Vista Games Explorer

[Fenris]

Hi guys

Hope someone can shed some light on this for me. Does anyone know why certain games don't display box art and info about the game and some do?

For example see image, STALKER does not added any details or box art.

Is it a feature in the games programming that holds rating and genre details, or just something that Vista does by itself.

Thanx in advance for any help

[Doli]

Good question. I installed Advent Rising and the box art showed up in the Games explorer and that game came out in 2005. So im guessing its done by Vista.

edit: I look into this some more and found this.

MSDN The Windows Vista Game Explorer:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms687212.aspx

and more importanly:

Game Definition File Editor:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms687219.aspx

You need the DirextX SDK to use the program (GDFMaker.exe). Too bad, unless someone can post it (and any other resources it needs) here on neowin.

I also found out why Advent rising worked:

In the case that your game does not install a GDF and integrate with the Game Explorer, The Game Explorer legacy game system will use Windows Metadata Services and and automatically download game developer information, box-art, and ratings, which will be used in the Game Explorer in lieu of developer-provided data. The information used by the legacy game system is supplied by http://www.allmediaguide.com/

Edited April 1, 2007 by Doli

[Fenris]

Nice find Doli, still doesn't make it clear why some display info and some don't, as it says in the quote about the legacy game system, surely vista should automatically get any info it needs.

[:: Lyon ::]

I don't mind if Vista doesn't detect it, as long as we can have a "right click->Change icon" or something on it!! :\

[family guy]

I don't mind if Vista doesn't detect it, as long as we can have a "right click->Change icon" or something on it!! :\

A right click->Find Info like WMP would be even nicer :D

[null_]

A right click->Find Info like WMP would be even nicer :D

I second that! :D

[kl33per]

As far as I know, there is an online database for which Vista uses to download box art and things of that nature for old games. For any new 'Games for Windows' games, it is a requirement that they include all the details for games explorer as part of the install.

[Norante]

I installed Morrowind (from 2001) and the box art came up. Installed Oblivion, no box art.

Mysteries....

[null_]

I've noticed that on Windows Vista 32-bit, Need for Speed Most Wanted is detected and the appropriate box art and rating information is downloaded and added to the Games Explorer correctly. In Windows Vista 64-bit however, Need for Speed Most Wanted is not detected and must be added by the user (drag and drop a shortcut to the game or the game executable itself to the Games Explorer).

[Fenris]

I installed Morrowind (from 2001) and the box art came up. Installed Oblivion, no box art.

Mysteries....

Strange because mine detected Oblivion and added all the details, however STALKER and R6 Vegas don't.

[nippyjun]

I found this link where someone created a reg file that's supposed to get the box art where it should be:

CLick here to see the link.

[drumthrasher109]

Ok, if a game isn't showing up just drag its shortcut to the Game's Explorer and it should automatically get the info sooner or later.

[Ryan R]

I'm starting to work on a small app that (hopefully) will add/edit all the info on the Game Explorer as well as the BoxArt.

I've been looking in my reg and have also looked through this thread and the one that has that registry file that nippyjun referred to.

I need to work out exactly how to successfully edit the games manually first before I can get the program to do it. Also, I need to figure out from where you can get the ID for each game to add to the registry.

Thanks

Here is a screenshot of what the program is starting to look like so far...

[richardsim7]

^^^ Nice! :D

-Rich-

[gen1s]

I need to work out exactly how to successfully edit the games manually first before I can get the program to do it. Also, I need to figure out from where you can get the ID for each game to add to the registry.

From what I can see the application id they are using is just a regular Windows GUID which is just a random set of bytes in a special format. The value doesn't matter as long as it is unique. (GUID = Globally Unique IDentifier)

(from http://forums.hak5.org/index.php/topic,3821.msg48653.html)

[Ryan R]

If I manually edit my registry for some games that don't have extra data and boxart, the games disappear from my Games Explorer altogether.

eg - NFS Carbon on my PC doesn't have box art (although on a previous installation of Vista it did - really wired). (What's more weird is that I never installed Carbon in Vista - I installed it in XP and just played it on Vista as well) ???

