We're excited to announce the latest Gamick beta update, packed with improvements that make managing your game library even faster and more reliable. This update represents months of development based on feedback from our growing community of beta testers.
Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback, reported bugs, and suggested new features. Your input directly shapes Gamick's development, and this update showcases how community-driven development creates better software.
Performance Improvements
The headline feature of this update is significantly improved performance across the board. We've completely rewritten core components to make Gamick even faster and more efficient.
Optimized Xbox Game Detection IMPROVED
The biggest performance improvement comes from our completely rewritten Xbox game detection system. Previously, scanning Xbox games could take 30-60 seconds on systems with many installed apps. The new algorithm reduces this to just 3-5 seconds while detecting more games with better accuracy.
Technical improvements include:
- Single PowerShell call instead of multiple calls per package
- Concurrent processing of multiple packages simultaneously
- Smart caching of expensive operations
- Dynamic publisher learning for better game recognition
- Improved error handling and timeouts
Enhanced Game Library Scanning IMPROVED
We've optimized the scanning process for all platforms, not just Xbox. Steam, Epic Games Store, and other platform detection is now faster and more reliable.
- Parallel scanning of multiple platforms
- Improved manifest parsing for better game metadata
- Better handling of non-standard installation paths
- Reduced false positives in game detection
New Features
Custom Game Folder Support NEW
Many users requested the ability to add custom game folders for portable games, emulators, and other non-standard installations. You can now add custom directories that Gamick will scan for executable files.
How it works:
- Add any folder path through the new "Custom Folders" menu
- Gamick automatically scans for .exe files in specified directories
- Intelligent filtering excludes system utilities and installers
- Manual game addition for specific executables
Real-Time Progress Indicators NEW
The scanning process now includes detailed progress indicators so you know exactly what Gamick is doing. No more wondering if the app has frozen during initial setup.
- Platform-by-platform progress tracking
- Current operation display (scanning, verifying, etc.)
- Estimated time remaining
- Cancel button for long-running operations
Improved Game Metadata IMPROVED
Better extraction and display of game information, including more accurate names, better icon handling, and improved platform identification.
- Enhanced display name extraction from game manifests
- Better handling of localized game names
- Improved platform icon consistency
- More accurate game size estimation
User Interface Enhancements
Refreshed Visual Design IMPROVED
While maintaining Gamick's clean aesthetic, we've made subtle improvements to enhance usability and visual appeal.
- Improved contrast and readability
- Better hover effects and visual feedback
- More consistent spacing and alignment
- Enhanced game card design
Better Error Handling IMPROVED
More informative error messages and better recovery from common issues like permission problems or corrupted game data.
- User-friendly error messages instead of technical jargon
- Suggestions for resolving common problems
- Graceful handling of missing or moved games
- Better logging for troubleshooting
Platform Support Updates
Battle.net Integration Improvements
Significant improvements to Battle.net game detection, especially for newer Blizzard titles and non-standard installations.
- Dynamic game database that updates without app updates
- Better detection of games in custom installation directories
- Improved support for multiple Battle.net accounts
- Enhanced game launching reliability
Steam Deck Compatibility
While Gamick is primarily designed for Windows, we've made improvements that benefit Steam Deck users running Windows on their devices.
- Better handling of Steam Deck's unique file structure
- Improved performance on lower-powered hardware
- Touch-friendly interface improvements
Bug Fixes and Stability
This update includes numerous bug fixes based on community reports:
- Fixed: Occasional crashes during initial game scanning
- Fixed: Games not launching on systems with non-English Windows
- Fixed: Memory leaks during extended use
- Fixed: Incorrect game detection for some Epic Games Store titles
- Fixed: Search functionality not working with special characters
- Fixed: Platform filters not persisting between sessions
- Fixed: Window sizing issues on high-DPI displays
Developer Insights
Behind the scenes, this update represents a significant architectural improvement. We've moved away from sequential processing to a more modern concurrent approach, which is why performance has improved so dramatically.
The Xbox detection rewrite was particularly challenging because Microsoft's UWP package system is complex and not well-documented for third-party developers. Our solution involved reverse-engineering how the Xbox app itself identifies games, leading to the breakthrough in detection accuracy and speed.
Community Feedback Integration
Several features in this update came directly from community suggestions:
- Custom folder support: Requested by users with large ROM collections and portable games
- Progress indicators: Suggested by users who experienced long scanning times
- Better error messages: Requested by users encountering setup issues
- Cancel scanning option: Suggested by users wanting more control over the process
Looking Ahead
This update sets the foundation for several exciting features we're working on for future releases:
- Cloud save integration: Track game progress across platforms
- Game recommendations: Discover similar games based on your library
- Usage analytics: Personal statistics about your gaming habits (completely private)
- Theme customization: Light mode and custom color schemes
- Advanced filtering: Filter by genre, playtime, rating, and more
How to Get the Update
This update is available immediately for all beta users:
- Automatic update: Gamick will prompt you to update when you next launch the app
- Manual download: Download the latest version from our website
- First-time users: The download page always includes the latest beta version
The update process is quick and preserves all your settings and custom configurations.
Join the Beta Community
Want to help shape Gamick's future? Join our beta testing community:
- Email [email protected] to join our beta testing program
- Get early access to new features and improvements
- Provide direct feedback to the development team
- Help us test compatibility with different system configurations
Thank You
This update wouldn't be possible without our amazing beta testing community. Your feedback, bug reports, and feature suggestions directly improve Gamick for everyone.
Special thanks to the power users who helped test the Xbox detection improvements, provided detailed performance data, and patiently worked through multiple testing iterations. Your dedication helps make Gamick the best game launcher it can be.
Keep the feedback coming! Every suggestion and bug report helps us build a better tool for the gaming community.