[BRAINSTORMING] Metadata and Artwork Database for starting a Emulator Games Library
I'm currently on the stage of making a pre-filled DB containing metadata for nes, snes, n64, sms, smd (and gameboy when those first are done).
Although I'm currently not going to include 30000+ games, as I see no point in that myself today. So I will just be concentrating on eu/us/some translated games.
Approx 2900 games in the DB right now.
Reason for starting on a db before requesting scrapers is to ensure a roms scraper for XBMC not stopping to work due to sites going down or changing.
How far along are you guys with your own db's? and are you (like me) creating the databases for use with a allround xbmc game scraper?
Since i have no clue how to include this in xbmc i might give up xbmc as a frontend for now myself.. and keep track on this project and help out where i can.
My current db layout:
id,
platform,
title,
publisher,
developer,
releaseyear,
genres,
perspective,
description,
credits,
mobygamesurl,
mobygamesrating,
wikipediaurl,
youtubeurl
Coverart and screenshots (up to 10 pr game max) have been downloaded and linked to id in DB.
I've also making a script that downloads the gameplay videos of youtube (to ensure videos used are not removed from youtube), that will also be linked to the games in the DB.
If I can help or we all can 'join forces' please let me know!
Emulator plugin/scraper for XBMC
Reason for doing this: Firstly it's because I'm a huge fan of old games from nintendo/sega etc. Secondly because I really want to have the games browseable in a better way than just filenames. I also want to make the browsing feel more nostalgic (hence the .tbn for cover and -fanart for gameplay/fanart images). I'm going to create a database by scraping/manually inputting data for a test database very soon. I guess the database for browing "my emulator games) will have to be made outside XBMCs own database? The information/cover/gameplay/fanart I think could be scraped of
a page related to this project can host (which I'll make and host if the project goes further). I know alot of people download rom-collections ending up having thousands of roms. Usually you only play a fraction of those. So this is not a project meant to cover for example over 8000 roms from the GoodNES collection etc. This is meant to serve those who want to add the games THEY enjoy playing. In my case that would entail perhaps 40-50 or so NES games and 15-20 SNES games and some other games from SMS,SMD,GBA etc and I do believe having those accessible from XBMC like with movies,
music,tvshows etc would be a real treat if done correctly.
I'm not that familiar with the XBMC sourcecode etc yet so atm this project is at a 'brainstorming' level. The main thought so far is to have a plugin to browse your roms (pref. from a database, not files), and launch an emulator to play it, then return to XBMC where you left of after finished playing. How will this work directly from XBMC? I do not know yet
.
Legal issues?
I do believe most covers and gameplay images are free to use for 'anything' since wikipedia and a bunch of other sites are using them without any information about licencing (that I can find).
Correct me if I'm wrong here. The rom files themselves are usually not free to use however and information about obtaining/sharing these files will not be covered or supported in this project.
What question/problems/thoughts needs answers/comments at the current stage?
1) Since I doubt XBMC will include emulators in XBMC itself (not dissing XBMC
just stating what I think is factual): How will launching emulators work from XBMC? Can XBMC contain the application to autoresume XBMC on exit from the emulator? Will selecting/launching emulators work platform indepentandly?
2) Filestructure for roms, covers, fanart good enough? (look below for a picture. Perhaps add a .nfo for the information (year, description, series etc) fetched from database?).
3) Database/scraper hosting? I believe I can host this on a 100mbit .nl box while developing and testing if the project goes past brainstorming stage.
4) Is there a programmer out there willing to give this some work?
I'm working on the database layout and inputting/scraping games myself.
5) Anything I've missed that makes this impossible or hard to make? Or that would improve or make this easier?
6) Should the project focus on browsing local files (with info/covers/fanart fetched from online database) or should it in some way incorporate a database solution for each user to make browsing more dynamic like we have with movies etc (using consoles, producer, year, series etc to sort/list roms)? Reason for this formulated as a question is due to the fact that I'm not to familiar with XBMC database to know if it's possible to use that in this matter.
I do believe some will try to "shoot me down" for trying to introduce a project/plugin in this early stage, and perhaps there already is a solution doing this (havn't found anything "advanced" tho..).
I just killed 7 hours at work today (not alot to do tonight
) and thought it would be nice to hear what those who also wants something like this thinks of the idea.
Database example layout (will include more fields):
The information in this database (which is planned to be used with a rom-scraper) will be heavily filled by me, but I've also thought about creating a webpage where people can add if they find anything missing/wrong.
Example file structure:
Here is a look at what I thought the file structure could
look like. Nfo's are in RED since I don't know if we can
get info from a local database yet.
Example consoles:
More will be added ofcourse.