I need help getting my game back please! Half is missing! Options

[SoulBinder]

Hi. I'm not good with the technologies. I just transfered a game I've been making for about 5 years to my newly reformatted computer. I've done this before and there were no problems.

Something went wrong. Now I only have the characters that I had a long time ago, and weaponry and such, none of the new ones. The maps are deleted too, most all of them. However, I know I grabbed the right file because it has additions to it that I had put in days before. In fact, one of the few remaining maps has all the modifications and events that I gave it just a few days ago.

I see a lot of map names listed in the file, so I believe all the information is still there. It just won't access it... Does anyone know why?

(In other words, my Database is now the same as it was a long time ago, while alll of my files in the folders are all contemporary. What happened to my Database?!)

[Essenceblade]

Does your new Computer have the RTP for RPG Maker 2003 installed? Also, make sure your computer has the right programs to run files and folders. Your game might have a corrupt map tree and needs to be repaired, or you may have to import the game to your new computer one folder at a time E.G Transfering the Charset Folder over, checking it has its files, and then procceed to another folder. It sounds tedious but this is what I had to do when I was converting my RM 2003 game.

Can you actually open the game in the actual editor without it saying "Map Tree Data Is Corrupt"

[SoulBinder]

Does your new Computer have the RTP for RPG Maker 2003 installed? Also, make sure your computer has the right programs to run files and folders. Your game might have a corrupt map tree and needs to be repaired, or you may have to import the game to your new computer one folder at a time E.G Transfering the Charset Folder over, checking it has its files, and then procceed to another folder. It sounds tedious but this is what I had to do when I was converting my RM 2003 game.

Can you actually open the game in the actual editor without it saying "Map Tree Data Is Corrupt"

Thanks for addressing my post!
My newly reformatted computer does have RTP installed. I couldn't get my game to load without it. I tried installing rpg 2003, RTP, and my video game on a different computer and ended up with the same results. I get no error messages or "Map Tree Data is Corrupt" message when loading the game. Everything runs well. The spot my Database is mysteriously saved at is identical to it's position the time before this when I transfered it around year ago. I think that is the key to understanding what is wrong, but I don't know the answer yet. I assumed that databases are saved in the folder itself, but maybe that info was stored somewhere else. I'll give your suggestion with the files a try and see if anything is missing.

PS I have enough saved information to feel it worth completing my game, but it sure sets me back a lot of hours.

This post has been edited by SoulBinder: Nov 3 2011, 06:16 PM

[Essenceblade]

assumed that databases are saved in the folder itself, but maybe that info was stored somewhere else. I'll give your suggestion with the files a try and see if anything is missing.

This is correct, the database file is stored under the name "RTP_RT.ldb", "RPT_RT.lmt", and "RTP_RT(The one with the female hero with the sword Icon)". if any of these are missing, those may be the big jig-saw piece missing. Sometimes during copying or transfering files from various computers, the installation skips out some of the files because it thinks it is missing a program to run it, or it thinks it is already there, I.E the .ldb file is also within the RTP, so it thinks it is copying over that and tries to skip it. This happened to me quite the number of times.

Note that those three files should be among the many maps and no where else. For an odd reason. RPG Maker 2003 only reads all the files and .ldb ect. Files from the games folder. Example:

[Show/Hide] File Locations

[SoulBinder]

That screenshot helped a lot. I found an extra file, RPG_RT.ldb.dat included, but it doesn't get my database back when I tried deleting it, or when I replaced it over the RTP_RT.ldb file. It may be a remnant of when I was a complete noob and threw files around trying to get the project to work back at the start. I messed around with the files for a long time, and still had no success at getting the database back. I think I'm out of options. But I did try replacing my map files over the existing recognized ones, and they load! So after a little work, I'll have my maps back! That really softens my losses. There was one maze map that I was especially dreading to remake.

Well, I guess it's time to continue my project now. I'll look at this as a second opportunity to rethink my extra character designs and make them better. Thanks for your help Essenceblade!

[Essenceblade]

That screenshot helped a lot. I found an extra file, RPG_RT.ldb.dat included, but it doesn't get my database back when I tried deleting it, or when I replaced it over the RTP_RT.ldb file. It may be a remnant of when I was a complete noob and threw files around trying to get the project to work back at the start. I messed around with the files for a long time, and still had no success at getting the database back. I think I'm out of options. But I did try replacing my map files over the existing recognized ones, and they load! So after a little work, I'll have my maps back! That really softens my losses. There was one maze map that I was especially dreading to remake.

Well, I guess it's time to continue my project now. I'll look at this as a second opportunity to rethink my extra character designs and make them better. Thanks for your help Essenceblade!

You're very welcome, I'm sorry you couldn't get everything back, that's happened to me twice now so I know the annoyance, and ironically that was just as I'd finished the database x.X But its englightening your maps are back!

Good luck on your project.

[Cherry]

Before you do anything else: Are you running Windows Vista or 7?

Go to your project folder in Explorer and see if there is a "Compatibility files" button on the blue bar. If it is, click it. Whoosh, there are your files. Back them up, and next time don't save your project inside of C:\Program Files anymore, but use "Documents" instead.