Game Collector 5 Sneak Preview
Game Collector 5 for Windows is coming soon!
(ETA: July 10, 2012).
Version 5 will add many new features and visual enhancements.
The full "what's new" is now live!
On this Sneak Preview page you will find:
What's New in V5?
- Automatic Game Backdrops and Game Trailer Videos.
- Improved Add Games Automatically screen.
- New: Cover Flow view, browse game covers in a 3D image browser.
- New: Customizable images for all pick list items
- Improved layout of Edit Game screen
- Hardware support: new fields and folder options.
- Improved Update File Links screen.
- Re-Designed Loan Manager
- New V5 templates for Details View and Add Auto Preview
- New startup "splash" screen featuring Gemma
Automatic Game Backdrops and Game Trailer Videos
- Game Backdrops
- New field Backdrop on Edit Game / Images.
- Automatic delivery of game backdrop images for most popular games,
when Adding/Updating games through the Add/Update Auto screen. - Use the Find Backdrop screen to find more backdrops online.
- Game Trailers
- Automatically download YouTube links for game trailers.
- Play embedded YouTube game trailers inside the Details Panel.
- Update Automatically
Use Update Games Automatically to get backdrops and trailers for the existing game entries in your database, all in one go.
Improved Add Games Automatically screen
- Multiple Tabs:
The two main Add methods (by Title / by Barcode) are now split over 2 separate tab-pages, resulting in a cleaner and simpler layout.
- Platform Favorites:
List just the Platforms you own in the Platform dropdown box. Use the Search Settings screen to indicate your favorites.
New: Cover Flow view
- The Cover Flow is a 3rd viewing option in the main screen, next to List and Images.
- Browse through your games by cover image, in a cool looking 3D image browser.
New: Customizable images for all pick list items:
- Set your own image for any list item, e.g. for Platforms, Formats, Developers...
- Set a 16x16 image that will appear in the tree and list on main screen.
- Set a larger template image for use in Details View templates.
- Game Collector now comes with over 40 Platform icons and images that are automatically used in the tree, list and Details Panel templates including new icons for PS Vita and Wii-U.
Improved Edit Game screen
- Better layout:
- Clearer separation of game data, edition-specific data and personal data
- The main personal fields (status, index, quantity, rating) are now in a "sticky" panel at the bottom, which is available on all tabs.
- New calendar tool for easier entry of date fields, plus an easy button to set a date field to today's date.
Hardware support: new fields and folder options.
- New fields for Hardware items:
- Serial Number: list the serial numbers of your consoles and accessories
- Hardware Type: indicate a category for your accessories, e.g. "Console", "Controller", "Cable" etc...
- The Games/Hardware field (indicating the item type) is now available as a folder field for the tree panel, allowing you to separate your games and hardware items in their own folders.
Improved Update File Links screen.
- Update/repair your file links (e.g. cover images, backdrops, etc..) with the redesigned Update File Links screen (in Tools / Maintenance)
- Simplified user interface, just use either the Automatic or the Manual button to indicate the new file locations, then click Update to "make it so".
- The "Automatic" system is now more intelligent in dealing with non-unique filenames. It now also uses the containing folder names for matching.
- New "Manual" method for just replacing the old base folder with a new one.
- New "File Type" filter.
Re-Designed Loan Manager
- Complete re-design of the Loan Manager screen.
- Two panel design with separate Outstanding Loans and Loan History panels.
- The new Loan Manager is now the central place to return and loan games.
Use the switch at the top to switch between separate Loan and Return modes.
- Clear indication of over-due games.
- Improved barcode scanner support:
- Scanners can now be used to return and loan games.
- Batch scanning support (e.g. with the OPN-2001 or CLZ Barry).
- Automatic overdue notifications when starting Game Collector.
New V5 templates for Details View and Add Auto Preview
- Platforms and Languages are now shown with images (see above)
- V5 template is available in 6 styles: Blue, Black and Red,
all with Gemma or Logo background
New startup "splash" screen featuring Gemma
Questions and Answers
When will Game Collector 5 be released?
We are currently aiming for July 10, 2012. And we're still on track to make that deadline :-)How much will the upgrade cost?
Upgrading to Game Collector 5 will cost $24.95 (or €19.95).(It doesn't matter which version you own now.)
If you happen to have purchased Game Collector 4 in the last 3 months before the V5 release, you will get the upgrade free. As soon as Game Collector 5 is available, you will automatically be contacted with instructions on how to get your free V5 license key.
Is the upgrade mandatory? Can I keep using my old version?
The upgrade to V5 is fully optional. If you don't want to upgrade, or just not now, then you are welcome to keep using your current version. However, only by upgrading to V5 can you enjoy all improvements that we are continously doing to both the software and the online game database.Will my current CLZ Games mobile app still work with V5?
Yes, your existing CLZ Games app is fully supported in V5.Will version 5 still let me upload my games to Game Collector Connect?
Yes, Connect is here to stay and V5 fully supports it.What about a Game Collector for Mac?
This Game Collector 5 upgrade is for Windows only.However we *will* finally bring Game Collector to Mac OS X. We're planning to release it before the end of 2012.