I am not sure why everyone is so bent about using Windows 8 (which is not windows phone 8, but hang in I will get to that part, as I believe MS will get Windows 8 to be more attuned to windows phone 8 too.) So W8 has essential what is a Windows 7+ interface *and* the new interface formerly known as Metro (IfkaM)

If you don't like one part use the other. Essentially very little changes in that regard if you use the win7 style interface. Personally I think the IfkaM interface would make a great screen saver of sorts. The live tiles are interesting concept. So it may make a great interactive desktop. Give it a chance I say. Be open to change. Hell give it a month and someone will have a Windows 3.1 interface if that floats your boat.

So I am not bent about the existence of windows 8, but I do loathe that my world is about to have ANOTHER dang platform to consider... but this news actually piqued my interest today: http://www.edge-online.com/news/unity-announces-windows-phone-8-support 

Supporting multiple platforms is a real time sink and I think I am ready to commit to a tool to make it happen at the cost of control at or near the hardware... I think I am... Ask me later what I thought about it. ;)

I tinker with my Linux because I have to.

I tinker with my Windows because I can.

I tinker with my Mac because I was told not to.

I always like to see what  engines are out there. I wrote one once, it was a great exercise in my inability at the time. It will never see the light of day in any way, it was at a time I thought I could do better. I got to choke down some humble pie after a few weeks of effort. It ended up being a kludge of low level wrappers I used in other projects...

So anyone looking to find a list a game engine to make your next game with... This is a pretty good list!

http://www.indiedb.com/engines

But if you are looking for an engine that requires little knowledge of coding look at Construct 2... This looks interesting enough for me to consider it for whipping up a prototype in a few minutes to try out a game feature idea... I'll let you know how that turns out...

http://www.indiedb.com/engines/construct-2