A better VNDB needed or not?
- Thread starter RedEye781
- Start date
- Jan 5, 2025
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- Dec 15, 2019
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Is it unnecessary though? Like the UI is just god awful and while yes you learn how to use it and get used to it, it still feels like I'm stepping back to the '90s every time I open that site. I get they don't have the money to do something better, but that's exactly why I think it should have competition.
Take IMDB for example a database that's leagues ahead (yes it is owned by Amazon now) but it looks and presents information in a much better, cleaner, and vastly superior aesthetics.
The same can be said about AniList and MyAnimeList two aggregates for Anime.
Of course no matter what it would take years to catch up to VNDB in terms of overall content presence.
However, I feel like a modern and mobile-friendly design is required these days for everything, including Visual Novels.
- Aug 18, 2021
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- Dec 15, 2019
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- Jan 19, 2023
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is shit compared to the
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(
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was still good). the waste of space from prioritizing mobile experience is immense.the source code and database dumps are public and free for grabbing. iirc the admin even complains annually about nobody willing to add blackjack and hookers to it.
i wish more people would just use the code for different databases but i think there was only one attempt for eroge or something and i'm not sure it got anywhere, seeing as i don't remember what it was called and can't find it again with a few mins of googling.
- Dec 15, 2019
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Okay, so the IMDB aesthetic is subjective but I'd still say both the new one and the old one aren't from the '90s, unlike VNDB.
My main issue with it is stagnation, if they're the only ones then you say it's my way or the highway and we're all just forced to live with it. I don't know much about Web Development but if you're telling me that the database is free for use and it's not being done it's even more baffling, like even if Visual Novels are a niche it's still something that has at least 10 million readers and yet the only aggregate still thinks it's 1999, how does that compute?
You can't say it's about money either because you can put small ads, or get games to sponsor the site or something else I'm not thinking of.
No matter what the thing is we should never say a monopoly is fine.
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- Jan 19, 2023
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I really can't see what's your problem with it.
search tools are unmatched in how precise you can make your results (and you can squeeze even more out of it with database queries - that one requires learning the syntax for it, though), you have many sorting options, and cover views for searches if you want to judge by them, the important stuff is plainly visible, some details that one personally might prioritize (like release details) are a click away but can still be easily filtered for in searches, edit history is available (only tag votes one with its tag comments requires an account i think), if you don't like the colors and such there are other themes/skins available, tag filters/colors so you're not lost when looking at full tag lists of popular vns, you can add custom css in profile settings, and there's an api if you want to hook up an anime/gaming app you're working on to it.
source/db dumps, btw:
search tools are unmatched in how precise you can make your results (and you can squeeze even more out of it with database queries - that one requires learning the syntax for it, though), you have many sorting options, and cover views for searches if you want to judge by them, the important stuff is plainly visible, some details that one personally might prioritize (like release details) are a click away but can still be easily filtered for in searches, edit history is available (only tag votes one with its tag comments requires an account i think), if you don't like the colors and such there are other themes/skins available, tag filters/colors so you're not lost when looking at full tag lists of popular vns, you can add custom css in profile settings, and there's an api if you want to hook up an anime/gaming app you're working on to it.
source/db dumps, btw:
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- Dec 15, 2019
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My overall annoyance is the UI, if you put it on a big screen like 40"+ the text is tiny, if you open it on your phone good luck reading without zooming in every 2 seconds.
There's a reason all web development went with the mobile-first approach.
Why can I look at one site just fine while the other is unusable without extra inputs?
The other major problem is the MTL stance which at this point while we enter the age of AI has become hilarious, all professional translation is being done with AI-powered MTL drafts, yet they still don't have a rating system up for the users.
To be clear, I don't want another label, I just want this label to be nuanced, as it clearly is if you ever downloaded an MTL.
Again my problem is the stagnation of quality in the way information is being presented to the users. Yes, we can all do our own research and zoom in with our phones, I'm just saying this is not something that should be normalized and I think VNDB should be dropped and replaced as a source for aggregating visual novels.
