Talk:Game Files

BB, thanks for your continuing work on this. A question to make sure I'm understanding correctly: MISSDAT has copies of UNITREF from the beginning (UNIREF) and end (UNIREF2) of your latest combat, and they could be compared to see all changes from the combat, yes? Thanks! ---MikeTheRed 14:57, 16 June 2006 (PDT)

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This is true, so long as the game was started from scratch. If the game was loaded from a save slot, then you'll need to use UNITREF.DAT from the slot in concern.

For example, if you started a combat, saved it, started another combat, saved it, loaded the first combat and completed it, the UNIREF file in the missdat folder would refer to the second combat, and the UNIREF2 file would refer to the first combat - two entirely different battles!

If you wiped the contents of your missdat folder and then loaded a save file, the UNIREF.DAT file won't turn up at all.

Hence, if you didn't save the first combat at the very beginning, the initial data would be lost. Does that make sense?

- Bomb Bloke

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I'm watching my experience counters in UNITREF closely; I have a little util that shows their current values. It's resulted in additional nuances I've pointed out. Also of course I'm using the util for firing-squad training (getting specific soldiers to 3 exp. pts. when aliens are few or weak). Sometimes e.g. my last reaction shot kills the last alien, but I couldn't catch who made that last shot as combat ended. Now that I know a final copy of UNITREF is made, I can always consult it if I want. So, thanks for pointing that out! As for my original question, in truth I don't currently see a reason to compare beginning and ending UNITREF - but I figured the answer would make clear how to work with these files. And you pointed out important potential problems.

In any event. Here's something I do a fair amount, where this can help: I start a combat, save the game, quit X-COM. Later, reload that same savegame and finish the combat. You're saying that those two UNITREFs will be the beginning and end of that combat, no matter how much "real time" has passed. Cool. (As long as I don't start or end any other combats in between!) I gather that if I end a particular combat multiple times (for testing), it will have the initial pristine combat (UNIREF) and only the last ended combat (UNIREF2).

I have a "comparer" that compares one file to another to see changes, such as soldier stats before and after combat. Previously I've worked with individual save slots (one versus the other), but now I see I can cut to the chase and just compare these two UNITREFs, if I want. No more mucking about.

Along those lines though... there is no particular "before and after" for SOLDIER.DAT, right? I don't see two versions in the wiki's MISSDAT listing.

Thanks, as always! ---MikeTheRed 18:57, 16 June 2006 (PDT)

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I hope no one minds, but I've never liked how the save-game files were artificially on a separate page from the main-game files. Us few hackers are interested in them all, as I see it. Conversely, folks not into hacking might be into the many tips on "Under the hood", but are not so likely to be only interested in main-game files (not save-game files). So, I've moved the main-game section here. However, "Saved Game Files" is no longer an appropriate name for this page. We could rename it (requires admin rights, yes?) or just refer to it as "Game Files" by [[Saved Game Files|Game Files]]. BB, I hope I didn't just collide with your edits.

---MikeTheRed 19:35, 16 June 2006 (PDT)

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You can complete as many battles as you wish without the uniref file being touched. You can also load battles without it being modified. Back it up if you need to.

I doubt that unit stats are updated by the tactical engine, so I'd assume that uniref and uniref2 won't show you any changes. I could be wrong, though. The experience counters should certainly change.

The missdat folder contains the files listed, as well as a geoscape savegame for the point when combat began. That includes a copy of soldier.dat, however, I doubt the tactical engine modifies this file in any way. It certainly doesn't create another copy.

- Bomb Bloke