Can a gaming community use the GB database? - API Developers

#1 Posted by Cryptonet (4 posts) - 4 years, 1 month ago

I am a crewmember a Belgian (Ducth speaking) gaming website. We all work with volunteers who find it harder to keep the database complete with all the new games that keep coming out. Could a website like this (that delivers news, (p)reviews and articles use the rich database of GB? It would be great if we could just post all the news and don't need to worry about adding the game into our db, looking up all the info and boxart. I wouldn't even mind putting a link to giantbomb.com as a partner on the site.

Or doens't the site work like this?

#2 Posted by TheBeast (1931 posts) - 4 years, 1 month ago

Using the GB database to fetch info and boxart for your site seems like a great example of usage to me - you might want to take a look at the Terms of Use to make sure you're within the boundaries of acceptable use though.

#3 Edited by MattyFTM (13866 posts) - 4 years, 1 month ago

It seems fine to me, but make sure it follows the terms of use of the API. The full TOU is here, but there is a brief summary of them on the main API page here.

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#4 Posted by Hamz (6842 posts) - 4 years, 1 month ago

Too add onto what TheBeast has mentioned it may be worth reading through the information found here too :)

#5 Edited by Cryptonet (4 posts) - 4 years, 1 month ago

Thanks for the information. I will read trough the TOU later today.

By the way I'm not sure we are a 'non-commerical' website. :) (it's mispelled on the site)

Of course we have ads on our website. Just to cover the expenses of hosting, postal costs, etc... I guess we are a commercial website just like Giant Bomb in that matter. I'll just contact them. We are working on our new site now so it is the right time to partner up.

Edit: and the TOU sais: Prohibited use when -> include advertisements

But doesn't every small blog or community site/forum, etc... has at least Google Ads nowadays?

#6 Posted by SolidSlug (4 posts) - 4 years, 1 month ago

If you make a dime out of it, I think you can't redistribute any of the content the API gives you access to.

While I understand that GB doesn't want people to compete with them using their own content, their TOU limits you to act as an unpaid member of their IT staff.

i.e., if you want to spend your own resources to expose GB via iPhone or some other media, you are free to do so, but it stops there.

I could be wrong, though. The legalese is hard to decipher.

#7 Posted by stillmotion (80 posts) - 4 years, 1 month ago

Basically if you're going to make money out of it, email them and see if you can work out a deal. That's what the API docs say.

#8 Posted by Cryptonet (4 posts) - 4 years, 1 month ago

Well i've dropped an email two days ago and quickly got a reply. Explained them the idea and am still waiiting for a second reply. I hope they don't forget about me :)

#9 Posted by sammathews (1 posts) - 3 years, 7 months ago

How did you get on with this?

#10 Posted by harrypmgaga (162 posts) - 3 years, 6 months ago

We've got a gaming site that I'm looking at remodelling (no ads, etc.) and this would come in very handy. How to start I have no idea (I'm no web programmer), but if anyone could help me it would be greatly appreciated.

#11 Posted by fgforty2 (1 posts) - 3 years, 6 months ago

This API is awesome. I've become a GB fan rather quickly and would like to utilize the API. I'm a bit lost on how to drill down with the API URL's though. Could you give some more examples on your Wiki page or here in the forums. I'm trying to drill down to a a specific game and grab videos but I can't seem to get the url correct. I was using GameTrailers for recent feeds to my community but they are falling behind with their SD remote embed. GB is awesome an dWhiskey Media does a great job witht he site here.