Adding a game to Vista Game Explorer

[:: Lyon ::]

Ok first of all, this is not totally my idea; this is just a rephrase of what marinexx said in this post

https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?show...#entry588620188

Many thanks to him/her!!

I've tried several guides, with registry file hack, etc and none seem to work, but this one does!

The idea is to overwrite an existing working game shortcut in the Games explorer and replace it with a new one of your choice. Then, let Vista recreate the file again, so you can repeat the same trick with other shortcuts.

So here it goes:

======================================

Some paths that I will refer to in the guide:

BoxArtFolder = C:\Users\[YOUR USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\GameExplorer\GamesBoxArt

GamesExplorer = Start->Games (Vista Games Explorer)

RegistryPath = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE_\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\GAMEUX\S-something-something\ (different on each machine)

GUIDE:

- Go to your windows explorer and make sure you tick "Show hidden files and folders"

- in my BoxArtFolder:

there is an image file{0C8E9B05-09E6-4FDA-938F-D22F73AD5CD0}.jpg -> the Half-life source image boxart

(It's supposed to be hidden/grayed)

- Go to RegistryPath, there will be a list of games, including the half-life source, in my case, the ID is:

{F9C9CC58-1D27-44A8-846E-7F1001048DC4} (will be different from yours). Have a browse and try to find which one it is.

- There is a BoxArt value on the right, mine is empty when I open Regedit. So update it, point it to the BoxArt folder, to the file, in my case :

C:\Users\[YOUR USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\GameExplorer\GamesBoxArt\{0C8E9B05-09E6-4FDA-938F-D22F73AD5CD0}.jpg

Refresh your GamesExplorer, and the Half-life source boxart will be updated.

And "magically", a new image file will appear on your BoxArtFolder, {F9C9CC58-1D27-44A8-846E-7F1001048DC4}.jpg

(I think Vista makes a copy of the original boxart and rename it automatically to the application id)

- Now download a box art for your new game shortcut (let's say Oblivion), and put it in desktop, named boxart.jpg

- Rename it to {F9C9CC58-1D27-44A8-846E-7F1001048DC4}.jpg (which is the Half-life boxart that Vista assigned to earlier) because we are going to replace it with a new game info.

- Cut/move the file in the desktop into your BoxArt folder, it will ask whether you want to replace the file, say yes, move and replace.

- Now open Regedit (Start->Regedit if you don't know), browse to RegistryFolder, modify the info on the {F9C9CC58-1D27-44A8-846E-7F1001048DC4} game.

The basic ones you need to update: AppExePath, ConfigApplicationPath, Title -> update them from Half-life into Oblivion paths.

- Go to GamesExplorer, refresh (the oblivion box art should appear, click on it, customize and update the shortcuts to new path and exe file)

Voila!

Now, to make the half life shortcut back again so you can do this trick to another game,

- Run E:\Steam\SteamApps\[Your STEAM ACCOUNT]\counter-strike source\hl2.exe (My steam directory is in E)

- Refresh the games folder, and a copy of Halflife shortcut will be re-created again, and it will be assigned a new id again on the RegistryPath.

- Repeat this process with other games!! :)

==================

If you don't have half life source, errr I'm not sure but according to marinexx on the other posts, you can double click an existing game (that exists on the game explorer) and Vista will recreate it again. I'm not sure about this one.

Hope this helps!!

Let me know if it's unclear, and I'll edit /update the post for you guys!

Edited June 12, 2007 by :: Lyon ::

[Cybertronic]

Lyon, would it be possible for you to add some screenshots to the guide to make it clearer please? :blush:

I tried to change Half Life 2 icon to a DVD front cover picture however with no success :wacko:

[marinexx]

i can't speak english well but i'll try to explain it the best way i can to anyone who contacts me on msn

[email protected]

Edited June 14, 2007 by marinexx

[Cybertronic]

I've added you, marinexx :)

[Cybertronic]

Does anyone know how to edit .lnk files?

When you have the Games Explorer window open and you click on a game (to show the details in Games Explorer), a button appears in the toolbar called, Community and Support. You can't edit the links show in the pop down menu using the Registry Editor. To edit them, you have to find the .lnk files (that contains the links), go to this file directory:

C:\Users\User\appdata\Local\Microsoft\Windows\GameExplorer\{Game ID - you can tell the ID from the box art ID}\SupportTasks

There are one or two folders containing an .lnk file inside. Now back to the original question, how do I edit .lnk files?

