Arctic Circle System wrote: ↑22 Nov 2022 03:58
Aftermarket/non-aftermarket isn't an easy split for some systems either. A system's EoL is dependent on region. The Sega Master System lasted a lot longer in Brazil than in other regions. I'd also like to ask if Star Fox 2 would be considered an aftermarket game for the purpose of this split, as well as why or why not. ~Red
Ah, with regard to your reference to Star Fox 2, that game would have been a game that was created by an official company and would be treated similar to the other virtual console games and included with the original games.
I understand your concern about your thing about varying EOL depending on regions, that would be a hard one to crack.
My main way of meaning was that the games that were actually designed by the companies, whether officially or unofficially, to physically be released on the system, whether it be an unfinished beta, prototype or full release would be considered part of the first database. This would be the main collection that most people would use when they wanted to play the games they played or heard about when the system was active.
The second one would be games that had no physical release or intended physical release within the lifetimes of the systems and consisted only of the games that earned the labels of "Homebrew" or "Aftermarket" assuming I am not missing a label off the top of my head.
As for why it was necessary, even splitting them into licensed and unlicensed it not necessary if you wanted to split hairs with it, but it would make them much easier for users to look into it and go.
The only games that were released after the end of life that actually would go with the first database would be stuff officially released like stuff they put on Nintendo's Virtual Console.
The question shouldn't be "Is it necessary", the question is "Does it make it easier to sort and identify for the end user without being harder on those maintaining them.
Using the original Nintendo for instance
- Would have a old DAT of the original games that rarely needs to get updated as it gets completed as most of the work is done with fewer and fewer new things to add. Most people who actually to collect the games of their past would be looking for these.
-Then would have a second DAT that is all the homebrew and aftermarket stuff that still gets created on a regular basis the main people looking for this is the players wanting to see what others have made since and also those active playing hacked games most likely.
From an end-user perspective that would make it much easier to sort and fewer updating every time they see a new updated DAT if they are only focused on one of those sets, for those who are building them, the DAT files gets a smaller database they need to deal with the more active set while the older sets are more stable past naming conventions.
Edit: I am really sleepy and I feel like I am making a million spelling mistakes. So will just put what I am talking about with a short version here
Dat 1: Official and Unofficial games along with its Beta's, Prototypes, Demos, and Virtual Console counterparts. Basically all the parts the industries were putting out that are pretty well set short of stuff like Nintendo's Virtual Console retroactively adding games to their systems themselves.
Dat 2: All the stuff that gets labeled as "HomeBrew" or "Aftermarket". All the stuff that isn't made by the overall industries and is still having new stuff made.
