savegames in "my documents"

[angrysquirrel]

okay, I've put in about 30 hours on this game. My hard drive was goin a bit crazy so I reformatted it.  My games are on another hard drive.  I boot up vice city and my save games are now gone.  Kudos to whatever programmer at rockstar decided to change what has been the normal placement of savegames on a pc since the 1980's.  Namely, to move the savegames OUT of the game directory!  Rockstar, if you are reading this, whoever made that decision should be FIRED!  

[illspirit]

Erm, I think they did that so multiple users on XP could have their own savegames and setings. I thought it was a good idea...  

[NitroJames]

I like that set up as well. Not to sound mean or anything, but you should have backed the files up b4 you reformatted your HD (maybe put the save game files on a floppy disc or something)

[Opius]

Whats wrong with it? Games have been doing it for ages. Max Payne is one example.

[RaveX]

Don't most people backup the my documents folder before formatting? Or is that just me who only wants to save documents

[Click Here]

I only use my documents for downloads and such but no pictures and installations.  

[angrysquirrel]

I can understand your point about multiple savegames with profiles, but it is much easier to put "joes savegame" in the savegame directory of the game.  (Rockstar could also allow more than 8 savegames if a user wanted more).

 

As for backing up "my documents" folder, I never use it.  My documents are saved on a different hard drive.  This is to ensure that my data is safe in the event that the hardest working drive (my windows C drive, which is the drive that strangely has the vice city save game files in it) crashes.

 

As for other games have been doing it for ages, I bet I can name more games that save the savegames in the program directory than in the "my documents" directory. (probably about 500 to 1 if not more).

 

Anyway, I think it was a stupid move by Rockstar, but I am happy to hear your opinions on the subject.  

[BknAxl]

I can understand your point about multiple savegames with profiles, but it is much easier to put "joes savegame" in the savegame directory of the game.  (Rockstar could also allow more than 8 savegames if a user wanted more).

But let's say you like having your controls one way and someone else likes his the other way. By having the files in mydocuments,whenever that person logs onto his account,their settings will automatically be loaded. This also prevents you deleting someone else's files by accident.

 

I just did a format and lost one of my game saves because somhow it became corrupt. But the other one worked.

Basically I started over and did the aumbulance missions(kinda disapointed when it stopped at 12). Bought the hide outs that are available then started doing the missions.

It probably only took me a couple hours to get back where I was,and that was about 45% complete.

[BknAxl]

As for backing up "my documents" folder, I never use it.  My documents are saved on a different hard drive.  This is to ensure that my data is safe in the event that the hardest working drive (my windows C drive, which is the drive that strangely has the vice city save game files in it) crashes.

I just run a bat file to back up my stuff. One click and all my sh*t is being backed up. I also have a restore.bat file that puts everything back after a format.

The only thing that I have to back up manually is my Outlook stuff.

[BknAxl]

Here's a sample of my bat file:

 

echo off:: 6:04 AM 3/30/2003::   //////////////////////////////////////::  //      Documents and Settings  //:: /////////////////////////////////////:: ++++++++++++++++++++:: +         Start Menu         +:: ++++++++++++++++++++xcopy "C:\Documents and Settings\John\Start Menu\Games\*.*" "D:\Backup\Documents and Settings\John\Start Menu\Games\" /D /e /yxcopy "C:\Documents and Settings\John\Start Menu\Programz\*.*" "D:\Backup\Documents and Settings\John\Start Menu\Programz\" /D /e /y:: +++++++++++++++++++:: +         Favorites         +:: +++++++++++++++++++xcopy "C:\Documents and Settings\John\Favorites\*.*" "D:\Backup\Documents and Settings\John\Favorites\" /D /e /yxcopy "C:\Documents and Settings\Web Design\Favorites\*.*" "D:\Backup\Documents and Settings\Web Design\Favorites\" /D /e /y:: +++++++++++++++++:: +         Send To       +:: +++++++++++++++++xcopy "C:\Documents and Settings\John\SendTo\Games.lnk" "D:\Backup\Documents and Settings\John\SendTo\" /D /yxcopy "C:\Documents and Settings\John\SendTo\Programz.lnk" "D:\Backup\Documents and Settings\John\SendTo\" /D /yxcopy "C:\Documents and Settings\John\SendTo\Startup.lnk" "D:\Backup\Documents and Settings\John\SendTo\" /D /y:: ++++++++++++++++++++++:: +        My Documents         +:: ++++++++++++++++++++++xcopy "C:\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\*.*" "D:\Backup\Documents and Settings\John\My Documents\" /D /e /y

 

 

 

[noVa]

it also means in the eventuality you have to uninstall or delete your games directory it means you can carry one with your games once u reinstall it.

[mxlegend]

I also dislike it, but wtf? Didnt you play GTA3? THey saved it there aswell. THey need a setup more like Motocross Madness2. Each Player his there own profile, which is a folder with there controls, savegames etc. ANd you just choose which to load in the game.

 

I also dont really backup anything in My Documents, i made an F: Partition for any files or whatever to backup, and on a weekly basis, i copy them over to my backup drive in my XP1600 for safe keeping. My Games are in D: Drive, and whenever i format, i just rename each game folder, reinstall that game, and cut/paste its contents back so i dont lose anything (Like new cars for Vice/GTA3, etc.)

 

ANd cause i reinstall them, i also get all the registry settings back.