I've tried opening the .lnk files in Notepad but it doesn't give me the correct data I'm after as it gives me the HTML code from the website it's linked to :blink:

[ikyouCrow]

Does anyone know how to edit .lnk files?

....

I've tried opening the .lnk files in Notepad but it doesn't give me the correct data I'm after as it gives me the HTML code from the website it's linked to :blink:

simpy right-click -> Properties. from here you can change the path, icon, comment text and such.

[Cybertronic]

I've tried that however the url/path can't be edited as I can't click on it :wacko:

[primexx]

how about simply dragging and dropping a shortcut into the window...ever thought of that?

[Cybertronic]

Thanks, that works :yes:

However, it comes up with gibberish characters :(

[ozgeek]

how about simply dragging and dropping a shortcut into the window...ever thought of that?

I suppose he is aware of that. Here we are talking about adding boxshots and information about games that Vista doesn't gather information and boxshots for. For example, NFS MW appears as a simple icon and does not have the boxshot on it in Games Explorer. it's all about organising the games and making the window look professional and clean.

[Googintosh]

i can't speak english well but i'll try to explain it the best way i can to anyone who contacts me on msn

[email protected]

Holy cow, you have a lot of games.

[:: Lyon ::]

I've tried that however the url/path can't be edited as I can't click on it wacko.gif

If you right click on a Game icon/shortcut in the Games Explorer, select "Customize", Select the first "Play (Play)", and Edit, then you'll something that is very familiar to you (simply edit a shortcut) ^^

[Wolfenrage]

Hello new member here. I was searching for some help pertaining to the Games explorer and couldn't find anyone.

I registered up to this website maybe one you guys could answer my problems. After updating steam my Games Explorer folder is littered with TONS duplicates of Half Life 2, and other steam games is there anyway to remove them also. Some of my games have disappeared from the folder and some games that had "cover art" don't have them any more. I can't even drag a shortcut into it and add it. How do I get my folder back into order again? I like using it instead of cluttering up my start menu. Is there away to erase all the data and make it search and add the games again?

Edited June 16, 2007 by Wolfenrage

[ikyouCrow]

I suppose he is aware of that. Here we are talking about adding boxshots and information about games that Vista doesn't gather information and boxshots for. For example, NFS MW appears as a simple icon and does not have the boxshot on it in Games Explorer. it's all about organising the games and making the window look professional and clean.

well since you can actually drag and drop an icon and it creates a unique hex-id in the Games Explorer, wouldn't it be easier to just edit that and not change an existing shortcut?

i do realise the shortcut can easily be re-created when you run it, but it seems to me like a better place to start as opposed to editing an existing and already functional Games Explorer entry.

[Sargos]

Hello new member here. I was searching for some help pertaining to the Games explorer and couldn't find anyone.

I registered up to this website maybe one you guys could answer my problems. After updating steam my Games Explorer folder is littered with TONS duplicates of Half Life 2, and other steam games is there anyway to remove them also. Some of my games have disappeared from the folder and some games that had "cover art" don't have them any more. I can't even drag a shortcut into it and add it. How do I get my folder back into order again? I like using it instead of cluttering up my start menu. Is there away to erase all the data and make it search and add the games again?

It might help to delete all of the entries in the Games Explorer menu and let Vista add them again.

First, enable hidden files and folders, then navigate to "C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\GameExplorer\".

Delete all folders in that directory. That should clear out the Games Explorer window.

Now run each of your games manually one by one and they will be re-added to your Games Explorer window.

I have used a variation of this method to add my games to Games Explorer with box art and details.

I think it is a bit simpler, you do not have to view hidden files or open any folders.

I list the steps in my blog entry on Games Explorer if any wish to read it.

I also added the steps to get games from Steam to work.

[:: Lyon ::]

I list the steps in my blog entry on Games Explorer if any wish to read it.

Thanks for that, it's a lot simpler and less complicated

I'll give it a try at home ^^

[Wolfenrage]

Thanks for your interest. I did delete everything in the Game Explorer folder. I tried starting up my games again exiting and opening up the game explorer folder and the only games that appear are the ones that come with vista (Solitaire, Chess) I am running games that have been automatically added to the folder before (Microsoft games like Halo2 ). Upon further investigation in the registry files there are only registry entries for the vista games as well and it won't add any new ones.

