Metadata & artwork¶

GameLodge fills in descriptions, genres, release years, ratings and artwork – covers in three shapes, backgrounds (heroes), logos, icons and animated artwork – for every game and app.

Game details

Sources¶

Metadata settings

Settings → Metadata & artwork shows how many games have metadata and how much artwork is stored. Fetch metadata automatically fills in what's missing for new games; existing data stays.

Source	Provides	What you need
Store / host data	What the store or the host already knows	Nothing
SteamGridDB	Covers, backgrounds, logos, icons, animated artwork	A free API key
IGDB	Descriptions, genres, ratings, release dates, time to beat, covers	Client ID and secret of a free Twitch developer app
Metadata server	SteamGridDB and IGDB through a server with your keys	A paired metadata server
GameLodge host	The keys and artwork of your Windows PC	A paired GameLodge host

Metadata sources

Your own keys are used first, then metadata servers, then hosts; when one can't answer, the next one is asked. Host games always take the data of their host. Each key dialog has a step-by-step guide with a QR code, so you can create the key on your phone.

SteamGridDB key

Key guide with QR code

Send keys to hosts shares your keys with GameLodge hosts that allow it (on the host: Devices & pairing), so you only enter them once.

The metadata editor¶

X → Edit metadata on a tile opens the editor:

Metadata editor

Search metadata – look the game up under another name and pick the right match
Change artwork – choose each kind of artwork yourself
Every field (name, platform, description, genres, developer, year …) can be edited. Edited fields are marked and keep their value when the metadata is looked up again.
Save or Cancel applies to everything in the editor at once.

Choosing artwork¶

Artwork picker

The chips switch between portrait cover, landscape cover, square cover, animated cover, background, animated background, logo and icon. Automatic takes the first source in order; select any image to use it instead, search under another name, add your own image from the device, or remove one.

Uncertain matches¶

When GameLodge isn't sure which game a title is, the match lands in the review list (shown on the settings page while there are any): confirm it or pick the right game.

Animated artwork¶

Animated covers and backgrounds play when a tile is focused – or always, if you prefer (Library tab and Home tab settings). Touch never animates tiles, and they only download on unmetered networks unless you allow it.

Maintenance¶

Re-fetch all looks up all automatically found metadata again; your corrections stay.
Settings → Data shows the storage used by artwork and can delete and download it again.