TheDevian

Svengali Productions
Game Developer
Mar 8, 2018
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It was until, at least in the Windows world, Vista and W10 changed how permissions work. Then everything went to hell.

That's why several devs have gone back to local saves: Less guesswork as to where in Gates' name the things are REALLY stored.
Call me old fashion, but I always preferred my saves in the game folder. It is not only easier to keep track of, but I install things to certain drives for a reason, and I want the saves to be there too. Don't want my system folders getting filled up because some dev team decides I am too dumb to keep track of my own shit.
I had my mind made up how I want to store my data and how to organize it before Win95, TYVM. Old habits die hard. So if I ever made a game, it would be saved under C:\PORNSAVE and not work otherwise :)
Oh, porn has its own drive, sorted by type. Games, videos, comics, images, etc...
 

ZenGarden

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Oct 1, 2017
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Call me old fashion, but I always preferred my saves in the game folder. It is not only easier to keep track of, but I install things to certain drives for a reason, and I want the saves to be there too. Don't want my system folders getting filled up because some dev team decides I am too dumb to keep track of my own shit.
I am actually totally on your side with this, because I do the same: All things in more-or-less one location that I know will have no permission issues.

Plus, those games that do use central locations? You know how many noodles in those threads ask, over and over:
Where save?
Save please?
Lost saves, new please?
Dog ate my hard drive, spare save?
Dev forgot to add save function, stupid game!
 

Sycho

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I am actually totally on your side with this, because I do the same: All things in more-or-less one location that I know will have no permission issues.

Plus, those games that do use central locations? You know how many noodles in those threads ask, over and over:
Where save?
Save please?
Lost saves, new please?
Dog ate my hard drive, spare save?
Dev forgot to add save function, stupid game!
And my personal favorite, my save left me for a more hunkier AVN.

Or..

My save went out for a pack of smokes and never came home. :)
 

whichone

Forum Fanatic
Jan 3, 2018
4,915
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I am actually totally on your side with this, because I do the same: All things in more-or-less one location that I know will have no permission issues.

Plus, those games that do use central locations? You know how many noodles in those threads ask, over and over:
Where save?
Save please?
Lost saves, new please?
Dog ate my hard drive, spare save?
Dev forgot to add save function, stupid game!
Thing is, it wouldn't be so bad when they use the profile save locations, if they all used the same ones!
So Cyberpunk used:
C:\Users\*Profile name\Saved Games
Whereas Horizon: Zero Dawn used the "Documents" folder.

Ren'Py games that store their save files in the "game\saves" folder, still also store them in:
C:\Users\*Profile name\App Data (hidden folder)\Roaming\RenPy\Game name folder
Whereas Unity games seems to use:
C:\Users\*Profile name\App Data (hidden folder)\LocalLow\Game name folder

Urgh... :LOL:
 

ZenGarden

Well-Known Member
Oct 1, 2017
1,692
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My save went out for a pack of smokes and never came home
Nelsave Muntz?

Thing is, it wouldn't be so bad when they use the profile save locations, if they all used the same ones!
So Cyberpunk used:
C:\Users\*Profile name\Saved Games
Whereas Horizon: Zero Dawn used the "Documents" folder.

Ren'Py games that store their save files in the "game\saves" folder, still also store them in:
C:\Users\*Profile name\App Data (hidden folder)\Roaming\RenPy\Game name folder
Whereas Unity games seems to use:
C:\Users\*Profile name\App Data (hidden folder)\LocalLow\Game name folder

Urgh... :LOL:
Yup. Totally easier to find all that, than look in the damn 'game' folder.
 

Nemo56

Forum Fanatic
Jan 7, 2018
4,903
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It was until, at least in the Windows world, Vista and W10 changed how permissions work. Then everything went to hell.

That's why several devs have gone back to local saves: Less guesswork as to where in Gates' name the things are REALLY stored.
Actually that's a step back back to the time before that was changed. It took ages, but Microsoft got that system running as it should with Windows Vista. In Windows 95 you didn't have to think about permissions. From Windows Vista on program files and data were split, like on all other operating systems.

