Traditionally new Windows incarnations are light on innovation; evolution rather than revolution has always been the name of the game. Windows Vista is more of the same, an array of major and minor updates and improvements. There are more new features in Windows Vista than in previous editions, true, but most of these were a long time coming and obvious enough moves. Nothing unexpected from an Operating System not associated with innovation by any measure.
This is not to say Microsoft as a whole in not innovative. In fact, the Xbox division has been quite an innovative one when examined in hindsight; they defined console gaming online with Xbox Live and were the first to bring true multimedia to a gaming machine with the 360 (using an Xbox as a Windows Media Center Extender is truly a beautiful thing, even though I’m still waiting for that Divx/Xvid support), managing to ship 43 Million units along the way (25 Million Xbox and 17.7 Million Xbox 360 as of September 2007). Although the division has only recently started to turn a profit, in such a competitive market the Xbox has been a successful console.
This success spurred Microsoft into adopting a cohesive strategy for promoting and evolving gaming on Windows. In 2005, Microsoft launched the Games for Windows program, a gaming platform and marketing campaign designed for this purpose. Games for Windows involves a few different aspects. In order the qualify for Games for Windows status (shown by a strip along the top of the software box, similar to console packaging), publishers must meet a certain set of requirements, including:
- Includes an "Easy Install" option
- Compatibility with the Windows Vista Games Explorer
- Compatibility with the Xbox 360 controller (where applicable)
- Installs and runs properly on x64 versions of Windows Vista
- Supports normal and widescreen resolutions
- Can launch from Windows Media Center
The Games for Windows program also includes the new Windows Games Explorer, a feature exclusive to Windows Vista, and one of the nicer additions to the venerable Operating System. On the outside it’s not really much; a special folder that hosts all the games installed on a system, along with box-art and metadata downloaded from the Internet (Games for Windows certified titles have this information already on the disk in an XML file). The folder has a few useful options apart from just showcasing titles; it is fully compatible with parental controls, integrates with the computers WinSAT scores, and hosts common links for gaming related functions, such as configuring input devices or tweaking the firewall.
On paper, it’s not that impressive. In fact, it reeks of the ill-conceived special folders such as My Pictures introduced in Windows XP. However, it’s actually a great idea. Games should be treated differently to regular programs. Downloading box-art is not only aesthetically pleasing, but provides a much more intuitive way of sorting through a long list of titles. Parental Controls are sure to be a boon to concerned (or overbearing) parents.
More than anything, its about time Games were given the place they deserve in the Windows eco-system. Right there in large font on the start menu.
Unfortunately the Games Explorer is, like many first editions, good but not great. It doesn’t really go far enough in its initial functionality. The annoying thing is, it’s the little, obvious features that are missing. For example, a lot of Games which are not part of the Games for Windows program integrate nicely with the Explorer anyway; with the title’s cover-art and metadata downloaded from All Game. Of course, there are still many titles that do not work at all the Games Explorer. These can be manually added by dragging and dropping the shortcut into the Explorer Window, but, inexplicably, there is no way to manually add the title’s box-art or edit the metadata. What this leaves you with a raft of gorgeous cover-art thumbnails, and a few low-res icons from the incompatible games. Daft.
I should mention there is a tool available online here which will allow you to edit the Games Explorer details. However, I can’t recommend it at this stage; when I tried it out it actually messed up many of my titles and I had to delete everything from the Explorer and add them all again manually. To be fair, it is still in beta stage, and so erratic behaviour is to be expected.
Hopefully in the future (and by the future I don’t mean Windows 7, perhaps Service Pack 2?) Microsoft will roll out an update to this promising addition. Hopefully.
