The Game Registration Options Page

Files & Folders

Saved games folder

Specify the folder where the saved games will be placed. The path starts with a configurable known folder.

Windows Vista enables a better experience for users when browsing saved games from Windows Explorer without creating lot of work for game developers. It does this by making it easy for saved games to expose metadata and thumbnails to Windows Vista's Game Explorer as well as Windows Vista Desktop Search. To do this, Windows Vista provides a shell handler that processes saved game files and extracts their metadata. Windows Vista is required to extract metadata from rich saved games.

You are responsible for creating the saved games folder, from the Files and Folders page.

If you use as a base folder the per-user "Saved Games" folder (recommended), you can create your sub-folder for your games (for example, My Game) with the help of a predefined Custom Action for resolving Windows Vista Known Folders.

It is not mandatory to specify a Saved games folder.

Game executables

You can specify the executables required for a game to run.

It is very important that the application list out all of the executables that it installs or extracts (including copy protection which is extracted at runtime) in this section to ensure proper behavior with parental controls.

Parental Controls includes a feature called General Application Restrictions, which allows a user to execute only those applications that have been specifically approved by the Administrator. When General Application Restrictions is enabled, the executables listed in the application's signed GDF are automatically exempted/allowed based on the Games Parental Controls settings.

Including this section in the GDF allows the application to run with minimal interference when General Applications Restrictions is enabled.

Adding a new game executable

Use the [ Add... ] or the "Add..." option or press the Ins key.

Removing a game executable

Use the [ Remove... ] button, the "Remove..." context menu option or press the Del key while an item is selected in the list.

Game Tasks

Tasks are the name for actions that can be taken with an entry in the Windows Vista Game Explorer. Tasks determine how a user can interact with a game in the Game Explorer. Using tasks, you can determine what will happen when the user double-clicks a game in the Game Explorer, and what entries show up in the context menu when a user right-clicks on a game.

Tasks are divided into play tasks and support tasks. For example, if you want a shortcut that launches a game into a multiplayer mode, that is a play task. If you want a shortcut to a web site, that shortcut is a support task. Play tasks can be customized by the user, while support tasks cannot.

One task, the primary play task (the first in the list), is required for every game; the primary play task is the task that executes when a user double-clicks on a game in the Game Explorer.

The first play task (primary play task) will always be shown by Game Explorer as " "Play"", regardless of the name you give it.

You can add up to 6 play tasks and 5 support tasks.

Adding a new play/support task

Use the [ New... ] button or the "New..." context menu option.

Editing a play/support task

Use the [ Edit... ] button, the "Edit..." context menu option or press the Space key while an item is selected in the list.

Removing a play/support task

Use the [ Remove... ] button, the "Remove..." context menu option or press the Del key while an item is selected in the list.

Windows Media Center

Register your game with windows media center.

Enable the game registration with Windows Media Center.

Windows Media Center integration location (Media Center UI).

• Category string: More Programs
• Location: Online Media > Program Library
• Pivot: Programs By Name
• Start Menu Strip: Online Media

Launch Executable

Specify the executable (usually the main play task executable) that should be launched from Windows Media Center.

Command Line

Specify a command line for the executable.

Hardware Requirements

Specifies the hardware capabilities that are needed to successfully run the application. The tile for the game will not appear in Windows Media Center on devices that do not support the necessary capabilities.

• DirectX - indicates whether the application requires DirectX support.
• Intensive rendering - indicates whether the application contains graphics that require high-end rendering capabilities.
• Console - indicates whether the application requires resources that are only available or meaningful from the computer's console (the host PC), rather than from a remote session. (eg. An LCD projector application that turns the projector on and off through the COM port)
• Audio - indicates whether the application requires audio support.
• Video - indicates whether the application requires video support.
• CD/DVD Burning - indicates whether the application requires a CD or DVD burner to be present.

Use legacy MCL file for registration

Windows Media Center Application Link (MCL) files are deprecated and their use is no longer recommended. This mode was previously used with Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Topics

• Game Play Task Dialog
  The game play task dialog.
• Game Support Task Dialog
  The game support task dialog.