Game Library & Recommendation Website

A modern MERN stack application for managing your game library and getting intelligent recommendations on what to play next.

🎮 Features

• Dual Library Sources: Sync games from Steam API or scan your local disk for installed games
• Playtime Tracking: Monitor and analyze your gaming habits with comprehensive statistics
• Smart Recommendations: AI-powered suggestions based on:
  • Backlog games (least played titles)
  • Genre preferences
  • Neglected games you haven't played recently
• Beautiful UI: Modern dark theme with glassmorphism effects and smooth animations
• Fully Responsive: Optimized for desktop, tablet, and mobile devices

🚀 Tech Stack

Backend

• Node.js with Express.js
• MongoDB for data storage
• JWT authentication
• Steam Web API integration
• Local file system scanning

Frontend

• React (with Vite)
• React Router for navigation
• Axios for API calls
• Recharts for data visualization
• Modern CSS with custom properties and animations

📦 Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v16 or higher)
• MongoDB (running locally or MongoDB Atlas)
• npm or yarn

Backend Setup

1. Navigate to the server directory:

cd server

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Create a .env file in the server directory (copy from .env.example):

MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/game-library
JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret_key
PORT=5000
STEAM_API_KEY=your_steam_api_key_optional
GAME_SCAN_PATHS=/home/your-username/.steam/steam/steamapps/common,/home/your-username/Games

4. Start MongoDB (if running locally):

sudo systemctl start mongodb

5. Start the backend server:

npm run dev

The backend will run on http://localhost:5000

Frontend Setup

1. Navigate to the client directory:

cd client

2. Install dependencies:

npm install

3. Start the development server:

npm run dev

The frontend will run on http://localhost:5173

🎯 Usage

1. Create an Account

• Navigate to the homepage
• Click "Get Started" or "Sign Up"
• Enter your details and optionally select your favorite game genres

2. Sync Your Games

Option A: Steam Integration

• Get your Steam API key from https://steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey
• Get your Steam ID (64-bit) from your profile
• Update your preferences with Steam credentials
• Click "Sync Steam" in the library page

Option B: Local Scanning

• Click "Scan Local" in the library page
• The system will scan common game installation directories
• Found games will be automatically added to your library

Option C: Manual Entry

• Use the API to manually add games with custom details

3. View Your Dashboard

• See total games count and playtime statistics
• View top genres from your library
• Check your most played games

4. Get Recommendations

• Navigate to the Recommendations page
• View personalized game suggestions with explanations
• Each recommendation shows why it was suggested

🔧 Configuration

Steam API Setup

1. Visit https://steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey
2. Create an API key (you'll need a Steam account)
3. Add the key to your .env file or update it in your user preferences

Local Game Scan Paths

Edit the GAME_SCAN_PATHS in your .env file to include custom game directories:

GAME_SCAN_PATHS=/path/to/steam/common,/path/to/epic/games,/path/to/custom

📱 Screenshots

The application features:

• Clean, modern dark theme
• Glassmorphism card designs
• Smooth animations and transitions
• Responsive layouts for all screen sizes
• Interactive data visualizations

🛠️ API Endpoints

Authentication

• POST /api/auth/register - Register new user
• POST /api/auth/login - Login user
• GET /api/auth/profile - Get user profile
• PUT /api/auth/preferences - Update user preferences

Games

• GET /api/games - Get all user games
• POST /api/games/sync-steam - Sync from Steam
• POST /api/games/scan-local - Scan local disk
• POST /api/games - Add game manually
• PUT /api/games/:id - Update game
• DELETE /api/games/:id - Delete game

Recommendations

• GET /api/recommendations - Get game recommendations
• GET /api/recommendations/stats - Get library statistics

🐛 Troubleshooting

MongoDB Connection Issues

• Ensure MongoDB is running: sudo systemctl status mongodb
• Check the connection string in .env

Steam Sync Not Working

• Verify your Steam API key is valid
• Ensure your Steam profile is public
• Check if you have the correct Steam ID (64-bit format)

Local Scan Not Finding Games

• Update GAME_SCAN_PATHS with your actual game directories
• Ensure the application has read permissions for those directories

📄 License

ISC

👨‍💻 Author

Built with ❤️ using the MERN stack