Ok, so I have just installed the preview of Windows 8.1, and I really like the new Start Screen. However,
with the new App list, there is a problem with installing lots of GOG games at the same time. Everything gets dumped into one section called GOG.com, and there's no way to tell which manual goes with what game.

I have attached an image to demonstrate what it looks like (ignore Fluttershy).

A relatively straightforward fix would be to make sure all manuals have the game name in them, so they would look like "Manual - Shogo" or "Shogo - Manual". That would make them easy to sort out.

Of course, ideally MS will support the concept of subfolders in the App list, but I'm not confident that will happen. In the mean time, I thought a simple update of the installer to rename the manual would be the next-best thing.

Oh crap, this is horrible.

That gives me a headache just thinking about sorting that stuff.

That's one thing I do as the installer is running: rename the manual to something other than "manual", plus eliminate the underscores, and dump a copy in my Manuals folder.

Psst, GOG: put real names on the manuals at your end of things. Some games are good to go and others are, well, just "manual".

You have a right to do a downgrade and put windows 7 on your machine. Just sayin'

My poor burning eyes. Leaving alone the freaky and confusing organization, the colors just look all wrong.

Win7 for me, thanks.

More like an upgrade and put Windows 7 on it.

Though keep in mind, this is a beta OS, so there will be problems. Hopefully this will be less horrible in the release version.

Completely not relevant to the conversation, in which I am testing Windows 8.1 and found something that might be annoying to fellow GOG users.

I figure, GOG, as a business that sells software that runs on Windows, might want to know that their current implementation might cause heartache to future users of their offerings. Forewarned is forearmed, after all.

And we all thank you for your sacrifice. ;)

More seriously, you are right. I just can't imagine getting Win8 on anything other than a tablet. I am looking forward to a decent Windows tablet that I can play my adventure games on easily (I like touchscreens for adventure games, they feel silly with a mouse), so this will be useful to me at some point.

It's not just with the manuals -- it's any file or program where its not immediately obvious what it goes to: "Config", "Readme", "Level Editor", etc.

Ultimately, Microsoft really needs to rethink how they're organizing the Start Screen. There are other ways to do this that would still be touch friendly, yet maintain some sense of hierarchy.

To the OP.

ok ; first i'm not using win8 & never touched it (when i saw the screenshots friom the consumer preview i didn't wanted to touch it the silly approach) -> so don't jump to my throat :P

i'm not really suprised about this problem. The start screen is much more oriented for tablets than desktop.

i'm not sure this issue is gog related or windows related ..

Lots of the games here works under win8 (that's the gamecards mentions).

You can't ask to GOG to fix the issue based on preview of win 8.1 -> even if i agree if this more likely a Service Pack.

If Microsoft introduced some changes, i don't think it's raisonable to ask GOG to fix the issue you have based on the preview. And furthermore ; Microsoft will probably add some more changes & could cancel some others; between now & the final release.

Now , gog probably works now / or in the recent future to this problem.

I think this is a problem with the older installers.

Ever since they started bringing out v2.0 updates for their games I get folders in nice Windows 8 friendly groups with [GOG.com] as a suffix - eg. Darklands [GOG.com], Legend of Grimrock [GOG.com]. The only thing in my GOG.com folder is the downloader.

This might be a change that affects Windows 8.1 only - perhaps the installer misreads this new Windows version number and defaults back to the sub-folder approach from 7 and below?

I'm having no problems finding manuals in Windows 8.0 here.

urgh what the hell is this

Judging by the screenshot what you've done is install Windows 3.1.

You mean an upgrade to Windows 7.