"Unable to read file Game.rpgproject"

[BurgerMasterMan]

I apologize foe posting on the forums so much but I believe this may be the end of it if there isn't a fix to this. Last night, I was working on my game and everything was fine. I close it out like normal and open it the next day only only for the game to not be able to read my "game" file. Basically, the game maker runs but my actual game won't.

After doing a bit of research, I've realized that I may have corrupted my game files for some supernatural reason. When I replaced the "game" file with a "game" file from a new project, my game also won't load any of my .json files unless I replace them too. Also, the maps won't load either. It seems like I've lost everything and the last game backup I've made was three months ago. I've put 800+ hours into this game and I desperately need it fixed. I already tried restarting my computer, un/reinstalling the game, and replacing 'corrupted' files with blank ones but that basically just gives me a blank slate.

If anyone has a fix or solution to this, I will happily try anything anyone has to offer. I will P A Y someone if they have the technical knowledge to fix it. Anything to fix this possibly game-ending error for what is basically my greatest passion ever. If there's no fix for this, this may be the end of RPGMakerMV for me forever. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. (also, sorry if this is posted in the wrong place. I always seem to mess up thread placement here, lol)

 

[JtheDuelist]

@BurgerMasterMan Unfortunately, the backup is all you have- once a project has been fully corrupted like that, there is no recovering it. You should back up the project more often (like every two weeks, or as I do, once/twice a week). At least you have a backup, so I wouldn't give up that easily. Now if you had no backup at all, then I could understand.

 

[BurgerMasterMan]

In that case. I have lost three months of progress.

 

[JtheDuelist]

I know it feels bad-I once lost 4 months of work on one of mine.

 

[gstv87]

the json files are only data storage.
you *should* be able to load them from a brand new file if the target file and the source file are structured the same way.
if there is a specific number of actors in your game, try creating blank actors in a brand new game, and then go into the json files and copy the data manually.

theoretically, the game shouldn't be able to tell the difference.

 

[Engr. Adiktuzmiko]

Edit: seems like ur json files are also affected, sorry

 

[BurgerMasterMan]

Ok, with the help of gstv87 I was able to salvage enough to continue this. A few maps are completely gone which sucks but thanks to you guys I was able to get a bit of this progress back. Now I've only really lost about 20-30 hrs progress and I can deal with repairing that. Thank you all for helping me not lose hope completely. (And I will remember to make backups more often in the future.)

 

[Andar]

@BurgerMasterMan there is no "supernatural" reason for files being destroyed, there is always a real reason.

This goes from working inside a cloudfolder (NEVER with any RM or any other databasing program) to Windows crashes to defective HDDs and a few other possibilities, and most of them can repeat unless you remove the cause.

 

[BurgerMasterMan]

@Andar Not sure I'll ever be able to find the true cause. "Supernatural" was intended for emphasis, I know there's a real reason, I probably just won't be able to find it. I'll simply keep making backups all the time for the next time it happens. Could this lead to more frequent episodes of data loss than before?

 

[Andar]

It depends on the cause, but most cases it will increase the errors.

If it is your harddrive loosing sectors due to age, that can be checked with programs like checkdisk and it will increase until complete failure.
If it is caused by Windows crashing or errors in Windows shutdown, then again any repeat of the Problem will cause more files to be destroyed - the RMs are often only the first programs to fail due to their way of file storing but every program will be at risk.

 

[BurgerMasterMan]

The only problem is that there were no failures. I shut the game down like normal (saving and exiting out) and then the next day it was gone. No shutdowns or errors occurred between those two events.

 

[Andar]

that means you've had a hidden failure, not that there was none.
There are several possibilities for this, but only two that could really cause more errors:
1) hard drive is nearing end-of-life.
use checkdisk or a similiar program (needs to be downloaded, is not included in windows) to read the S.M.A.R.T. status of your HDD - if it is below 80-85% or so it might be time to exchange the drive.
2) power off while shutdown incomplete
If you have a main switch to cut off standby current for your computer (bad idea) and cut power one second too early after windows shutdown seemed to be complete, the HDD cache might not yet be completely stored into magnetic storage. and all cache is automatically deleted on power off.
Unlikely to happen (only if you use such a switch and have been in a hurry), but that could loose you files.