Backing Up and Syncing Game Saves

[Nephilim]

You laid out very well the reasons I've decided to go with Steam.

@ text with red background... apparently not
I installed COD4 on desktop and laptop....Laptop does not have the online profile.
Apparently COD stores multiplayer data client side, thats why there exists Level 55 hacks etc.
So what I researched is that you can move your multiplayer profile by copying the folder from pc to pc, i.e. back that shiz up. I don't know bout parallel running yet though, i.e. level up to 45 on desktop, then go mobile, level up to 46, then go back on desktop where upon loggin in u are level 46 and can continue.

This was something that interested me in the steam thread, I was going post this in there but decided to create a new thread for this info since it could work for any game once you do it right.

After losing my levels in COD 4 when I changed hardware and reinstalled the OS I was looking for a way to back up game saves automatically to an online storage solution as well as sync game save files across my machines.

Without further ado, here is the solution I came up with.

First off you will need to download, sign up for, and associate your machine(s) with Syncplicity





It is basically like dropbox but you can add any folder to the sync list natively, which is the key reason for using this instead of dropbox.

Previously I was using dropbox and synctoy to do this but this is better and on-the-fly, meaning no scheduling, it always monitors looks for changes  backs up and/or syncs them to your other machines

Step By Step

1. Download and prepare the syncplicity application, account, and your machine

2. Load the application by right clicking on the application tray icon and clicking "Display Detailed Status"

3. Click on "Add New Folder" on the left hand pane, if the dialog box doesn't pop up click on "Add New Folder" (Highlighted in image)



4. Navigate to the game save folder(s), select it, then click OK on the dialog box, the folder should be added to the list and then it's only a matter of syncing/backing it up, by hitting "OK" (highlighted)



5. Let it upload and your done



You will know that it is working when the tray icon has a small yellow dot on it.

Active



Idle



There you go.

EDIT:

Revised it so it's a little easier to understand.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

-when syncing between COD profiles the profile will detect a system change and revert to defaults for graphics settings
-some quick save features do not work while running the game and syncplicity concurrently. E.g. Mass Effect Quick Saves

[Berzerk]

THANK YOU SIR!!!!!!!!!!!!

+1

[Berzerk]

this is also for those who dont know the location of the save games in steam

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9629139


User IDs
[USERNAME] -- The name of the Windows account you use on your computer
[STEAMNAME] -- The name of your Steam account
[STEAMID] -- A numerical identifier for your Steam account

Steam-specific locations
[STEAMPATH] -- The default location where Steam is installed
Windows 32-bit: C:\Program Files\Steam\
Windows 64-bit: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\

[STEAMAPPS] -- The default location for Steam Games
All versions: [STEAMPATH]\steamapps\

[STEAMCLOUD] -- Files that synchronize with the Steam Cloud
All versions: [STEAMPATH]\userdata\[STEAMID]\

General Windows locations
[DOCUMENTS] -- The default location for the "My Documents" shell folder/library
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[USERNAME]\My Documents\
Windows Vista: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Documents\

[APPDATA] -- The default location for standard application settings
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[USERNAME]\Application Data\
Windows Vista: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\

[LOCAL] -- The default location for system-specific application settings
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[USERNAME]\Local Settings\
Windows Vista: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\

[PUBLICDATA] -- The default location for cross-user application settings
Windows XP: C:\Documents and settings\All Users\Application Data\
Windows Vista: C:\ProgramData\

[PUBLIC] -- The default location for cross-user system settings
Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\
Windows Vista: C:\Users\Public\

[SAVEDGAMES] -- The Windows Vista default Saved Games folder
Windows Vista: C:\Users\[DOCUMENTS]\Saved Games\
Windows XP: I do not know of any Windows XP analog for this location. If someone does, please tell me.

Windows Registry

I haven't had a chance to sort through the registry by hand, yet.

Most games' registry settings will probably be somewhere in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software, however, there is currently only one registry key on the list, and it's one of the exceptions.

Note for Vista users: VirtualStore
Some programs require administrative privileges in order to run normally, but do not request those privileges from the system. In order to ensure that these programs can still operate without compromising the rest of the system, Vista uses a system called VirtualStore, which saves any files or settings the program creates in a separate location.
If you cannot find your game's save files in the location listed, try checking to see if they were placed in VirtualStore instead.
VirtualStore files can be located in [LOCAL]\VirtualStore\

GAME LIST AND SAVE LOCATIONS -- Last updated April 29th, 2009, 10:55 AM Valve Time.

It should be noted that some games save data to more than one location.

[Nephilim]

bookmark that thread if you use steam for games eh ppl, some good info there.

[Berzerk]

one exception to the rule seems to be GTA IV...

backed up and no matter how i copy over the saves, it keeps on starting game over...

thats the only problematic game tho.

[Arcmanov]

Very good thread here, but to get around this, this is why my 'Steam' folder now resides on another drive.  NOT my C: drive,
so even if I reinstall Windows, whenever I reinstall Steam and all Steam games, everything (including game saves) are still there.

...and yes, I have tested this, and it works.

[Netizen1]

Stickied, contains very useful data.

good job guys...

[TheApprentice]

Chakra Nephilim!!
Thanks for that guide

[Redfish]

Yup should come in handy with all this steamy love

[Nephilim]

added sum to the first post

[Preston786]

nice one