Change the directory for saved games?

[bo_knows]

I run KSP from Steam. I have 2 PC's in my home, both of which have the ability to run KSP. Ideally, I'd like to be able to play a saved game no matter which PC I'm on, without having to manually transfer the files every time. I see 2 possible solutions:

1) Store the entire KSP installation on a network drive that both PC's can access

2) Have KSP separately installed on each PC, but have each of them point to the same "Saved Games" folder on a network drive.

Obviously #1 would run pretty slow. Is #2 possible? Is there a workaround to possibly automatically mirror the files in the saved directory?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[cantab]

IMHO your best bet would be to use a file synchronization tool to automatically keep the saves copied between the two PCs. You'll need one that can sync any folder, which does count out a fair few of the cloud storage providers.

[lockpicker]

I don't think #2 is possible in the current ksp build, maybe some third party automatic synchronization programs, like goodsync, but I have never used any of them. .. I think #1 is the only way to go..

Edited March 19, 2014 by lockpicker
Got ninja'd

[Red Iron Crown]

Another option is to install KSP in a DropBox account, and have the Dropbox client on both PCs. Dropbox gives 2GB for free which should be enough for a KSP install, and it will automatically synchronize and cache all the stored files on the local hard drive. This, like option 1, has the advantage of synchronizing your mods as well.

Whatever solution you use, be careful not two run two instances of the game simultaneously.

#2 is possible using symbolic links rather than a different savegame folder.

[bo_knows]

I don't think #2 is possible in the current ksp build, maybe some third party automatic synchronization programs, like goodsync, but I have never used any of them. .. I think #1 is the only way to go..

I haven't ever used Dropbox, but I assume that having Dropbox in the system tray on both PCs would be able to sync 2 folders. I'll report back once I try it out.

[Friedrich Nietzsche]

I run KSP from Steam. I have 2 PC's in my home, both of which have the ability to run KSP. Ideally, I'd like to be able to play a saved game no matter which PC I'm on, without having to manually transfer the files every time. I see 2 possible solutions:

1) Store the entire KSP installation on a network drive that both PC's can access

2) Have KSP separately installed on each PC, but have each of them point to the same "Saved Games" folder on a network drive.

Obviously #1 would run pretty slow. Is #2 possible? Is there a workaround to possibly automatically mirror the files in the saved directory?

Thanks for any thoughts.

You could use symlinks.

Place a folder with the savegames on your network drive/Google Drive folder/Dropbox folder and name it somthing like "KSP saves".

Copy your savegames from the ksp game directory to this folder and delete the saves folder in the game's directory.

Now open an command prompt with administrator privileges and type:

mklink "C:\path\to\kerbal\space\program\saves" "C:\place\where\you\plan\to\store\the\saves\KSP saves"

The first path leads to ksp game directory and must end with "saves", since the game expects to find a so named folder. The second path leads to the folder you created before. So in my case the proper command would be:

mklink "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Kerbal Space Program\saves" "C:\Users\FriedrichNietzsche\Google Drive\KSP saves"

If you use the same procedure on all your machines you can use perfectly synced savegames. But you have to give your computer time to upload them before you switch it off. The game can't tell symlinks and folders/files apart, there is no difference for the game.

If you want to revert everything, just delete the saves-shortcut in the ksp game folder and create a saves folder, where you copy back your savegames.

[Red Iron Crown]

I haven't ever used Dropbox, but I assume that having Dropbox in the system tray on both PCs would be able to sync 2 folders. I'll report back once I try it out.

Yes, that's what it's meant for. Dropbox creates a folder on your hard drive that has all your dropbox content in it. Installing it on another PC creates another folder with exactly the same contents, that is synced whenever possible. Offline usage works fine as the files are stored locally too, but you need to have a network connection for syncing. I believe that local network syncing is supported as well, though I haven't used it.

Simplest solution, I think, would be to put your whole install in your dropbox. That way your saves, screenshots and mod installations stay synced among all the PCs.

As an aside, it's totally a first world problem to have too many PCs that can play KSP.

[Jackson Mackenzie]

Sorry for the necro; question was answered above, just didn't understand the terminology.

For anyone who has a similar problem to the OP (or me), a symlink is a directory pointer.

I will now slam my head repeatedly into my desk.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Jackson Mackenzie
Terminology screwup, question was already answered!