RAA Rewrite

[PyTom]

Here's the first screenshot from a 2-day-old rewrite of renai.us. Right now,

Users can:
- Display a game.
- Search for games using full-text search.
- Search by first letter of the name.
- Search by year.
- Search by category. (If they know the category already.)
- Search by platform.

Game-makers and interested outsiders can:
- Add a new, unapproved game to the archive.
- Add releases to a game.
- Add files to a release.
- Add screenshots to a game.
- Edit most of the above.

Moderators can:
- Approve games.
- Administrate the site.

I figure I'm about a day of work away from being ready to put this up on the web. Still to do are:
- RSS Feeds
- Notifying moderators when they have things to approve.
- Hiding and Showing 18+ content.
- Random other polishing.
- Choosing what goes on what site.

The latter is important, as I plan to use the same site and database to power three websites:

- The current http://www.renai.us website.
- A new games.renpy.org, which will ultimately replace the Ren'Py games list.
- An evn.renai.us website, which has as its mission the listing of all English-language visual novels.

I'm probably going to ask people to volunteer to staff the site. Staffing the site will consist of two things. During the initial population of the site, the staff will be responsible for migrating the data. While the actual game files will be automatically added to the site, we'll need people to update the various metadata entries. Once the site is up and running, the staff will be responsible for approving submitted games.

[sake-bento]

Looks like a handy update. If it's useful, could I toss in the suggestion of being able to search by creator as well?

[Samu-kun]

YYYEESSS! Finally, the long awaited update to the RAA. *_*

I can be a staff member and help get it set up, although I'm leaving for Japan in 8 days. Think that'll be enough time to get it operational?

[PyTom]

sake-bento>>>

The full-text search will be able to search by creator.

I'm not sure a more restricted search would be worthwhile. It would require us to normalize creator names, and that's a little more work than I think we'll be willing to do.

Samu-kun>>>

I dunno. We'll see. (What, they don't have internet in Japan? )

[Samu-kun]

They have internet, but I don't know if I'll be able to reach the house that I'm staying in. Apparently, I'm supposed to ride this thing called a "chikatetsu..." It'll involve transferring thrice and walking the rest of the way... Don't know if I'll actually end up in the place that I want to be at in the end.

[Vatina]

Awesome. It's like a vndb for oelvn (and I love wasting time on vndb)
I'll look forward to trying it out!

[delta]

So uh, let me get this straight (points I wonder about in bold):

renai.us:
* must be freely downloadable/hostable
* must be a VN or game of reasonable similar properties
* must be in English?
Note: if the latter point is not true, you're setting yourself up for a lot of headaches.

games.renpy.org:
* must be made with Ren'Py. Duh.

evn.renai.us:
* must be in English
* must be a VN or game of reasonable similar properties
* must be originally in English?
* if not the above, must be an official/authorized translation?
Note: if the latter two are not true, this will basically end up as a list of commercial OELVNs. If they are, it's pretty much identical to this search: http://vndb.org/v/all?ln=en

[JinzouTamashii]

I agree with delta's points.

[PyTom]

Delta's rules are basically spot on.

I'll make the condition for renai.us and evn.renai.us that the game is either originally created in English, or translated contemporaneously by the original team.

I think that this should basically keep the mandate of renai.us unchanged. Evn.renai.us should remain quite similar as well, although there might be a few edge cases that make it onto the site.

Hm... thinking about it, I should probably abstract out the game engine aspects of things. This way, we can track the versions of Novelty that are used to make games, as well.

[PyTom]

Okay, I've gone ahead and uploaded a version of the new RAA code to http://django.renai.us/

While not totally done, I'm pretty sure the database is now stable enough that we can start with the data entry process. So I'm going to ask people to step up and help out with that.

One can create a game by clicking the Add a Game button on the toolbar of renai.us. If you don't have an account, you'll need to create one. Creating a game also creates the first release. Anyone can upload screenshots or add releases as necessary. Files can be added to a release by it's creator.

Since it would be crazy to re-upload files, I've added all the files on renai.us to a fake game. Instead of re-uploading them, staff members can click the admin link to the right of the file name. (It only shows up if you're staff), and then change the release the file's associated with.

Since the database is new, people will have to register again. If you're current staff, or want to become staff, post here with your new username and I'll add you to the list of staffers.

[Samu-kun]

Have you already added me?

edit: doesn't look like it.

[lucy]

...or want to become staff, post here with your new username and I'll add you to the list of staffers.

Can I?

"POOF" (Hide and Waits)

[PyTom]

Have you already added me?

edit: doesn't look like it.

No, you'll have to sign up yourself, and then I can add you as staff. (I can't get the passwords from the old site.)

[Samu-kun]

Okay, I registered an account.

[PyTom]

And you have been promoted to staff status.