No more "program needs to run as admin" or "don't put it into the 'program files' directory".

But many lazy programmers (like me) still had configuration data in the program directory and sometimes still do, which can cause all sorts of problems if you don't put the program in a directory that does not need permissions. The one good thing it has is that all your files are in one place, but that's about it. If that place is in a directory that requires admin rights, the game requires admin rights as well. And of course on a shared network the data won't get synchronized and you can't prevent that two users on the same computer share the same data.
And last but not least: I only need to backup one single directory without losing any data. Install Windows, recover user ... tadaa! All data is back for all games.
(ok, that's a lie, I also backup the Uplay and Steam savegame directory, so it's 3, not 1. But still)

These days I follow the "Only thyn Admin shalt install" rule. Depending on if you want the data to be synchronized in a shared network or not, use %appdata% or %localappdata% for data, this way you won't need special permissions.
%userprofile%/savegames" was an attempt to introduce a dedicated savegame directory, but hardly anyone uses it, since it's not a standard and has no counterpart on other operating systems (like linux or android). The idea that game data was something different than program data was worth to be explored however. %userprofile%/documents should be reserved for actual documents if you ask me, but many developers put their savegames there.
 
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Cartageno

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Dec 1, 2019
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Actually that's a step back back to the time before that was changed. It took ages, but Microsoft got that system running as it should with Windows Vista. In Windows 95 you didn't have to think about permissions. From Windows Vista on program files and data were split, like on all other operating systems.

No more "program needs to run as admin" or "don't put it into the 'program files' directory".

But many lazy programmers (like me) still had configuration data in the program directory and sometimes still do, which can cause all sorts of problems if you don't put the program in a directory that does not need permissions. The one good thing it has is that all your files are in one place, but that's about it. If that place is in a directory that requires admin rights, the game requires admin rights as well. And of course on a shared network the data won't get synchronized and you can't prevent that two users on the same computer share the same data.
And last but not least: I only need to backup one single directory without losing any data. Install Windows, recover user ... tadaa! All data is back for all games.
(ok, that's a lie, I also backup the Uplay and Steam savegame directory, so it's 3, not 1. But still)

These days I follow the "Only thyn Admin shalt install" rule. Depending on if you want the data to be synchronized in a shared network or not, use %appdata% or %localappdata% for data, this way you won't need special permissions.
%userprofile%/savegames" was an attempt to introduce a dedicated savegame directory, but hardly anyone uses it, since it's not a standard and has no counterpart on other operating systems (like linux or android). The idea that game data was something different than program data was worth to be explored however. %userprofile%/documents should be reserved for actual documents if you ask me, but many developers put their savegames there.
I think this is very different in its effects depending on how "literate" you are with computers and how much stuff you do. And if you have some ideas on how to structure your files it may collide with this standard. For example in my "pre-windows does it for me" days I had made a "document folder" myself to save my stuff, even if called differently (starting with a "0" to be alphabetically first for starters) but then before I saved stuff in there I had two to three more levels of sorting which I made myself, whereas in "documents" I get the programs decide how to do it which leads to clutter for me. Never mind that some programs decide they want to do it differently anyway.

Of course the "simple backup" is true and I just enjoyed it having moved to a new PC last month - but it isn't free.
 
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Nemo56

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Jan 7, 2018
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I think this is very different in its effects depending on how "literate" you are with computers and how much stuff you do. And if you have some ideas on how to structure your files it may collide with this standard. For example in my "pre-windows does it for me" days I had made a "document folder" myself to save my stuff, even if called differently (starting with a "0" to be alphabetically first for starters) but then before I saved stuff in there I had two to three more levels of sorting which I made myself, whereas in "documents" I get the programs decide how to do it which leads to clutter for me. Never mind that some programs decide they want to do it differently anyway.

