FVN.li Documentation Help

games:update-watchlist

Updates games from itch.io collection and follows creators automatically.

Overview

This command synchronizes the local database with games from itch.io collections and automatically follows creators of those games. It's designed to maintain a curated watchlist of games and ensure comprehensive coverage of followed creators' work.

Key Features: Collection synchronization, creator following, automatic discovery, relationship management.

Usage

php artisan games:update-watchlist [options]

Options

The command supports various options for controlling collection updates and creator following behavior.

Update Process

The command follows this workflow:

  1. Fetches collection data from itch.io

  2. Identifies new games not yet in the database

  3. Adds missing games to the local database

  4. Updates existing games with fresh information

  5. Follows game creators automatically

  6. Discovers creator catalogs for additional games

  7. Reports update statistics for monitoring

Examples

php artisan games:update-watchlist

Updates the watchlist from configured collections.

php artisan games:update-watchlist --collection-id=12345

Updates from a specific itch.io collection.

php artisan games:update-watchlist --follow-creators

Includes automatic creator following and catalog discovery.

php artisan games:update-watchlist --limit=50

Processes only the first 50 games from collections.

When to Use

Recommended Usage Scenarios

  1. Scheduled execution to maintain current watchlist

  2. After adding new collections to monitor

  3. When discovering new creators to follow

  4. During initial database population

  5. For comprehensive creator catalog updates

Collection Types

The command can work with various itch.io collection types:

Public Collections

  • Curated Lists: Hand-picked games by topic or quality

  • Community Collections: User-generated game lists

  • Featured Collections: Promoted or highlighted games

Personal Collections

  • User Libraries: Games owned or followed by users

  • Wishlists: Games marked for future consideration

  • Custom Collections: User-created organizational lists

Automated Collections

  • Tag-Based: Collections based on game tags or categories

  • Creator-Based: All games from specific creators

  • Time-Based: Recent releases or updates

Creator Following

The watchlist update includes intelligent creator following:

Automatic Discovery

  • Game Creators: Follows developers and publishers of watchlist games

  • Catalog Expansion: Discovers other games by followed creators

  • Relationship Mapping: Tracks creator-game relationships

Following Strategy

  • Quality Filtering: Applies quality thresholds for automatic following

  • Category Preferences: Respects content category preferences

  • Update Frequency: Manages how often to check for new creator content

Data Synchronization

Data Type

Update Frequency

Priority

New Games

Every update

High

Game Metadata

Weekly

Medium

Creator Info

Monthly

Medium

Collection Changes

Every update

High

Quality Control

The update process includes quality control measures:

Game Filtering

  • Content Quality: Applies quality thresholds and filters

  • Category Restrictions: Respects content category preferences

  • Language Requirements: Filters by supported languages

Creator Validation

  • Activity Levels: Considers creator activity and engagement

  • Content Quality: Evaluates overall creator portfolio quality

  • Community Standing: Considers creator reputation and reviews

Performance Optimization

The command is optimized for efficient operation:

API Efficiency

  • Batch Requests: Groups API calls for efficiency

  • Caching: Caches collection and creator data

  • Rate Limiting: Respects itch.io API limits

Database Optimization

  • Bulk Operations: Uses efficient bulk insert/update operations

  • Index Usage: Leverages database indexes for fast lookups

  • Transaction Management: Groups related operations in transactions

Monitoring and Reporting

The command provides comprehensive reporting:

Update Statistics

  • Games Added: Number of new games discovered

  • Games Updated: Existing games with refreshed information

  • Creators Followed: New creators added to following list

  • Collections Processed: Number of collections synchronized

Quality Metrics

  • Success Rate: Percentage of successful operations

  • Error Rate: Failed operations requiring attention

  • Data Completeness: Coverage and quality of imported data

Error Handling

Robust error handling ensures reliable operation:

Collection Issues

  • Access Problems: Handles private or restricted collections

  • Format Changes: Adapts to itch.io collection format changes

  • Missing Data: Gracefully handles incomplete collection information

Creator Issues

  • Profile Access: Manages private or restricted creator profiles

  • Catalog Changes: Handles changes in creator game catalogs

  • Following Limits: Respects platform limits on following

Integration

Watchlist updates integrate with other systems:

Notification System

  • Update Alerts: Triggers notifications for new games

  • Creator Updates: Notifies about new releases from followed creators

  • Collection Changes: Alerts about collection modifications

Game Processing

  • Automatic Import: Triggers import of newly discovered games

  • Metadata Refresh: Schedules metadata updates for new games

  • Analysis Queue: Adds new games to analysis pipeline

Last modified: 01 June 2025