Directory FAQ

What is the purpose of this project?
The goal is to provide both gaming enthusiasts and researchers with the internet’s most comprehensive list of Sega Saturn resources while simultaneously illustrating the breadth of passion its wonderful fans have displayed throughout the decades.

Aren’t most Sega Saturn-related websites long gone?
Indeed. And that’s why this directory makes extensive use of projects like the Internet Archive, OoCities.org, and Geocities.ws to peer back in time!

Why are there multiple links to the same website?
More often than not, these are archival links intended to showcase how a site has evolved over the course of its existence. You’ll also find some links to mirrors/alternate versions.

Why do none of them go back any further than late 1996?
It’s a limitation of IA’s Wayback Machine, which only began crawling the web that same year.

Why are some crossed out?
These were once-valid addresses that either display an error message, redirect elsewhere, or were never captured at all. In any case, there’s nothing much to see should you choose to click through.

Why do the layouts of archived websites appear distorted?
The most common display resolution in the latter half of the ’90s was 800×600. If you want to see these sites as they’re intended to be seen, then adjust your display settings accordingly.

Why am I seeing so many broken images and pages within archived websites?
While every effort is made to find the most intact versions of any given website, the sad truth is that archives are often incomplete. In fact, the older or more obscure the site, the more likely it is to be missing data. Still, having something is better than nothing, wouldn’t you agree?

Why does the “Homebrew/Hacks/Patches” section have so few HHPs?
Because the Shiro website already has pages dedicated to homebrew and translation patches, the scope of this section is more broadly tailored. Basically, the links here will point to notable sites that usually host multiple HHPs rather than a specific place to get any one particular item. At any rate, this section is still in need of some reorganization, but that’s the gist of what I’m working toward, lol.

I’ve noticed recent changes. Why isn’t there a “what’s new?” section to summarize them?
Despite presently constituting a collection of over 1,000 unique links, the directory still has a long way to go. As of this writing, it’s being updated with a copious amount of content on a near-daily basis, so I simply do not have time to keep track of all the many changes. Perhaps, in several months, I’ll reassess whether a changelog is worth implementing. But for the moment, it’s off the table.

Well then, what sort of changes should we expect going forward?
Mostly more additions to existing categories, but eventually I’d like to add a new one that focuses on key personalities from the era: producers, directors, planners, programmers, visual artists, singers, instrumentalists, bands, voice actors, spokespersons, etc. While finding their professional and personal homepages is difficult, some do definitely exist!

I want to help. Where do I begin?
Here are a few ways I’ve been able to find websites and specific pages within them:

  • Archive.org keyword search using English and Japanese
  • Archive.org “URL” tab for searching within known archived websites
  • “External References” section at bottom of Sega Retro articles
  • “Links” sections of known websites
  • “Subsidiaries” section of a parent company’s website
  • Swap “ne”/”or” in URLs for certain webhosts (e.g. Bekkoame)
  • Reverse side of game packaging
  • First and last few pages of game manuals
  • JP/ENG Saturn magazines (esp. at bottom of advertisements)
  • JP/ENG PlayStation magazines for multiplat games/publishers
  • OoCities.org search engine
  • site:angelfire.com “search terms here” (via Google)
  • site:tripod.com “search terms here” (via Google)
  • site:biglobe.ne.jp “search terms here” (via Google)
  • Category sections within archived search engines
  • “README” files of PC games released by Saturn publishers

(Note: Please do not bother searching for bare-bones product listings and sell sheets. These usually aren’t worth cataloging.)

Is there anything in particular that you’re struggling to find?
There remain plenty of websites to be uncovered, but the below list includes ones that I’ve already tried and failed to locate. Help with any of these would be greatly appreciated:

How do I submit potential entries?
I’m active on Twitter and Discord (via the Shiro and SegaNet servers) as @SaturnMemories and Saturn Memories, respectively. If you send me a direct message, I’ll be much more likely to see it. Do not expect your submissions to be added immediately. Please understand that at any given time, I can be chasing several leads, and I find it very difficult to switch focus on the fly.

Is there an archive of the directory itself?
Like many of the websites within the directory, Sega Saturn Shiro, too, will one day cease to exist and be replaced by ads for generic viagra or discount inkjet cartridges. When that time comes, I’ll have plenty of backups available on the Internet Archive and Archive Today. There is one small caveat, however — opening an Internet Archive link within the Internet Archive itself will invariably produce an error. To get around this problem, simply highlight the address on the error page, right click it, and select “Go to [URL here]” as demonstrated in the screenshot below.

Click to enlarge.

Has anyone ever actually asked even just one of these questions before?
No, not yet anyway… But the A in FAQ doesn’t stand for anticipated, so cut me some slack! 😛

← Return to the directory