BJ3 Doesn't Save Anything

[Aylis]

I was delighted to find this game again after several years, and I played it for hours when I got it. But the next time I started it up, everything was gone - it wanted me to make a new user again. I was grumpy, but I did it, and played again. But next time, it did it again. Every time I launch, it asks me to make a new user and it doesn't save any of my scores or any game modes I've unlocked.

I looked at the users in appdata/blablaPopCapblabla/users folder and even tried backing up a user I made after unlocking Ice Storm to see if I could restore that user, but no dice.

I love this game, and it's honestly worth playing without any saved data, but it *is* irritating to have to keep telling it what I wanna be called and to stop showing me hints. Plus, I love the unlockable versions (like Poker - didn't realize I'd love that version so much), and it's annoying to have to keep unlocking them every time I open the game.

Any thoughts, anyone?

[Griswald1982]

Well, as I mentioned in three other threads, Popcap Games is now owned by EA games. They will clearly NOT patch any Popcap game they own.

Windows 10 seems to be a factor with many games.

DesertAnubis, I'll check and test the Registry files and see if there is something there that is causing this. If I can find it (and if it's there) I'll let everyone know. I've tinkered with such settings that way before and have NEVER encountered any troubles, because I do not change anything else.

[ColaBB]

Have you tried deleting the game completely from your pc and try a fresh install?

[Griswald1982]

I checked and tried Registry adjustments, including the obvious one. It had no effect. My problem is trying to get the game NOT to work on something it DOES work on.

O.K, Anubis, try this: Bejeweled 3 is an unusual Steam Bejeweled game because it can also act as a standalone- you do NOT need the Steam app to play it.

Copy the Bejeweled game folder, paste the copy anywhere else away from Steam. Open it, click on the EXE file, play it for a bit, close it down, and play again- if the game was saved the problem is with the Steam app somehow; if you have the same problem then it is your computer.

[Aylis]

Copying the game folder did not work, however I did notice that it has a steam_api.dll and steam_appid.txt in the folder. Do those keep the game connected to Steam somehow?

[Griswald1982]

You should shut the Steam app down when trying that trick. Otherwise the Steam app may still be involved.

I do not think those files do that, although you could try making steam_api.dll into steam_api.dllOLD- that makes it "invisible" to the computer. I have copied Bejeweled 3 from the Steam folder to my 2001 Sony VAIO- which does NOT have Steam installed- and the game runs just fine. I altered nothing.