23 replies to this topic

[Frank Minelli]

Hello fellow adventurers and windows owners,

 

I want contribute with a little hint, which helps you to save your game with your decisions originally made and then try another path. Let's start.

 

I use Windows 7, it works probably with Vista, XP and Windows 8 and 8.1, I am not sure.

 

You open Run... Dialog in the explorer. (In windows 8 you can get a little program Classicshell available for free at www.classicshell.net, it brings you the start button back and the Start Menu with the Run... command)

 

to continue:

 

After you opened the Run... Dialog you insert following word in it. (including the % sign)

 

%Appdata%

 

This opens a window.

 

You find various drawers, one of them has the name Redthreadgames.

 

Save the whole drawer where you want.

 

and then you're set. You can begin the game anew.

 

if you want the old savegames again, delete the new ones and insert the old savegames at their place.

 

Done.

 

P.S.: it works with most windows games and applications. But before you try always make a backup.

[Mr_Russ]

Frank, Book 2 won't look at your saved games. Your choices are in a separate file. If you are going to back up anything, back up StoryFlags.data which is where your choices are.

 

ETA - CRS! Thanks, khh.

[khh]

Frank, Book 2 won't look at your saved games. Your choices are in a separate file. If you are going to back up anything, back up CopyFlags.data which is where your choices are.

It's StoryFlags.data that file is called. Though backing up the saves won't hurt either. Especially not the HoAW saves.

[Ikon]

Yes, all these techniques will work, but a better, more organised in-game system would be a huge improvement.

[Frank Minelli]

It's StoryFlags.data that file is called. Though backing up the saves won't hurt either. Especially not the HoAW saves.

 

The flags are included in the drawer "Redthreadgames". I retested it after your post the procedure. And it works. Of course I prefer an ingame solution, but  there is one thing I did not tested.

 

Since you can go online via Facebook and you change your savegames, there is the risk to be banned or something similar, because your id is saved online.

 

And this procedure is only tested with the game from Gog.com not with Steam. So be extra careful with your steam version. I wouldn't try that when you play online and/or have the steam version under the Windows OS.

[Tina]

Just to add this thing as well:

 

You don't have to delete anything, or take backup, unless you really want to.

 

When you play the second (and third, and fourth) time, the new savegames will not overwrite the old ones. They will just be "new" savegames in the same folder. Then, when Book 2 comes out, just go to one of the HOAW-saves from the playthrough you want to "continue from, into Book 2", then finish Book 1 using this one. If you have already downloaded/installed Book 2 by that point, the game should just continue into the next book as well.

 

Of course, this can be difficult if you have a ton of playthroughs, and don't remember which one of them has the choices you want to continue with. But the savegames do have timestamps, so the only thing you have to do if you have a lot of playthroughs, is to write down the timestamp of some of the savegames from the different "endings" of Book 2. 

 

Edit: I'm very sure there is no risk of being banned from anything, no matter what you do with the savegames. And no matter which version of the game you have. The worst case scenario if you play around with them, without knowing what you do, is that you lose them all and have to play over again.

[Mr_Russ]

The savegames don't get overwritten. StoryFiles.data does.

[Tina]

Yep. But if anyone reads this and is afraid of messing around with any computer files, there is no need. That's what I meant.

 

For those people, there is no need to mention the StoryFlags.data file. It is enough to know that if you just load up the last savegame (from the playthrough you want Book 2 to know about) and complete Book 1 with that before going into Book 2, there is really no need to do anything else.

 

Even if I did backup my initial StoryFlags file, I do actually think I'm going to go the "load savegame, complete game" route myself, when Book 2 comes out. That way, I'll probably also get to see that "these were your choices and they will have consequences in later books" summary before Book 2 starts, and that could come in handy

[Mr_Russ]

You're right, Tina. You can play from any saved House Of All Worlds and carry that into Book 2.

I have two data files under different names. I've finished with all my choices.

[Jecica]

People playing on Steam should also consider that Steam automatically updates its Cloud where all the progress is saved and it will overwrite the local content.

[Lee-m]

tbh a simple scheme of being able to rename your saves would do the job.

[Ikon]

Of course, this can be difficult if you have a ton of playthroughs, and don't remember which one of them has the choices you want to continue with. But the savegames do have timestamps, so the only thing you have to do if you have a lot of playthroughs, is to write down the timestamp of some of the savegames from the different "endings" of Book 2. 

tbh a simple scheme of being able to rename your saves would do the job.

