Storing things in AppData - suggestions

[Gordon Fecyk]

I have done IT since 1994, and have dealt with individual PCs, ad-hoc workgroup networks and domain networks using various Windows desktop and Windows Server editions. This is a suggestion on where to store game data based on this experience, and it looks like Intercept Games is at least working in this direction so I'd like to see refinements.

%userprofile% is unique for each user on a Windows PC, effectively the user's home folder or home directory. It includes the user's desktop icons, documents, registry settings (*.reg files), and lots of other things. In addition to the visible items like desktop, documents, there is a hidden folder named Appdata, which in turn has three sub-folders "Local," "LocalLow," and "Roaming." Right now IG is storing all KSP data in appdata\locallow, which is a good choice on a stand-alone PC running Windows, but it is hidden to the current user, normally. This makes craft sharing and save sharing very difficult unless you're an advanced user. Also, I'm pretty sure there are versions of these folders for MacOS and Linux.

Please consider putting game saves and workspaces (crafts) in Documents, or at least the beginning of the home folder. Maybe keep autosaves for these back in appdata\locallow, but moving intentional saves to a visible folder helps players find them to share.

While I don't expect people to play KSP 2 on a domain network, especially a domain network that uses roaming profiles, putting intentional saves in Documents or the home folder also allows these items to be backed up and can follow the user around. Even a user on a stand-alone PC can use File History to keep regular, automated backups of this on an external drive or something.

I've seen some really messy applications store a lot of garbage in the Roaming section of the user profile, which just ruins the roaming profile experience in a domain network. Zoom is one of the worst offenders right now, storing almost ten thousand little files in an "Emjois" folder, causing very long delays signing in and out. That folder really belongs in Local or LocalLow. I've had to set up roaming profile exceptions for these messy applications. So try to determine what data needs to be visible, what data is specific to a single PC, and what data can move between PCs or should be backed up.

Also, please keep executable code out of the home folder entirely. Having executable code in the home folder is exactly how ransomware works. Even a stand-alone PC can benefit from having a software policy that blocks executable code in the user home folder. KSP 2's launcher runs out of the LocalLow section, meaning a PC with software restriction policy will not launch the game from Steam. I can launch the KSP2_x64.exe executable directly though, even with SRP enabled. Put the launcher back in the installation folder, and have the launcher's data stored in LocalLow if you must.

These might seem like changes no player would normally see, at least until they try to recover a lost save or a lost craft workspace. And you'd also prevent some hair-pulling from frustrated "turbo-nerd" moms and dads trying to let their kids on their PC to play games.

 

[WingC3]

100% Right on the money on all counts. Excellent Post.

[whatsEJstandfor]

7 hours ago, Gordon Fecyk said:

KSP 2's launcher runs out of the LocalLow section, meaning a PC with software restriction policy will not launch the game from Steam.

Lmao I had no idea this was the case. This should frankly be unacceptable in 2023 for any professional software installation. It was barely acceptable in Windows XP.