Automatic Game Save Backup

sanmadjack · 07-20-2009, 01:55 PM

I've been working on a program that can automatically back up and restore save games and settings called MASGAU. I'm a huge fan of adventure games, so a number of them are already supported, including Longest Journey, Penumbra, Myst, and Still Life. More information (and a complete compatibility list) is available at http://masga.sourceforge.net/ and I would greatly appreciate testing feedback. Since there is no universal way to detect a save game each game has to be manually configured, so information on games not on the supported list would be very helpful.

sanmadjack · 07-27-2009, 12:43 PM

I just posted v.0.2 of MASGAU to http://masga.sourceforge.net/
Changes include:

Bug Fixes!
The ability to detect games through registry keys and start menu shortcuts!
Support for mods!
More progress bars!
A logo!
8 new supported games!
Updated definitions for most of the already supported games!

Once again it would be quite helpful if you submitted save information for any game that isn't marked with a Yes or an Untested on the supported games list on the web site. Confirming Untested games using the program would also be helpful.

Not A Speck Of Cereal · 07-27-2009, 07:55 PM

This thread is probably lost on the chit-chat group and would be best posted to another forum area. Just sayin'...

*Melanie68* · 07-27-2009, 07:57 PM

Moved.

kuze · 07-28-2009, 03:38 AM

So how exactly does it work? Does your app call the save function of each game individually? Or do you make a memory dump on each autosave? Just curious, and I'm too lazy to look at the code at the moment.

Anyhow, impressive work, keep it up!

sanmadjack · 07-28-2009, 06:58 AM

Nothing as ambitious as manually taking a save from a running game. The program only finds existing saves on the hard drive(s), then puts them into 7-zip compatible archives that can be double-clicked to restore on any system with the game installed. It detects the saves through xml files for each supported game that describe where the saves are through registry keys, start menu shrotcuts, and file paths.

sanmadjack · 08-03-2009, 12:29 PM

This week sees the release of v.0.3 of MASGAU. New features this time around include:

Respect for system permissions with an All Users mode for admins and a Single User Mode for everyone!
Ability to backup up PS1-3 and PSP saves stored on a flash drive or PSP!
Date check while backing up! No more wasting time compressing files that've already been archived!
The ability to override the date check!
Tweaks galore!
24 added Windows games, including The Beast Within, Post Mortem, Myst V and the last 3 Wallace & Grommit games!
14 added PS1 games!
57 added PS2 games, including Escape from Monkey Island and Indigo Prophecy!
33 added PS3 games!
16 added PSP games!

Download is as usual available from http://masga.sourceforge.net/

sanmadjack · 08-17-2009, 11:30 AM

Release time! Today brings with it the release of version 0.4! HIGHLIGHTS!

A real-time monitor that watches for new and updated saves AS THEY ARE MADE!
The ability to create custom archives that only contain files you specify! Perfect for sending just one save to a friend or uploading saves to a save sharing site or forum!
The ability to exclude games! Feel the loneliness!
The ability to create multiple backups over a period of time!
Only 4 new games! Come on people I need more information!
Bug fixes! Less crashes!

As usual more info and downloads can be found at the poorly addressed http://masga.sourceforge.net/

*Pinchpenny* · 08-19-2009, 12:58 PM

What kind of information do you need to be able to support a game? This definitely sounds like a program that could come in useful for me, but it serves small purpose if it's only able to back up a percentage of games I have.

sanmadjack · 08-19-2009, 01:16 PM

If it's a game that keeps its save in the install folder, then I need at least one of these, but all would be optimal:
Default install path
Registry Key pointing to install path
Path of shortcut in Start menu pointing to game's executable

If the game keeps it's saves in the user's folder, then I only need the location within the user's folder.

I would also need the name of the sub-folder(s) or file(s) the saves are kept in.

