Short answer:
Its almost certainly because of Microsoft. Microsoft has a long list of things they require if a company is going to get the "Games for Windows" logo thingy. One of which is how and where your settings and savegames are stored. Companies are starting to try to adhere to these kinda things more so they work equally well on vista and XP.
Longer technical answer:
Partly because vista changes locations of a lot of things.
Part of it is also security, since Vista supposedly is trying to finally push non admin users to being the norm (like linux), and permissions and folders enter into the equation.


What I did was create a shortcut to the long tedious path, and put it into the game start menu section. And I created a shortcut to the pdf manual there as well.

If you are interested in the technical details, here's a technical requirements list from MS for games that will have that logo:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb173456.aspx

Here's a quote that I think applies:
"All other user data files must be stored in a subfolder of the folders that are specified by CSIDL_LOCAL_APPDATA or CSIDL_COMMON_APPDATA. (These directories are hidden by default for individual users and for all users.)
Rationale
A user's Windows experience is more secure if applications run only with the permissions needed."

Wow Microsoft is an [expletive]. It's not our fault Vista is a debacle.

Is it really the Games For Windows thing? Because several games I know of that are certified GFW games have save folders uner My Games, Gears Of War is one that comes to mind right away (it stores under My Games\Gears of War for Windows), as well as Crysis.

Edit:

Hey look what I found,



I think this easily applies for screenshots at least.

Why? only reason you will want to access the settings file is if they become corrupted and need to be manually deleted for the game to run...
The saves should regularly be accessed..

The games for windows claim is bogus since the "ducuments\My games" IS a games for windows requirement... If your saves aren't there then you are breaking the games for windows rules... this is one of the BETTER rules that games for windows brings, as most are all over the place... with this I know where to look (it was the first place I checked) screenshots and saved games should go THERE... at the very LEAST there should be a shortcut created in the install directory (say D:\games\Sins of a solar empire) linking to the save games.

*bump* WHERE ARE THE SAVES? I can't find them, please tell me where they are.

HELLO??? WHERE IS THE SAVE DIRECTORY? I GOT 5 PEOPLE WAITING ALL DAY FOR ME TO GIVE THEM OUR SAVED PROGRESS!!! PLZ help!

you should consider correcting it to more closely follow game for windows requirements.

Right now you place the save games in the SETTINGS location of games of windows.. Games for windows specificies a setting location (graphic settings, sound setting, etc), and a different location for saved games. (in vista it should be under "user\saved games\game name"

@CraigHB - all those things you mentioned are NOT settings, they are other user data, which are supposed to go in different directories. MS provisioned for a settings location, and a different location for SAVES... the user personal data should go in saves. Microsoft Games and Darwinia are the only two to get it right thus far.. i mean how hard IS it... there is a "username" directory under C:\users that contains a directory called "Saved Games"... that is where it needs to go in vista... the only thing that should go in the other hidden directory is SETTINGS.. actual settings, like your screen resolution.