Merging Items in Database

Just giving heads up to everyone, we (the mods) have started merging certain items in the games database. For examples of this, check out Grand Theft Auto titles. In its current state, this feature can't be released to public since there isn't much in terms of warning that items are being merged, and no undo merge function yet. But over next few days, i'm testing the function a lot and merging most of the big titles (the Top Wanted and Top Owned lists are already looking quite different as a result)

Here's an example of what titles I've merged so far:

GTA series
Final Fantasy series
Hal-Life series
Halo series
Many of the key Mario games
Many of the key Zelda Games
Kingdom Hearts series
Red Alert games
Call of Duty series
Medal of Honor series
Battlefield series
Civilization series
Rollercoaster Tycoon
Age of Empires
Elder Scroll series
and a whole bunch more

Sims is a mess right now (a bit of a 'oops' merge that needs to be fixed - and a good reason why this feature can't be released to public yet)

But if anyone wants any particular series cleaned up, let me know in this thread.

I think with this kind of big change for the Database, it should be a controlled few which have the autority. I don't trust half the people to make the right decision for everyone.

Final Fantasy is looking ship-shape already although I noticed that rb6k's rating for Final Fantasy VII disappeared upon the merge. Unless that was down to him (which is unlikely), his rating isn't on the compiled list. From my friends rating list, it only looks like Uber and Grand Assault have rated it. Bug?!?

weird. All the merges I've done, the ratings seemed to have carried over and merged.

I'll test this out on the next few merges I do.

I couldnt believe what a state the Age of Empires list was in, I found an Age of Empires themes KEYBOARD on there twice! Dibs on Empire earth as well! God job with the others!

Did you merge the Platinum addition of FFVII in? I think RB only rated that one.

yes, platinum is in that list

www.listal.com/game/sid-meiers-alpha-centauri-pc

just merged this title. 9 ratings in one, 8 in other. After merge, all 17 ratings accounted for.

Not sure about rb6k's FFVII rating. is there maybe yet another FFVII he has listed and rated that is not merged into the main item?

and GemLil, anything Rome or world building is yours to merge :)

except Civ series. already beat you to that one lol

Haha, I saw; you can have Sid Meier and you can keep him!

Just finished Empire Earth and am working on the 'Total War' series..then I really have to do some work!! :S

Wow this seems to work great. Do I understand correctly if this means you can still place a 'limited edition' of a game, for instance, in your collection, but it will link to one central hub of the game? It seems this way with GTA IV. It says I have the collector's edition of the game but when I click on it, I get to the central GTA IV 'place'.

I deleted two of my three GTA reviews btw ;)

I deleted two of my three GTA reviews btw ;)

See things are fixing up already! What a great addition to the site merging has become.

Might I suggest going down Wyrmslayer's reviews and merging those games too.

Another question: games that are the same but for dif. consoles, will they still be seperated?

At the moment you cant merge games that belong to different platforms. I thinks its going to stay that way.

I'm happy with that.

Man I wish I could help. On the other hand I wouldn't have time to do so.

Just ask GemLil for her password, she'll probably give you her pin number aswell.

I guess the console restriction will have to do. Although, can consoles be merged aswell? Nobody cares about the 15 different colour GameBoy Colour!

Yes, somebody cares :P

GameBoyColor

Is this what you mean? You cant merge them all anyway, loads of them are under game, which I agree should be merged.

There are 2 types of GB colour/color on the system, one is under as a platform, loads of them are marked as games. I merged the games ones...it looks better this way, dont worry though Moz, the platform version is safe.

This is the platform version, (for reference)

www.listal.com/platform/game-boy-color

console restrictions are good. Platforms will be used in future to narrow down search. it actually works now, for anyone interested. Add &platform=Playstation+2 to your URL to narrow down results for PS2 games, for example

and search for Resident Evil. Used to be over 100 entries. Now its 36 :) this merging rocks

Just so people know, these are rules I'm trying to stick to:

* US/UK versions are merged, along with all re-issues and collecters and limited editions that add little if any new content

* NTSC/PAL/JP Import versions are merged as well as Platinum, Player's Choice, Xbox Classics, Greatest Hits and other such re-issues

* compiliations are NOT to be merged

* re-release of existing games with expansion or other new content added, such as Deluxe or Gold or sometimes Game of Year edition, are NOT to be merged

* bundle packs/ 2-packs / console + game packs are NOT to be merged

* game + guide combo packs however will be merged, or game + intrument used for game (say Guitar Hero II, and Guitar Hero II with Wireless Guitar, that will be merged)

* and of course, different platforms will never be merged (system wont even allow us, which is a good thing)

any feedback/concerns/comments to this?

and any keychains, plush dolls, figurines, stickers, faceplates, and other crap that amazon has flooded listal database with, i'm renaming it to (junk) so it gets buried, til we purged them all out :)

Is there a way to stop people adding them aswell since they are not media items?