Depending on the game I may need to know more about the structure of the save folder. For instance Neverwinter Nights 2 keeps saves and characters in separate folders, and both of those would make sense to backup.

sanmadjack · 08-24-2009, 01:32 PM

0.5 today. The rundown:

New MASGAU Analyzer for generating reports on save games that can then be submitted by e-mail. Inspired by YOUR question, Pinchpenny!
NSIS-based installer instead of MSI installer. Makes everyone's life easier.
Installer can now install .NET and 7-zip if necessary (after asking, of course).
5 more supported games.

Not much, I'm mostly focusing on fixing bugs these days. If anyone has any ideas for new functionality, I'd love to hear them.

kuze · 08-24-2009, 02:40 PM

I'd love to see my previous idea implemented. An autosave for every game would be awesome, I always forget to save in games after playing stuff like CoD4, which has an implemented autosave. No idea how one would implement that without reverse engineering though, maybe some kind of selective memory dump?

sanmadjack · 08-24-2009, 08:45 PM

As fascinating as the idea is, there are a few technical issues that stand in the way. Reading and saving the memory contents might be feasable, but writing it back would almost certainly be disastrous, as two applications working with the same bit of memory is a one-way trip to crashville. Generating a save file from the RAM would require me analyzing the in-game memory and an equivalent save file, and figuring out the translation between the two, something that would need to be done on a per-game basis. I'm not against the idea, like I said I find it fascinating, I just have no idea how I would pull it off.

Just as a note, MASGAU currently has a tray app that monitors for new saves written by the supported games, and it would catch and archive any auto saves written to the hard drive. Coupled with the "Make Extra Backups" setting, you could have it generate a new archive of your autosaves every 15 minutes or however often you wanted, simulating making a new save every time period. You would have to restore the archive before you used it of course.

sanmadjack · 09-23-2009, 10:40 AM

0.6 kicked the me in the face yesterday, so I threw it out into the wild.

New relative path! %SAVEDGAMES%!
Games that don't keep their saves in the install folder no longer require detection!
MASGAU no longer uses the archive's name to determine what game it is for, so you can name and rename any new archives whatever you want (as long as it ends with .gb7)!
So many bug fixes! SO many!
22 new games, including Blade Runner, Ben There Dan That! and Time Gentlemen Please!

According to Sourceforge's super-broken download counter, MASGAU recently hit 1,000 total downloads. I did a little dance at work yesterday to celebrate. You should too!

I would also like to remind everyone that MASGAU now has a save game analyzer that can be used to generate reports to e-mail to me. This way you can contribute information without ever needing to open an XML file! I'm running super-low on games that I can get my hands on, so if MASGAU is going to continue to support more titles I'm going to need more info. To those who have already contributed information, thanks for the help! It's much appreciated!

sanmadjack · 11-14-2009, 10:02 PM

0.7! Released!

Loads of interface polishing!
Ability to back up G4W user data (necessary for restoring saves for Arkham)!
So many crash fixes it boggles the mind!
Superficial Windows 7 integration!
42 new games!

Feature wise there's not much new. This release is mostly focusing on interface and stability. I'd like to thank everyone who contributed save information for this release, without you this'd be the least impressive release yet.

sanmadjack · 11-20-2009, 11:37 AM

It came to my attention earlier today a pattern between using MASGAU in All Users mode and my brother's account logging in with a temp account. Turns out MASGAU hasn't been releasing each user's registry hive after scanning them for path information, resulting in the system being unable to log into the account until the system was rebooted. I'm not sure how long this has been going on, but it's resolved now. I posted a 0.7.1 release to http://masga.sourceforge.net/ that contains a fix for the problem. I'd like to emphasize that this is a non-destructive problem, but it may give the impression that an account has become corrupted when it has not. I apologize to anyone whom this bug may have inconvenienced.

