Making Windows Gaming Better
By Ivan
11/14/2003

This article may sound redundant since I already expounded upon this topic as part of my hung-over rant regarding the alcohol doused festivities attached to Microsoft's "Let's Make Windows Not Suck" event. Now it bears repeating. Now something real has at long last come from all the talk. As part of Microsoft's overarching plan to dominate the entire universe, the big MS is trying to improve the state of Windows gaming, making our platform more accessible to the masses and enjoyable to those not capable of understanding simple things like installs and system requirements. The first step is Game Advisor. It's up right now and you can use it.
Dean Lester, general manager of Windows Graphics & Gaming Technologies at Microsoft:

"Windows XP is the best platform for PC gaming today, and these tools make it even easier for millions of gamers of all types to find, enjoy and extend their gaming experience. The Windows XP Game Advisor is a fast, easy-to-use website resource that will help consumers pick just the right titles for gamers on their gift list this holiday season."
By selecting an age category and then a preferred genre, the Game Advisor will pull some of the most recent, "hottest" games based on undisclosed criteria (which probably means Game Rankings ratings and paid placement). Once you see the type of "action" game you want for someone who is "17+", the Game Advisor can point you to official websites for more information and can even analyze your computer and determine whether or not you'll be able to play the game. Apparently I am 1180% capable of playing Call of Duty. If a simple percentile rating will not do for you, it's also possible to see a component breakdown, which compares the recommended and minimum specifications to your own immensely powerful machine. I call mine Braniac.

Though Game Advisor is currently the largest component of this multi-pronged attack by Microsoft to convince the computer illiterate of the joys of PC gaming, right now Windows XP Extras and Games for Windows are also live. Extras, as you might imagine, includes specific content for download designed to expand some of today's more popular titles with new maps, modes, colors, whatever. Additionally, there you can also find game related Media Player skins and things of that sort. The Games for Windows section of the website, perhaps a bit more immediately functional, houses some basic but comprehensive explanations of sound and video cards and will eventually include tutorials on a variety of gaming topics to ensure people playing on XP are well informed and ready to enjoy the fruits of their machine's labor. Like Game Advisor, both Extras and Games for Windows can be found at the newly redesigned XP games website.

It's a solid first step. Of course, the site will be expanded as time rolls on. Additionally, we expect to learn more information about no install games, a standardized PC gamepad, and a universal requirements system in the near future. Until then, please enjoy the website for all its worth.


This article came from the same site above.