Overview
This is a simple guide for trying to fix a save game when mods get deleted from the workshop.
Fix a save game
When mods get deleted you can recover a save game that cannot load by creating a new mod that replaces the missing files with the game’s default files. Once your new mod is created, load your game, add your new mod and remove the mod that was removed. Once the game loads, you need to go replace all items, re-save the game, then reload the game removing your mod.
When a mod first gets removed from the Steam Workshop, which eventually gets deleted from your computer, Transport Fever 2 will show you this message when trying to load the game. The text appears below the list of active mods for the savegame.
When you look through the list you will see a red triangle with a white exclamation mark.
That icon is marking the mods for this savegame that are now missing. You have three choices.
- Remove the missing mods and try to load the savegame.Restore the backup of these mods to your userdata mod folder.Find the mods from another source and install them manually to your userdata mod folder.
If you are having trouble finding the mod in the list, make sure the list is being sorted by name.
If you remove the mods and try to load the savegame, the game will crash if the assets from those mods are in use. In that situation continue with this guide. If you were able to restore the mods and the loading the savegame worked, then save your game right away and keep on playing.
When your save game crashes on startup, you will get an error message like the one that shown.
This error is usually caused by modding. In some cases, existing save games cannot be loaded with a modified game version, since resources have been deleted or modified.
In this example there are several files that are causing the problem for this save game. This list of files can also be located in the file
Note, this file gets overwritten every time the game starts.
Create your fix mod.
In the folder:
Create your mod folder, the naming of the folder is important.
Create a mod mod.lua
Use this as a template. Replace the name with your name. Adjust the tags as needed. This example is using tracks.
Create a res/config directory in ModFix_1 to
Using the list of missing files create those files in the config location. Copy the games default version of the missing files. In this case there are several track files missing. Looking at the location
For this example, copy the trackstandard.lua to the your new mod folder
Then copy and rename this file 4 times so it matches each of the missing files.
Launch Transport Fever 2, use the Load menu and select the broken save game file. Then hit the small plus above the mod list. Find your new mod and enable it for the save game. Find the missing mod and remove it from the save game.
If everything has been done correctly the game will load. Next you need to go through the entire map and replace the tracks that are now associated with your Fix mod. Once that has been done, save the game (recommend to a new filename) exit to the main menu. Load this save game and remove your fix mod. If the error message for missing files comes up again, then you’ve missed some tracks still associated with your Fix mod.
Reload the save game, find the tracks and replace. Once you have replaced everything the save game will load without an error with your Fix mod removed.
This example is for replacing track a track mod that was removed. I have also done this for bridge mods and it works the same way. I am assuming it will work for pretty much any game asset that fails this way.
Backing up to prevent this in the future
If you are a Windows 10 user there is a built in feature that will let you automatically keep the workshop mods that are downloaded. Even keep multiple versions.
Under Settings Update & Security Backup.
Enable Automatically back up my files
Then choose More Options
Under Back up these folders, choose Add a folder and add the Steam workshop folder to this list
Lastly configure the location where you are going to backup these files. Choose a location that has plenty of space. This can be:
- An internal hard drive
- A network storage location such as a NAS or another computer
- An external USB drive.
For the backup to work this location must always be available to this computer. The backup interval is up to you based on how often you change the workshop files.
When Restoring a mod from the backup copy the mod folder from the backup workshop location to your userdata mod folder. Rename the Stream number folder to a name with the format
My_Mod_1
in order for the game to recognize the mod.