07-20-2009, 01:55 PM	#1
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	Automatic Game Save Backup I've been working on a program that can automatically back up and restore save games and settings called MASGAU. I'm a huge fan of adventure games, so a number of them are already supported, including Longest Journey, Penumbra, Myst, and Still Life. More information (and a complete compatibility list) is available at http://masga.sourceforge.net/ and I would greatly appreciate testing feedback. Since there is no universal way to detect a save game each game has to be manually configured, so information on games not on the supported list would be very helpful. Share Share this post on Twitter

07-27-2009, 12:43 PM	#2
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	I just posted v.0.2 of MASGAU to http://masga.sourceforge.net/ Changes include: Bug Fixes! The ability to detect games through registry keys and start menu shortcuts! Support for mods! More progress bars! A logo! 8 new supported games! Updated definitions for most of the already supported games! Once again it would be quite helpful if you submitted save information for any game that isn't marked with a Yes or an Untested on the supported games list on the web site. Confirming Untested games using the program would also be helpful. Share Share this post on Twitter

07-27-2009, 07:55 PM	#3
Not A Speck Of Cereal The Major Grubert. Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 2,570	This thread is probably lost on the chit-chat group and would be best posted to another forum area. Just sayin'... Share Share this post on Twitter __________________ People don't wear enough hats.

07-27-2009, 07:57 PM	#4
Melanie68 Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,907	Moved. Share Share this post on Twitter

07-28-2009, 03:38 AM	#5
kuze In an evening of July... Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 1,215	So how exactly does it work? Does your app call the save function of each game individually? Or do you make a memory dump on each autosave? Just curious, and I'm too lazy to look at the code at the moment. Anyhow, impressive work, keep it up! Share Share this post on Twitter

07-28-2009, 06:58 AM	#6
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	Nothing as ambitious as manually taking a save from a running game. The program only finds existing saves on the hard drive(s), then puts them into 7-zip compatible archives that can be double-clicked to restore on any system with the game installed. It detects the saves through xml files for each supported game that describe where the saves are through registry keys, start menu shrotcuts, and file paths. Share Share this post on Twitter

08-03-2009, 12:29 PM	#7
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	This week sees the release of v.0.3 of MASGAU. New features this time around include: Respect for system permissions with an All Users mode for admins and a Single User Mode for everyone! Ability to backup up PS1-3 and PSP saves stored on a flash drive or PSP! Date check while backing up! No more wasting time compressing files that've already been archived! The ability to override the date check! Tweaks galore! 24 added Windows games, including The Beast Within, Post Mortem, Myst V and the last 3 Wallace & Grommit games! 14 added PS1 games! 57 added PS2 games, including Escape from Monkey Island and Indigo Prophecy! 33 added PS3 games! 16 added PSP games! Download is as usual available from http://masga.sourceforge.net/ Share Share this post on Twitter

08-17-2009, 11:30 AM	#8
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	Release time! Today brings with it the release of version 0.4! HIGHLIGHTS! A real-time monitor that watches for new and updated saves AS THEY ARE MADE! The ability to create custom archives that only contain files you specify! Perfect for sending just one save to a friend or uploading saves to a save sharing site or forum! The ability to exclude games! Feel the loneliness! The ability to create multiple backups over a period of time! Only 4 new games! Come on people I need more information! Bug fixes! Less crashes! As usual more info and downloads can be found at the poorly addressed http://masga.sourceforge.net/ Share Share this post on Twitter Last edited by sanmadjack; 08-20-2009 at 08:11 PM.

08-19-2009, 12:58 PM	#9
Pinchpenny Staff Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: England Posts: 164	What kind of information do you need to be able to support a game? This definitely sounds like a program that could come in useful for me, but it serves small purpose if it's only able to back up a percentage of games I have. Share Share this post on Twitter

08-19-2009, 01:16 PM	#10
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	If it's a game that keeps its save in the install folder, then I need at least one of these, but all would be optimal: Default install path Registry Key pointing to install path Path of shortcut in Start menu pointing to game's executable If the game keeps it's saves in the user's folder, then I only need the location within the user's folder. I would also need the name of the sub-folder(s) or file(s) the saves are kept in. Depending on the game I may need to know more about the structure of the save folder. For instance Neverwinter Nights 2 keeps saves and characters in separate folders, and both of those would make sense to backup. Share Share this post on Twitter

