Considering adding incomplete AniRec entries - please read/discuss

Hi folks,

Something that I've said I'd never do is put up incomplete entries into the AniRec. This is because I am dedicated to the quality of our information, and didn't want people to open up an anime listing, only to see a blank slate. All of our entries have hand-written synopses and hand-taken screenshots, and is unique to our site.

However, enough people are using Anime-Planet for their anime lists that this doesn't seem feasible for the future. People want to keep track of everything they've seen, and by not having up brand new titles, this means people might not be satisfied.

So I'm proposing the following: entries are put up immediately, upon request, with necessary basic information (titles, studio, year). In the alphabetical list there would be a very major indication that the entry is incomplete. There would be an easy link in each incomplete entry to supply the correct information (though I still don't have a form up for this, it could at least go to the comment form). This way, people can update their lists in a timely fashion.

I'm hoping for some community support on this, as doing this breaks one of my fundamental charters for the site. Do you guys agree this needs to happen? Are you opposed?

If it is just for anime series's that are currently airing it might be a good idea.

But if it's a finished one it should be put up complete.

the problem is, i have to wait for someone to send in the information. this can be really hard to find - there are tons of series missing because no one can write the synopsis or take the screenshots. so if someone wants to use A-P as their anime list, and they can't add stuff, they tend to be upset

While I am new and have a list of series that I have watched and aren't up, I see it as motivation to upload the series myself to make sure that the content is included. Too many other sites already have minimal or non-existant information (or worse, copied directly from another site). I, for one, appreciate the standard of quality that you have maintained thus far (moreso since, as you say, it can be difficult to obtain a synopsis or screenshots).

New series should be even easier to provide synopsis/screenshots of, as people should be able to do this while they watch it the first time while things air.

On the other hand it is possible that people will see empty entries and think 'oh yeah, I remember that' and then do a synopsis for the site.

Just my .02

I have to say I agree with both -chii- and sothis. That was helpful wasn't it?

But I think there is a middle solution. I have written a couple synopsis for Anime I have seen that are not on the list My problem is the screenshots/pics.

I am having problems:
a) finding a clear frame that will be usable.
b) capturing the screenshot with a resolution good enough to be usable, not blurred etc.
c) editing and converting to 130x130 and retaining visual clarity.

I know it is me, but I have never really done anything with video to screen shots like this before. Throwing a general screenshot into a doc or power point is one thing, this is another. I know when I get the chance I will figure it out, but until I get the time it will have to wait. And if I have this problem others do too.

So my suggestion is to allow the add if everything is here with the exception of the screenshots. They could then be added later.


Just a thought.

well, definitely the most pressing issue is the brand new series (and i'd argue that others would be pieces of a larger picture, like the missing pokemon or detective conan movies, since the others are already up).

i guess that could be a good idea: only do it for brand new series (since usually people are bound to watch these - and since you can put them up after 4 episodes, it means people could still mark them befor 4 episodes), or really important missing pieces of large series?

I don't know how helpful this is but here's my 2 cents anyway.

I think this is a difficult and very important decision to get right. While it would be nice to have an accurate list of what I've seen, I really enjoy the high standard and completeness of each anime's page. There's nothing worse than a blank page when you're looking for a description and if people start adding recommendations for an anime with a blank description thats bound to create a fair amount of confusion.

I also foresee the amount of time needed to mod and edit submissions increasing hugely if this is implemented. Having done some moderating in the past I know that there are few things as time-consuming and soul-destroying as trying to tie together information from multiple sources. Also, re-editing each anime more than once is bound to become a major headache.

That being said, if people were allowed to submit only partially completed info (minus a description or screenshots etc) I think the number of submissions would probably rise a lot as it would be a much less daunting process for the uninitiated. Is that a good thing tho? I imagine at the moment people who write submissions do so because they enjoy doing it or they want the info there. Making it easy to do the bare minimum could seriously impact on people's willlingness to write good submissions or make screenshots.

Like I said, just my 2 cents.
Maybe making screenshots optional is the most workable solution.

I am more than willing to help write stuff and provide some screens, but i would like to be able to do stuff through the system, not through submittal. Another thing to help would be lowering the screenshot requirement from 10 to 5. New series is something that I can also do. I check out every single new series with the exception of the magical girl and kiddie stuff. I've been doing early reviews on every new series on the baka-updates forums for about a year and a half now. Switching it to entires here would not be very difficult. I've been coming across a lot of anime that isn't in the database here and would not mind adding it, if only the process were easier. On the add page it's had a thing that a form will be added soon, i've been waiting on that for awhile. What's in my sig, i estimate to really be only about 1/2 to 2/3 of what i've actually seen. I believe others would likely contribute, but feel the same way I do. I'm offering to do a lot of work and share my knowledge, if only there was an easy way through the system to do it. A partial system which can be a placeholder until the full thing is completed at a later time would be a help.

im not sure what you mean by submittal versus the system - the online form will have a place where you need to attach a zip or rar file, and a blank space for a synopsis (and another box for optional stuff) - this isn't much different than just opening up a new email message and attaching stuff. it's one of those things that's on a list of 800 to do, with never enough time :( and one of those that since people generally submit stuff fine with the email form, that i don't put it at a higher priority over, say, fixing bugs (like that 38 age issue), adding new features like usergroups, etc.

if you are telling me you'll submit a bunch of stuff if i put up the above described form though, ill make it a higher priority (i just don't see why it would be that much different than opening an email o_o)

I have to agree with what most people said about the anirec feeling of quality usually do to not having blank pages. But if it really is an issue it seems fine for newer series to have a blank page but then again the new series would probably get a submission soon anyways so it seems kind of pointless.

