Ren'Py how to NOT save in the system default location

[mr_tao]

So, Ren'py saves both in /game/saves and whatever is the system default save location.

Which is great because: portability! Yeah!

...but it's not as great when you want to leave, say, the work pc as clean as possible for whatever reason.
and while it's fast and easy to simply delete the directory when you stop using the pc, not necessarily one always has the time or remembers to do it.

Thus: would be possible to AVOID having a copy of the saves in the system default location?
or to move the system copy to a different directory, like one on the removible drive synched remotely?

thanks

 

[79flavors]

Yeah.

In the options.rpy file, change the line that references

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to this:

config.save_directory = None

It will stop using the shared saves folder (C:\Users\Owner\AppData\Roaming\RenPy\ and only use the game's /game/ folder for save files.

There is a warning in the documentation that it is not advised on systems where the game is installed by an administrator, but played by someone without admin rights.

It might even mean the game plays fine directly from a USB stick.

The issue of the shared folder is less about portability, and more about still being able to your v0.2 saves when v0.3 is released.

 

[mr_tao]

more about still being able to your v0.2 saves when v0.3 is released.

how so?
example:
v0.2 saves on the pendrive
v0.3 comes out
installed in the pendrive, copy the saves from the 0.2 directory to the 0.3 directory

Would it create problems?


also: thanks a lot

 

[79flavors]

Would it create problems?

No. But it's a manual process that most players wouldn't think to do.

Right now, with the shared save folder, when 0.3 comes out - almost everyone is able to load all the saves in the shared folder, even though those saves were written by the 0.2 version of the game. It's a convenience and one that most players take for granted. I wouldn't imagine many people are thinking to themselves "but... the /game/saves/ folder is empty. Where did it find my old saves from?".

In your case... you're clearly comfortable doing that... so no problem.

I modify 99.9% of RenPy games I play. Either to add custom keybinds, adjust the starting sound and volumes levels or change the hideous font that some developer really, really likes. Sometimes I get a lot more invasive, because it bugs me they've not added full-stops at the end of lines of dialogue or used a mix of ".." "..." and "....". Which is fine for myself. Same is true for you... if you want to alter that line of code before you first play the game and are happy to manually keep save files up-to-date... that's fine for you.

 

[anne O'nymous]

The issue of the shared folder is less about portability, and more about still being able to your v0.2 saves when v0.3 is released.

[...]
installed in the pendrive, copy the saves from the 0.2 directory to the 0.3 directory

The goal is to have the save files still present for the 99% of users who know nothing about computers ; users than can possibly delete the game folder, voluntarily or not. This while the "game/saves" folder permit to the 1% others to proceed the saves the way they want, if they want/need to.


This being said, playing adult games on a computer that you've to leave clean... It don't really seem like a good idea.

 

[mr_tao]

yes, of course it's better for the general user-base. It was mostly out of personal curiosity

thank you all a lot