Require a bit of help here.
At the beginning of the year, I had my computer upgraded (so it'd be good for the next 10-12 years
).
Naturally, I needed to re-install C3C, so I did. HOWEVER... prior to the upgrade, the installation included (in "Scenarios" I think) a "saves" folder, which I s/cut to from the d/top. But that was then. This is now, and I cannot find the "saves" file for love nor money.
Anyone have any idea as to where I can find it, or how I can get the install to create it??? First time I tried starting up a game, saved it fairly quickly, and then went looking. Couldn't find it.
Any ideas? Suggestions?
Thanks.
What did you upgrade from/to? If from WinXP to anything newer, then your saves are most likely being VirtualStored...
Under WinXP and earlier versions (i.e. the 'current' Win-versions when Civ3 was originally published), the default installation location for the gamefiles is (something like)
C:\ProgramFiles\Firaxis[or 'Infogrames']\Civilization3\...
Saves for Vanilla are then stored in
...\Civilization3\Saves\ (this directory may not exist initially, but if not, it will be created the first time you save a game)
Saves for PTW are stored in
...\Civilization3\PTW\Saves\
Saves for Conquests are stored in
...\Civilization3\Conquests\Saves\
However, installing Civ3 in the default location under WinVista and later Windows-versions creates a problem, because they don't let unauthorised 'foreign' programs (including games) write to the 'ProgramFiles' directory. Your savegames will then end up in
C:\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\C:\ProgramFiles\Firaxis\Civilization3\..., which is why Civ3 can't find your savegames. And either the '
AppData' or the '
Local\VirtualStore' directory (can't remember which) is hidden by default, which is why
you can't find them either
So you can do one of two things:
either you can give Civ3 Admin-privileges (right-click on each of the game .exe file(s) to get a pop-up menu, and then left-click on 'Run as Admin'),
or you can un-install the game from the protected 'ProgramFiles' location, and then re-install it somewhere else. I would strongly recommend the second option: this way, you'll never have to worry about the VirtualStore again (for Civving, anyway). And modding will be easier too.
Either way, if you want to keep any savegames you've already made, you'll need to retrieve them from the VirtualStore: get Windows Explorer to 'Show hidden files', and you should then be able to find your savegames in the path I gave above.
If you decide to just give the Civ3 .exe files Admin-status, you'll just need to drag the Saves folder(s) from the VirtualStore to the current installation-location.
If you're going to do a re-install, then first drag the Saves folder(s) from VirtualStore to your desktop (if there's more than one, you may need to temporarily re-name the folders as e.g. 'SavesPTW' and 'SavesConquests'), then un-install Civ. Create a new directory
C:\Users\Public\Games\ (or even just
C:\Games\) and re-install Civ3 there instead, then drag the Saves folder(s) from your Desktop to the appropriate place(s) in your new Civ3-installation location (and re-name each of them back to 'Saves').
Finally, create your shortcuts to your .exe files and/or Saves folders.