08-24-2009, 01:32 PM	#11
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	0.5 today. The rundown: New MASGAU Analyzer for generating reports on save games that can then be submitted by e-mail. Inspired by YOUR question, Pinchpenny! NSIS-based installer instead of MSI installer. Makes everyone's life easier. Installer can now install .NET and 7-zip if necessary (after asking, of course). 5 more supported games. Not much, I'm mostly focusing on fixing bugs these days. If anyone has any ideas for new functionality, I'd love to hear them. Share Share this post on Twitter

08-24-2009, 02:40 PM	#12
kuze In an evening of July... Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 1,215	I'd love to see my previous idea implemented. An autosave for every game would be awesome, I always forget to save in games after playing stuff like CoD4, which has an implemented autosave. No idea how one would implement that without reverse engineering though, maybe some kind of selective memory dump? Share Share this post on Twitter

08-24-2009, 08:45 PM	#13
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	As fascinating as the idea is, there are a few technical issues that stand in the way. Reading and saving the memory contents might be feasable, but writing it back would almost certainly be disastrous, as two applications working with the same bit of memory is a one-way trip to crashville. Generating a save file from the RAM would require me analyzing the in-game memory and an equivalent save file, and figuring out the translation between the two, something that would need to be done on a per-game basis. I'm not against the idea, like I said I find it fascinating, I just have no idea how I would pull it off. Just as a note, MASGAU currently has a tray app that monitors for new saves written by the supported games, and it would catch and archive any auto saves written to the hard drive. Coupled with the "Make Extra Backups" setting, you could have it generate a new archive of your autosaves every 15 minutes or however often you wanted, simulating making a new save every time period. You would have to restore the archive before you used it of course. Share Share this post on Twitter

09-23-2009, 10:40 AM	#14
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	0.6 kicked the me in the face yesterday, so I threw it out into the wild. New relative path! %SAVEDGAMES%! Games that don't keep their saves in the install folder no longer require detection! MASGAU no longer uses the archive's name to determine what game it is for, so you can name and rename any new archives whatever you want (as long as it ends with .gb7)! So many bug fixes! SO many! 22 new games, including Blade Runner, Ben There Dan That! and Time Gentlemen Please! According to Sourceforge's super-broken download counter, MASGAU recently hit 1,000 total downloads. I did a little dance at work yesterday to celebrate. You should too! I would also like to remind everyone that MASGAU now has a save game analyzer that can be used to generate reports to e-mail to me. This way you can contribute information without ever needing to open an XML file! I'm running super-low on games that I can get my hands on, so if MASGAU is going to continue to support more titles I'm going to need more info. To those who have already contributed information, thanks for the help! It's much appreciated! Share Share this post on Twitter

11-14-2009, 10:02 PM	#15
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	0.7! Released! Loads of interface polishing! Ability to back up G4W user data (necessary for restoring saves for Arkham)! So many crash fixes it boggles the mind! Superficial Windows 7 integration! 42 new games! Feature wise there's not much new. This release is mostly focusing on interface and stability. I'd like to thank everyone who contributed save information for this release, without you this'd be the least impressive release yet. Share Share this post on Twitter

User Name		Remember Me?
Password

11-20-2009, 11:37 AM	#16
sanmadjack Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 11	It came to my attention earlier today a pattern between using MASGAU in All Users mode and my brother's account logging in with a temp account. Turns out MASGAU hasn't been releasing each user's registry hive after scanning them for path information, resulting in the system being unable to log into the account until the system was rebooted. I'm not sure how long this has been going on, but it's resolved now. I posted a 0.7.1 release to http://masga.sourceforge.net/ that contains a fix for the problem. I'd like to emphasize that this is a non-destructive problem, but it may give the impression that an account has become corrupted when it has not. I apologize to anyone whom this bug may have inconvenienced. Share Share this post on Twitter