Backup requirements - From top to bottom

[LucianF]

Hello!
Sorry if this kind of thread already exists or is in the wrong section (Or both), but I'd like to verify what one needs in order to get started. From my understanding, those requirements are:

For printing:
-An Inkjet printer (For both the covers and disks)
-A Bluray/DVD writer (To burn the discs)

Materials:
- Glossy paper (For the covers, ofc)
- DVD/Bluray cases (Duh)
- Inkjet printable DVDs/Blurays

Software:
- Lightscribe (For the discs)
- Windows Print (For the covers; For Windows users)

PC game archival is in a sorry state, and for all intents and purposes, this is so far the most active website in that regard. I honestly want to start making backups as soon as possible, and am already eying a few items to get started:

- Blu-Ray Writer Asus BW-16D1HT Black Bulk
- Brother DCP T 300 Multifunctional Printer/ HP Deskjet Ink Advantage 5075 All-in-one Multifunctional Printer
- DVD+R DL Dual Layer Printabale Maxell 8.5GB Inkjet Printable blank + BluRay Disc BD-R DL Blank Omega 50GB inkjet printable
- Epson Premium Photo Glossy Paper
- Single Black Amaray DVD/CD/BLU RAY Case + AMARAY Blu-Ray Cases - 14mm Spine

Are the requirements covered? Are my choices inspired? Please let me know, I'm new to all this.

[PieMonster]

Hello and welcome to the site.

Yes, you're on the right track for getting started. I created some beginner tutorials last year for the site but I never got around to finalizing and posting them. I'll dig them up and get them to my web guy this week. It should better explain the process of creating your own backups.

[PieMonster]

Some tutorials are now up:

http://www.steamgamecovers.com/tutorials.php

[LucianF]

Some tutorials are now up:

http://www.steamgamecovers.com/tutorials.php

Cool! Much appreciated!
A few questions, if you don't mind:
1. How can one distinguish between a printer than can print disc faces and one that can't? Are mulitfunctionals universally capable?
2. When are the case cover tutorials coming?
3. Is a tutorial for retail-accurate covers coming? Or is it so simple one even isn't necessary? I imagine it's as simple as: Take out cover from retail copy and disc. Scan them. Modify the scans. Upload them.

[PieMonster]

Some answers below:

1. Printers that can print directly onto a disc usually come with a special tray to do so. If you're not so sure you can google your printer model to see what features it has.

2. I have those mostly completed but I need to go over them again. I'm pretty busy with other things now so it may be a while.

3. Scanning a retail cover and putting it onto our template is what a lot of people do. It's fast and easy to do. The disadvantage with that is simply that scanned images do not look as sharp as fully created digital images. Some people recreate a retail cover digitally from scratch. That takes longer but it looks so much better.

[LucianF]

Some answers below:

Thank you once more for the response.
Regarding 1, given the general move away from physical media, it's becoming trickier and trickier to find multifunctionals that can also do discs. I think a list should be created, given their increasing rarity.

Regarding 3, the reason I mentioned retail-accurate art is because the original art is the one developers intended their audience see. Nowadays, that's less of a concern, since information is far more accessible on games and the cover is unlikely to be the first things one sees of any title, but I'd argue that when it comes to archival, getting versions that are as close to the original as possible is a key aspect of the process. Not knocking those that create custom covers, I understand a lot of effort goes into those as well, but again, from an archival perspective, the retail cover should be available for those who wish it (where applicable). I think the 2 approaches can coexist, personally

[PieMonster]

1. I agree with you, making physical backup is getting harder to do. But don't worry, it won't go away completely. Making a specific list of products to use is a good idea. I'll put that on my to-do-list one day. In the meantime I can recommend the Canon MX922 for printing directly to discs. That's what I'm using and the results are perfect.

2. "the reason I mentioned retail-accurate art is because the original art is the one developers intended their audience see."

This is not an entirely accurate statement. Look at the case of Bioshock Infinite. The retail cover art that was released was not what the developer intended. Ken Levine wanted something artistic but he said it was the publisher (2K) who made the final choice of "a man with a gun" because that would sell better. Retail packaging is meant to "sell" a product but that doesn't mean it's the "best" cover to represent the product. Either way, anyone is free to create their own cover whether it be retail or custom. We're not a perseveration site but if you want to create retail accurate covers and upload them, then you're certainly welcome to do it here. Hope this helps.