Save Manager

State of Decay lacks a manual save manager. Currently the game will auto save when it sees fit, or when you open the in-game menu if you've made progress. This will always overwrite the same save file, never allowing you to "go back in time". If you lose a character or make a mistake, it's permanent. If your save file becomes corrupt or disappears, you don't have another to return to. This should address this in a barebones manner.

What We Are/Aren't Doing

We're NOT editing, removing or adding any game files.
The "manager" is viewable within windows and NOT the game for this very reason.
This means that any issues you have with the game is not due to this guide.

We're downloading a backup synchronization program.
Creating shortcuts of the program & modifying their properties as to backup silently.
Creating a simple command line / batch file script within windows for automation.

Download & Install "Free File Sync"

Download & Install "Free File Sync".

Free File Sync is a program which allows us to synchronize files from one location to another, such as our save files to back them up.

Website[freefilesync.sourceforge.net]
Download Link[sourceforge.net]

Want a portable version?
Download[portableapps.com]

Configuring Free File Sync

Once Free File Sync is installed:

• Open Free File Sync. You can move sections of the GUI around to configure it as you please. My version looks like this:
  
  
  
• Press the green cog wheel, and change your settings to the following:
  
  

  "C:\Users\user\Documents\StateOfDecay_Saves_backup\versions"
  

  This is a directory I've set. You can set this to any directory you choose.
  
  This means I've created a folder in "My Documents" called "StateOfDecay_Saves_backup" and a folder inside this called "versions". All our old saves will go into this folder. Our old saves will look like this when this is functional:
  
  
  
  
• We now have to set up where we're finding our current State of Decay save file from Steam, and where to back up to. Free File Sync will always back up the most recent save to this location, and move + rename the old version to the \versions folder we set up in the previous step.
  
  
  
  My State of Decay Steam Save file:
  

  C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\<userID>\241540\local
  

  
  Be wary of:
  * You may have installed steam do a different drive letter than C:\
  * I'm running 64bit windows, therefore my program files is "\Program Files (x86)\"
  * For 32bit windows, you instead use "\Program Files\" -- (no "(x86)" to worry about)
  * Substitute "<userID>" for your steam username folder.
  
  My backup folder path:
  

  C:\Users\user\Documents\StateOfDecay_Saves_backup\
  

  
  
• Save our configuration!
  * Go to "Program" in the menu at the top right, which is basically our "File" menu.
  * Choose "Save as batch job"
  * Our Error Handling is set to "Ignore", and On Completion is set to "Close progress dialog".
  
  I've named my file:
  

  StateOfDecay_Saves.ffs_batch
  

  
  Personally, I'm going to create a new folder called "program" in our backup folder:
  

  C:\Users\user\Documents\StateOfDecay_Saves_backup\program
  

  
  I've moved my file here.

Configuring Our Launcher

As mentioned in the previous step, I'll be storing my backup configuration & launcher here:

C:\Users\user\Documents\StateOfDecay_Saves_backup\program

• Create a new shortcut for "FreeFileSync".
  * You can right click on "FreeFileSync.exe" & Send To -> Desktop (Shortcut)
  * Or, you can right click in your configurations folder -> New -> Shortcut
  - Configure the shortcut to FreeFileSync.exe 's path.
  The install path is (unless you've changed it or on portable):
  

  C:\Program Files\FreeFileSync\FreeFileSync.exe
  

  
  
• Once the shortcut is created, we'll need to provide an argument for the shortcut.
  * Right click on your shortcut -> Properties
  * In the "Shortcut" tab of properties, select the "target" field
  * At the end of this field, after the last quote mark ( " ), add this to the end:
  

  "StateOfDecay_Saves.ffs_batch"
  

  
  Substitute "StateOfDecay_Saves" for whatever name you gave your .ffs_batch file (FreeFileSync configuration batch). This assumes you have the shortcut and this config file in the same folder.
  
  The end result should look like:
  

  Target:
  "C:\Program Files\FreeFileSync\FreeFileSync.exe" "StateOfDecay_Saves.ffs_batch"
  

  
  
  
  
• Open steam & Right click "State of Decay" -> Create Desktop Shortcut
  Move this to your backup config folder! (Which I call "programs").
  
  All your launcher options for the game within steam should remain intact.

Creating Our Launcher

We'll create a .bat file - which CMD.exe will run. This is a windows command line interface.

Open notepad, and copy and paste the below code into it.

