New Video Game Console Website - Feedback Requested

[Chainclaw]

Pretty awesome site, I think I stumbled upon this the other day when looking up some info on the M2.

How do you decide what gets listed, and when? I noticed the Phantom is listed, showing you list prototype / vaporware systems,  the X'Eye is listed, showing you list combo systems, but I don't think I saw the Neptune listed (I might have missed it).

Also, are you not listing handhelds? And how do you decide when a system is too much of a computer to be a video game system? For example, do you list the MSX? (I couldn't find it, but I didn't look too hard). I found a few articles on this, like http://www.videogameconso...brary.com/art-console.htm
I think it's too bad that you guys don't list handhelds. It would be awesome to have a database like this for handheld systems, as well.

Also, how do you handle variations and clone systems? There were countless 2600 clones in the '80s, and nowadays there are countless famiclones.

I know some of my questions were already answered in that link I found, so consider it another +1 for the FAQ counter, then.

Finally, I think a really snazzy interface for narrowing down and browsing would be awesome. Right now the only way I found the data listed was by year. I would love to see you eventually have something like Moby Game's game browser : http://www.mobygames.com/browse/games
Would be cool to be able to narrow down the search by manufacturer, media type, or whatever else.

[Marriott_Guy]

Hello Chainclow.  Thanks for the great feedback.  Let me tackle your thoughts one at a time

I am working on getting all of the pages completed at the moment.  You are right - I do list some vaporware and combo systems.  The Sega Neptune should be added - I agree with you.  As to when items get listed, this is dependant upon what I can get written in between work and home life.  There is not a real plan for what pages get updated first, though i am focusing on all the obscure systems first.

To be honest, I really am not into handhelds.  I have a few of the original Mattel Electronics games from the late 1970's, but that is about it.  Consoles are my bag (I have around 140 systems).

Differentiating between computers and a console is difficult, especially in the late 70's up through the early 1990's.  The hard part is that a great many of these systems accepted cartridges - which further muddles the picture.  I have a great many of these hybrid computers (TI 99/4A, C64, Tomy Pyuuta, Panasonic FS-A1, etc.) but the main purpose of these units is not gaming - it is computing.  Down the road a special section will probably be written to highlight these units.  The MSX technology is represented well in the Daewoo Zemmix line of consoles - which are pure gaming machines.

Variations and clones are listed on their respective 'parent' page.  My goal is not to list every single clone that is out there, but to capture the major big hitters.  Once the site is fully developed, I may revisit this thinking.

I like your idea for browsing as demonstrated in the Moby example.  I haven't completed the site search engine script as of yet - I have been busy trying to get all the pages written\uploaded first.  This will definitely be added to my list of items to incorporate.

Thanks again Chainclaw - great thoughts and ideas!

[Cobra]

Keep up the great work, this is just the type of thing the web needs. I can tell you are putting bucket loads of time and effort behind it as it shows.