I really wish there was like a control panel for the games explorer.

[NightSt@lk3r]

ok i got this to work BUT as soon as i run the game using the Games Explorer the game runs but the game is automaticly removed from the games explorer.

[Wolfenrage]

Okay this is weird, after installing a new game. It was added to my Game Explorer list but after a restart my Game Explorer is completely Empty and its shortcuts takes me to my desktop. Does anyone have a solution to this problem. :|

Thanks in advance.

[:: Lyon ::]

Do you use a 3rd party to mess around with the shortcut arrows, etc etc? It may have an effect (from one of the forum here)

You can try a nice app created by one of our member here Ryan: his website

[Ryan R]

I've done some searching for suitable BoxArt pics for VGEE.the best one I've found so far is: (see attachment)What do you think? Can you find anything better?whoops - wrong thread :)

[Lc3]

I managed to break my games explorer by fiddling around with the registry, so I tried to fix it by deleting the GAMEUX registry key and contents and the GameExplorer appdata folder and contents, hoping it would recreate them when I next launched Game Explorer, but it didn't. Now when I drag a shortcut in to game explorer, it doesn't do anything, and it doesn't pick up new games that are installed.

Can anyone tell me how to uninstall and reinstall Games Explorer? I looked in "Turn Windows features on or off" but there's no mention of it.

Thanks.

[Lc3]

UPDATE: I tried removing then reinstalling all of the games which game with windows, this regenerated part of the registry but not the S-something-something bit, it alos created the GameExplorer folder, but empty.

If i drag a shortcut to the games explorer window, it creates the play command in the GameExplorer folder, but still nothing shows up in Games Explorer

[Ryan R]

UPDATE: I tried removing then reinstalling all of the games which game with windows, this regenerated part of the registry but not the S-something-something bit, it alos created the GameExplorer folder, but empty.

If i drag a shortcut to the games explorer window, it creates the play command in the GameExplorer folder, but still nothing shows up in Games Explorer

To delete your Game contents - you should delete all the GUIDs in the reg - not the actual container

You should always export a key from your reg b4 deleting it.

Recreate the GameUX folder in the reg.

Goto a command prompt and type in whoami /all and hit enter. Scroll back up to the top to see your User SID (long code starting with "S-")

Create a key/folder under GameUX with this string.

Look at the pdf guide on my site to see what the reg should look like. http://ryzza007.googlepages.com/vgee

[Lc3]

To delete your Game contents - you should delete all the GUIDs in the reg - not the actual container

You should always export a key from your reg b4 deleting it.

Recreate the GameUX folder in the reg.

Goto a command prompt and type in whoami /all and hit enter. Scroll back up to the top to see your User SID (long code starting with "S-")

Create a key/folder under GameUX with this string.

Look at the pdf guide on my site to see what the reg should look like. http://ryzza007.googlepages.com/vgee

Thanks for letting me know how to find the SID, it was

S-1-5-21-2666998191-2460476801-4272727240-1000

I've recreated that subkey in the GameUX folder, but the games explorer still isn't responding as normal (i.e. when i drag a shortcut to it, it creates the link in the GameExplorer folder in app data, but the shortcut doesn't show up in the games explorer window.

I tried dragging in a shortcut to make it create a folder for the game under GameExplorer, it chose to create:

...GameExplorer\{F56D5F66-226D-4F1A-A5C8-F69C9C4EE5CC}\PlayTasks

so I created,

...GameExplorer\BoxArt\{F56D5F66-226D-4F1A-A5C8-F69C9C4EE5CC}.jpg

and added a subkey

...GameUX\S-1-5-21-2666998191-2460476801-4272727240-1000\{F56D5F66-226D-4F1A-A5C8-F69C9C4EE5CC}

under that i created all of the values shown in your screenshot of the registry, with appropreate application paths and such, and the box art pointed to the jpg in the box art folder, and ApplicationId set to

{F56D5F66-226D-4F1A-A5C8-F69C9C4EE5CC}

Then I opened games explorer and refreshed the window and still nothing appears except the built-in windows games.