Edit a the race of a MP save file?

[TheLetterJay]

Could someone tell me if it's possible to edit the portrait/race name of an existing race for a MP save file instead of having to start a whole new game for something as basic as this?

EDIT: I tried doing the normal method: Renaming the portrait handles to what I needed. All it seemed to do was wipe the galaxy clean of everything.

 

[Almond_Brown]

One can only assume that any edit to a MP save file would be seen as a hack and as such not allowed. Try a SP Save. Hacking MP games files, despite the intent, good or bad, should never be allowed. Do the other players get to Hack their saves as well under your Matches rule set...

 

[TheLetterJay]

That is in no way what I asked. I'm playing with one other friend and I meant to tweak my empire before we started. We're too far in that I'd bother forcing a restart just for that.

 

[TheLetterJay]

Unless basically what you're saying is there's something preventing the modding of MP saves. In which case, that is kinda stupid.

 

[The Founder]

Could someone tell me if it's possible to edit the portrait/race name of an existing race for a MP save file instead of having to start a whole new game for something as basic as this?

EDIT: I tried doing the normal method: Renaming the portrait handles to what I needed. All it seemed to do was wipe the galaxy clean of everything.

You can unpack a savegame like any other .zip file. Then repack it back into a namelss zip file. Just make sure you pick the right compression.

However, Ironman games by thier nature are protected against savegame manipulation of any kind. Propably a checksum saved somewhere on steams servers.
MP Savegames might so too.

Unless basically what you're saying is there's something preventing the modding of MP saves. In which case, that is kinda stupid.

Competitive Players disagree.

There used to be a trick where you could set any Technology in a preset empire as "starting weapons". People abused that by giving themself colonyships or private colonyships as starting tech. The problem was fixed via additional validity checks at gamestarts.
Just think about the things one could do by changing a MP game.

 

[TheLetterJay]

That's the thing, this isn't a comp. game. It's a simple game I'm playing with a friend. I wanted to change the race info/portrait but didn't wanna start all the way over for something as simple as that.

I can only assume there is a validity check because anytime I modify the file, the save files comes up as broken or the entire galaxy is blank.

 

[Emraldis]

That's the thing, this isn't a comp. game. It's a simple game I'm playing with a friend. I wanted to change the race info/portrait but didn't wanna start all the way over for something as simple as that.

I can only assume there is a validity check because anytime I modify the file, the save files comes up as broken or the entire galaxy is blank.

But they're pointing out that you have to consider the fact that competitive games are played, and that you can break the game by editing save files, and therefore don't want it as an available option, lest someone abuse the system. So even if both you and your friend are cool with MP savefile editing, they still need to keep these general restrictions in place, for the general well-being of the game.

 

[TheLetterJay]

So there is no way for me to edit the race/portrait of my race in an on-going MP game?

 

[Sheriff Godwin Law]

Probably not, look at the bright side. In less than a month that save will likely become completely invalid as the next big patch hits.