GoWDB-Reference-Template

A template for the screenshots behind a game database site: one repository per database, made from GoWDB-Template, kept as that site's ref/ submodule. Like GoW5DB-Reference for GoW5DB, without its Gears 5 screenshots and sorting rules.

Set it up

1. Use this template → name it after the database, e.g. GoW4DB-Reference.
2. In the database repository: git submodule add https://github.com/<owner>/GoW4DB-Reference.git ref, then commit. Its Reference update workflow keeps ref/ up to date every day.
3. Set SOURCE at the top of import-screenshots.py to the game's Steam screenshots folder: Steam\userdata\<your id>\760\remote\<the game's app id>\screenshots.

Adding screenshots

python import-screenshots.py              import from SOURCE (or double-click import-screenshots.bat)
python import-screenshots.py D:\shots     import from another folder
python import-screenshots.py --dry-run    show what would happen

Needs pip install pillow. Each new screenshot is saved as shot-NNNN.jpg with no metadata and its file dates set to 2000-01-01, so nothing shows who took it or when; _import-log.csv remembers what was imported (by content) so nothing comes in twice. Then move them into the section folders (Characters/, Weapons/, ...: add any your site has) and commit.

GoW5DB-Reference's sort-screenshots.py sorts Gears 5 screenshots by reading them (OCR); a script like that is game-specific, so start from it if you want the same for another game.

Running the site locally (Windows)

start-jekyll.bat starts the database site from wherever this folder is inside it (it walks up to the folder with _config.yml), fills in the revision line in the header, and stops an old server still using port 4000.

License

The scripts and notes: Copyright (C) 2026 Ryan Turner (TheSCREWEDSoftware) and the GoW5DB contributors, under the GNU Affero General Public License, version 3 or (at your option) any later version. See LICENSE.

Screenshots show their games, whose names, images and other content belong to their owners. They are kept as reference for non-commercial fan projects and are not covered by this license.

Made with

Made with the help of Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant: written and reviewed together with it, then tested and published by Ryan Turner (TheSCREWEDSoftware).