How to launch games/apps from MCE?

[coolVariable]

How do you launch games from MCE (like HalfLife, GTA, etc.)?
I tried simply copying the Start Menu shortcuts into the Media Center "More Programs" group in the Start Menu but that always causes errors ...

 

[coolVariable]

How come no one else is interested in this?

 

[stash]

Why would you launch a game from within MCE?

 

[coolVariable]

Because I am using Windows Media Center edition as a MEDIA CENTER??

 

[stash]

The more programs section of MCE is for programs that run *within* the Media Center application. This is so they can viewed with the 10 foot UI, across your living room.

Games don't support this, they aren't intended to be viewed through the 10 ft UI, but the normal 2 ft. UI. You would need to minimize the MCE app and run your games normally from the start menu.

 

[coolVariable]

I simply want to use the MCE UI to START the game.

 

[stash]

I understand that. You can't do it.

 

[shawn130c]

There might be a way by creating a shortcut in the MCE Start Menu but you need to make a few things using MCE SDK
Here some instructions that might be able to help:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/defau...y/en-us/dnxpmce/html/devgameswinmc.asp

 

[coolVariable]

Originally posted by: shawn130c
There might be a way by creating a shortcut in the MCE Start Menu but you need to make a few things using MCE SDK
Here some instructions that might be able to help:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/defau...y/en-us/dnxpmce/html/devgameswinmc.asp

Thanks for the tip.
Apparently this works (can't wait to go home to try it)


All credit goes to the original poster nickoz
http://www.xpmediacentre.com.au/communi...s-addons/4854-launching-games-mce.html

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Well, Im just playing around trying to find a decent way to launch games from the MCE interface.. I'm simply too lazy to close MCE and click on an icon.. anyway, here's my first attempt after a little research, for anyone who's interested;

Steps:
1. Open the Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Media Center\Media Center Programs folder under your Documents and Settings directory
2. Create a .MCL file with the name of your game, eg. Call of Duty 2.mcl
3. Copy the following into it;

<application
name = "My Game"
SharedViewport = ""
NowPlayingDirective = ""
run = "My Game.lnk"
>
<capabilitiesrequired
directx="True"
audio="False"
video="False"
intensiverendering="True"
console="False"
cdburning="False" />
</application>

3. Replace the name="" with whatever you want displayed in MCE
4. Replace the run="" with the full path/filename of the SHORTCUT you use to launch your game with. If you use the exe directly, its current directory will be C:\windows\ehome, and obviously it wont run properly.

OK, so when you go to My Programs from MCE, you'll see an icon for your game there. Launch it, any running media will stop and the game (should) load. The only problem now, is getting MCE to reappear once the game has closed. Apparently you can use some code to get it back (http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/defau..._to_the_10_Foot_Experience_for_Windows _Game_Developers.asp) but I cant see anyway to do it without writing a prog that launches the game and, when done, reinstates MCE.

So.. thats my first go at getting a game to launch directly from MCE, I hope it helps someone out there. If anyone has anything else to add or any ideas on this problem I'd love to hear em. Let the games begin.

Cheers,
Nick.

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