Keeping seperate Steam copies of KSP versions

[Demoblaster]

So I read somewhere that it's possible for me to save an isolated version of an older KSP and then be able to have the newer KSP and I was wondering how one goes about doing that.

I have KSP 0.25 on Steam still because I have it set to where it loads the [Previous] version so that it doesn't upgrade to "BETA Than Ever" due to the fact that a number of the mods that I have for 0.25 have not been updated to 0.90 and a few of them most likely never will, (like modular multiwheels.) I'd like to be able to keep my 0.25 available to play at any time but then, at different points, hop onto 0.90 Beta without the fear of losing crafts that I'll never be able to remake in 0.90 due to mod compatibility.

[Pecan]

Just copy the KSP install folder to another location, it isn't protected and you are allowed to.

Steam will install KSP to (something like) C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\common\KSP_Win

[KerbMav]

You also do not need Steam to run in the background, it is wasting precious memory anyway.

[SRV Ron]

So far, 10 different versions of the game as a result of backing up the Steam updates not counting modded versions. The Steam copy remains as it is far more convenient for updating to the newest version then waiting for internet traffic clogging the Squid server to slow down.

[Superfluous J]

If I owned the game on Steam (I bought it from the store) I'd never launch from Steam. I'd use that install as my place to copy the game to the real folders for my FAR save, my Remotetech save, my YouTube save, my other YouTube save, my testing save, my stock save, my...

[pincushionman]

You can also "Add a non-Steam game" to your Steam library to point at these other copies. I does this.

…or to the 64-bit .exe in the same install. If you're a madochist, that is.

[monstah]

You can also "Add a non-Steam game" to your Steam library to point at these other copies. I does this.

…or to the 64-bit .exe in the same install. If you're a madochist, that is.

Cool. I already knew you could backup your Steam game, but I read the topic anyway and found out something new. THE MORE YOU KNOW.

[Kerba Fett]

You can also "Add a non-Steam game" to your Steam library to point at these other copies. I does this.

…or to the 64-bit .exe in the same install. If you're a madochist, that is.

I just discovered the bit about running the extra copies through steam last week. It's also worth mentioning that once you add it to your steam library you can right click on it and go to properties to give it a more descriptive name.

Eg. 25 modded, 23.5 64 bit, 90 b9 install, ect.

Also, I don't think just linking to the 64 bit .exe will work. Normally when using the 64 bit version you need to rename the KSP_x64_data folder to KSP_data. If you use the 64 bit .exe without the 64 bit data files, doesn't it break your install?

[Demoblaster]

You can also "Add a non-Steam game" to your Steam library to point at these other copies. I does this.

…or to the 64-bit .exe in the same install. If you're a madochist, that is.

Oh neat, that's actually a pretty good idea. Thanks guys.

Thanks everyone! Now I won't have to fear Steam's updates anymore. I miss being able to tell it to not update.

[pincushionman]

Also, I don't think just linking to the 64 bit .exe will work. Normally when using the 64 bit version you need to rename the KSP_x64_data folder to KSP_data. If you use the 64 bit .exe without the 64 bit data files, doesn't it break your install?

I didn't realize there might be an extra step, and assumed that the x64 .exe was built and configured correctly. I'll check to see whether my game is running as a 64-bit process tonight, but it is running.

[vexx32]

If I owned the game on Steam (I bought it from the store) I'd never launch from Steam. I'd use that install as my place to copy the game to the real folders for my FAR save, my Remotetech save, my YouTube save, my other YouTube save, my testing save, my stock save, my...

Symlinks save on hard disk space, and also allow simultaneous updating for all installations... though that may not be what you want if you have a ton of mods.

[Alshain]

Symlinks save on hard disk space, and also allow simultaneous updating for all installations... though that may not be what you want if you have a ton of mods.

Symlinks would defeat the purpose of having separate installs. It would just be one installation with several folder paths pointed at it.

[Superfluous J]

Symlinks save on hard disk space, and also allow simultaneous updating for all installations... though that may not be what you want if you have a ton of mods.

Yeah symlinks wouldn't really help a lot in this case, and on Windows they're not nearly as clean as on *nix. And the whole point of having all the different installs is for different mod cocktails so I'd have to have every single mod installed somewhere and links to each one. No, hard drive space isn't exactly at a premium (each install takes about the same amount of space as 2 minutes of uncompressed video, of which I record hours at a time) and sometimes straightforward is the best way.

[Renegrade]

Regarding symlinks:

You could easily have mix-and-match installs with symlinks, it would just involve some work.

For instance, you could symlink GameData/TriggerTech for all 0.90 installs to something like ~/ksp_data/090/TriggerTech, as I imagine if you use these mods, you want them almost all the time ('pure stock' installs would be the ONLY place I wouldn't have 'em).

However, if you only sometimes want RemoteTech(2) installed, you'd ONLY symlink GameData/RemoteTech to ~/ksp_data/090/RemoteTech in the cases where you wanted it.

Now the work comes in where mods have their own local state data (KAC used to be such a case); you'd have to make sure that the state data is compatible with symlinking shenanigans (ie, if it's using like, MySaveName.dat, do you use MySaveName more than once on different installs?), or that the mod doesn't have such data.

I'd be using such a technique right now, but I only use Linux boxen for serious work and Microsoft's XBOX PC Editionâ„¢ Windowsâ„¢ for gaming...almost entirely because of graphics drivers at this point.

[Superfluous J]

You could easily have mix-and-match installs with symlinks, it would just involve some work.

We may personally disagree on the definition of "easily" and "some." I prefer to just unzip the upgrades into each folder. It may take a bit longer each time but it saves a LOT of front end work and having to remember stuff.

(And I still don't trust Windows symlinks. Or maybe I'm too old to change)

[vexx32]

Oh, I was more thinking you'd have a central stock install, and just symlink all of the stock KSP data into folders for your modded installs. For example, you've got your stock KSP folder with the Squad and NasaMission folders in GameData, you've got the KSP_Data folder, and the KSP.exe itself, and maybe a couple other things. Symlink those into various extra folders (e.g., have a KSP_AllTehModz folder that has a symlink to KSP_Data inside it, as well as a separate KSP.exe and GameData folder that contains symlinks to the Squad and NasaMission folder) that contain their own mod folders and so forth.

[Superfluous J]

Oh, I was more thinking you'd have a central stock install, and just symlink all of the stock KSP data into folders for your modded installs. For example, you've got your stock KSP folder with the Squad and NasaMission folders in GameData, you've got the KSP_Data folder, and the KSP.exe itself, and maybe a couple other things. Symlink those into various extra folders (e.g., have a KSP_AllTehModz folder that has a symlink to KSP_Data inside it, as well as a separate KSP.exe and GameData folder that contains symlinks to the Squad and NasaMission folder) that contain their own mod folders and so forth.

Ah. That wouldn't be so bad.