Tag-Based Media System for Flexible Asset Classification
š Summary
Introduce a flexible tagging system for media, allowing items like fanart, AI generated, reconstructed, or region specific variants to be tagged instead of forcing them into rigid categories.
ā Problem
The current category based system is too rigid and leads to ongoing issues:
Fanart is often uploaded into official categories due to lack of alternatives
Reconstructed or cleaned media has no clear place, causing inconsistency
Categories become cluttered with mixed content types
Users receive unpredictable downloads when scraping media
Moderation conflicts arise due to unclear classification rules
This has been a long standing source of frustration and inconsistency across the database.
š” Proposal
Move from rigid category structures to a tagging based system:
Keep core media types simple, for example Box Front, Clear Logo, Screenshot
Introduce two types of tags:
Official tags (structured, curated by LaunchBox), for example:
Fanart
Reconstructed
AI Generated
Cleaned or Restored
Region specific
Community tags (freeform, user defined):
Allow contributors to add additional context or descriptors
Enable more granular categorization without bloating core systems
Allow moderators to apply or correct official tags as part of moderation
Enable LaunchBox to use tags in media management, including:
Include or exclude tags in Media Priorities
Filter downloads based on tags
Control scraping behaviour (for example, exclude AI generated or fanart)
š§© Use Cases
A reconstructed SNES cartridge image is tagged as āReconstructedā instead of miscategorized
A cleaned version of damaged box art is tagged as āRestoredā
A fan made logo is tagged as āFanartā while still being a Clear Logo
A user excludes AI generated media from their downloads
A contributor adds community tags like āCustom Spineā or āAlt Styleā
Users tailor their media downloads based on preferences and quality expectations
š¦ Benefits
Reduces moderation conflicts and ambiguity
Keeps categories clean and predictable
Gives users granular control over what media is downloaded
Supports both structured data and flexible community input
Scales better than continuously adding new categories
Improves overall quality and consistency of the database
ā ļø Considerations
Official tags should be clearly defined and limited in scope
Community tags may require moderation safeguards to prevent misuse
UI updates will be needed for filtering and visibility
Migration from existing categories will need careful handling
ā Outcome
A hybrid tagging system, combining official and community tags, creates a scalable and flexible foundation for media organization, improving both moderation clarity and user control.
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Comments4
Darklesh
Sep 23
On the other hand, I think simply adding tags will just create more complexity, extra work, and arguments over which tag to use. The main issue is that the primary categories are flooded with fanart because there isn't a dedicated category for it; keeping the two separate is the simplest approach. To me, tags don't offer a solutionāthey just add complexity, work, and problems. It would be easier to create the missing fanart categoriesāsuch as 3D box art, clear logos, and screenshots (for fan translations)āand simply configure the system to "only download fanart categories if the main ones are empty." That would solve everything.
Darklesh
Aug 29
AGREE ON THE BASIC IDEA BUT STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH AI Generated, Cleaned or Restored TAGS. Explanation:
It's quite obvious throughout this decade of Launchbox that the community prioritizes quality and eye-catching presentation over preservation. Because we handle material decades old, it's practically impossible to obtain media sources without serious damage or alterations, so the use of manual editing or AI to restore images is commonplace. Introducing these tags would reignite an old war where a small group of preservation purists flooded the main image categories with images that hadn't been cleaned or edited at all. According to their criteria, the most important images would be dusty, torn, or even oil-stained covers, while those that were truly faithful to the originals but cleaned and restored would fall into the bottomless pit of categories alongside reconstructions or fan media, making it a nightmare once again to have legitimate art that's visually clean and eye-catching. The only tags needed are "fanart" to clearly separate restorations from entirely fan creations, and "reconstructed" for those that, while using the original source as a base, add a box or cartridge template for a cohesive visual appearance. Please, let's not ruin a good idea by offering too many options and revisiting problems we've already overcome.
3333333333333333
May 6
I was going to comment the consideration but you did the smart thing and already considered it. š¤
āAllow moderators to apply or correct official tags as part of moderationā
āCommunity tags may require moderation safeguards to prevent misuseā
HanzJWeasel
Apr 14
Further image categorization would be incredibly helpful. Debating what the lines between fanart and AI and reconstructed gets tiring and things are constantly being shifted around due to differences of opinion.