[Tool] Auto Savegame Backup

[Excoriate]

Updates:
Uploaded Version 1.0.2 again for Windows XP (Uses .NET Framework 4.0).
Updated to Version 1.0.2 => see Attachment, added two hotkeys.
Updated to Version 1.0.1 => see Attachment

Original Post:
---------------------
Hi,

I am new here, bought Exanima two days ago and played for 12 hours now Awesome game!

Permadeath bothers me though (without several checkpoints it's way too frustrating). This game needs at least one checkpoint per level. (One checkpoint at the end of each level is not enough for me hehe).

So I made a little Launcher for Exanima which offers auto savegame backups.
If you want to try it out, I attached the tool to this post. Feedback is always appreciated

EDIT: You will need the latest .NET Framework: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42643

Here's a picture:

And here is the full README:

####################################
# Exanima Launcher V 1.0
#
# created by Excoriate. (http://www.baremettle.com/forums/index.php?members/excoriate.4571/)
# Free To Use
# Use At Your Own Risk
####################################

The Exanima Launcher (EL) offers you the possibility to automatically backup your savegame and restore it upon death. And of course to start the game ;)

Copy EL in your Exanima folder, e.g. "c:\program files\steam\SteamApps\common\Exanima" and run it!

----- Additional Info -----

TLDR:
Exit the game to save!

Monitor Savegame => Creates backups of savegame. If died => close game, open again, click continue.
No Backup After Death => If died, no more backups are created to prevent data loss (backup overwrites).
50 Auto Backups => Creates up to 50 Backups of your save game, after each change.
Delete Savegame => Deletes your Exanima savegame (Will ask you if you are sure!).
Toggle Log => Just some log info.

Monitor Savegame (RECOMMENDED)
---------------------
If checked, EL will create a backup of your savegame if changed. Changes happen on NEW GAME and on EXITING Exanima.
If you die in game, EL will restore your savegame.

BEWARE! AFTER YOU'VE DIED, YOU STILL HAVE TO EXIT THE GAME AND REOPEN IT!

Otherwise - upon clicking continue - you will start a new game but will still possess almost all of your armour. Sounds nice :) But you will not find any loot in boxes etc.
Everything is replaced by some kind of crystal. But hey, you can run around with two torches :P
It seems that you will only keep armour available in level 1.

On game startup, the last backup will be loaded.

Another reason is => You may start dead :(

No Backup After Death (RECOMMENDED)
---------------------
If you die in game, and still press continue (without exiting the game) and then EXIT the game, your last restored savegame will be overwritten with the "new" game.
This option prevents backups after you have died, so the last backup will be before your death.

50 Auto Backups (WHY NOT?!)
---------------------
Creates up to 50 automatic backups of your savegame. If active, EL will backup your savegame EVERYTIME it changes (EXIT, NEW GAME etc...).
It will always replace the oldest if you reach more than 50 savegame backups.

Delete Savegame
---------------------
Deletes your Exanima savegame. If you want to start a new game with active monitoring, you HAVE TO DELETE YOUR SAVEGAME first! Alternatively start without monitoring ;)

Toggle Log
---------------------
For dual monitor usage only :P

Savegame folder
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Opens the Exanima savegame folder in Windows Explorer

Backup folder
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Opens the Exanima backup folder that contains the up to 50 backups (if existing)

Hope you like this tool. I don't know if the devs mind me offering this tool?!
I stole the background image from steam, if anyone got a better one I could exchange it.

And finally a little screenshot of a little bug I created while messing with the tool (notice the two torches):

Edit:
VirusTotal scan of the attached file (V 1.0):
https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/9994550c74d53e57e3445c018eb3de179058724ffa25e93b99f1b9663bb7a7cd/analysis/

 

[Avramovic]

This tool doesn't work for 32-bit Windows XP. Bummer.

 

[Rod_Lightning]

The game actually HAS checkpoints. One for each floor/level. Maybe the box isn't ticked in the options menu?

 

[Yaar Podshipnik]

Well, it's nice that tool like that exists, but I won't be using it.

 

[Orlacktherof]

This kinda ruins the difficulty of the game...

 

[Anthony Obilor]

Yes ruins the game, would new use it. And I think it is rude to the devs to post it without asking g if it was OK first. They have a vision for this game and it's like u r coming to their house and saying their vision is wrong.

 

[Faelivrin]

Yes ruins the game, would new use it. And I think it is rude to the devs to post it without asking g if it was OK first. They have a vision for this game and it's like u r coming to their house and saying their vision is wrong.

Let's not.. this is settled drama

As for cheating, us developers haven't said anything on the topic. What we're not going to do is put the means in every player's hands to completely ruin the game ourselves. In our opinion save/load is the ultimate cheat whether an intended feature or not and ruins many games that would otherwise be rather good. I honestly think the entire idea that you can just rewind time whenever you want and do it all better is completely absurd and unacceptable in any game. Despite this I will always use whatever tools the game puts at my disposal to do the best I can, I am a "power gamer" and a perfectionist. I believe that no game should have exploits and expect the players to not take advantage of them, it's just not realistic.

I think he was mildly clear, if they (the devs) wanted this tool out they could have deleted this thread months ago. His first statement suggest to me that their policy regarding game modifications is liberal, and he probably had this thread in mind when he posted that (few days after this thread was created). They have their vision, but they wont forbid people to play this game the way they want, even if that is against their vision.

To me that's a good approach. Who i am to tell you how you should play this or that single player game.

 

[Anthony Obilor]

I was confused, thought this was a new post, lolz. *facepalm

 

[Faelivrin]

. uh misread you sorry.. Ignore this post. And np

 

[Excoriate]

This tool doesn't work for 32-bit Windows XP. Bummer.

Unfortunately I've lost the source code but I managed to recompile it using .NET Framework 4.0. This should work for XP (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=17718). See the first post for the download.

Yes ruins the game, would new use it. And I think it is rude to the devs to post it without asking g if it was OK first. They have a vision for this game and it's like u r coming to their house and saying their vision is wrong.

Once I was a so called "core gamer" with plenty of time, but nowadays I have to work 8-10 hours straight, time for driving to work and back not included. I hardly find time to play games.
The ability to backup my "continue save" in case the next enemy crushes my skull makes it more comfortable to me, especially when I have to get used to the controls again, since the last time I played was several days ago.

After I got used to it, I didn't use this tool and made a quick run.

TLDR: The possibility to make a savegame backup made it easier for me to get used to the game without frustration.

EDIT:
And btw.: this tool does NOT manipulate the game in any way, it just keeps track of the savegame file on the system. If it gets deleted by Exanima because you died, the tool puts it back.
If the devs really want to prevent this, there are several programming techniques to make it waaay harder, but I think the effort would be too much...