Video Game Database Program

[udisi]

Amongst other projects I'm designing a windows application in VB that will make cataloging and printing out game collections easy. I was wondering if anyone knows the legallity of including pictures of boxes or instruction manual covers, etc. I was planning on including these in the database for quick reference if a certain game had a box or instuctions, and also to help people identify games etc.

[The Unknown Gamer]

If you could do it I like a copy...

[udisi]

oh, it will be done, just all that will be done it yet to be determined. I'm designing it to be user specific. IE, I'm gonna include complete game lists for systems, but if you'd perfer to enter your own titles or call a game by a more common name you can do that. I plan on including rarity and prices, both also should be editable, IFyou want to update the database with new systems before I come out with a new version, you should be able to do that. As soon as I find out wheather or not I can leagally include pics we'll find out if I'm gonna include them or just leave the option to the user to import there own. I'm also planning on putting in some statics stuff, like total values of collections and such, to make it easier for those who insure there collections. I'll probably release a beta version, when I get the basics in place, and get some feedback of what other collectors want.

[hydr0x]

you should take a look at cart commander

[kevincure]

I'm not a lawyer, but from what I know of copyright law, you could include an image of the cover, for instance, without worrying about any legal problems. You can also quote from instructions and provide the button layouts, but copying the entire instruction book would be a no-go. Your plan sounds pretty safe, though.

[Anonymous]

sounds like a good idea. A couple of us are working on our own DB programs right now in the collecting forum:

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=5

However, I think you can include images as long as you don't charge for them. Don't quote me on that.

[maxlords]

Only problem is the cost in color ink for those of us with 500+ item collections....... *shiver*

[udisi]

I never heard of cart commander so I went and looked at cart it, and it's a good program, I think I'm still gonna go ahead and try to put something togeather. As for printing in color, options should take care of that, like you don't have to print the images or don't have to print in color. That's not a hard problem to overcome.

[Strato]

I wrote a little collection database program a while back using PHP and MySQL to offer to some people who used my site. If you'd like to see how I implemented it, you can check out my personal collection page at this URL: http://www.videogamesource.com/collections/2.html Of course, I haven't found time to implement everything I wanted to into it. I also never even got a chance to enter all of my own games into my collection. I tend not to finish enough of my projects once I start them :)