Origins
The Universal Videogames List started as a simple database of arcade games, built around my memories of playing games at the local arcade in the 1980s. The site was born simply because there wasn't something similar available.
The first release of UVL (around 1997) was a simple HTML page with the database hard-coded in JavaScript inside the page itself and contained about one hundred games. It ran only in Netscape and NOT in Internet Explorer due to heavy JavaScript usage and poor browser compatibility.
In those days, MAME came along, and I could fill in a lot of missing details with actual data and over time more platforms were added thanks to many "raw" submissions by people who liked to collect info about games for themselves, usually in CSV format.
These submissions were hard to mix together as the data contained was hardly homogeneous. I spent nights with Excel trying to sort this data into something usable, and the first database-driven version of UVL was born on August 18, 1998.
Technical Upgrades
It was hosted originally as a sub-site inside an Italian gaming site, Games On Line, then moved to my colleague's own web server under the current URL.
For about eight years (1998-2005), the site was coded in ASP and the data stored in an Access database. Although this is clearly not the best technical solution, it provided general ease in developing and enhancing the site.
In the first days of 2006, the site was totally rewritten in PHP and MySQL and moved to a proper hosting service.
Community
Over the years, many great editors have worked together, and their contributions continue to shape the database today.
Each editor brought their unique perspective, knowledge, and passion for gaming, playing a crucial role in shaping the database into what it is today. There are no words to thank all them.
Modernization and Expansion
The site's layout has changed during its evolution, but not all pages have been updated uniformly. While newer content reflects the latest design, some older pages retain previous layouts.
The ongoing process of updating and expanding the site involves both modernizing existing content and integrating new pages.
This effort aims to create a more consistent user experience, enhance security, and improve overall performance across the platform.
