A temporary solution to avoid losing your game in case of crash and restore

First I would advice that you play with Permadeath OFF until they fix the crashes.

Now for backup,because there is only one(actually two) save file being used for each character, if it gets corrupted and crashes, your whole time spend is gone down the toilet.
The solution is really simple,backup once in a while your save files.
Open the following folder (For Win7/Vista): C:\Users\(USERNAME)\Documents\Gaslamp Games\Dungeons of Dredmor
There are always two files for each saved character and another one to handle them,for instance:
Afterstar.sav
Bitmap_Afterstar.sav
loadsave.dat.
Copy and paste those files somewhere else,like on your desktop temporarily.
Alt-tab and do this every 30minutes or so and you won't regret it.
If a saved file gets corrupted then replace it with your backup ones.
You will lose some progress but it's better than losing all of it, isn't it?

[Update]: You need to save loadsave.dat as well, otherwise you will have to manually tweak it.
Read below if you have the .sav files but the game can't find your saves.

-=--------------------------------------------------------------------------------=-

Easy way to manually tweak loadsave.dat in case you have the .sav files but the game doesn't see them when you try to play:
1.Open up the loadsave.dat file using notepad/wordpad or any word processor,
If loadsave.dat doesn't exist already, you can create it by making a new character in game.

2.Before we continue lets see how a loadsave.dat looks like:
The file will look something like this. I have put on the right what each is.
(Ignore the ___ lines, unfortunately the forum doesn't like spaces)

2________________________<-- Total number of saved games/files to look for.I currently have two(2)>
Afterm.sav_______________________ <-- Save file name to look for>
Aftermath the Adventurer________ <-- Title to give to your highscore and save text,not important>
on Floor 4 of The Halls of Wood___ <-- A text that displays the area you are, not important>
6
8
10_________________<-- All the following numbers are the skill icons that will be displayed>
11_________________< when you click/select that save ingame,not important,just make sure you put>
12_________________< seven(7) lines of numbers after the area text above and before the next save.>
27
32
AfterS.sav________________________<-- The second save file name, the rest are the same.>
AfterStar the Footman
on Floor 0 of The Dungeon
0
7
10
12
27
31
32

3.Check your save file name, lets say it's MYSELF.sav , make note of it.
Add it to your loadsave.dat file in the following manner(See new data below):

3______________________<--Change this according to the number of .sav names that are in the file.>
Afterm.sav_____________< We added one more(MYSELF.sav) to the two(2) before so now its three(3). >
Aftermath the Adventurer
on Floor 4 of The Halls of Wood
6
8
10
11
12
27
32
AfterS.sav
AfterStar the Footman
on Floor 0 of The Dungeon
0
7
10
12
27
31
32
MYSELF.sav___________________<-- My new data.>
MYSELF The crazyman
on Floor 9 of the weirdos
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

4.Make sure you added the MYSELF.sav and Bitmap_MYSELF.sav files into the same folder as the loadsave.dat.
Open the game, load the MYSELF file, and Save again.
It will then fix it's data and show the correct names and skills at the save screen.

 

thanks

 

Hmm, Does this provide a "cheat" of sorts for the permadeath leaderboards?!

Yuk.

 

Yes.... So once they fix the issue it might be nice if they wipe the leaderboards and make a more substantial way to save out characters.

 

Yes, I'd say this is a must.. Once cloud save games are online, a wipe of the permadeath leaderboards is a MUST! Gaslamp, do you copy?!

 

I have not yet had a crash, but am now taking this precaution, thanks.

An automated way to do this would be to use Dropbox + the DropboxFolderSync (found here: http://wiki.dropbox.com/DropboxAddons/DropboxFolderSync ). Then, just right-click on the "Dungeons of Dreadmor" save directory and select "sync with Dropbox." As you play the game, it will make periodic backups as the save file changes. And, if a save is corrupted, there is a version history so you can restore to an earlier version.

If this helped you, and you don't already have a Dropbox account, please consider signing up for it via this link: http://db.tt/TKjzaRb It will give me credit for referring accounts and give me bonus space. Thanks.

 

Arphahat i use dropbox and never realized you could dot hat, awesome find, thanks.

 

You're welcome.

After experimenting with this, I notice that the game does not appear to auto-save, so you will need to save or "save and quit" regularly to have it create a save file that will be backed up.

 

After copy & pasting a pair of save files back in, they don't show on the load menu. I think there's a lockout code created somewhere for them, if dead or just quitting without saving. That's great against cheat-loading.

Hopefully it works with CTDs, however my tests make me doubt if that will work either. Can someone report if they can load their backup after a CTD?

 

@NefariousKoel

You need to copy loadsave.dat as well. It seems to determine which save files are active.

 

Yes J-Factor is right. Because I was playing on Permadeath OFF, my details in loadsave.dat weren't being deleted,but if you play with Permadeath ON you need the loadsave.dat as well,because sometimes at the crash it may think you quit and thus died,removing your data.

So in general, backup loadsave.dat as well.
However you can also open loadsave.dat with notepad or any other word processor and tweak it to add your hero back,I have added a very simple way to do it to the thread.
So don't lose hope ,if you have the .sav files you can still add back your hero.

 

@NefariousKoel check how to fix the loadsave.dat file in my updated thread.
The method is very simple.

 

Awesome big thanks Afterstar.

I tested. It worked. Now I don't have to sweat a CTD wiping my character.