Will Alpha Characters move over to build 1.0? Or do I have to start over?

[Mastro2k]

When 1.0 is released can I continue the game I'm on, or do I have to start over with a new character?

[OlMaltelO]

1.0 will very likely wipe savegames

[Bandy]

It's early access, you did read what that means right? Going to say 99.9% sure there will be a wipe, b/c devs are still adding new mechanics, more magic, whole new sections of the game, chapter one sections "altered" etc.

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?
The current Early Access version features the first chapter of the game, Horns of the South (around 10-15 hours of content), and the second chapter, Cuanacht (another 10-15 hours of content). Please note that your saves may be deleted with major patches. 90% of major game mechanics will be present but without final polish. There may be some bugs and imbalances. The final version of the game will have more visual and audio polish on all fronts. The story and quests from chapter 1 are mostly finished but may be altered based on player feedback. Right now, there is no main story in chapter 2, only the side quests.
New features:
- further improvements of all core game systems
- thievery systems (and improvements to stealth gameplay)
- dual-wielding of weapons
- improvements to melee fighting
- player-owned house(s), gardening, fishing, and other such activities
- a lot of additional content.

[Mastro2k]

Originally posted by Bandy:

It's early access, you did read what that means right? Going to say 99.9% sure there will be a wipe, b/c devs are still adding new mechanics, more magic, whole new sections of the game, chapter one sections "altered" etc.

Yeah, was just wishful thinking. Many EA's I've played, I was able to continue with a prior save. So just was curious if there was an official word. Thanks for the excerpt from the faq.

[frakthefriendly]

Like a bad night after eating Taco Bell, there will be mass wipes.

[Blackdragon]

While there is a technical possibility EA saves will work in release version, I wouldn't count on it. Usually save compatibility is not a priority, the exception being specific cases when developers announce that players will be able to continue playing from old saves after release. No such commitment was made for this game.

I'm not bummed about it. I've enjoyed my time playing EA (level 40 by now and still haven't explored everything). I'm thinking about playing a different type of character on release, maybe a full mage build (have been playing stealth archer to level 30 and melee heavy knight from then on).

However, I will probably be skipping the basic gold and item grind, because while I enjoyed it in EA, going through it again on release will likely feel like a chore. So I'll likely get myself some gold and beeline to best items right away. I also probably won't be playing stealth this time around - it's effective, but quite slow.

[xDOPEx86]

Patch 0.9 is going to come with a Progress/Save Wipe and is slated to be the *last* wipe. The quote from the Dev update is as follows:

"One note: this patch will wipe your saves—BUT this will be the last time that happens! From Patch 0.9 onward, your saves should be safe and sound for the final release."