Collection Database Program/Site

So, I've been thinking for a while about getting into some kind of site or program that will allow me to create a database of all of my games, so I can easily look up which games I have and see things like how many total games I have, etc. My collection is rapidly approaching the point where it will be difficult to keep track of all of my games without a program like this. I'm aware of several websites and programs that do this, but I don't know if any of them are any good. Does anyone have experience with any of them? It would be nice if it would do things like DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, records, etc. as well, though that's not essential. It would also be useful if I could access it from my phone and my computer. Any suggestions?

 

I use backloggery which does games only. It's easy to use and not bloated. Check my sig.

 

Excel is your friend if you like it quick and customizable. I don't like those big online databases (except for ones that focus on only 1 system or so), they are way too hard or impossible to customize and it takes forever to enter a game.
If you don't want to wave your e-dick in everyones face then you don't need an online one anyways, I am perfectly happy with my Excel spreadsheet that I have been using for the past 5 years. And I can enter more information in a more precise way than any online database would allow me.

 

I've been using excel, which has every platform I own, how much I paid for it, it's value and how much I could sell it for. Also notes about it's CIB status.

 

I don't know much about excel and can't really be bothered to learn. I'd rather use something that's more or less automated. Backloggery looks like it has more features than I really need. All I need is something to track which games I have, maybe with some information like developer, publisher, year released, system, stuff like that. I don't need it to track my progress in the games.

 

Basic functions of Excel are easy enough to get your head around for what you want to do.

 

I know, I've used Excel a little, I just don't like it very much. I want something that's automated, and I also want it to have an attractive interface (which Excel has not).

 

I don't get what you want automated?

 

Mainly, I want it to be able to retrieve the information I mentioned before, "some information like developer, publisher, year released, system, stuff like that" automatically, without me having to enter it myself, just by giving it a few basic details. I believe there are systems that will do this. And I also want all this information to be displayed in a neat, attractive format.

 

use an access database with a form, i know you said you dont want to learn anything but you might actually have to get this done in any decent way

 

I used to have an account on IGN of all places to track my game collection, but then I forgot my password. After that I had an account on vgrebirth.org, but that site has been fucked for a long time now. Also have an account on Satakore, but that's obviously just Saturn games.

 

Give http://www.rfgeneration.com/ a try, if you don't want to go the Excel route.

 

Used to use the Collectorz line of products back when I was bothered about cataloging things, I hear they're still good ( http://www.collectorz.com )

EDIT: Ooh, 1500th post.

 

The old ClubIGN was nice. IGN today is totally worthless.

Excel is fast and easy, but you really have to put everything there.

 

Collectorz is quite good as mooseblaster says, I used to use it as well, haven't updated my collection in a long while, but it is a nice program.

I hear the current version now has better support for hardware and accessories (it was one of its biggest flaws back then).

At first I used a customized excel file, but then I found Collectorz to be much faster, and if you have a really big collection you can use the barcode scanner batch function (if you really need to).

 

Pretty much every online list generator is missing something or has something wrong. As others have said, excel is the way to go. It may not look pretty and you have to manually update it however it's easy to use, sort and find stuff on.

 

There are some good databases if you're a system enthusiast:

SataKore.com for Sega Saturn games
PC-Engine Daisakusen for PC-Engine/TG16
Guardiana.net for Mega Drive/32X/MCD/GG/MS and I think even DC?

Best "database+collection" sites out there!

As far as allrounder databases go, I'd say those are the best:

Backloggery.com (has a community that goes with it, is customizable, many features to show your progress etc)
RetroCollect.com

Still, I'd really suggest an Excel spreadsheet if you can miss out on the "info". I never knew why people would want that anyway... nowadays we have internet and you can look anything up in a second. No need to have all that info in your database, and besides, you can always look at your copy of the game to see the publisher/EAN code/etc?

Excel is really simple to use. To maintain a collection, you need maybe 0.1% of what Excel actually offers. =SUM, and maybe =COUNT IF. That's all I use and I never needed anything else. And I think my Excel spreadsheet is full of nice easy-access data! It never takes me longer than 2 seconds to find the entry of a game using the search function) and see what I paid for it, condition, completeness.
And if you get into Excel a bit more, you could even program it so it looks a bit prettier.

 

+1 for Collectorz

 

Hm, looks like the Game Collector program on that Collectorz website is PC-only, and I'm using a Mac.

 

In the two days since you opened this thread, you could've watched many tutorials on Excel and subsequently created a wonderful database