Opted to the beta testing now can't go back - save games won't open

[gaucho_tche 11]

I am trying to get out of the beta versions but the save-games won't work with the regular version after being created with the beta. Is there a catch to circumvent this?

[SharraShimada 559]

Thats normal. Saves are different with preview versions. Its a different game. You cant go back safely. Thats why they suggest to make backups of the saves, prior to updating, or making a new save for the preview. 

Currently you just cant go back to stable version with this save anymore, sorry.

[gaucho_tche 11]

it even say the version number of the game when it was saved and the version number of the current version when you try to load the save game in the game, so I can only imagine that this numbers are read from the save file, and if you change that in the save file it would trick it into thinking it was saved with the old version. Problem is I can't locate that version numbers into the save file. I'm thinking that it's encoded.

Edited September 28 by gaucho_tche

[avc15 416]

In the preview announcement they said it, back up your save files, it's not backward compatible.

 

Sorry for your troubles but consider using the test branch, or wait until it goes live in a few days. Your 3rd option is to start over.

[Gracefulmuse 120]

4 hours ago, gaucho_tche said:

it even say the version number of the game when it was saved and the version number of the current version when you try to load the save game in the game, so I can only imagine that this numbers are read from the save file, and if you change that in the save file it would trick it into thinking it was saved with the old version. Problem is I can't locate that version numbers into the save file. I'm thinking that it's encoded.

I'm not sure how ONI structures its save data, but in games I have worked on, its not atypical for updates to sometimes change what data is stored in a save, to increase or decrease save speed. I imagine this would have been done with this update, since one of the main goals of the update was to reduce save data bloat, and increase save speed. This being said, even if you did change the version number on the save data file, the actual save itself could be totally different then a current live version save. 

It really sucks, but it has to be done for optimization. Perhaps someone here might know better and be able to help you, otherwise you might just have to deal with being on the beta branch until its ready for live (or start a new colony). It sucks, but they did warn that save would be incompatible if you choose to try the beta branch.  

[zOldBulldog 15]

It is very normal in Steam games to be able to save a map from stable to Beta versions but not be able to go back.

Th normal options to go back are:

1) Make a backup copy of the last stable version save, and return to that one later when you are ready to continue on the stable version.

2) Be alert and wait for the golden moment when the Beta version becomes the stable version.  Usually release dates are even announced in advanced and there is a thread in the forums.   When you see that... DO NOT start the game while your Beta setting is on, go into steam, turn it off, exit steam, reboot the computer just in case, and then go back into the game.   If all goes well, at that precise moment your "last Beta save" will be the current stable save and thus load.  I did not try this with ONI yet but it worked well for me in several other games.

 

[gaucho_tche 11]

when a new oficial update comes it automatically gets out of the test branch to the regular branch