Itch.io butler app: problem with save files

[MushroomCake28]

Don't know where to put this thread so I'll put it in general discussion.

So I suppose many of you guys publish your games on Itch.io. Itch has a wonderful client app and has a nice tool called "Butler" to upload builds and auto-update the game for those who have the client app. Although very powerful (it checks the difference between builds and only sends the download for that difference), it changes everything inside the build file, including the save files. So every time I upload a new build, it overwrites all the save files. Fortunately, I've only tested with my demo, which only have a few downloads, and I suspect most aren't even inside the client app so I shouldn't affect many people.

Any way to address this issue? Perhaps exclude the save folder from the build and make rpg maker load and save in another directory (the "Documents" folder in Windows?)

 

[Kes]

This isn't really a General Discussion topic, as it is too much a "How do I...?" type of question.

Would I be correct in thinking that this is something which would only apply to MV games? If so, then it could go to MV Deployment.

 

[MushroomCake28]

It concerns all games uploaded to Itch.io. Butler is their dev tool used to upload your game to their site to make it auto-update within their client app.

 

[Mrs_Allykat]

There are a couple of ways to handle this, both will probably use Yanfly's Save Core. First is to use Yanfly's Save Core to set your game to "Web Mode," which puts the saves in the system data.

The second is a bit platform dependant, and I'm not sure if Yanfly will allow this or if you have to get creative. If Yanfly allows you to dictate where the game save will be placed ( I've not tried it myself), for Windows7/8/10 you'll have to use something like %UserProfile%\Documents as your path. If I remember right, for Android it's just automatically "web mode" so you wouldn't have to do a thing.

Anyway, the whole trick is to get the save out of the game's directory. Keep in mind, however, if you make big changes to your game (like adding a new plugin) - it is usually advisable to have the player start over anyway. I cannot count the number of times that the simple act of starting a fresh game has fixed a player's problems...

 

[MushroomCake28]

@Mrs_Allykat Does that plugin need Yanfly's core engine? My plugins aren't really compatible with it... guess I'll have to code a similar solution to an external save file... sigh.

I was hoping for an easy solution that might missed with itch.io API, but well, there is no shortcuts in game making I suppose.

 

[Mrs_Allykat]

I'm afraid most of Yanfly's plugins need the core engine. I'm sure there is a way to do some of those adjustments by hand, since those look to be method objects that's being manipulated with the plugin. I think Huddell (sp?) has one of the "Orange" plugins to tweak a filename, so there might be some clues to making your own system hidden in there.

 

[MushroomCake28]

Thanks, I'll just look around a bit for a plugin that simply changes the save file directory. If I can't find one I'll just code one.

 

[Mrs_Allykat]

Honestly, @MushroomCake28 , if you did that I'm sure that others would be interested. Because you aren't the only one using itch.io. I use the Butler app as well, because it isn't just the user-downloads that are tweaked, but it seems to shorten up the revision uploads as well.

 

[MushroomCake28]

@Mrs_Allykat Lol actually found a plugin to simply store the save files in the windows's local appData folder: https://forums.rpgmakerweb.com/index.php?threads/save-files-saved-to-local-data-folders.56229/

This fixes completely the problem. I've just uploaded my new build and it works like a charm (the save files are untouched after all updates).

 

[Mrs_Allykat]

@MushroomCake28 That's a great find, and it's cool that you got the problem solved, and @taarna23 (plugin author) is someone on the forums that I trust.

 

[MushroomCake28]

Well, she is a moderator lol.

 

[Kes]

If this uses plugins then it is definitely MV Deployment.

[mod]Moving this[/mod]

 

[TWings]

@Kes If I understand it correctly, that's an issue due to the fact that saves files are stored by default in the same folder as the game. So for MV this can be changed by a plugin, but - assuming all versions of RM store the save file in the game folder - I suppose older versions would need another solution (some script perhaps ?).

 

[Kes]

Quite probably. In which case, a separate thread in e.g. VX Ace would need to explore what's required for that particular engine.

 

[Celianna]

So I use Itch.io and Butler as well to push out builds.

Save files don't get overwritten because...

Don't upload save files!

As long as your Save folder is empty when you push out a new build, then the player's save files won't get overwritten. Whether they will work or not with your latest update is another question though.

 

[TWings]

Then it works the same as Steam.
@MushroomCake28 if you upload your own save files with your game build, you're basically sending them to all your customers. That's something you don't want to do usually.

 

[MushroomCake28]

I'm pretty sure I've emptied the save folder before pushing the build and still got all my save files deleted. Either way, an external save folder would solve any potential issues anyways.

 

[TheoAllen]

I'm pretty sure I've emptied the save folder before pushing the build and still got all my save files deleted. Either way, an external save folder would solve any potential issues anyways.

No, I found a save file within your game, and I download it directly from ur itch.io page

 

[MushroomCake28]

No, I found a save file within your game, and I download it directly from ur itch.io page

I re-uploaded version after you downloaded without a save file to test it. That's when I noticed it erased it.

 

[Mrs_Allykat]

Due to my last few deployments have been "beta," I pushed a save file to force a reset. So, I hadn't run across that as an issue yet. Useful nugget of info to try to remember!