"Modified game detected" on 6.10 bete

[rafalc]

Out of a sudden some game saves and the game itself got marked as "modified". I have:

1. verified the game files (all correct)
2. reinstalled the game
3. disabled Steam Workshop downloads
4. added the game folder and the config/saves folder to AV exceptions

to no avail - the game still shows as modified. Given that this (and other forums like Reddit) are literally overflowing with reports of this "feature" not working as intended and breaking the game for no apparent reason, one wonders why on Earth Egosoft insists on keeping it - the mechanism used is clearly not fit for purpose as it keeps breaking peoples' games since 2018.

I stopped playing the game, even though I enjoyed it immensely, as I don't want invest my time in a gameplay that would have the Multiverse feature disabled due to no fault of mine.

[CBJ]

Could you clarify a few things?
• When you say things "suddenly" became modified, was this while you were running the game (with a popup message) or between sessions?
• Now that you've verified/reinstalled, is the game itself showing as modified or is it just certain saves? What happens if you start a new game and save it? Is that save modified?

You also say you disabled Steam Workshop downloads, but did you have mods installed before? Disabling mods will not remove the modified status from savegames that were made while mods were installed, because the effects of those mods will already be in the savegames. Similarly, if savegames were previously edited or corrupted while on disk, they will not become unmodified again.

For the record, there are several reasons why the modified check is necessary. The main one is so that we can provide support for people who are playing the game, rather than wasting most of our time chasing problems caused by third party mods that are nothing to do with us. Another other is to ensure a level playing field for the multiverse feature. Both of these seem to be relevant to you, so hopefully you can see why it's important.

Regarding the reports of the game becoming modified with a popup mid-game, yes, there are quite a few of these, but this issue was fixed in the most recent update a week or so ago, so they are now out of date.

[HerrDerDinge]

I also have the same issue since I installed beta 6.1 I can open a savegame (not modified) and when I save it and it shoves as modified.

Little frustrating ...

I have only the 4 DLC`s active no mods...

Is there anything I can check or is the Beta buggy?

[Alan Phipps]

@ HerrDerDinge: Have you verified your game installation since the last update, and excluded your X4 gamefiles and save folders from realtime antivirus checking?

[HerrDerDinge]

I checked the files and the files are fine also I have no AV running .

[HerrDerDinge]

When I create a new game and save it it shows not modified after saving....

But I spend about 50 h for that save and in a game that needs so much time to play starting new is no option.... .

[CBJ]

Then at some point either you saved after your game became modified (with a popup), or your game or save became corrupted while you weren't playing. There's nothing we can do about your savegame, because we have no way of knowing what effect the problem had on it. Your best bet is to find your most recent unmodified save and continue from there.

[HerrDerDinge]

Thanks, I checked all aviable savefames (all have version 4.2 not modified) from abot 10 h playtime. When I save the game it always shows modified afterwards...
So I go back to my game and leave that multiverse beta stuff behind...

[CBJ]

Thanks, I checked all aviable savefames (all have version 4.2 not modified) from abot 10 h playtime. When I save the game it always shows modified afterwards...

If that's happening while your game itself is not modified, then it sounds like the savegames have been edited or become corrupted outside the game. This is unfortunate, but not something we have control over.

[HerrDerDinge]

I also tried a bunch of older savegames (also from 4.2) oldest is 28 h playtime before my actual game. when I load them to 6.1 the files are xml and about 650 MB after saving the files are packed (xml.gz) all show modified tag ingame.
There was no AV running on the system so seems to me that somethings wrong with the logic or code...
But as I wrote I will simply quit that beta stuff. I don`t want to spent the little time I have to enjoy gaming with searching for problems in the game...

[Akthankos]

so after I downloaded the most recent update last night it also seemingly randomly flags my game as modified mid gameplay. I verified my files on steam, updated drivers, and confirmed there was no mods installed. I have never encountered this before, but it usually triggers within an hour of play and the times it occurs seem to vary. It has occurred while I sat on a teladi trade station in Ianamus IV after buying the manticore blueprint. It happened while sitting on my erlking guarding a gate in open market to Zyarth's Dominion IV. The modified tag goes away when I exit to desktop and restart X4 but will come back while I play. The only common denominator I have seen is that it happened after I got both of the universal scrap recycling modules by scanning them after using an emp in bright promise I believe. Last time I checked none of my saves have been marked modified and I have been closing the game as soon as I see it has got the modified tag. I also have noticed that when I launch X4 after closing out(after modified tag appears mid game) it will have changed my graphics settings to be full screen instead of borderless window this is also never happened in the past. I should add i am not currently part of the beta but had planned to.

[CBJ]

If it pops up as modified mid-game then you have a corrupt or inaccessible file. I know you already verified the files using Steam, but you might need to do it again. If you still have problems then try excluding the game folder from your antivirus software's live scanning, as this too can sometimes cause the game to appear modified if the AV software prevents the game from reading the files it needs.

[Akthankos]

so I actually did not have an active antivirus software at the time and none of my save games have the modified tag. I have let my game run in the background today and it has not yet been tagged after a few hours the only thing that was different is that I never got into spacesuit and attempt to scan anything.

[alt3rn1ty]

so I actually did not have an active antivirus software at the time and none of my save games have the modified tag. I have let my game run in the background today and it has not yet been tagged after a few hours the only thing that was different is that I never got into spacesuit and attempt to scan anything.

Sorry to butt in on this report, but don't you have Windows default Defender running as part of windows security?.
Usually we have to make exclusions in windows settings for Defender - See here, to exclude X4.
Even if you do not have one of the paid for products like Norton/Kaspersky, you should still have as part of Windows installation its own default protection running .. Unless you disabled it (or you previously had a paid for product which disabled Defender and did not switch it back on when it was uninstalled, thats a possibility I have seen before).

[Akthankos]

so yes the windows defender was there and I did not exclude the files yet, but I find it strange that in the 12 days logged to this save I did not encounter this while windows defender was active until the update yesterday. I do want to repeat that it did not happen today and the main difference is I did not get into my spacesuit at all and collect the module blueprints for the scrap recyclers.

[Alan Phipps]

Sure, but as CBJ said something in the specific gameplay probably tried to load a gamefile and either that file was seen as corrupt or something prevented it loading smoothly. While which file(s) may be important to know if there is corruption, where no files are actually corrupt then it is more important to know what might have prevented their smooth loading following a mistaken identification of their status. Two slightly different situations and investigations.