Please someone help (game files gone)

[spacedev]

I don't even know what to say. This unbelievable. I've spent hours and hours of time and effort in to putting this thing together-- and now it's gone. Poof. Please someone see if you can help me.


I was running a test on my game, when my computer shut off. Not slept, but shut off. I open up RPG Maker again and it says "Cannot read game.rpgproject" I quickly check the data files and every single json is completely clear except for my map files. My MapInfo file is clear, though. I make a copy of the game and make a fresh game, copying and pasting everything in there except for the game.rpgproject file, and it still doesn't work. (I figured this would happen, considering the json files are clear.) I try again by making a new game and just pasting the map files. Doesn't work, as expected. I try to put the mapinfo file in there and it doesn't work. Here's a picture:

Spoiler

You can highlight it as if somethings there, but it's clear. I've lost hope.


I'm using RPG Maker MV and my deployment is odd. I got the demo internet deployed and then bought it through steam. I did a backup of all steam files no to long ago but I'm not sure if this will help because all my game files are in Documents/Games/


I'm using a Windows 8.1


This is the second time this has happened to me, and this just happens to be a very big project of mine. I am completely heartbroken and angry. Is there anything I can do?

 

[Andar]

Not unless you have a backup of your files - which is one of the reasons why we always suggest that everyone should make regular backups.


Whenever power fails or Windows is aborted without regular shutdown for any reason, there is always a high chance that any open file might get corrupted. Nothing can change that due to the technologies used to speed up harddrive access.


And the RPG Makers are of a class of programs/editors that require their files to be open while working on them (a lot of database programs have that requirement), so if the computer looses power while you're working on the RM, the chance of a data loss is high and no one can change that other than doing regular backups.


That said, you can retrieve the data from the still intact map files. Make a new project, add new (empty) maps into it to create the empty mapfiles up to the map ID where you still have files, then overwrite those mapfiles with the ones from the damaged project.


You will still have to check their database links (if an event gave an item that doesn't exist in the default database, you'll have to recreate that database entry again for the event to work), but at least your mapping and part of your eventing will be restored that way.


And for the future, remember to keep backups.

 

[bgillisp]

I would highly suggest that you in the future also save your project somewhere besides documents as I've had instances where I've lost files in that directory before.

 

[spacedev]

Thank you for the help you guys. I'll be more careful this time around.

 

[RHachicho]

He .. just remembered I haven't done a backup in a week ... /goes and backs up own project.


What can I say what happened to you is my worst nightmare. And why I have a copy of my project on an external hard drive separate from the one im editing it on and an external HDD. It really sucks .. but don't give up on making games. Just for the love of god make backups next time.


Let this be your lesson.


NEVER AGAIN XD

 

[spacedev]

@RHachicho thank you for the encouraging words! but I'm just really tired and upset right now. eh, I'll probably come back to it. It's what I love to do. idk right now though

 

[mlogan]

I've moved this thread to MV Support. Please be sure to post your threads in the correct forum next time. Thank you.

 

[_Shadow_]

It's sad to know someone lost his/her work.


Suggestion:


I usually make games DIRECTLY on Dropbox.


When I finish, I make a copy of the project folder to another folder in Dropbox, called ProjBackup.


Also each week I copy backups to a usb stick and disconnect the stick from my PC.


That way I eliminate any disaster scenarios.


It might sound like me being a maniac with backups, because.... I am a maniac when it comes to backups, because I lost a lot of data in the past.

 

[ninja_tom]

I suggest using bitbucket for future. There is a recent tutorial on the blog. 

 

[Dad3353]

Before recent retirement, I was IT Manager for a large multinational. I would not recommend working with almost any programme over the Internet. The chances of a drop in communications are high. Far better to work with local files, always, and transfer a copy of the MV Project over the Web to a Cloud repository (Dropbox, Google Drive, whatever...) as backup at each end of session. For my part, I have dozens of Projects, and several 'on the go' at any one time. I have never lost any data from power cuts, or web drop-outs; none at all, in fact. Creating and managing data backup is part and parcel of working with computers, with MV or any other programme. What is the overriding advantage of working on a Cloud disk that justifies the risk..? Maybe I'm missing a trick here, but I don't see why working on local files is not systematic. The Cloud is for backup, not daily work, in my opinion.


Just my tuppence-worth.

 

[YoraeRasante]

I usually make games DIRECTLY on Dropbox.

By that, I assume you mean a local folder that is connected to update your online dropbox one?


Because if you are saving and using things diectly on the cloud, you are taking a huge risk...

 

[mlogan]

By that, I assume you mean a local folder that is connected to update your online dropbox one?


Because if you are saving and using things diectly on the cloud, you are taking a huge risk...

This is what I've done in the past, so that it's saved on my computer but gets automatically saved on Dropbox as well.

 

[_Shadow_]

By that, I assume you mean a local folder that is connected to update your online dropbox one?


Because if you are saving and using things diectly on the cloud, you are taking a huge risk...

Exactly that.


Oh! And I avodied Steam cloud while I was using Ace. For the record.

Before recent retirement, I was IT Manager for a large multinational. I would not recommend working with almost any programme over the Internet. The chances of a drop in communications are high. Far better to work with local files, always, and transfer a copy of the MV Project over the Web to a Cloud repository (Dropbox, Google Drive, whatever...) as backup at each end of session. For my part, I have dozens of Projects, and several 'on the go' at any one time. I have never lost any data from power cuts, or web drop-outs; none at all, in fact. Creating and managing data backup is part and parcel of working with computers, with MV or any other programme. What is the overriding advantage of working on a Cloud disk that justifies the risk..? Maybe I'm missing a trick here, but I don't see why working on local files is not systematic. The Cloud is for backup, not daily work, in my opinion.


Just my tuppence-worth.

Indeed, when I said directly on Dropbox, I meant on a local folder and let it sync whenever it wants.


You are both right, my bad.


I didn't meant work directly on cloud, since connection problems can occur all the time.


Kudos for stating that. Both of you

 

[Andar]

even if you work on a local folder - if that is automatically sync'ed to the cloud service, then that is enough to cause problems.


Never forget that RM needs the file open while working on it - if the software tries to sync in that same time, you have a good chance of loosing those files.

 

[ninja_tom]

A great point and yet another argument for using a proper RCS like git.