Poll: Should No-Intro split unlicensed ROMs into separate DATs from licensed ROMs?

[Hiccup]

https://strawpoll.com/polls/bVg86Mel3yY

I've posted this in a few related Discord servers as well. Note this is just for gathering opinions.

Edit: poll closed on 2022-11-11
https://strawpoll.com/polls/bVg86Mel3yY/results (archive)

[relax]

I voted yes, due to the huge number of unlicensed ROMs in certain dats.

However, to not flood the number of dats, it could be set a minimum number of unlicensed ROMs before making the split. Some systems have one or just a few unlicensed ROMs.

[Hiccup]

Hm, good idea. After this poll I'll probably make another poll about how it be implemented exactly.

[omonim2007]

I voted yes, due to the huge number of unlicensed ROMs in certain dats.

However, to not flood the number of dats, it could be set a minimum number of unlicensed ROMs before making the split. Some systems have one or just a few unlicensed ROMs.

+1

[Flashfire42]

When you can decide what an unlicensed rom is maybe I will consider it. But jury still seems to be out on homebrew vs unlicensed vs licensed vs digital vs physical. Just fix one problem at a time

[Hiccup]

Well vs unlicensed vs licensed and vs digital vs physical are very clear cut. But stuff like homebrew/aftermarket, not so much. I'll probably make another poll after this, about how the split should be implemented exactly.

[Arctic Circle System]

We had this discussion years ago about putting betas and prototypes in the main sets and it was determined that it wasn't necessary to split them because they were typically in the same format as final ROMs and they could be filtered out. A good solution for sorting would be to implement the ability to filter unlicensed titles out of daily packs and filter out (Homebrew) and (Pirate) ROMs alongside (Unl) ROMs when that setting is activated. As far as I can tell, there is no need to split the dats arbitrarily like this. The issues with filtering out unlicensed ROMs when downloading dats can be solved with a toggle on the daily pack, just as we've solved those issues when downloading individual dats. This is an issue with the website, not the way the dats are categorized.

However, I do concur with what Flashfire42 said. We really need to figure out official guidelines of when to use the Unl tag, the Homebrew tag, the Pirate tag, and the Aftermarket tag. Clearing that up will make things a lot easier. ~Tammy

[Hiccup]

I think this is really about the default dats that are used by most people, so any filtering capability is kind of irrelevant here unless its enabled by default. But we don't want to exclude stuff from the dats completely, so that's why separating this stuff is probably the best solution. Either by having seperate sections (and therefore dats) in datomatic, or by having datomatic produce multiple dats for each section, splitting on the unlicensed (etc) flags.

[dreimer]

I don't really see the reason for a split. All are ROMs for the specific systems. Old retail games, aftermarket, pirate etcetc. The DAT is downloaded and you can verify whatever ROM you have floating around. Why would someone need a split off database for exactly the same ROM type? This makes verification just more difficult as you need to verify the ROMs with a number of databases then.

I see only one reason here (But feel free to correct me if I am wrong): Collectors who lament about the DAT changing too often to get the most recent Torrent off some questionable source as already happened here. I think this is not the reason, so... why?!

[Hiccup]

I think it'd be a good idea as it makes the "default experience" with datomatic/dats/romsets less messy. I think its fair to consider homebrew/aftermarket stuff as in a separate realm to retail and contemporary unlicensed stuff, since there's a bunch of this stuff being released as of late that wasn't around while the NES was still produced.

There isn't likely to be any/much overlap between the two dats imo.

[Flashfire42]

I don't really see the reason for a split. All are ROMs for the specific systems. Old retail games, aftermarket, pirate etcetc. The DAT is downloaded and you can verify whatever ROM you have floating around. Why would someone need a split off database for exactly the same ROM type? This makes verification just more difficult as you need to verify the ROMs with a number of databases then.

I see only one reason here (But feel free to correct me if I am wrong): Collectors who lament about the DAT changing too often to get the most recent Torrent off some questionable source as already happened here. I think this is not the reason, so... why?!

These are the exact people complaining the most. People who collect roms like pokemon cards that are mad that they have Dungeons & Doomknights in the same place they have Legend of Zelda. Choose how you want the dat rather than downloading a rompack and you will be fine

[Madeline]

I feel the same way as dreimer. Having one dat for everything is so much more appealing for me

[Flashfire42]

Looks like it may split looking at how the voting is going.

[omonim2007]

I voted NOT to split, because all kinds of sorting can be done using standard DB features:



There is no need to do DBs more complex and to create dozens of new dats.

[omonim2007]

Looks like it may split looking at how the voting is going.

I think a lot of external users voted for SPLIT.

From my point of view everything should remain as it is, and additional features should be organized outside the database (for example, using ROM managers).