@echo off

start "" "C:\Users\user\Documents\StateOfDecay_Saves_backup\program\State of Decay.url"

:loop
echo Backing up save...
start "" "C:\Users\user\Documents\StateOfDecay_Saves_backup\program\FreeFileSync.exe.lnk"
PING -n 481 127.0.0.1>nul
goto loop

Save your file from notepad as "launcher.bat", and choose 'save as type' to be "All Files (*.*)"

Substitute all directory paths (folder names) and shortcut names as needed. Don't forget the extensions ".url" for the steam shortcut and ".lnk" for FreeFileSync!

Why do we need this? What does this do?
* This .bat file will be your new launcher. Do not open the game w/ steam shortcut.
* After launching the game for you, it will then proceed to back up saves every 480 seconds (8 minutes) through the PING command

You will still need to close the command line interface after you close the game!

How It Should Function

You can add the new "Launcher.bat" to steam as a non-steam game.

After which, if you launch the game with this and alt-tab from State Of Decay, you'll see this:


When you've played for a few hours, you'll find the entire black command line window filled with "Backing up save..." - this is to tell you that it has been working.

When you close State of Decay, close this window as well!

If you open your backups folder, you should see all your save versions:


If you need to go back to a previous save, copy one of the backups according to the time frame you wish to your steam save folder, just like in the first step:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\<userID>\241540\local

Rename the back up you copied over to

Class3.0.ulsave

Replacing the current file.

If you need the replaced file back, go back to:

C:\Users\user\Documents\StateOfDecay_Saves_backup

And copy that one over instead.

That's it!

I Want To Download Your Configuration Folder!

Sure!

Note:
This download has the backup timer set to -n 61, meaning it will save every 60 seconds. Open the launcher.bat in notepad and change this to whatever you please, such as every 481 seconds (8minutes).

My configuration has been zipped and uploaded:
* Mega[mega.co.nz]
* SendSpace[www.sendspace.com]

Apologies for any other ads or barriers these services may have.

[user1854669]

So does this work for any game? Just wanna make sure.

[Nexures]

can this be used, in order to play the game on someone's save file ?

[dwAxel]

Is this app still working with the latest version of the game?

[Kai]

@DominateEye - No problem. Do whatever you would like to with the information here.

[DominateEye]

Hey, I combined the batch code you wrote in the "Creating Our Launcher" section with the core backup code in GSE's guide at https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=210521301 , and tweaked it so that it launches the Zombie Standard Time launcher by Tentacle Software, through which the user launches the game. I'd like to post my own guide for setting up this batch launcher. Is this okay with you? I'd credit you and link to your guide in both the batch code itself and the guide.

[Kiwi]

Hey, just wanted to say thanks a million, went back and double checked and then had my gf lend a second set of eyes and she spotted a point where I made a mistake. Instructions are perfect. Thanks a million

[Kai]

@Kiwi Have you tried downloading my configuration via the mega link, and comparing it to your configuration? You can always edit settings. For FreeFileSync, open the program and load the settings from the left panel or the File menu. You can do a manual 'sync' with FreeFileSync by pressing the Synchronize button to test it. Then re-save it when done. The shortcut properties can be changed at any time, too, if there is a typo. In case there's a permissions issue with accessing locations, you can right-click the command line shortcut and Run As Administrator.

[Kiwi]

Well, not sure this is going to get an answer but I seem to be having issues where it cannot 'find' the two specified locals. It does run in the background of the game, even when I click state of decay in my library but it does not create any saves and I followed the instructions to a 't' aside from just a couple folder naming differences that I reflect in the coding. Any thoughts on potential issues? My main thought is it has something to do with how I have the batch file saved and am curious if there is a way to get back into those settings and make adjustments

[w.hackney]

{z3r0krypt;
I have a problem, i did all the steps u said, and using your files too, changing ALL the paths, i had to change the reference in the bat file, that was wrong: FreeFileSync.exe.ink, so i change it for FreeFileSync.ink, }

"you stupid boy/girl",(Dads Army)
It is not ink, it is lower case L nk. Change the i to lower case L and then it will work. Enjoy

[z3r0krypt]

I have a problem, i did all the steps u said, and using your files too, changing ALL the paths, i had to change the reference in the bat file, that was wrong: FreeFileSync.exe.ink, so i change it for FreeFileSync.ink, because by this way bat launched errors to me trying to find this ink file, but now when i solved it a new error shows when i open the bat file:
FreeFileSync - Error
Can't open the file "StateOfDecay_Saves.ffs_batch", the file is in the same folder, the ink, the game url shortcut, the ffs_batch and the bat, but still having the same error everytime i open the bat to play the game, and when the program is trying to save another STATE everytime after 8 minutes shows the same error, and again, and again.. but do not copy the SAVE to my backup folder. Any idea? :S i'm lost.