None of my saved games will load

[Shibbyland]

Hi All,

My game crashes to desktop any time I try to load any saved game. I keep multiple save files as backups and none of them work. Has anybody else run into this and does anybody have a solution?

Thanks

[vdr1981]

Originally Posted by Shibbyland

Hi All,

My game crashes to desktop any time I try to load any saved game. I keep multiple save files as backups and none of them work. Has anybody else run into this and does anybody have a solution?

Thanks

All gamesaves? Even those from previous patrols?
I cant remember last time when I had a problem with corrupted gamesave. What did you do?

[Shibbyland]

Every single one of them including the auto saves. I don't know what I did. The only thing I can think I might have done is quit directly to windows and close Uplay before it could sync the save games. I don't think I did that but it's possible Uplay was forced to close by shutting the computer down.

Not sure, I've just started a new campaign from the beginning. So far so good.

[XenonSurf]

Originally Posted by Shibbyland

Every single one of them including the auto saves. I don't know what I did. The only thing I can think I might have done is quit directly to windows and close Uplay before it could sync the save games. I don't think I did that but it's possible Uplay was forced to close by shutting the computer down.

Not sure, I've just started a new campaign from the beginning. So far so good.

It's best not to use Autosaves and not to overwrite your saves but to save in a different slot each time, then make a save everytime you enter bunker so at least you have sort of backup if you get a screwed save in open sea. After some time you delete old saves (just delete the 00000000x folders) because by saving in a new slot each time will fill HD space quickly...
If your savegame is corrupt, there is a solution that can work in some cases:


-------------------------
(...)
Namely, one only have to delete "Special.txt" file from the gamesave folder (...Documents\SH5\data\cfg\SaveGames\0000000*). The corrupted gamesave will become functional again...
-------------------------

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi Shibby
Does not make any sense at all to me.
If you are playing on line with Uplay then you have 2 saves being made.
Your game is being saved to the cloud as an automatic save and manual save.
Your game is also being saved to your saved games folder on your C drive but is not being used.
If you go off line from Uplay then your saved games are taken from own C drive games folder.
You need to go off line.
Uplay will ask you where you want to take your saved games from > the Cloud or own saved games folder.


If the game is still crashing start a new career without the tutorial
When the game loads to the bunker use the Esc key and select Save game.
In Save Game delete your last saved game and then delete the new career save.


Go back to the main menu and exit to the desk top
Start the game again and see if you can load the game save that is now showing.
If you are still unable to load this save then you have a corruption and will need to uninstall SH5 and I would remove the mods and replace with fresh ones incase they are also corrupted but do not unstill your saved games at this point.
When you re-install and update the game to v1.2 try loading your last game save again.

If it still fails then you will need to start a new career and delete your previous saved games.
Peter

[Shibbyland]

Started new career. Seems to work fine so far. I didn't realise overwriting saves was an issue but I'll avoid that and see what happens.

Cheers

[XenonSurf]

Originally Posted by Shibbyland

Started new career. Seems to work fine so far. I didn't realise overwriting saves was an issue but I'll avoid that and see what happens.

Cheers

Yep, do not overwrite, but also: do not use autosaves and save everytime you go in the bunker and everytime in a different slot
This means the painful dance to return in main menu each time and reload...SH5 is difficult

[Spraki]

I make multiple saves but also overwrite them most of the time.

However, I avoid autosaving. Loading them is CTD.

[XenonSurf]

Also when in the bunker you need to save and reload your save, you should not just continue in the bunker.


Here my notes about saving, as you can see it's not simple...


-------------------------------------
When saving the game - and when not...
**************************************

You will be surprised that I make such a doc, but the savegames in SH5 are so complex that they can ruin your day when you save at the wrong time or when your savegames become corrupt. So read all this and remember carefully.

1.
Save the game everytime you start a new campaign or campaign section, just after entering the bunker screen. Save and reload from the main menu. A pop-up text in TWOS will remind you of this. DO IT, or the campaign may not play out correctly!

2.
Don't use Autosaves, don't overwrite old saves, always save in a separate slot, use names without spaces like camp_1, camp_2 etc. to save your campaign progresses.
Autosaves can easily get corrupted and overwriting saves could make your save 'vanish'.

3. Best moments to save...
During the campaign, save when no ships are nearby, far away from bunkers or major ports in open sea in order to minimize save corruptions.
Best moment to save is after a convoy attack and after leaving the place in open sea with no more ships in sight, or after leaving your patrol zone (see next point). Save often in these conditions, the more saves you do the less you need to replay after a possible crash when reloading...

4.
Saving in your patrol zone will unfortunately RESET your required patrol time in that zone. The consequence is not very severe, but it's nasty. So be sure to save just BEFORE you enter the patrol zone (just in case something goes horribly wrong), then patrol your required time in one piece without saving (you can use TC!), then save just AFTER leaving the zone and after you have patrolled the required time in order to secure your progress.

DO NOT SAVE THE GAME WHEN...
- Damaged or combatting AI units are nearby;
- When planes are flying nearby;
- In heavy populated ports or just outside your bunker, go further away. (although corruptions are rare here)
- If you have finished your time in the patrol zone, then LEAVE IT before saving (see reason above).
The 2 first ones can corrupt your savegames, especially the first one.

IF YOU GET A CORRUPTED SAVEGAME...
Sometimes you can rescue the save by deleting the file "Special.txt" from your savegame folder (...Documents\SH5\data\cfg\SaveGames\0000000*). Reload the save and pray...



-------------------------------------

[Captain_AJ]

also get rid of uplay )

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi Shibbyland
Post #69 Play Silent Hunter 5 Offline! > Pictorial
Peter

Originally Posted by Shibbyland

Hi All,

My game crashes to desktop any time I try to load any saved game. I keep multiple save files as backups and none of them work. Has anybody else run into this and does anybody have a solution?

Thanks

Yes, I have. On W10. Before anyone tries to screw up their good game saves and really damage them, or even start a new career after who knows how many sunk tonnages and combat patrols, check W10's "Controlled Folder Access to Protect Data" to see if sh4.exe has been blocked from accessing your normally also protected User/Documents folder!

I don't know how many more times I'll have to miss the little message icon in the bottom right of the taskbar when games don't seem to work like they used to, before I learn to always check that right away first.

So I've been playing around with my SH4 save folders, I have quite a few backups, but none of them have worked. I thought I'd also have to run that mephitic Torpedo Loadout Editor exe that sets off all the alarm bells in any mediocre antivirus program to restore the identical situation that might have existed the last time I saved the game 4 years ago.... but no.

And then my eyes did fall on the white icon, which I had already learned was my number one troubleshooter in so many cases where something appeared not to be running and corrupt, but was just blocked by W10 controlled folder access.

So just click on the then white icon, the message(s) appear and (hopefully) only the exe of a game was prevented from accessing certain folders. And lo and behold, that's exactly what it was. Again. So I immediately added sh4.exe (and sh3.exe too, for that matter) to the exceptions, and voila, from then on the game saves were loaded again without a hitch. Phew. And again sittin' there with that grin, happy that the solution was so simple again. But it's also so ... hidden in plain sight. I never think about it first. Goddammit. Could've saved me so much time and trouble. Also again.