Rolling back a game update removes all achievements

[Brilliand]

I've had this happen to me several times:

• I've been playing on a public multiplayer server
• One day I load up Factorio and try to connect to the multiplayer server. Factorio reports that there's a version mismatch because my version is more recent.
• I switch Factorio to the beta branch that matches the game version on that multiplayer server
• All of my achievements are gone
• A few days later the multiplayer server updates to the latest version of the game. I switch back to the latest version of Factorio.
• My achievements are still gone.

Could this be fixed? It doesn't seem like Factorio should be losing all achievement data when an update is rolled back, especially since the update didn't change anything about the achievements as far as I can tell.

[Brilliand]

Heeey... why is this in "Technical Help"? I originally put it in "Bug Reports", because it's a complaint about how the game behaves, and not something that any non-dev can realistically help me with.

[Silari]

It was moved because it's not a bug. Previous versions can't load files from later versions, and that includes the achievement list. That is intended and that's how it's working.

If you want to run different versions, you can use the stand-alone zip version from the website.

[Brilliand]

If that's the case, then why was it moved to "Technical Help" rather than "Not a Bug"?

[Koub]

Because there is a way to help you by explaining you the way things work and how not to experience the same drawback in the future.

[coppercoil]

Previous versions can't load files from later versions, and that includes the achievement list. That is intended and that's how it's working.

One could argue about that. Forward compatibility is not a rocket science in software development.

[Brilliand]

It's certainly an easy thing to fix, but I mean... sometimes people intend things that we don't think they should intend.

Anyway, I'm not going to use the proposed solution, because this is a problem I only face about once a year, so there's no sense installing a parallel copy of Factorio now, and I'll have forgotten about this completely the next time this situation arises. Was just hoping there would be a "fix once and forget about it" solution in the form of removing the code (that was probably put in quite deliberately) that causes Factorio to delete and recreate the achievements record whenever it detects that it has been rolled back to a previous version.

...or I guess in the form of changing a Steam setting so it prevents Factorio from deleting the achievements file for the main branch while I'm on a beta branch, but that sounds like a feature that Steam most likely doesn't have.

[FuryoftheStars]

It's certainly an easy thing to fix, but I mean... sometimes people intend things that we don't think they should intend.

That's what the suggestion board is for.

Was just hoping there would be a "fix once and forget about it" solution in the form of removing the code (that was probably put in quite deliberately) that causes Factorio to delete and recreate the achievements record whenever it detects that it has been rolled back to a previous version.

...or I guess in the form of changing a Steam setting so it prevents Factorio from deleting the achievements file for the main branch while I'm on a beta branch, but that sounds like a feature that Steam most likely doesn't have.

It'd be more than just removing the code that deletes it, because then they'd need to add code that can actually read and support all of the various versions in some manner or another, and back port it to versions of the game they're no longer using. Most likely the issue is very simply that when you start the different version of the game, it attempts to read the file, can't (fails), and so then deletes and recreates it.

Also, while I think this may reset the achievements.dat file locally, I don't think this actually wipes what Steam itself has recorded, does it? Not really a big deal, I'd think?

I am curious, though, as you didn't give version numbers, but how large of a swing is this between what you play and the MP game you join? I honestly thought that the achievements.dat file would've followed the same rule as the blueprints and save games... each (major) version can only support up to the previous 1 or 2 (I forget exactly what it is).

[Brilliand]

That's what the suggestion board is for.

I'd be fine with that response if this thread had actually been moved to "Ideas and Suggestions". The line between a bug report and a feature request has always been blurry.

It'd be more than just removing the code that deletes it, because then they'd need to add code that can actually read and support all of the various versions in some manner or another, and back port it to versions of the game they're no longer using. Most likely the issue is very simply that when you start the different version of the game, it attempts to read the file, can't (fails), and so then deletes and recreates it.

If the achievements file format actually changed drastically, then I completely understand that switching versions back and forth over that line would lose all achievement data. I don't expect the kind of backward/forward compatibility that requires serious effort. But in this case, I'm pretty sure the game just read a version number in the achievement data file and went "oops, that's a future version number; don't try to read the achievements!"

Also, while I think this may reset the achievements.dat file locally, I don't think this actually wipes what Steam itself has recorded, does it? Not really a big deal, I'd think?

Oh, no, it doesn't wipe the Steam-side achievements. But I do tend to look at the in-game achievements more than the Steam achievements, and I don't think Steam records achievements from modded playthroughs at all?

I am curious, though, as you didn't give version numbers, but how large of a swing is this between what you play and the MP game you join? I honestly thought that the achievements.dat file would've followed the same rule as the blueprints and save games... each (major) version can only support up to the previous 1 or 2 (I forget exactly what it is).

It was simply a one-stable-release difference. My computer automatically updated Factorio a day before the server owner updated Factorio, so I went back one version just so I could keep connecting during the short delay.

[Koub]

That's what the suggestion board is for.

I'd be fine with that response if this thread had actually been moved to "Ideas and Suggestions". The line between a bug report and a feature request has always been blurry.

When something doesn't work the way the user expects it to work, there are three outcomes :
- it's not working the way the developer designed and implemented it to behave. Then it's a bug ("please fix things")
- it's working as intended, but the user has an issue due to context. Then the user is given technical help on how to fix their practice ("please help me not have this issue").
- the user is aware that the outcome was expected, but doesn't like it, and makes a suggestion to make things work differently (if the devs are convinced things should be changed the way the user suggests). ("please, change the game")

From the same starting point of view, 3 possibilities. You required a fix, when there is nothing to fix.

You want forward, compatibility ? Be reassured, quantum mechanics allow that. Just file a suggestion for it in the Ideas and suggestions forum.

[Brilliand]

You want forward, compatibility ? Be reassured, quantum mechanics allow that. Just file a suggestion for it in the Ideas and suggestions forum.

...alright then. Hadn't thought reposting the idea elsewhere in the forum would be allowed after a moderator had moved the thread.

I've posted it here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=109553