ST Graveyard wrote:
Sadly, no, we don't use the AtariMania database, because AtariMania has the best database around. These guys know how I feel about it, but that is another story. Everybody is ofcourse free to do what they want...
Cheers.
I never had anything against using it

But unfortunately even if i'm the main database builder of ST database, i don't own it or have an access "under the hood". I can only edit it. I've always told everyone they are free to use all the content from the ST database, i just don't have an access to it more than a normal visitor has.
Problems from our point of view:
1) An "open" database in a way AL is using it at the moment doesn't work for our purposes because we also cover commercial compilations, utilities and some classic demos. These are not available at AL.
2) We don't cover or offer cracked software unless it's a hack that has some way updated, like an STe-enchanted games (DM, Prince of Persia, Uridium...) . I have all the respect for crackers and am fully thankful for the work they've done and still do, as without them there would be no as much software as we do have today. But we want to get our material to be as close as possible to be unmodified. Can't use software screenshots for cracker messages for example.
3) All our databases needs to be compatible with each system (A2600, XL, Jaguar...) . Using an external "open" database for ST and "closed" ones for rest of the systems would result huge incompatibilites and problems to us. So the "open" database would have to be edited with our BackOffice as Franck doesn't let anyone to modify his code.
4) And the biggest problem: Open databases has a habit of going out of hand very quickly without extensive moderation. There will be errors, data will be inputted that doesn't rely on research but assumptions etc. It has been seen in a database like Mobygames. There are more unmoderated errors than correct information. So there has to be enough moderators who verify all the changes. I don't say here AM is bullet proof, there are still a long list of known errors i'm slowly fixing. But all the credits and information comes from a research of original game content, magazines, reviews, adverts, a current generation of retrobooks, contacting authors etc...
It's impossible for us to use the "open" version for AM unless the problems above has been solved.
So if you find a way to get the data i have nothing against using it

Hell, i would be honored if AL sees it worthy of use. After all you are what reads in your title - Legends. But you need to ask the database from Franck.
ST Graveyard wrote:
Yes of course AM existed before. I don't know the exact history and it is not my job to talk for the AM team. I know some of the AM DB guys helped a lot on the AL db, but got frustrated because of the lack of developments (I stopped working on AL around 2007 I think- we had a bit of a burnout) so they moved on to AM. Around 2011 I got interested again in retro gaming and after a while I started visiting Atari-Forum again and I got the ST virus again and I thought it was a good idea to donate the AL db since the project was dead anyway. I don't know the exact history of AM course.
Maarten
Atarimania has been around since 2003. Work for ST database started in April 2008 when Guardians of the PaST started to see it's first signs of collapsing. At the time there was no updated ST database anymore so i contacted Franck who owns the site and voluntereed to build one that lasts at least a decade.
When i started there was some exported list of data, i don't know it's origins but it was a complete nightmare to use. Now looking back it would be better to start my own from scratch as the one i had to work with was full of errors.
Ofcourse it's still under construction and will be for many years because it's a very slow process to gather all the data and do extensive research. But in last 8 years it has updated almost daily. Only longer pause was when my daugher got her diagnosed diabetes type 1.
calimero wrote:Maybe not question for you but:
So AM exist before you share AL database with them?
Authors of AM is not ST (16bit) mainly oriented? 'Marakatti, Franck, Stefan L, Champions_2002' are only database data contributors, not developers of AM? (I already ask this question 5 years ago
link but did not get answer. It would be cool if they put "history" page as you did on AL site!)
AM covers all Atari machines for some degree. At the moment 4 of them are actively updated: 2600 (ROM Hunter), Atari XL (Allan), ST (Marakatti with help from Champions_2002 and Stefan_L) and Jaguar (Marakatti) Franck owns the site and concept and has coded everything from the website to the BackOffice tool we use for updating the database.
We used some AL data for PD games at some point, but the export function we had didn't work very well which is our fault ofcourse, not AL. AL has still the best PD games database, and AM is some 800 titles behind in that area.