Game

Game Entry Type

needs a better name!

A single, full, stand-alone game is the most common case.

If two or more games are bundled, it is called a compilation. This may also be the case if in addition to a full, stand-alone game, a significant add-on is included. A compilation must be marketed as that, and it usually comes with its own title.

A game that is not playable without the basic game is called add-on: an existing game is extended with some new content. We distinguish between significant add-ons and insignificant add-ons, criteria for each of this can be found here.
Very similar to add-ons are so called "mods" and patches, which we want to treat in the same way as add-ons, because it seems hardly possible to sanely separate the classical add-on (additional content) from patches / mods / etc.

If a game ist from the start part of a list of episodes, we call it "episodic game".

1 Game This is the standard case. It is used for new stand-alone releases that don't fall under the other types of this list, or when a new release of a previously released game breaks the different game criteria developed here.
2 Compilation This is the switch for game bundles. It shall only be used if two or more games are bundled together, or one game and at least one of its significant add-ons. This rule is to exclude minor compilations like included demos, or minor DLCs coming with the release. Furthermore, the compilation shall be marketed as just that, a bundle of games, and usually comes with its own title. This rule is to exclude re-releases of games with playable goodies included. The aforementioned "technical" compilations are dealt with elsewhere in the data model, at game release level.
3 Add-on / Patch / Mod (significant) This is the case for important add-ons. As it seems hardly possible to sanely separate the classical add-on (additional content) from patches / mods / etc., we just don't do it and treat every such non-stand-alone release the same. This case shall only be used when the release can't be played without the base game, and when it meets Oregami's significance criteria. Basically, significant add-ons will later be handled just like a normal game, i. e. will show up in default searches and game lists.
4 Add-on / Patch / Mod (insignificant) Releases which can't be played without a base game and do not meet the significance criteria are flagged here. These releases will be more hidden than the significant add-ons, i. e. the user will have to opt-in to see this stuff in searches and data lists. And as we kind of open up the flood gates for user created content and the mod community with accepting insignificant add-ons, we will have more switches elsewhere in the data model to further separate the wheat from the chaff, and give the users more opportunities to customize their data displays.
5 Episodic Game This is for umbrella entries for games that are released in episodes. Examples would be Tales of Monkey Island, or Siege of Avalon. The "mother game" gets an entry at game level with the game type set to "Episodic game", all episodes get their own entry of type "Episode". Then they're connected using the usual add-on mechanisms, enabling us to either show the whole mother game, or every episode itself to the user. This way, we can even add releases of the whole episodic game to the "mother game" entry.
6 Episode see above

Release Group

Release Group Type

better name: Development Type ?

The type of development on the platform of this release group. If it was developed directly on this platform we call it a "Native development". If the source code was available on another platform before and was transferred to this platform, we call it a "Port" (see "porting software"). If the existing source code of another platform is operated with any kind of emulator software, we call it an "Emulator Release".

Release Group Reason

better name? Release type?

The first release of a game for a platform is called "Original Release". The standard case here is the first-time announcement, or release, of a game's full version for a new platform. RG's for unreleased games, i. e. games in development, cancelled games, or Vaporware, also get the reason "Original release", because development always aims for the original release of a full version.

A Demo / Promo release Release is a limited version of a game for promotional purposes. It is possible that there is only a demo release of a game for a single platform, e.g. because the development was cancelled.

If a game was originally released on the current platform some time ago and a somehow enhanced version of a game is released, it is called "Enhanced re-release". The cause for such a re-release could be a version with fixes of serious bugs, severe performance issues, a completed core content or an improved user interface.

If a game is again released on the current platform and it is not an enhancement, but a partly or completely remade release, we call it a Remake. That means that the game is ported to a new graphics or gameplay engine, i. e. it is basically rewritten, but the gameplay stays mainly unchanged. And the remake shall be marketed as such, i. e. the publisher should have sold the game as a remake of the initial release. This is to exclude games that play exactly like their predecessor, but are meant as a successor of the initial game, not as a remake.

If some parts of a release are censored, we call it a "Heavily censored release". This is for game releases that have been so severely censored that they should not be grouped together in the same RG with the uncensored releases any more. Exemplary, some Command&Conquer games in Germany saw some heavy censorship.

Release

Gaming Environment

Hardwareplatform

Softwareplatform

Franchise

Publication

Issue

Content

Medium

Company

Company Event

Person

Personal Event