- Jun 10, 2017
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As if 90's websites were looking like this...
Why change something that works?
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?VNDB is the most complete and most known, it's not the same.
Efficiency before flashy effects.
- Dec 15, 2019
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Yes, they are, let's go through your examples one by one.
1. IGN (
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)- Type: Game catalog with basic filters for visual novels.
- Strengths:
- Good for discovering some mainstream visual novels that have been widely released.
- Includes trailers, ratings, and summaries for featured titles.
- Weaknesses:
- Limited scope—primarily covers popular or localized VNs.
- Missing detailed information (e.g., character profiles, voice actors, translation history).
- Not VN-focused; it’s a subset of IGN’s broader game coverage.
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)- Type: Community-driven wiki focused on all types of games, with a tag for visual novels.
- Strengths:
- Contains some user-submitted information on visual novels.
- Can provide useful links to VN developers and platforms.
- Weaknesses:
- Inconsistent depth of coverage. Some VNs have detailed entries, while others have barely any information.
- Primarily focused on video games; visual novels are a niche within their database.
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)- Type: User-generated game database with a genre filter for visual novels.
- Strengths:
- Decent catalog of visual novels, including metadata like platform and release date.
- Owned by Twitch/Amazon, so it has potential for growth.
- Weaknesses:
- Lacks depth in VN-specific features (e.g., routes, character breakdowns, or fan translation status).
- Generalist focus; it doesn’t cater to the specific needs of VN enthusiasts.
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)- Type: Game organization and backlog tracking tool with visual novel filters.
- Strengths:
- Great for tracking your VN library or discovering popular titles.
- Includes user reviews and recommendations.
- Weaknesses:
- Database is relatively small and focuses on localized or commercially popular VNs.
- No detailed tagging, translation information, or metadata like VNDB provides.
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)- Type: Database tied to a game launcher, focusing on metadata for all types of games.
- Strengths:
- Offers metadata for visual novels as part of its broader database.
- Useful for collectors who want to organize their game libraries.
- Weaknesses:
- Extremely limited VN-specific data.
- Not a discovery tool—more about managing games you already own.
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)- Type: PlayStation-focused game site with a tag for visual novels.
- Strengths:
- Covers PlayStation-specific visual novels, including reviews and news.
- Great for fans who play VNs exclusively on PlayStation platforms.
- Weaknesses:
- Platform bias: Limited to games available on PlayStation.
- No comprehensive catalog, metadata, or cross-platform information.
So when I say VNDB is the only one is because it is.
I respect and appreciate the hard work of VNDB I just wish there was a competing alternative.
Where would GPUs be if Nivida didn't have AMD to compete against?
- May 8, 2023
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VNs are a very 90's/00's format. If you are put off by a website with an early internet aesthetic, then I would suggest that VNs are not for you. Which is fine, niche things should be niche, not everything should be for everyone.
- Jun 10, 2017
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God! Would this mean that I said something smart when I wrote that "VNDB is the most complete"?
I totally can't believe it, it would be such a marvelous coincidence...
these sort of posts always crack me up. like what are you gonna do? tell vndb to quit, expecting they will?
people make what they make. we have no say in it.
people make what they make. we have no say in it.
- Dec 15, 2019
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Right sarcasm that's a good argument against improvement I guessGod! Would this mean that I said something smart when I wrote that "VNDB is the most complete"?
I totally can't believe it, it would be such a marvelous coincidence...
- Dec 15, 2019
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I'm saying that we need a better version. And you do have a say if another version exists. I'm just asking why is no one interested in making one that's all.
- Feb 6, 2018
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Because it works fine? The only criticism in your OP concern the UI and them not considering MTL as valid translation. The UI, while dated, works correctly for most purposes and I 100% agree with their stance on MTL.
If it's really unuseable for you, then be the change you want to see.
- Dec 15, 2019
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I disagree but appreciate your input.
As for me starting a website with zero web dev know-how, I'll pass on that.
As someone who still uses old.reddit, mobile first approach is fucking cancer.