Of course the "simple backup" is true and I just enjoyed it having moved to a new PC last month - but it isn't free.
I'm an old DOS-Jockey (actually I started before I got my hands on DOS, remember the Frael Bruc 100 or the Sharp MZ80B? And of course the all famous Amiga 2000C), I organize and spread my personal stuff as well, games got not into Program Files, my documents directory only contains a few text documents and spread sheets, videos and music don't go into the user media directories etc. etc.
And yes, because many games put the savegames into documents instead of Savegames/AppData/LocaLAppData, I made a subdir with my personal files, so they remain separated.

But this is not how it's supposed to work. As a programmer I can't expect others to be as experienced as I am. A user should not have to worry about writing permissions or where files are stored, which he never needs to use directly.
He (if he has admin rights, otherwise his admin has to do it) should be able to click on install (or uninstall) and the rest is done for him. New game version? He should not have to empty the old program directory before installing to make sure everything works. He should not have to copy any files around, not savegame fils, not program settings. He should be able to install the new version and play, continue from his last savegame.
 
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EmperorGus

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Oct 11, 2020
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I'm an old DOS-Jockey (actually I started before I got my hands on DOS, remember the Frael Bruc 100 or the Sharp MZ80B? And of course the all famous Amiga 2000C),...
I really hope that's not an attempt to say "Hey, look! I'm old-school!"
Because for that you need to go back another decade.
Maybe try mentioning the TRS 80 (Cassette tape storage, didn't have floppies yet) and then the Apple II.
:p
 
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Nemo56

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Jan 7, 2018
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I really hope that's not an attempt to say "Hey, look! I'm old-school!"
Because for that you need to go back another decade.
Maybe try mentioning the TRS 80 (Cassette tape storage, didn't have floppies yet) and then the Apple II.
:p
Nah, that I said in the first sentence "I'm an old DOS-Jockey". The rest was just me, who tends to just keep 'talking' when digging up old memories. But if I wanted to, I would dig up my experience with Xerox (that's the system Apple copied everything from) and Siemens Nixdorf computers. But those I usually don't count, since I didn't have them at home. I only had access to the Siemens for a few weeks anyway. That was a office business machine with several terminals (and I don't know the model, but the central hard drive was HUGE!). The Sharp had a tape btw (and is just as old as the Apple II btw.), the Frael didn't have anything, had to type in the the programs myself - every time. But it was a good learning experience.

edit: Btw. About "Go back another decade": to 1968? I wasn'teven born then, also the stuff we both mentioned exist at that point.
edit2: Anyway, my point was: Even us old relics need to adapt, people today work very differently and we're creating stuff for them, not for us.
 
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Sycho

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Nah, that I said in the first sentence "I'm an old DOS-Jockey". The rest was just me, who tends to just keep 'talking' when digging up old memories. But if I wanted to, I would dig up my experience with Xerox (that's the system Apple copied everything from) and Siemens Nixdorf computers. But those I usually don't count, since I didn't have them at home. I only had access to the Siemens for a few weeks anyway. That was a office business machine with several terminals (and I don't know the model, but the central hard drive was HUGE!). The Sharp had a tape btw (and is just as old as the Apple II btw.), the Frael didn't have anything, had to type in the the programs myself - every time. But it was a good learning experience.

edit: Btw. About "Go back another decade": to 1968? I wasn'teven born then, also the stuff we both mentioned exist at that point.
edit2: Anyway, my point was: Even us old relics need to adapt, people today work very differently and we're creating stuff for them, not for us.
I first started out tinkering with the Atari 2600 before I got my first computer (Apple //c). On Apple, I started playing around on BBSes, wrote a beginner's guide to AD&D in Apple BASIC (completely playable just like the book) and ventured into what used to be called "IBM Compatible" with an IBM PS/2 286. Ran a small single-node BBS using WWIV on that. :)

Did I just date myself? lol
 

Cartageno

Devoted Member
Dec 1, 2019
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Sorry, while I had the Atari 2600 (and a simple Pong type game console whose name eludes me, but already with variations like soccer - two bars on each side, not the whole baseline is a goal) I only started "messing around" with the C64 and then moved to PC via Atari 500. So I am too young to continue this discussion ;)

However, I would still argue that usability on the first level comes at the price of control and usability on the second level. Especially if, as shown above, programs do not really care for standards. And especially in the age of having a system SSD disk and a standard HD for the "heavy" stuff the clutter can become worse for the uninitiated - "Why is my disk full? I bought a 16TB disk" - yes, but everything got written onto the 512GB one.

