Current save game compatible with 1.0?

[Søren Nikolaj]

I started a new game a few days ago. Does anybody have any experience with whether a save games created on an earlier version will be compatible with upcoming versions? As in, will my current save game work and give acces to incoming content in 1.0?

[LILI]

Yes and no.
I created and saved several starts since the launch a year ago, and zipped them for not exploding the 30 slots limit.
Then restarted a game last December, after patch 15. I experienced various weird things... (solo mode. Forget multiplayer with old saves!)

Technically, your saved game should be loaded ok, without special warnings.
Initially they were all uncompressed with all individual files exposed. Then it was packed for creating a single file = a single backup. But the system understands the old format, to a certain point.

Yes it can go wrong, with different effects, as it comes from all additions in the game. Not only NPC behaviours, but new lakes, new caves, modified structures, new camps, less tree in a place and more in another, etc, etc...
Your game can crash any times if you encounter a cell where your old saved game says "I have build this and that right here" ... and the place has changed, and the coordinates send your things right in the middle of a non-existing place, floating, submerged in a new or extended lake or pond, embedded into a tree, or a cannibal tent !
On top, you can have items malfunctioning because redesigned, ex weapons with new placement of a scope, story memos and items redesigned, building collapsing because the building mechanics was revised, etc, etc.

In short, try, have fun, see how it works, but simply be prepared for the worst without warnings, and a problem triggered any time and not right away, simply by accessing an area with an issue conflicting with an old data ...

The best is probably to wait for the version 1, as you also don't want to start a big and lengthy game and have it gone because v1 has a new saving and data concept!

[Søren Nikolaj]

Okay thanks so much!
Are you expecting big additions to base building or in general?

[LILI]

Expecting more, of course!
It is why they take 2 months without patches, for adding more to the lore and environment.
But as soon as it is released in more than a month, the patches will continue to flow in for months. Probably not every 2 weeks as it was during the Early Access but it will get more and more flesh.
... and it is needed: the map/open Word is so big that they have a lot of room for adding things. A lot. Currently, given the size of the map and the placements of points of interests, it feels as if it is at 1/3 of the potential.
... it makes me wonder though if it will be filled step by step by patches, or DLCs.

Knowing what will be added and how ?
No. No one knows: many wishes, or have requirements, but no one is aware of the medium and long term road map, even not alpha testers like the youtuber Farket.