 

Yes, it can be difficult, which is why an in-game, well-organised system would be best.

 

However, failing a good in-game system, I have another plan. I will start with an empty saved-games folder. After playing a path with a particular set of choices I will quit the game, create a separate folder, name the folder so that I can remember which path & choices it represents, and then move the saved-game files to the folder (probably including the StoryFlags file).

 

The reason I would prefer an in-game system is because my alternative plan is a lot of extra work that I feel should be the responsibility of the developers. After all, if they do it, the extra effort benefits thousands. If I do it, it only benefits me.

[Tina]

However, failing a good in-game system, I have another plan. I will start with an empty saved-games folder. After playing a path with a particular set of choices I will quit the game, create a separate folder, name the folder so that I can remember which path & choices it represents, and then move the saved-game files to the folder (probably including the StoryFlags file).

But why isn't it just easier to just create a .txt file with "I choose this and this and this - go to savegame at day.month.year.hour.minute"? Or something to that effect? Then the only thing you have to do is scroll down to the right savegame (they're sorted by date/time anyway, iirc) and load? (unless the "play the last 5 minutes" is more hassle, but for me it wouldn't be that)

 

And yeah, I agree that a better in-game system would be ideal. But what we do have isn't too hard to work with, I feel

[Ikon]

It's just feels 'cluttered', 'disorganised'. I would find keeping the text file updated annoying. Now, if there was a way to get the summary at the end of the game printed out, that could change everything, but I don't know of a way to do that.

[Frank Minelli]

Well, I hoped to help you all, instead its becoming a discussion about how to proceed to save different paths.

 

I meanwhile have played the second time the game, and enjoying it. I enclose pics of the %appdata% drawer on my computer.

 

The game ignores the renamed drawer and creates a new drawer with the new choices saved.

 

I like it, its quick and not at all complicated and I can see when I played my games.

 

I am sorry that I cannot help the steam players. Or the facebook users. Or the Linux player, or the Mac Players....

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[Ikon]

I think it's been a good discussion, and will hopefully lead to even better ways to handle saved games.

[Kari2]

This is what I have been doing in Windows 7 - Windows 8 would be the same:

 

1. I play the game up to a decision point , exit & save.(to desktop).

 

2. Copy Users/ (your account name)/ AppData/ Roaming/ Readthreadgames/Dreamfall Chapters (this is the autosave game folder)  to and external location.

 

3. Copy (Game Folder)/Dreamfall Chapters_Data/Output_log.txt  to the same external location.

 

4. Restart the game and play through the decision options, replay choosing different options. The game will restart at the last autosave point - so, a portion of the game may have to be replayed before arriving at the point where the previous game stopped.

 

5. When I have decided on which decision options I wish to go with, I delete the Dreamfall Chapters folder in AppData (eliminates the flag file if generated) and restore the externally saved folder and log file. The segment(s) is/are then replayed choosing the desired options.

 

6. At the end of the game all the game data will appear as thought the game was played straight through.

 

The externally saved folders can be labeled so that there is always the option of restoring the game to a particular point, and, playing forward as though the game was being played for the first time. Shortcuts can be placed on the desktop to expedite the save & restore process. Several versions of Book 1 can be saved in this manner - making it easier to play Book 2 with different consequences.

[Mr_Russ]

Kari2, I'm not sure what you're doing with the log file. StoryFlags.data is the file with your choices carried into Book 2.

[Kari2]

Kari2, I'm not sure what you're doing with the log file. StoryFlags.data is the file with your choices carried into Book 2.

Some log files are actually used by the program, and, I don't know if that is true for Chapters. I just want to cover all bases and not generate any errors.

[Sha'nie]

This  sounds absolutely fantastic, for people who are used to working with their PC in an advanced way. 

 

But there are some people, like myself who can't  do this or have ever tried this ,and therefore have a hard time finding out how to pratice.

I do understand the  writing twords, I have no difficulty whit that, only is it difficult for me to do in practice.

 

Nice if we can have an in-game save system, that can help us, who do not have the big data knowledge, so  that we can play the game again from start,  without losing our first choices - so if for nothing else, help those of us, who do not have the advanced knowledge of computer data.

Please  - and thanks to all of you nice people in here