If you just do the standard stuff - email, surfing, maybe a letter here and a spreadsheet there, two minor games to keep you entertained - this is more comfortable, agreed. However there comes a point when you just have to delve a bit deeper into the workings of a PC.

On which side of this point "save game locations for amateur lewd games" is situated is of course debatable. But I see an educational option here: show some of the workings of the PC with a suddenly motivated audience ;)
 
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Sycho

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May 9, 2018
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Sorry, while I had the Atari 2600 (and a simple Pong type game console whose name eludes me, but already with variations like soccer - two bars on each side, not the whole baseline is a goal) I only started "messing around" with the C64 and then moved to PC via Atari 500. So I am too young to continue this discussion ;)

However, I would still argue that usability on the first level comes at the price of control and usability on the second level. Especially if, as shown above, programs do not really care for standards. And especially in the age of having a system SSD disk and a standard HD for the "heavy" stuff the clutter can become worse for the uninitiated - "Why is my disk full? I bought a 16TB disk" - yes, but everything got written onto the 516GB one.

If you just do the standard stuff - email, surfing, maybe a letter here and a spreadsheet there - this is more comfortable, agreed. However there comes a point when you just have to delve a bit deeper into the workings of a PC.

On which side of this point "save game locations for amateur lewd games" is situated is of course debatable. But I see an educational option here: show some of the workings of the PC with a suddenly motivated audience ;)
I know a couple of people who have used a C64 before, but I don't recall ever playing around on one myself. In middle school (when I was in 6th grade at the time) we used Apple in math class, but that's really as far as I got. Those, I believe, had the cassette tape drives, IIRC.
 

Cartageno

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I know a couple of people who have used a C64 before, but I don't recall ever playing around on one myself. In middle school (when I was in 6th grade at the time) we used Apple in math class, but that's really as far as I got. Those, I believe, had the cassette tape drives, IIRC.
My C64 also had one (called "datasette tape" because cool and hip) until I saved for a year and more to buy myself the VC1541 disk drive. Incredible stuff: 170kB of space and it only took like 10 minutes to load that.
 

Cartageno

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My C64 also had one (called "datasette tape" because cool and hip) until I saved for a year and more to buy myself the VC1541 disk drive. Incredible stuff: 170kB of space and it only took like 10 minutes to load that.
Also, we were loading uphill in a snowstorm without boots on but we didn't complain ;)
 
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Sycho

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I wanted to share with you guys the re-work I'm doing right now on the quick guide to make it easier to read (and hopefully condensing the guide as well). Opinions/thoughts, anyone?

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Update:
Well, I was hoping I could condense the PDF by making changes to the staff events layout but ended up adding 2 additional pages bringing its total to 19 pages long now. I'm still pleased with the way it turned out though. :)
 
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kittyamazing19

New Member
Nov 3, 2017
6
23
Been 15 days in game and the guest still wont go into the specific room I need them to be in to further the story.
Is there anyway I can lure them to the room I want?
 

Forgotted

Well-Known Member
Sep 1, 2020
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Been 15 days in game and the guest still wont go into the specific room I need them to be in to further the story.
Is there anyway I can lure them to the room I want?
Not sure which room you're referring to, however, if you are only taking 1 star guests, they won't go into some rooms. I think you need to bump that up to maybe 3 or 4 stars.
Boy, that's horrible wording but I hope you get what I mean.....


hth
Cheers
 

kittyamazing19

New Member
Nov 3, 2017
6
23
Not sure which room you're referring to, however, if you are only taking 1 star guests, they won't go into some rooms. I think you need to bump that up to maybe 3 or 4 stars.
Boy, that's horrible wording but I hope you get what I mean.....


hth
Cheers
I was struggling to get Jim Daslon into the bar. Deigo is also being a pain and wont go into the gym.
I guess I'll just have to keep at it and try and luck out if there's no way I can lure them to those rooms.
 
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