Anyway, this is what I added:

---------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameUX\S-1-5-21-359807405-1548141936-3617845499-1000\{4C11BAC9-0FB1-427C-AAE7-E12CF55F1BDA}]

"ConfigInstallType"="3"

"ConfigGDFBinaryPath"="C:\\Windows\\system32\\GameUXLegacyGDFs.dll"

"ApplicationId"="{f4594233-9743-4353-a498-640413f67844} {4C11BAC9-0FB1-427C-AAE7-E12CF55F1BDA}"

"AppExePath"="C:\\Users\\Ryan Richter\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\GameExplorer\\{4C11BAC9-0FB1-427C-AAE7-E12CF55F1BDA}\\PlayTasks\\\play.lnk"

"Genre"="Racing"

"DeveloperName"="EA"

"Description"="NFS 10"

"ReleaseCountry"="United States"

"Title"="Need For Speed: Carbon"

"DeveloperUrl"="www.ea.com"

"BoxArt"="C:\\Users\\xxxx\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\GameExplorer\\GamesBoxArt\\{4C11BAC9-0FB1-427C-AAE7-E12CF55F1BDA}.jpg"

"TimeToRefreshBasicData"=hex(b):ee,6f,5a,b3,1d,2b,c7,01

"TimeToRefreshBoxArt"=hex(b):64,e4,9c,b3,1d,2b,c7,01

"LastRunTime"=hex(b):00,c2,0f,f8,8b,13,c7,01

--------------------------------

I'm wondering what else I have to do to get this working. Until I work it out I can't really continue with the program :)

Your help with this is much appreciated - once this is complete I'll be sure to upload the program for you all :)

[cirial]

Quick question- Did C&C3 install any start menu/desktop icons or entries? It didn't for me, and I had to hunt down the shortcut to the Games Explorer. Will this be commonplace with new games? Will they just show up in the Games Explorer and not the start menu?

[rickycheng]

Quick question- Did C&C3 install any start menu/desktop icons or entries? It didn't for me, and I had to hunt down the shortcut to the Games Explorer. Will this be commonplace with new games? Will they just show up in the Games Explorer and not the start menu?

C&C3 regizone you using vista and did not create shotcut in the start menu, use Games Explor instad..

I think it should be common in new games...not sure:)

[gen1s]

If I manually edit my registry for some games that don't have extra data and boxart, the games disappear from my Games Explorer altogether.

eg - NFS Carbon on my PC doesn't have box art (although on a previous installation of Vista it did - really wired). (What's more weird is that I never installed Carbon in Vista - I installed it in XP and just played it on Vista as well) ???

Anyway, this is what I added:

---------------

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GameUX\S-1-5-21-359807405-1548141936-3617845499-1000\{4C11BAC9-0FB1-427C-AAE7-E12CF55F1BDA}]

"ConfigInstallType"="3"

"ConfigGDFBinaryPath"="C:\\Windows\\system32\\GameUXLegacyGDFs.dll"

"ApplicationId"="{f4594233-9743-4353-a498-640413f67844} {4C11BAC9-0FB1-427C-AAE7-E12CF55F1BDA}"

"AppExePath"="C:\\Users\\Ryan Richter\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\GameExplorer\\{4C11BAC9-0FB1-427C-AAE7-E12CF55F1BDA}\\PlayTasks\\\play.lnk"

"Genre"="Racing"

"DeveloperName"="EA"

"Description"="NFS 10"

"ReleaseCountry"="United States"

"Title"="Need For Speed: Carbon"

"DeveloperUrl"="www.ea.com"

"BoxArt"="C:\\Users\\xxxx\\AppData\\Local\\Microsoft\\Windows\\GameExplorer\\GamesBoxArt\\{4C11BAC9-0FB1-427C-AAE7-E12CF55F1BDA}.jpg"

"TimeToRefreshBasicData"=hex(b):ee,6f,5a,b3,1d,2b,c7,01

"TimeToRefreshBoxArt"=hex(b):64,e4,9c,b3,1d,2b,c7,01

"LastRunTime"=hex(b):00,c2,0f,f8,8b,13,c7,01

--------------------------------

I'm wondering what else I have to do to get this working. Until I work it out I can't really continue with the program :)

Your help with this is much appreciated - once this is complete I'll be sure to upload the program for you all :)

Change "ConfigInstallType"="4" (instead 3)

[:: Lyon ::]

I hope you can complete that application.. it's really becoming a pain now to add new games (if you look at other threads here that explain how to add it manually)

[Ryan R]

i hope that's all that neesd to be done

most of my apps have 4 - but on that other link I saw the guy using 3

[:: Lyon ::]

Not sure if you know already, but there are a few suggestions on adding manually and more developer-kind of info here:

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?show...566743&st=0

http://howto.jamescarnley.com/2007/06/how-...ista-games.html

http://www.coldacid.net/articles/building-...our-xna-project

What's the status of your program? Is it still basically a design phase or it has been developed up to a certain stage?

[Fenris]

Nice work Ryan

Look forward to seeing this app released.....

[Ryan R]

Thanks for the support guys. In theory - making the app read and write thes values to the registry is pretty simple stuff - as mentioned above I just have to work it out manually first. I'm at work now but will check out those suggestions sometime tonight

[Ryan R]

Hi Lyon

PLEASE rephrase what marinexx said :)

thanks