided below the file information. This lists the date the file was uploaded, the name and size of the file, a description of the file, and the number of times the file has been downloaded.
For files that may have been updated over time, older files may also be listed, though uploaders are asked to delete unnecessary files when replacing them.
Comments on the file can be posted using the Post Comment link, and will appear in the Comments section.
Walkthroughs
Walkthroughs are wikis created by other users to provide guides for individual games. Specific walkthroughs may be accessed from the walkthrough module on a game page, or found via the Walkthroughs option under the Browse menu.
The Walkthrough Actions module allows you to see the actual walkthrough.
The information module details the game and any specific versions which the walkthrough is intented for.
A description of the walkthrough will be found in the description module.
The Forums module can be used to discuss the walkthrough - ask questions, provide suggestions, etc.
Images related to the walkthough will appear in the Images module.
Reviews
Reviews can be accessed via the Reviews module on a specific item's page, or via the Reviews option under the Browse menu.
Reviews appear as a single forum thread, with the review as the first post, and comments made via subsequent posts after it.
GeekLists
GeekLists display a list of items with a relationship determined by the list creator.
The top section of the list provides the title and description of the list and the creator. From here, you can tip GeekGold to the list creator, and recommend the list. You can also view or add tags.
Items added to the list appear in an order determined by the list creator. Each item includes the item's name, an image chosen by the user who added it to the list, and a comment on the item related to the list.
Additional comments about the item can be made by other users using the Comment link.
Comments on the entire list can be read and posted at the bottom of the page.
Geek Rating
Geek Rating is a value from 1 to 10, generated by averaging user ratings on an item, and applying an algorithm intended to filter out users who attempt to play the system and create a higher or lower rating for the game.
The definitions assigned to ratings are as follows:
10 - Outstanding
9 - Excellent
8 - Very good
7 - Good
6 - Above average
5 - Average
4 - Below average
3 - Well below average
2 - Poor
1 - Horrible
Game Ranking
Game Ranking is applied to items that have received a minimum number of ratings. Ranked games are sorted according to their Geek Rating. When browsing games, they will by default be listed according to the game ranking, though you may choose to sort them by any of the displayed fields.
Advanced Database Features
Every item in the database has it's own type and ID number. Within each type, every item has a unique ID. This ID number is usually displayed on the item's page, or can be found in the URL for that item. Item ID's can be used to include the item in forum posts and wikis, and when linking one item to another.
(Back to main)
|
