Proposal: Genres and Modes

[Andytizer 268]

In the beginning, PCGamingWiki shied away from including classification of games because we were focused only on fixes - we weren't interested if a game was a 'third person shooter' or a 'first person shooter' - we just wanted FOV fixes, widescreen fixes, etc.

 

However I think things could be improved - taking a queue from Wikipedia:

 

Modes:

Firstly with the way the tables work, some genres don't require 'FOV' fixes for example 2D games. Or an 90s adventure game doesn't need an 'Inverted Y-Axis' option etc. A mode property would allow us to restrict certain tables so that this makes more sense. This would include things like: VR, 2D, 3D, 1st person, 3rd person, touchscreen, VR etc. Furthermore, in the future we could use this to categorise other features like microtransactions, lootboxes etc.

 

Genres:

Genres are a great way of listing games. We could make lists of Puzzle games on Uplay, RPGs fan translated into Russian, etc.

How great would it be to see all the Local co-op games that are 2D rather than 3D (my wife can't play 3D games as she gets motion sick!). 

 

 

In terms of implementation, this could sit in the proposed Overview section as well as the Infobox itself.

[Aemony 134]

"First person shooter", "Third person shooter", "3D", "2D" are primarily all just different forms of perspective from which the gameplay is available.

"Genres" typically deal with content matter, as in "Adventure", "Action", "Racing", etc.

 

The way Valve currently handles this subject is to basically don't even bother. They define all of the above examples as "tags", and then allows developers to set which tag they prefer to have the game listed primarily as being under, and whatnot.

 

So the question is rather to what extent PCGW should start to categorizing games, and whether stuff like content matter of games is the purpose or just technical details such as 2D/3D and first or third person view.

[Casval Deikun 1]

6 hours ago, Andytizer said:

Genres

Genre is really needed. Especially when viewing the page of an unfamiliar game.

 

6 hours ago, Andytizer said:

RPGs fan translated into Russian,

And adventure and visual novel (which are translated only  by fans)

[Andytizer 268]

For anyone who is following, we are collating Modes and Genres in this page and will eventually introduce definitions: https://pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/List_of_game_modes_and_genres

[Garrett 210]

I would recommend referring to how MobyGames has determined genre naming/separation. A while ago they changed several terms that were ambiguous.

2D/3D should probably be avoided because this could be confused with the art style or presentation (e.g. many games from the '90s used 3D modelling to make pre-rendered sprites for a purely 2D game).

[Andytizer 268]

Thanks for input all - I believe from the Discord discussion there is a huge amount of difficulty with binding 'Modes' with actual tables - so I think we will drop this idea and focus on the Modes and Genres themselves. There's been some input from MobyGames and WSGF and I think I will spend some time suggesting a structure from the top - and then we can discuss the individual merits and definitions more clearly.

[Andytizer 268]

I am resurrecting this project and plan to implement changes by Christmas time. I have created a new channel in our Discord called #projects where we can discuss and implement ideas more quickly.

[Mirh 101]

"Modes" can still be somehow functional to fixes. In the sense that, if a game is 2D, some video settings rows perhaps may not apply.

"Genres"? I'm starting to loose the sense of the wiki. Did the discussion about becoming general purpose happen while I was AFK?

[Andytizer 268]

1 hour ago, Mirh said:

"Genres"? I'm starting to loose the sense of the wiki. Did the discussion about becoming general purpose happen while I was AFK?

So this is the first step in broadening the scope of the wiki, which will only help PC gaming users and give more options. We already track multiplayer types, eg local co-op. Genres will help us do cool things like make a list of Puzzle games that support 4K and controller, or a list of First person shooters with high frame rate support, etc.

Each article will end up being a balance that covers technical fixes as well information for the general user. At the end of the day the technical fixes side will be the main part of the site and I won't force anyone to moderate/edit the broader more Wikipedia-like side of the site either :).

[Mirh 101]

I don't necessarily object in principle to broadening the scope of the wiki, though perhaps you should write down your vision for the records.

For example, ages ago I was already giving "strategy advices" (for as much as due to bugs), but uh.. I'd hope we aren't entering into competition with strategywiki any time soon?

Anyway back in topic, I think I see now the "search a puzzle game to play in coop" idea.

But is it actually realistic? Because perhaps it's just me to be detached, but if I had a friend irl and I wanted to play with him, I would just search for the couch gaming list. I wouldn't really care if I'm shooting in first person like left 4 dead or isometrically like in lara croft and the guardian of light. Or I'm not shooting at anything because it's rayman. Insofar as the game is good at supporting and encouraging us.

I know some "very clumsy" individuals that are super-not-good with any kind of keyboard/controller then, which may usually prefer some genre rather than another.. But a "doesn't require much coordination" dedicated property would be way better in this scenario.

And I cannot think to anything else the genre would matter tbh.