The Gimp installer doesn't allow me to choose a location to install it. It goes into programs not c\games where I want it. The readme for the normalmap plugin says to extract it to the plugin folder there. Except I keep getting an error saying permissions are needed. I've tried copying the normalmap zip file into there and extracting and extracting elsewhere and dragging the exe. Neither works. Is there a way to install gimp into my games folder?

I never had any bother with it being installed in program files, nor copying any plugins files to where they need to be, and I have had it installed on windows XP / Vista / Win 7 / Win 8.1 and Win 10 throughout the many years using it .. You do need to follow plugins manual installation instructions / readmes very carefully sometimes ..

But the GIMP installer does have a Customize button ( same screen you click the Install button ), did that not give any options to change the default install path ?

I did use the customize button. It gives a choice of the files to install, a desktop shortcut and some other things but NOT the location to install it.

I finally managed to get the permissions right to extract the zip file while in plugins. Took me a while.

I really wish someone would contact the Gimp people and have them change their installer to let users set the directory. I like everything game related to be together in games.

Surprising, I would have thought it had such an option.

But anyway the ideal location is subjective, but certainly not necessary to be installed in games for an Artistic suite for anything I know of - Have you tried talking to people on the GIMP open source project forums, or adding an issue for the feature ?, it may be considered if enough people need it for whatever reasons.

I do know a lot of open source support in the form of not only plugins but also scripts / python / tutporials for Artists kind of depends upon its default setup too, so not sure if it would be an easy to do thing but so long as all parts of the installation have registry settings that everyone else follows it should be doable.

I regard GIMP as a serious productivity suite, the same as I do LibreOffice

For example would you also install the paid for equivalents ( Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Office ) in Games ?

Anyway up its your choice but there may be good reasons they do not offer an alternative, you need to find out I guess.

Ehm, just had a quick google of images ( Im not at home now so could not confirm ) but is there really no option to browse and change path ?

I just found this : http://alphasis.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/gimp-install-4.jpg

That screen should be presented just after clicking Install

I am pretty sure I have myself in the past had it installed outside of its default path setup ( its a long time ago but I cant imagine they would remove the option unless its an oversight in recent installers )

I can confirm that most installations for program today provides such an option showing in the picture. Just click on the browse button and the user will be able to install Gimp where the user wants to have it installed.