Where do the Saved Games get stored, so I can transfer to my office computer...

from Stardock Forums
Anyone know the save directory?

Thanks..
17,796 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
From the Sins Technical FAQ


Vista:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Ironclad Games\Sins of a Solar Empire\

XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Ironclad Games\Sins of a Solar Empire\

Please note these directories may be Hidden by default. To unhide them, go to your Control Panel -> Folder Options -> View and set yourself to view hidden files and folders.

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Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

Is there a way to change the default save directory to something else?
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sadly no, it was discussed alot in the beta and it was said it had something to do with Microsoft/windows way of handling files. So IC and SD cant do anything about it (:(
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
Anyone know the file extention thingie is called so i can search for em? :P
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top


Is there a way to change the default save directory to something else?


sadly no, it was discussed alot in the beta and it was said it had something to do with Microsoft/windows way of handling files. So IC and SD cant do anything about it
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That makes absolutely no sense. I've played hundreds of PC titles and I've never seen one that hides your saves in a hidden and obscure directory.

For reference, the folder is actually C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Ironclad Games\Sins of a Solar Empire
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
I have a feeling it has something to do with Vista, and some sort of new stupid Games for Windows policy. That's purely speculation.

I miss the days of c:\games\*GAME*\saves (:( I think it's only going to get worse from here.
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
It is the games for windows policy that all saved game files be stored in a specific location.
Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top

yeah its a new thing from MS they are trying to make backup's easier on you

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

Yes, except for one tiny mistake - the old Games for Windows specification says that saved games for Vista go in the C:\Users\<Username>\Saved Games folder, NOT Application Data, and the new one doesn't have any requirement at all for that - you can put them wherever the heck you want!  If they're claiming it's because of the Microsoft logo specification, they couldn't be more wrong.

Besides, Demigod already violates Games for Windows guidelines by having a shortcut in the Start Menu.  So does Sins of a Solar Empire.  The proper implementation is for the only way to launch the game being digging through Program Files for the executable, or somehow magically guessing that you should run it from the Games Explorer.  Lord of the Rings Online is an example of this.

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top

I've wondered that too. I have awhole bunch of "Games for Windows", but sins is the only one that stores stuff under AppData.

edit: Upon closer inspection, plenty of games store stuff there, but sins is the only one that has saves there

Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top

That makes absolutely no sense. I've played hundreds of PC titles and I've never seen one that hides your saves in a hidden and obscure directory.

For reference, the folder is actually C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application Data\Ironclad Games\Sins of a Solar Empire
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Actually, as a Windows dev myself, one of the biggest reasons why stuff is saved to this folder (often called the APP_DATA directory by my colleagues) is more likely due to permissions. This is true since XP, so it is less likely to do with "Games for Windows" policies and Vista.

In normal XP with multiple user accounts, it is default that applications do not have read/write permissions to almost any place, including its own directory. This is why you often hear instructions that such-and-such app must be installed as Adminstrator. The only place that by default allows read/write permissions is in the specially created APP_DATA directory for each application. If an application dev wishes to have R/W permissions elsewhere, then special setup/configs are needed at install time (see install wizards, NSIS, et al). This can be a big hassle to do for an installer. And it can clash with other security policies that may be in effect at  the time.

The only other location for an app to save its own files is %TEMP% which clearly is not suitable, and the "My Documents" folder, which is probably already heavily overused. Besides, My Documents usually shows up in most applications' File > Open, so for an application to save app specific files which do not really need user access (eg. logs, saved data, etc), APP_DATA is the usual place.

So, just for reference in XP (this is true for most all standard Windows apps):

C:\Documents and Settings - Windows installed default

<username> - in case of multiple accounts on the same PC

Local Settings - to force data to be local, as opposed to roaming user profiles in Windows

Application Data\IronClad - self-explanatory

In Vista, it is the same, except that they merely moved folders and names around.

I just wanted to explain this so that people have a better understanding (a likely reason) why IronClad did this - to improve compatibility across all Windows installations - and not because they decided it on a whim :)