Transplant (alt titles crowner 8/27): Magical Database

I've been noticing this one in wiks for a bit now and there's a large amount of confusion for a database that is magical instead of the actual trope definition of a database that seems to have far too much information on solving a crime.

I believe that this trope needs a rename and possibly an actual trope for databases that are magical created.

edited 13th Jan '12 12:32:12 PM by shimaspawn

Impossibly Useful Crime Database?

Omnipresent Crime Database?

Maybe Omniscient Police Database

edited 13th Jan '12 3:25:30 PM by NoirGrimoir

They're not always specifically a police database, so just Omniscient Database?

Or, for a reeeealy obscure shout-out, Enquire Within Upon Everything.

It is actually specifically a law enforcement database in order to count as this trope. The definition is pretty explicit about that.

That name would just get misuse of a different sort.

edited 13th Jan '12 3:38:57 PM by shimaspawn

Long Arm Of The Database?

I've honestly not encountered the misuse Shimaspawn's stated. While I don't doubt it exist, it could perhaps be useful to get an idea of how widespread it is before we rename the trope?

I've checked 10 links in the Related To (Not a big sample, I know) and not found any that immediately seemed wrong (One had no elaboration). I did find one that was a Magical Database who included Magical-related stuff (Demons), but it was still an example.

Not really what the trope says. It says it's primarily used in Police Procedural, but nothing prevents it from not being law enforcement-operated or even related.

It's worth pointing out that a database being magical doesn't make not an example if it actually meets the definition. If its being magical is a sort of handwave for the detailed information it has.

edited 14th Jan '12 1:21:24 PM by Ghilz

Just a few quick ones I hadn't fixed. This is one of those tropes I've been trying to keep cleaned up while I waited for a TRS slot for it.

• Akashic Record: Misuse for a database holding a lot of magical knowledge.
• Angel: Misuse for a database that is magical of magical creatures.
• Artemis Fowl: Says it's literal.
• Damn You, Muscle Memory!: Misuse for databases in general.
• Great Big Book of Everything: Misuse for just a database that has everything. Lacks the police connections.
• Omniglot: Misuse for Encyclopaedic Knowledge and a database that has everything.

The laconic and the definition actually outright state that it's a crime solving trope. I realise a database can be both magical and this trope. The problem is that people keep adding wiks that are just magical.

edited 14th Jan '12 1:23:37 PM by shimaspawn

It's used in Angel to identify the Monster of the Week, which doesn't really make that different from identifying a perp. Also, Angel and Co ARE Detective, and it's used to identify demon perps (In its first appearance , a demon who did a kidnapping)

The Artemis Fowl example might be good, since the character named in it works for some sort of magical law enforcement (Someone who read the stuff can prolly better clarify)

edited 14th Jan '12 1:32:25 PM by Ghilz

Just adding that while I do think they tend to appear in connection to the police, they aren't always. I can think of many examples that fit the trope, but aren't owned or operated by police:

Batman has a ton of databases on everything with ludicrous amounts of detail and information. It's often pointed out that these are not just police-related. Several are just his own work (somehow) (Hence him solving crimes the cops can't). Batman's not a cop, but he's still an example.

A magical example: The Dresden Files, Harry has a Spirit called Bob The Skull, in Harry's own words, Bob is a magical sentient computer. Bob's used the same way a magical database, but regarding the supernatural. Also used to solve crimes. Overlaps with Great Big Book of Everything.

Perhaps some sort of split/Super-Trope is needed.

One supertrope "X is used to identify stuff. Sometimes to fight crime. Or to ID and defeat the Monster of the Week." and another for "Police Procedural having Databases on stuff no sane man would make a database of" (ie: "I've put the half eaten hot dog on the national registry of hot dog saussages to find what hot dog stand the murderer worked at!")

edited 14th Jan '12 1:57:19 PM by Ghilz

I believe I actually saw that hotdog thing on CSI... I do think that they would be a good split and I do think that there's room for a trope about databases that are actually magical.

I was typing it and I swear I was thinking "Am I making this up, or did I see this? Coz this gives me a strange feeling of Déja Vu."

Glad to know I wasn't insane!

Ok, tropes I see here:

• Database that has everything you could possibly think of in it.
• Database that the heroes use to look up information to fight crime/bad guys.
• Improbable police database of hot dogs. (I would like to call this Police Hot Dog Database but that's just me.)
• Database that is magical.

edited 14th Jan '12 1:58:51 PM by shimaspawn

I'd propose the following

• Super-Trope: Omniscient Source Of Answers (Needs A Better Title): Something that our heroes can look up the answer to whatever they want. Can take any form. Covers a wide range of topics. Subtropes:
  • Great Big Book of Everything: (Above in book format)
  • Suspiciously Specific Police Database: (Police Procedural Databases on an almost OCD level of topics, like Hot Dog database, national carpet fiber registry, etc...)
  • Encyclopedia Of The Supernatural: A specific database on the supernatural.

edited 14th Jan '12 2:18:45 PM by Ghilz

Sounds good to me

Looks good to me as well.

Suspiciously Specific Police Database (assuming we go for that name or something else) could just be a renamed Magical Database with a short wick clean up (there's not that many wicks). The current definitions are almost identical.

The other two would have to go through YKTTW.

Or Super Specific Police Database, as the "suspicious" part might cause confusion over the similarity to Suspiciously Specific Denial.

Police Hotdog Database would be awesome. Almost as awesome as using hotdogs as currency.

The actual database on magic Akashic Records should be in that list too.

edited 14th Jan '12 7:10:16 PM by Raso

For the police-procedural version ... Suspiciously Specific Suspect Database?

That makes me think the database was rigged to point to another person.

Exactly, they aren't "specific" they are "thorough" and "overly knowledgeable".

Databases For Everything!

Plot Convenient Database sounds good.

I support Police Hot Dog Database.