I have been asked to implement parent/clone relationships to the datfiles.
The ultimate suggestion was to add a simple <generic name=""/> line/tag, which would contain the parent's name/title. The whole idea is easy to realize, though, editing those fields would require some work and best of all extra edit forms, independent from disc edit forms, to keep the whole thing as easy as possible.
Therefore, before i begin with coding anything based on my mind i decided to ask for your ideas and suggestions on how to optimize the whole thing
I would suggest, the <generic name=""> tag should relate to a specific Region order.
For example: USA > Europe > Japan > Spain > France > Germany > Italian etc...
Multi-Disc Games, like Final Fantasy should merge all together to keep it easy and maximal compression.
Editing: Editing should allways be done by some specific users.
I think the editing stuff can be done by two users. One user can allways edit the relationship between Games. Another User can check it and tick if it is okay or not.
An overview would be very nice, where the editors can see, which Games allrdy have a <generic name=""> relation tag and which games haven't one and this overview should show, if the relation was allrdy checked by the other editor.
But you will need to tag the <generic name=""/> line with a name.
You could use here numbers too, but I think it's easier just to use a title .
Some Games have in different Region different titles. It wouldn't make a matter, but I think it's easier to maintain this dat, if you decide to use a title of the game. As editor you could get confuse, if somebody edited the relation with a japanese title and you have edited the relation if the US title and wonder, that the datfile manager doesn't find a relationship between them . Just one idea
Follow a region order but make the generic name as generic as possible (Resident Evil > Biohazard, no additional tags like region)
Group re-releases of the same game (goty, dual shock etc), keep expansions (dynasty warriors xtreme legends, empires) separate and collections (deus ex complete) separate. At first glance it might seem like a good idea to group some of these situations, but it forms too many complications and introduces as many negatives as positives
Have the backend a number id, no parent as such (the dat creation code handles the release to grab the generic name from). clone-clone-clone... seems easier to implement + edit than parent-clone-clone... and more flexible
The dat could store an id instead of a generic name. This makes post-processing with a datter mandatory for many situations so is not ideal, but a clone dat of any sort is good.
I think we should go with jamjam's sugestions, since he allry work longer on this merged Sets and do many experimentations.
He has allry some experience and know where the problems are
jamjam wrote:The dat could store an id instead of a generic name. This makes post-processing with a datter mandatory for many situations so is not ideal, but a clone dat of any sort is good.
That's actually what i would prefer too. An ID would replace the parent and the issue with parent naming would be released to datter, which has to sort it out anyway.
We could name it <group id=""> or whatever you guys prefer to call it like, as i standalone tag or as suggested befor...
EliUmniCk wrote:<game name="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v2.00)" cloneof="Tekken Tag Tournament (Europe) (En,Fr,De,Es,It) (v1.00)">
. Just one idea 