Updated: November 1, 2016
Thank you for your interest in contributing to the Arcade-History/Gaming-History database. To maintain, improve, and refine our records of coin-operated machines, consoles & computers software, we have established the following rules.
The primary source for information should be the game itself and its internal program. Secondary sources include flyers, manuals, box art, developer interviews, etc.
We accept all coin-operated games and non-game machines, as well as home consoles and computer games and software.
TITLE:
1a. For non-video machines, use the title found on the artwork. This applies to ALL machine types.
1b. For video games, use the title displayed on the in-game title screen.
2. Pay close attention to capitalization.
2a. For English titles, do not capitalize minor words such as 'of', 'the', 'a', 'in', etc., unless they are the first or last word of the title.
2b. For non-English titles, follow the standard capitalization rules of the original language.
3. Always separate a title and a subtitle with a hyphen ' - ' (e.g., Title - Subtitle).
3a. If the title ends with '!' or '?', the hyphen is not required.
4. For multi-game systems, separate the names with a plus '+' (e.g., Game 1 + Game 2).
5. Official model numbers should be added at the end of the title in brackets (e.g., Title [Model XXX]). Note: Model numbers are vital for differentiating versions and linking database entries.
YEAR:
Use the date the machine was first released for sale in its original locality.
For video games, always use the copyright date from the title screen. If this differs from the actual release date, please note it in the TRIVIA section.
MANUFACTURER:
Use the exact name of the primary manufacturer or publisher (not the developer or distributor).
Developer names should be listed in the STAFF section.
KEYWORDS:
1a. Export versions must use the "EXPORT" keyword ONLY. All other keywords belong to the original release entry (except for specific Conversions).
1b. Export conversions should use both "EXPORT" AND "PORT" keywords.
DIRECTORY:
This field is for the ROM set name, if applicable (only available when adding a New Game). To add a ROM name to an existing entry, please include a note with your contribution.
TEXT SECTIONS:
DESCRIPTION: Describe the gameplay. This can be based on official manuals, ads, or your own original description.
TECHNICAL: Technical specs (model number, cabinet type, CPU, sound chips, button layout, etc.).
TRIVIA: Interesting facts (exact release dates, development history, game lore, etc.).
UPDATES: A "what's new" log for different revisions (e.g., v1.0 => v1.1).
SCORING: Details on points (e.g., Small alien: 10 pts, Big alien: 20 pts).
TIPS AND TRICKS: Hidden secrets, cheats, and expert maneuvers.
SERIES: Chronological list of games in the same franchise.
STAFF: Credits for programmers, designers, and composers. Development companies can also be noted here.
PORTS: List of all post-portages/conversions.
Please note that all contributions to Arcade-history.com/Gaming-history.com become the property of Arcade-history.com/Gaming-history.comm and History.xml. The administrator reserves the right to edit any submission. By submitting your work, you certify that you are the original author or have used public domain resources. Do not submit copyrighted material without explicit permission.
