Matrix programmers: stop writing to my Windows directory

[gravyface_]

Looking in %systemroot%, seeing not only setup log files (really?) but <game name> directories with the uninstaller.exe in it. I recall Korsun Pocket doing something nasty with my Arial font face as well.

Please, stop.

Just sloppy programming, really.

[Phatguy]

They are not Matrix programmers.....Matrix just sells these games

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: apathetic lurker
They are not Matrix programmers.....Matrix just sells these games

In addition : new M$ operating systems that didn't even exist when the installers were created -> the results are unpredictable. At least their default installation path points to c:\matrixgames and not to c:\program files as with many, many other companies.

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

[ilovestrategy]

Sterckxe, after all these years I never get tired of your avatar! [&o]

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: ilovestrategy
Sterckxe, after all these years I never get tired of your avatar! [&o]

It's a non-photoshopped picture of one of the dogs - the one my wife insists has all my character traits - I like to think she means the good ones <ahum> - playing Highway to the Reich.

I like to stick to the same avatar on all forums - makes it easier for everyone to ignore me at a glance

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

[Perturabo]

ORIGINAL: sterckxe

ORIGINAL: apathetic lurker
They are not Matrix programmers.....Matrix just sells these games

In addition : new M$ operating systems that didn't even exist when the installers were created -> the results are unpredictable. At least their default installation path points to c:\matrixgames and not to c:\program files as with many, many other companies.

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

Putting anything outside the game folder is generally a pretty awful habit, though.

[Hanal]

But this does bring up a question I have wondered about....Why do so many games now split up the files between the C drive and the Documents folder?

[Mundy]

Basically, the strict executable part of the program itself, will be in its own location. Usually in the "Program Files" directory -- Matrix uses its own in this case.

The stuff that goes into the documents folder are the more "fluid" stuff like scenarios, user settings, saved games, etc.

I've grown to like that way better. It keeps the stuff you can mess with separate from the program itself.

Ed-

[TonyE]

ORIGINAL: J P Falcon

But this does bring up a question I have wondered about....Why do so many games now split up the files between the C drive and the Documents folder?

Microsoft publishes guidelines on where various program components should live. You can get a sampling of that at the bottom of page 8 (and beyond) in the PDF linked at
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/de ... en&id=3859

The general idea is that Program Files and the Windows directories are no longer places that non-administrative users have access so user changeable files like saved games should not be placed there.

[Perturabo]

I really hate the idea of putting parts of programs in different places. That's one thing that I really hate about using a Ubuntu derivative. Stuff goes to various folders, I can't even decide where a program should be installed, etc.
Personally, I just have a 000WGM (I think it was supposed to be wargames) folder where I install all my games - I have sub-folders there for all genres.
If I have to wipe out my main HDD and re-install, install another version of Linux Mint, I still keep my games. Except in cases when the developers put stuff where it shouldn't be. Taking in account that system reinstalls are practically unavoidable and nowadays it's possible to have tens or even hundreds of games installed, game installs should be made for high reliability.

[parusski]

Matrix has no programmers, they employee wizards. Those said wizards wave wands and create wonderful games.

[Anonymous]

[Deleted by Admins]

[Fred98]

ORIGINAL: J P Falcon
Why do so many games now split up the files between the C drive and the Documents folder?

If the save game files are in the Documents folder, then when you back-up the Documents folder it also backs up alll youre save games.

It is Microsoft trying to make life easier for us user but I think its a bad idea.

In the past, when I did a regular back-up, I also backed up my save game folders.

All with one click of the mouse.

-

[pelle75]

ORIGINAL: Perturabo
I really hate the idea of putting parts of programs in different places. That's one thing that I really hate about using a Ubuntu derivative. Stuff goes to various folders, I can't even decide where a program should be installed, etc.

Actually I think you can tell the ubuntu/debian package manager exactly where you want the files, if you for some reason can't live with the default. The fact that there is a package manager generally means you don't have to bother, and usually the directories used are at least very predictable. There is a file somewhere describing the standard linux directory layout... there is some sort of logic to it all, like no application should ever write to /usr so you can have that read-only if you want to (on a cdrom for instance, or a central remote network drive), system configuration all going to /etc, log files etc to /var, user-specific stuff to /home, applications not installed by package manager in /opt... I'm sure the Windows standard mentioned above is similar, and sounds like a good idea to use in that OS too.

I'd be a bit upset with a game that put my savegames elsewhere, or filled up my home directory with non-personal data.

[Anonymous]

[Deleted by Admins]