Can't use saves anywhere else.

[Gallent]

As the title says, I've been using Nuku Valente's game called Flexible Survival on Frotz for IOS, and I wanted to be able to use the saves on my PC. However, none of the programs I have tried have been able to use the save that this app makes, nor can this app use their saves. Does anyone out there know what I can use to be able to use the same save file on my PC?

[Craig Smith]

I'm afraid I cannot look into this easily because the author saw fit to only distribute his game as a Windows-specific msi installer (which is obnoxious since the interpreter his game uses is multi-platform, obviously, since it works with iFrotz).   I do not have a PC running Windows on which to try to reproduce the issue.  If you can attach the actual .ulx or .gblorb game file here, I can look for general incompatibilities with desktop interpreters now, and look into Windows-specific issues later on a work PC when I have time.  Or someone else might be able to help you in the meantime.

Frotz uses the standard glulx Quetzal save format.  Save files made from manual 'save' commands (in other words, not autosave files) should be compatible across interpreters.

You may have to rename the file to have the extension the PC interpreter expects.  Do you know if this issue is specific to Flexible Survival, or does it occur for you with other glulx games?  What PC interpreters have you tried?

[Gallent]

First of all, the files for the games are beneath the msi installer on the links page. Secondly, I have tried loading it with the msi installed programs, Glulxe, and Gargoyle, and none of them work.

[Peter Pears]

What exactly is the issue? Is it that the desktop version of Glulxe can't even see the files or it can't load them?

Because if it can't see them, it's likely just a matter of extensions. iFrotz saves and restores games using the .sav extension, whereas WinGlulxe uses .glksave. They are exactly the same, though - even the autosav file - and can usually be transferred without any issuesbetween various devices. This is what Craig Smith means when he says to try renaming the files.

Or, when trying to restore a game, you can do a search for "All files" or enter "*.*" in the input field, and you'll be treated to all the files in the directory, which should include the .sav files. You should then be able to load them.

I tested it just now and it's working fine, both ways. If you want iFrotz to recognise the WinGluxe saved game be sure and rename it as .sav. Or save it as .sav in the first place.

[Gallent]

The issue is that whenever I use the restore option on Flexible Survival, it WILL show the files, what it won't do is accept them. None of the program's actually seem to make saves that can be loaded by other programs. Every time I try, I get the message "restore failed". I just want to use my saves on my windows pc, but the saves don't seem to cross.

[Peter Pears]

The issue is that whenever I use the restore option on Flexible Survival, it WILL show the files, what it won't do is accept them. None of the program's actually seem to make saves that can be loaded by other programs. Every time I try, I get the message "restore failed". I just want to use my saves on my windows pc, but the saves don't seem to cross.

That is decidedly strange. All my tests indicate it is possible.

Hmmmm... here's a thought: are you *absolutely certain* it's the same version of Flexible Survival on both iFrotz and your windows PC?

To make sure, these steps:

 - in iFrotz, tap the "I" button to the right of the game's name.
 - In the resulting panel, press the "restart" button that's just to the left of "PLAY / RESUME STORY". That will delete the autosave.
 - Go back to the games list and delete Flexible Survival.

Then re-add the game, making sure it's the same version you've got in your PC.

Craig, I don't know whether you've seen it, but I've added a suggestion (issue) on GitHub re updating games, it may be the issue with this user. It's not hard, but it's not trivial either, and Flexible Survival sees a lot of updates. It wouldn't surprise me in the least that this user was accidently trying to use a saved game saved in over version and restored with another, and not realise it.

[Peter Pears]

Bleckt. Lots of typos in my last post. Apologies.

[Peter Pears]

By the way, if this does turn out to be the issue and you find you want to continue playing with a version that happened to be newer than the one you were using, remember that Nuku Valente has provided you with a SAVEWORD option which you can activate by speaking to Trixie at the starting location. Recite it back to Trixie and you'll be restored to your previous save state. Or somewhat close to it, it's somewhat buggy, it won't restore every single state, but I'm sure it's better than starting over.

The bit that I failed to explain earlier is that any new version of any Inform game completely breaks compatibility with previous saved games. Totally. Your saved games for any given version of any given Infom game (Inform is the tool Flexible Survival was built with) with only work with that version. Exclusively.

[Gallent]

On Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 8:25:52 AM UTC-4, Peter Pears wrote:

By the way, if this does turn out to be the issue and you find you want to continue playing with a version that happened to be newer than the one you were using, remember that Nuku Valente has provided you with a SAVEWORD option which you can activate by speaking to Trixie at the starting location. Recite it back to Trixie and you'll be restored to your previous save state. Or somewhat close to it, it's somewhat buggy, it won't restore every single state, but I'm sure it's better than starting over.

The bit that I failed to explain earlier is that any new version of any Inform game completely breaks compatibility with previous saved games. Totally. Your saved games for any given version of any given Infom game (Inform is the tool Flexible Survival was built with) with only work with that version. Exclusively.

I'll tell you right now... That was it thank you very much goodbye.