Storing and listing improved and enhanced games?

[clebin]

@Ralf, I get what you're saying but I can't agree with you. This community has grown an unhealthy tendency to exaggerate these things out of proportion because someone somewhere farted during the 00s.

And there's the fact some things are simply mutually exclusive. For instance, 'respect of copyright owners (tm)' and 'actual preservation'.

It's easy to be brave when it's someone else's name on the website.

[akeley]

Anybody who's been around retro gaming scene for a while knows what the score is in regard to this subject. For obvious reasons, can we just stop talking about it here?

[Einar Saukas]

In other words, it stores the name of a file, but not the file itself, nor the working download link to the file. Is this correct?

Wrong.

ZXDB always stores working download links for everything. Sites like SpectrumComputing can decide the links they will provide or not, based on their distribution policies, obtained permissions, etc.

When a certain file is unavailable at a certain SpectrumComputing page, quite often this file can be found at another ZXDB-based site (usually linked at the bottom of the game page). And vice-versa...

I understand 'preservation' as something more than just leaving things to rot in a personal archive somewhere. And it is certainly not mere 'indexing'.

Why did you get the idea that someone has a "personal archive somewhere"?

Every single file indexed by ZXDB is stored in a publicly available archive (although each site can choose to provide a direct link to certain files or not). Our personal backups have exactly the same content. There are no personal archives. Nothing is left to rot.

is currently respected and supported by the vast majority of copyright owners (with very few exceptions) instead of considered piracy.

... whatever brownie points that earns ...

The brownie points that we earn are called "receiving support and contributions (material and/or information) from most copyright owners instead of C&D letters".

If you have any sensible suggestions on how to improve our work, constructive criticism is always welcome.

That would be a waste of time in this case.

Do you honestly believe that just whining and complaining about our efforts is a good investment of your time, but trying to provide an useful suggestion would be wasting your time?

[Einar Saukas]

Now back on topic...

It would also be nice to be able to find all fixes / enhancements available, instead of finding one if you happen to look at the right game.

About searching for MODs, notice that Advanced Search has an option to select "mod only".

[Einar Saukas]

thanks @Einar Saukas, I wasn't aware it was stored under a MOD

You are welcome!

For example, the enhanced Barbarian which can be seen as a significant enhancement over the original is tagged as a MOD the same way the notorious Harry Price's games were, which were just hacks of original games that were republished like this: https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/5 ... g_Bad_John

Big Bad John is a different game using someone else's code. This is the most common definition of a MOD.

It was obviously wrong to sell this game as an original game, without crediting and paying royalties to Molecule Man. But that's a different subject...

I don't know if MOD should be split off into further categories

Yes, it's possible to classify MODs into different groups. We just need to decide the groups that make sense.

I'm more than happy to help with those games, I've managed to get a number of them and I can send them over for inclusion in the database if you want.

Yes, please!

Besides the files, can you please also provide any available details about each MOD you have? Preferably mod title, original game ID, authors (and their roles), release year, language, minimum machine model, additional links, also if possible a short description of each mod. There's considerable work involved in cataloging each title besides uploading the actual file.

As I mentioned before, we are very interested in all titles that fit the definition of MODs that I posted. However I'm still not sure how to handle HACKs... I will discuss this subject in a separate post.

[Nienn Heskil]

Wrong.

ZXDB always stores working download links for everything. Sites like SpectrumComputing can decide the links they will provide or not, based on their distribution policies, obtained permissions, etc.

When a certain file is unavailable at a certain SpectrumComputing page, quite often this file can be found at another ZXDB-based site (usually linked at the bottom of the game page). And vice-versa...

Alright. As we have clarified now, this predictably means 'there exist game files and other content with a special status, that are not linked and/or indexed in zxdb no matter what, even if there might be plenty of sites around that host them'. That practically ends this branch of discussion. I'm not even sure why you even came here to argue.

Do you honestly believe that just whining and complaining about our efforts is a good investment of your time, but trying to provide an useful suggestion would be wasting your time?

As long as site maintainers and the like continue to adhere to the flawed file sharing policy started by WoS - as long as they make it even worse for the end user - I see no such thing as an 'useful suggestion' for them in this regard.

Viewing some statements of fact specifically as 'whining and complaining' is entirely your choice, of course. I've mostly came here to correct what someone else said (if with a bit of kek), and could care less about the rest of this argument. If in doubt, please read back from the beginning.

[+3code]

Now back on topic...

It would also be nice to be able to find all fixes / enhancements available, instead of finding one if you happen to look at the right game.

About searching for MODs, notice that Advanced Search has an option to select "mod only".

I have found a few colour-mods here:
http://spectrum3.esy.es/Nueva%20Era/MODS/MODS.html
Also, not sure if SC has all of them.