Where is save file?

[Uncle Yuan]

I'm trying to move my saved FF game to my new laptop (w/Vista) but I can't find a save game folder (used to be a "Saves" folder under Data on my old comp) and nowhere else I stick the save seems to work.

[stumpy]

For FFvT3R, check out the Game FAQ.

For FF, it's in a folder called SaveGames under the mod folder for whatever mod you were playing when you saved.

[Uncle Yuan]

I've actually been replaying the main campaign (again - honestly this is only the third time.  Maybe the fourth . . .).  I'm still early, so restarting wouldn't be too tough, but I'd rather continue.

[stumpy]

You should be able just move the saved  game DAT file to the corresponding location on the new PC and go from there. It's possible there could be some issues if the new installation doesn't have some of the same paths as were in the saved game, but I think most of those paths are relative, so they should still work.

What exactly have you done and how is it not working? (BTW, to make sure, is this FF or FFvT3R?)

(I am not sure, but there is also a characterCache.dat and and maybe another file that comes into play. I would be a little surprised if you really needed them.)

[Uncle Yuan]

This is FF.  I'm at work, so I can't be exactly sure, but I copied the save from a folder named "saves" that was under "data" (I think) on my old comp.  On my new comp there is no folder called "saves" under data nor anywhere else I can find.

Do you suppose it would work to create the folder?  I thought maybe the game would not create a saves folder until you saved, but I played a few minutes and saved and that didn't seem to work.

Now that I think about it I suppose I should search for the save and see where it wound up . . .

[stumpy]

Now that I think about it I supposed I should search for the save and see where it wound up . . .

That's what I would do. Give the saved game a unique name and then use Windows Search to find where it landed.

In the XP days, the original FF would save in a folder in whatever mod you were playing (that mod is the Data mod for the main campaign) in a folder called SaveGames.

Let us know if it's somewhere different under Vista.

[Uncle Yuan]

Well, it took some digging, but here's what I found: VISTA does NOT store saved game file under program files, but has a user specific location (NOTE?: all this may not apply if you did not set up user accounts).  I did the weird name trick and found the save location.

The real difficulty is that Windows explorer ("My Computer") on Vista hides files differently, preventing me from revealing the hidden files and following the pathway.  The trick is that the classic drop down toolbars are hidden by default on Vista.  You need to press the Alt key to reveal the menus.  Then it was standard to go to tools>options and set to reveal hidden folders.  Then I could follow the pathway just fine and place the save file.

My recommendation for folks who navigate with Windows explorer a lot is to enable the classic windows view and be sure to reveal the hidden folders.  The new version is too GUI'd.  At least until I get used to it (Seraching was a bit of a task in itself . . .)

Anywho - instead of being something like: C>program files>Irrational Games>FreedomForce>data
the new pathway for saved games looks like this:C>Users>Scott>AppData>Local>VirtualStore>ProgramFiles(x86)>IrrationalGames>FreedomForce>Data

In the default set up, "AppData" is a hidden file.  Also, the "Users" branch appears early in the tree, so I don't know how this would look different if you do not set up user accounts.

I hope this helps someone!


edit - It might be worthwhile to set up sticky Vista tips and tricks thread where we can collect all these odd little bits.  Or not - I have no idea how usefull it would be

[Uncle Yuan]

Argh!  I was able to load and finish the save, but it isn't tying back into the main campaign - it's a dead end.  The big question is will this happen with a new campaign  . . .

[stumpy]

The location of the SaveGames folder seems reasonable. It's in the same place relative to the game installation. The difference is that, apparently, Vista allows each user to install his own software and has what is, effectively, a Program Files path for each user. I wonder if this depends on whether the game is installed for All Users or just for whoever is logged in for the install?

I am not quite sure what you mean when you say that the loaded saved game doesn't tie back to the main campaign. I am assuming the saved game was from the main campaign on another PC and you have basically the same add-ons installed in your new set up. So, what happens when you load the saved game and finish the mission? Are you saying it doesn't go to the briefing for the next mission? Does it show the normal mission completed screens (the mission objectives and prestige for enemies, etc. and  then the amount of XP for each character and whether they have leveled up, etc.)? Does it crash? Does it go back to the main menu?

[Uncle Yuan]

The location of the SaveGames folder seems reasonable. It's in the same place relative to the game installation. The difference is that, apparently, Vista allows each user to install his own software and has what is, effectively, a Program Files path for each user. I wonder if this depends on whether the game is installed for All Users or just for whoever is logged in for the install?

I am not quite sure what you mean when you say that the loaded saved game doesn't tie back to the main campaign. I am assuming the saved game was from the main campaign on another PC and you have basically the same add-ons installed in your new set up. So, what happens when you load the saved game and finish the mission? Are you saying it doesn't go to the briefing for the next mission? Does it show the normal mission completed screens (the mission objectives and prestige for enemies, etc. and  then the amount of XP for each character and whether they have leveled up, etc.)? Does it crash? Does it go back to the main menu?

I get the mission summary screen at the end, but my buttons along the bottom don't include the one to advance.  I saved at this point and restarted but only got MM on a totally black background and the mission briefing did nothing.  You do raise a good point thought, my old comp had FFX and EZFX installed and I haven't gotten around to it on this one yet.  I'll have to try that, although the game save started and played just fine, which I woudn't have expected if FFX is that crucial to the running of the main campaign.

[stumpy]

I suspect that, if things got that far, EZFX and FFX aren't likely to be the problem.

You may want to try saving a couple more games on your old PC, particularly one at the mission briefing after the mission you last saved at (i.e. the first briefing after finishing the mission you were in) and see if that helps. It's possible that there is something odd in the saved game that is causing trouble and one from a different point would work better. My recollection was that saved games at mission briefings were pretty commonly included with mods to help people who got stuck in a mission for one reason or another, so I would think those may be best for your purpose.

It's also possible that some of the settings recorded in the saved game were specific to the file locations of your old setup and that, if a briefing save doesn't get past them, there may be no workable approach aside from actually hexing the saved game, which would be sort of a pain. At that point, I would think replaying the campaign might be the best option. You could use the console to move fairly quickly past the early missions if you didn't want to replay them.

Also, it's likely you have already done this, but you probably want to start a new campaign on the new PC and play long enough to get to the second mission briefing, just to make sure there isn't some other issue afoot besides just the saved games.

[Uncle Yuan]

I suspect that, if things got that far, EZFX and FFX aren't likely to be the problem.

You may want to try saving a couple more games on your old PC, particularly one at the mission briefing after the mission you last saved at (i.e. the first briefing after finishing the mission you were in) and see if that helps. It's possible that there is something odd in the saved game that is causing trouble and one from a different point would work better. My recollection was that saved games at mission briefings were pretty commonly included with mods to help people who got stuck in a mission for one reason or another, so I would think those may be best for your purpose.

Good bit of info I did not know.  And easily done as I am only two KOs from fiinshing the map.

Also, it's likely you have already done this, but you probably want to start a new campaign on the new PC and play long enough to get to the second mission briefing, just to make sure there isn't some other issue afoot besides just the saved games.

Did this just this morning and it's working fine, so I'm thinking your first solution is the way to go.