Is there a way to backup your character data?

[kalwren42]

I really hate the "feature" of this game, of losing all the effort I've put into a character.

I'll play it for several days over several hours, run into a single alien ship and always die.

It leaves me furious that I've wasted all that time. I don't enjoy it.

Is there a way to backup my character so I can reinstall it and continue?

I hate perma-death in games. Thats so 1980's.

[Cory Trese]

There are two difficulty settings that won't delete your character when the Captain dies.

[Cory Trese]

If you make a copy of the game's file called "databases/data" you can restore it and that includes all the characters, awards and the maps and so forth.

There are several applications on Android (if you have a rooted device) that let you back up application data, if that is the way you'd like to resolve it.

[mordechai]

I think it might also be possible using adb (Android Debug Bridge -- it comes with the Android SDK). This method will work with even a temporary root, and may also work without needing to root the phone at all. (A temporally rooted phone will revert back to its unrooted state after a reset.) If you google around for instructions on how to root your particular model of phone, you should be able to find the info you'll need.

For backing up in general, I recommend Titanium Backup. This was the first of the very few apps I've purchased (why spend money when the free apps are usually just as good), although I think even the free version would be enough for this purpose.

[Cory Trese]

Damn dude, that one star review hurts.

Can I offer you a refund or something to maybe convince you to at least raise it to a 3 star?

Every time we have those 1 star reviews at the top, especially nasty ones, it really hurts our sales.

Let me know what, if anything, we can do to earn a less hostile review.

[Cory Trese]

One of my favorite video games of all time, I admit, was Diablo II.

I played BattleNet sometimes until my eyes could no longer focus.

The thing that kept me coming back to that game was perma-death.

I think without D2's "Hardcore" setting I would have played one time and quit.

The sense of real risk, the excitement of beating the odds and surviving to level 60 ... that is why I played the game ... over and over and over.

We knew that ST RPG would be that kind of game, but we also recognized that 100% of the players wouldn't agree so we included a ton of code to make sure that a "non-hardcore" mode was available.

[hayenne]

Sept 5, 2011 16:39:20 GMT -5 Cory Trese said:

The thing that kept me coming back to that game was perma-death.

This is so true, I couldn't agree more! I'm obsessed with roguelikes, particularly Dungeon Crawl, and one of the things that keeps me playing again and again is perma-death. I don't think I would be playing ST RPG much if the game did not have it included - that would be downright boring!

[Fenikso]

I also have to admit that permanent death is what makes the game so addictive, fun and challenging. When playing on higher difficulties you have to be extra cautious. If you do not want to hit an Alien ship, avoid red sectors and dead planet orbits as much as possible.

But I was thinking that maybe escape shuttle should save you from more types of death when in space. It may be a bit weird that it saves you from collapsed hull but you cannot use it to avoid certain death when your engines are shot down or you are facing boarding party you cannot stand for more than a few turns.

[Unbeliever]

OK, I'll hijack this month-old thread, because it's made me realize what *MY* problem is with Star Traders.

Now don't get me wrong, I love this game. My first character is a level 74 Hyperion Overlord Captain whose skills and statistics are all 40's and 50's. I bought the Elite version of the game, and I certainly got my money's worth.

...but then I stopped playing. I don't WANT to stop playing. I keep reaching for the icon to play some more... but I stop. Why?

Because I'm like the dude who started this thread. Perma-death? Who needs it? I'm 43 years old, with a wife and a job, and for me, perma-death is just no fun. If I want to waste the results of a bunch of time and effort, I'll play the lottery.

So I play on Normal difficulty. Perfect! Awesome! No problem!

...except I keep looking at that Awards list, with all the shiny pretties I COULD have -- I mean, I've earned several of those Awards... but only at Difficulty Normal. So no shiny pretties...

I like the idea of earning those bonuses, but I hate perma-death... so I've kinda stopped playing.

So Cory, are you open to the idea of taking the difficulty level requirement off of the award bonuses, so we can all earn them at our preferred level?

Barring that (which is my strong preference), are you open to the idea of separating perma-death from difficulty level (make it an independent checkbox, instead), so we can play the harder difficulty levels (tougher enemy captains, etc) WITHOUT perma-death?

I want my shiny pretties!

Thanks for listening to me rant...

[eldon]

This is perhaps the best idea I've ever heard. I would love to try to play the harder difficulty levels and get the unlocks, but the idea of spending many hours getting things just right and then dying horribly just keeps me from playing at all. I agree with everything that was said above. If you could uncouple perma-death from the difficulty that would make me quite happy.

[Cory Trese]

This is not the first time it has been suggested but unfortunately for me this change is not one that I can reasonably promise to deliver.

This is not because I dislike the suggestion or do not understand it. There are technical risks to this undertaking that I am not certain I am ready to accept at this point for Star Traders RPG.

Our new game, Cyber Knights RPG, has a totally re-written difficulty system that includes a division between game end states and game difficulty scales.

In an upcoming release of Cyber Knights RPG we will include the ability for Elite players to create "Custom Difficulties" which is similar to what is being suggested in this thread.

The code necessary to support that revamped system is incompatible with huge parts of Star Traders RPG. As we work towards new games and a squeal to Star Traders we will keep this new difficulty system in place.

[Cory Trese]

From a business standpoint if some of the rules of the game (which I cannot change) convince you that you will no longer use the product just post and let me know, I will happily provide a refund.

I like the suggestion, I do (obviously, we included it in Cyber Knights RPG) but I know personally that I only enjoy playing (and making) these games when they include a serious challenge (which for me is DEFINED by an unforgiving death system.)

Much of my motivation for creating games is that I play them on my phone whenever I get a chance. I am not sure it is even possible for me to make games I don't play and I know without perma death I never would have made it very far with Star Traders RPG.

So Cyber Knights RPG includes a compromise -- all awards and difficulty settings can be played with and without permanent death settings, however there will be rewards and abilities with nonavailability outside of the highest settings on all scales.

[eldon]

Thanks for the response Cory. Don't get me wrong, I'll continue to play and enjoy the game and certainly have no desire for a refund. I've already downloaded and installed the elite version of Cyber Knights without even playing the free version, and will probably be starting that shortly.

Thanks for listening to your players, and taking the suggestions to heart. That alone is worth my cost of admission for the elite versions of both games.

-E

[Unbeliever]

What Eldon said.

I would certainly never want a refund - even if I never played again, I got my money's worth, and I'm sure I'll play again.

Heck, I'm not sure if I'm even interested in Cyber Knights, and I'm considering buying it just to support you.

A developer that likes what he does, provides frequent updates, and corresponds and listens to customers, is worth his weight in gold... (so it's up to us to fatten you up!)

I understand about technical difficulties; I'm a programmer too. I wish adding my feature was easier, but that's life. (Feel like earning another $3 per customer by developing and selling us a Star Traders character backup and editor tool?)

Lessee... I think I deserve THIS bonus, and THIS one, and...

Thanks again for everything!

[Cory Trese]

I am working on a "ST II" project that is made up of all the ideas, features and awesome suggestions that the database format in ST RPG doesn't let me use. So in that game I am putting in all the fancy I can muster.

In an upcoming ST RPG release there will be a way to unlock awards with codes. We will all share codes and everyone who wants to unlock will be able to because we'll have non-play ways to get unlocks.