I am releasing and self publishing my game on CD-ROM for WINDOWS XP/VISTA and trying to get the art done for the CD cover but trying to see if there are any requirements and where I can find some standard graphics/icons. I am needing a "CD-ROM for PC Windows" and possibly a Windows Vista Compatible graphic. I am not participating in the ESRB rating, do I need to mark it unrated? Also, I have a UPC number setup. Do I NEED an ISBN number? From my understanding this is more an international need. My game is just English and just be sold to US/Canada market. Thanks guys, lots to learn the first time through this process!

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Original post by arcarocket I am needing a "CD-ROM for PC Windows" and possibly a Windows Vista Compatible graphic.

IIRC you need to be certified by Microsoft to be able to display those icons. Similarly I think you have to license/apply?? for the CD-ROM icon. Basically, you should assume that you cannot use any of those icons without a review by whoever owns that trademark.

-me

So what CAN I put on the CD cover?

They need to know it will work with Windows XP/Vista. Do I just use generic text to say:

CD-ROM for PC Windows XP/Vista

Or how do I tell them it is for XP and Vista only?

Doing a quick search shows that Vista certification is $1100. It is not that expensive compared to the cost of actually publishing a game. Who is going to distribute your game for you? If you are going with a distribution company you may want to ask if they will do that as part of their service or not. If you are not using a company for distribution, then why publish to a CD-ROM. Just let people download it. It would be a lot easier and cheaper for you. Also, I would think that if you want to be in stores (such as target, walmart, etc), you would need an ESRB rating. But I am not an expert by any means.

Can you please post the link for the: Vista certification is $1100


I would like to learn more about this and searching via Google and did not see it.

What I want to know is if I can mention if this PC game works on Vista or XP. I now understand I can't use their "logo". But I still need to know what I can say.

Can I say (without using any logo or graphics) - PC/CD-ROM for Windows XP/Vista ?

Here is a couple of links I found.

This one is the company you pay. Looking at it more, I would stay away from it.
Third Party site who charges money to certify your application


This one looks more promising and I would look at this one first

Looks like a microsoft site for certifying your application.

Great, thank you for the links.

This is to become Windows Vista Certified and use that "logo" that says so.


Now can we put on our CD: Windows Vista Compatible???

Is that something that must be paid for, or can anyone say that?

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Original post by arcarocket Great, thank you for the links. This is to become Windows Vista Certified and use that "logo" that says so. Now can we put on our CD: Windows Vista Compatible??? Is that something that must be paid for, or can anyone say that?

The logo actually means something. It means that you programmed your application in certain ways so that you don't need admin access to run the program or save data, and the billion other little things you need to do to make sure that the program is a high quality, well behaved windows application.

As for being compatible with windows, it's OBVIOUS. All commercial software is for the current version of windows. It's the only market. The mac stuff is over in a dusty corner, and linux is lol.

Just right the lowest version of Windows required in your System requirements, like everyone else.