How to avoid that updates break saves?

[jdonner]

I recently downloadrf 0.15.20 and now I noticed that Steam automatically downloaded 0.15.25
I don't want that, I don't want to risk that an update breaks my save.

Should I stick to non-experimental versions or not play at all until the game gets out of early access. Sorry, but I don't want to spend 200hrs on one map, to have it broken by an update.

I was able to avoid this with another early access game by copying the folder and starting the game from that folder instead as a non-Steam game, but that doesn't seem to work with Factorio, probably because of DRM.

Thanks.

[greep]

stick to non-experimental versions

'

Edit: actually more specifically if you're paranoid, stick to 0.14 which is the last "stable" build, the whole branch of 0.15 is new and will have bugs at various builds (then again, 0.15 is kickass, so you'd lose a lot of fun). That said, I don't remember them breaking saves since like 0.12 with the campaign's train scenario.

The only thing that is 100% expected to break is replays when your save is upgraded to a new version.

[l4m3r]

Solution is easy just go to the settings and choose that beta version with that your save works... you can patch back.Its there in Steam where you chosse 0.15.x instead choose your version.

[Koub]

You can :
- Download the standalone game (without Steam DRM) directly from Factorio website, then you'll be able to keep it forever
- In Steam choose not to opt-in for betas, and stick with last stable update (Note : when the next major stable update will be out, you might not be able to keep onplaying your save due to save breaking changes)
- In steam, choose to opt-in for a specific version of an update. I have no knowledge of Steam downloading new version sin that case.

[jdonner]

Download the standalone game (without Steam DRM) directly from Factorio website, then you'll be able to keep it forever

Wow, I didn't know that. I just made a guest account of the Factorio web site, linked it to my Steam account, downloaded the proper ZIP file, unpacked it and linked it to Steam as a non-Steam game. I can live with this, because it's not like I need to do this a lot. Thanks a lot everybody!

[BrickNukem]

As others mentioned, it's very easy to set steam to a specific version. Your solution is more permanent, but steam makes it very easy to wait until something specific is fixed.