It amazes me that people started added them in the first place!

I have no complaints. This sounds solid as hell.

and any keychains, plush dolls, figurines, stickers, faceplates, and other crap that amazon has flooded listal database with, i'm renaming it to (junk) so it gets buried, til we purged them all out :)

I dunno maybe they should just be put in a 'Accessories' or 'Toys' platform.

they are added automatically by Listal whenever they show up in amazon search results. most (if not all) have 0 people listing them, hence why i rename it to (junk)

I just merged every single 'Starter Kit/accessory kit' for the GBA, then did the same for the Game boy...just incase you wanted to implement something to that effect. One starter kit is the same as any other really.

www.listal.com/game/game-boy-advance-sp-8-1-starter-kit-29022

If you want an accessories platform im up for it. But I can see it getting a bit messy though, I mean that link alone has loads in it and its only specifically for starter kits for one platform.

Prelude: I think Ive been keeping to those rules, obviously I'm merging 'gold' editions with their duplicates. i.e www.listal.com/game/medieval-ii-gold-pack-pc

I do love the fact that Xbox Live Arcade games and Wii downloaded games are seperated from the normal games btw!

The Sims are fixed up and merged. Still a massive items if you type in search for SIMS, but blame Electronic Arts and their never-ending expansions and bundles :) Over 100 items and that's with no more duplicates. sheesh

Any chance Command and Conquer Series' can get a merging?

I did a bit of Red Alert yesterday, but will try to do everything in C&C universe today.

Cheers man. Maybe this thread could also be for sugestions of Game Series' that need going over. I mean you've done a good job with the most popular franchises but there are others out there that need to be done.

Your call hombre.

ok, Red Alert, Generals and Tiberium Wars is merged, but found bug that affected you, Gunza Blazin (already alerted Tom on it)

your excellent review of C&C 3:
www.listal.com/viewentry/85881
didn't move into the new merged item (click on top link, notice it redirects to main item page, but only shows GA's review.

I merged those items a different way (there are two ways to merge - checkboxes in search page, or copy/paste URL into an existing master page - for Kane's edition, I did it the 2nd way and I think that's how the bug occured)

If Tom can't fix it up soon, you may want to copy/paste the review into the new entry, and delete the old one. I'll be careful not to add any more merges using the COPY/PASTE url method until Tom addresses this bug.

The only review I wasn't ashamed of. ;-(

I did save all my game reviews to my HD recently just in case. So as long as I know which ones to re-add, do as what you must.

here you go, GB

www.listal.com/search/games/1/?query=command%20conquer

gonna *Try* to tackle need for speed series (all of them) today

that one scares me lol

Hope its ok with everyone, gonna merge up consoles as well:

www.listal.com/game/nintendo-ds-lite-polar-white-nintendo-ds

You can check off which color you own, coz really, nobody but yourself cares :)

I won't merge console revisions though (PS2 and PS2 slim will be seperate, as well DS and DS Lite)

Fine by me :)

I hope its bloody OK, I already merged the Gameboy colour! Im all for it, doesnt matter what colour (color) you have.

www.listal.com/search/games/1/?query=madden

man that was the toughest merge yet :)

but go ahead, scan thru all 6 pages of results. not a single dupe :P

Ok, status update on merge. Pretty much all the popular items on Listal have been merged. Merging every item in database would take myself years, so I'll peck away at some series here and there (finishing up Need for Speed series, and want to do all the ESPN sports ones next) but other than that, I will now do it on a request basis only.

So if you want your favorite game merged, or there's a game or series of games that's a big mess, let me know in this thread or by PM and I'll merge them.

Also, please note, if you see a second title in a game, with (aka ...) format, please don't edit and erase it. its there for a reason:

www.listal.com/search/games/1/?query=aka

these titles have different UK and US names, and as such, this needs to be seen or some people would never be able to find these titles. Once Tom adds hidden 'keywords' to items to help in search of such items, i'm going to use the above list of 'aka' titles to enter them in as keywords and may remove the AKA part. But for now, they are necessary to have.

So if you want something merged, please dont hesitate to ask.

I don't know who did the Starship Trooper games but theres a mistake.

There are two seperate games (a platoon-based strategy and an FPS) and they have been molded into ONE SINGLE TITLE.

(B00029P9TQ) With the blueish cover is the FPS game. While the other with the screaming vet is the Platoon one. I leave this with you.

thanks, I've made a note of it and let Tom know.

Starship Troopers is now fixed. Thanks for the heads up, GB. I thought those games were same, just different box art.

I think you better check the PS3 Items team. Its littered with um!!!