@desterion I don't get why having a system would make things any easier. I submitted a couple things and find it incredibly easy emailing especially because its like having direct contact with sothis instead of sending it through a system and kind of losing that directness.

so desterion, r u saying you want a system like wikipedia where people can just come in and edit as they please? If so, it will be kinda hectic since you will get random people changing as they please. Also, they way, people will just copy and paste information that they see on other websites onto the site.

andykins, i feel that doing part of the entry and sending it to sothis is a workable solution as some people are better writters than other and some is just damn good at taking good screenshots of the series. However, if one was to write a synopsis that is half done, it will not work, as different people have a different view on what show be put onto the synopsis itself. Screenshots could be done by several people as sothis tends to pick the ones that demonstrates the best of what represents the series anyway.

Spence, i feel you should check out the "faq" on how to submit series and look at the step by step instructions on how to take screenshots. Its quite simple once you get the hang of it. If you cannot figure it out, go ahead and pm me or find me on irc.

Chii, i think the new series that are viewed by many will be put up as soon as the main plot is shown. Look at "Clannad" for example, it was put up as soon as people figured out the plot in a timely fashion, however, you must remember how popular the series is. For series like, prism ark, it is highly unpopular and it (kinda sucks), it took forever to put up. So I think its not the matter of new or old, its a matter of how good/popular the series is.

Sothis, i feel that putting up the barebone of the series if the series that is requested is "old" / "unpopular" / "unheard of" is fine, however don't count on people coming in and filling the entry. There are some drawbacks to this system, however, if some people like it, its fine. Since there are not enough people with the knowledge of some series, some series will never be filled.

Last thing is, when someone request a entry being put up, consider why they are asking for it. Do they just want to put it on their list of watch/stalled/watching, or do they want to see the screenshots of the series and know more about plot that was given other than ANN, animenfo, anidb, etc.

Thats my 2 cents, feel free to comment, step on it, or whatever you feel doing. :D

Just dropping by to give a quick opinion on this.
Personally I have always loved your standard for quality about the site. It's one of the best things about it (aside from the community :)).
Personally I don't mind not having some entries on the site - if I'm able to I'll help add them myself.
My point is really just that I love the quality standard, but having incomplete recs (definitely marked, though, as Sothis suggested) could be worse, as long as you make sure that the information, etc, is accurate and of good quality when it is put up...

do it! post incompletes!

I think breaking the standard of quality for the sake of the animelist feature is probably Not Good. Perhaps ask the question, is this an animelist site first, or a high-quality database first? I've always felt the latter...

One possibility, although it would likely be a good bit more difficult, would be to allow users to add series they've seen to the list without having an entry page for them... like, they could fill out a box for the title, eps and rating and it would appear on their list, just without a link and maybe a star or something to indicate that the series is not in the database yet.

A wikipedia like system could work. But there can instead be a writers class/rank which people have to be placed in before they can do that. and have it so that other people can write stuff up on a form, then submit it for approval like it is now. I can see great expansion if the submittal process didn't require people to get so involved.


As for the old/unpopular/unknown series, thats what i generally look for now. Having seen so many that it's hard to find something i've never heard of. I'm more than willing to fill out stuff and create new ones for the rarer series.

oh i see - you want it so people can directly modify the content. as of now that will never happen - i care too much about the quality to let unedited synopses go up - then we'd be just like every other anime database with bad info. besides, if you sent in a good synopsis to me (or wasnt super terrible - and given the fact that you speak english on a normal/good level, it wouldn't be), it would go up really, really fast... so i'm not sure why that would deter you from submitting things. having a form up or sending an email is the same thing - i need to ensure it's up to the quality standard of the site. i am not a major bottleneck for getting new series up - it's my top priority.

I would hesitate on making it too open. One of the hallmarks of the site is the quality. I would go alone with andykins and just make Screenshots optional.

@Harbin

Thanks, I have looked at the FAQ, which gave general info and suggested VirtualDubMod, which like most of the suggested items doesn't open DVD's. You have to rip it first or something. In my little universe I should be able to insert the DVD, watch the show, hit pause, snag the frame, save it, open a picture program, resize and presto!

But it isn't that simple. At least to me and several of the people I know. Is it too hard? I really doubt it with as many people who have no problems. But I simply do not have the extra time right now. With work and a few other committed projects. If I could submit the information, without screenshots, I am sure I'd be able to provide some usable support.

Until I learn how to do the screenshots I will need to lurk and stay out of everyone's way ; )

spence, you can do that with powerdvd. theres a camera icon on the toolbar thing that lets you snap a shot to a specified folder (but iirc you have to go into the otpions panel and tell it to save them to a specified folder - default is clipboard i believe)

then you can just zip/rar up those shots and send em in. ^_^

btw re: the rarities, that's my thing too ;) quite a few of the ones in the database that are remarkably obscure (leina and leika, etc) are ones that ive hunted down over the years to add. i do it to appeal to niche anime fans out there, heh.

sothis said:

spence, you can do that with powerdvd. theres a camera icon on the toolbar thing that lets you snap a shot to a specified folder (but iirc you have to go into the otpions panel and tell it to save them to a specified folder - default is clipboard i believe)

then you can just zip/rar up those shots and send em in. ^_^

Click to expand...

Okey Dokey

That was easy.....

I'll still have a couple projects I committed to completing this weekend. I will send in my first new entry some time this week to be reviewed when you can get to it.

Thanks