Since version 1.8.9.5 beta 12, the scrape on TheGamesDB has been slightly modified.
It is advisable to use the scrape TheGamesDB manually (Auto Validation not checked), because the searches on the name of the games are exhaustive. For example if you search for the game name “1942”, the API will return all games containing 1942.
It is however possible to use it automatically with the risks of erroneous results mentioned above.
I recommend using TheGamesDB to supplement media not found on other scraping sites. Indeed during a scrape in manual mode (Auto Validation not checked), the TheGamesDB module presents the media found on TheGamesDB, then you just have to check the media that you want to recover. The unchecked media will be replaced by the media already existing in ARRM.
Before starting, here are the settings to be made in ARRM by the TheGamesDB module.
In the Scrape Options tab
In the Pictures Options tab
As for the scrape on Screenscraper, choose the desired options for the media.
In the scrapers module
By clicking on the icon to the right of the button, you can change the association between your game names. systems (directory names of your systems) and the IDs of the systems of the site TheGamesDB , which is done via the file:
%appdata%\Nexouille Soft\arrm\database\systemes_tgdb.txt
Sample content:
... atari2600|22 atari5200|26 atari7800|27 atari800|4943 atarijaguarcd|29 atarijaguar|28 atarilynx|4923 ...
You can adapt it. Remember to restart ARRM after change.
When you have selected one or more games and clicked on the button, if games have been found the following window TheGamesDB Browser will appear.
When you select a line containing a result, the media found on TheGamesDB is displayed on the right. The found media checkboxes are automatically checked. You can uncheck media and textual information that you do not want to recover.
By clicking on the Choose this game button, the checked media as well as the text information will be retrieved. If media has not been checked, ARRM will use the already existing media.
_missing_arrm_%SYSTEM%_thegamesdb.txt
example: _missing_arrm_ZXSPECTRUM_thegamesdb.txt
If you only want to retrieve certain textual information, remember, before starting the scrape, to uncheck the textual information that you do not want to update.
This is done in the Rom Information section
When you use the MIX image mode, some media are automatically recovered:
If you want to retrieve other media, you must specify it in the Images Options tab by checking the desired media under the heading Force Media Download
In MIX mode you will not be able to check the Screenshot, Boxart, Wheel and Cartridge media because they are recovered automatically.
You only want to recover certain categories of media (boxart, fanart, screenshot, cartridge, logo, boxback, titleshot), you just have to check No image, only texts in the Images Options tab
Then select the desired media by checking them under the heading Force Media Download
In MIX mode you will not be able to check the Screenshot, Boxart, Wheel and Cartridge media because they are recovered automatically.