Difference between revisions of "Synchronization and backups"

Revision as of 19:56, 14 October 2017

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Merging by LuBeNo in process.

Synced accounts

Gladiabots automatically creates a backup from all game data (AI programs and settings) of an account in the cloud. It's possible to create a cloud sync connection between two or more accounts. Currently the developer creates this cloud sync connection manually. To link different accounts one needs to reply in the cross-device sync temporary solution topic on the forum with the name of the accounts, specifying a main account. Afterwards, each account will show a data sync conflict message the next time it is opened.

[Expand]Steps to create a cloud sync connection  The following steps are required to link accounts: Make sure that each account has a valid player name. To create the player name open career mode for each account and choose the player name. To determine the current player name check the leaderboard or the Gladiabots stats page from ingame. Reply to the cross-device sync temporary solution topic on the forum: Provide player names of all accounts that should be synced. Specify the main player name. The player name, AI programs and settings of this account is used for every other account. After the developer linked the accounts and answered your post, you need to launch the game on every synced account. Always choose use server data when the data sync conflict message appears.

[Expand]Working with synced accounts  If the first account changes some nodes, the changes are automatically pushed to the server. The following steps are required to sync this changes with the second account: Close the game on the first account. Upon opening the second account the data sync conflict message should appear: Choose use server data. The changes should be synced.

Resolving data sync conflict messages

Data sync conflict message

Each time the local game data differs from the cloud backup a data sync conflict message will appear.

Reasons for differences between local and server data:

1. The game data will differ if one changed AI programs or settings without internet connection.
2. The game data will differ in a synced account setting, if another account changed its game data and pushed the changes to the server.

Data sync conflict messages should be answered carefully, because the choices are irreversible. If the wrong option is selected will result in data loss.

Without a synced account setting one could always choose keep local data, because the differences have not yet transferred to the server. In a synced account setting one should also choose keep local data in the up to date account. On all the other accounts one should choose the use server data option to update the accounts to the recent changes.

[Expand]Steps to resolve uncertain conflicts  The following steps are recommended to solve uncertain conflicts in a synced account setting: Launch the game on every synced account and choose keep local data for now. Try to determine the account that is up to date by checking the recently changed nodes on the different accounts. Close the game on every synced account. Launch the game on the account that is up to date. When the data sync conflict message appears choose keep local data. Launch the game on all other accounts. When the data sync conflict message appears choose use server data.

Multiple accounts and backups

Currently Windows is the only known environment where it is possible to play with multiple accounts on one device or backup an account. All the game data (AI programs and settings) is saved in the Windows registry. Each Windows user stores the game data in its private part of the registry therefore multiple accounts on the same device are possible.

Multiple accounts

To use multiple accounts in Gladiabots one has to create multiple Windows users and start the game with the desired user logged in. Otherwise it is possible to hold the Shift key while right clicking the Gladiabots shortcut and choose "run as a different user".

[Expand]Creating multiple accounts in a Windows environment  The following actions could harm your system, especially when done wrong. Create a backup of all your data before trying any of this. Proceed at your own risk. Create more users to use as additional accounts by: Opening Computer Management by either searching for Computer Management in the start menu or by pressing Windows key+r and inserting the command compmgmt.msc into the run window. Add a user by browsing to the System Tools > Local Users and Groups > User folder, right click it and select New User... from the menu. Specify a username and a password.

[Expand]Batch command to start the game as different Windows user  The following actions could harm your system, especially when done wrong. Create a backup of all your data before trying any of this. Proceed at your own risk. A batch file or shortcut with this command starts Gladiabots using another user: Runas /user:MyComputer\Gladiatest /savecred "C:\Gladiabots\Gladiabots.exe"

Creating backups

The following actions could harm your system, especially when done wrong. Create a backup of all your data before trying any of this. Proceed at your own risk.

A backup is useful if the game data is lost due to a system crash or failed sync. Under windows it seems like Gladiabots is storing all the game data under the folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\GFX47\Gladiabots] of the registry.

Create a backup of this registry key by:

1. Opening Registry Editor by either searching for Registry Editor in the start menu or by pressing Windows key+r and inserting the command regedit into the run window.
2. Navigate to the folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\GFX47\Gladiabots, right click it and choose Export from the menu.
3. Select a backup folder, a filename and press save to create the backup.

[Expand]Batch commands to create a backup  A batch file or shortcut with this command creates a backup of the game data of the current user: reg export HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\GFX47\Gladiabots "C:\Gladiabots\Backup.reg" A batch file or shortcut with this command creates a backup of the game data for another user: Runas /user:MyComputer\Gladiatest /savecred "reg export HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\GFX47\Gladiabots \"C:\Gladiabots\Backup Gladiatest.reg\""

Restoring backups

To restore the backup all one needs to do is executing the exported registry file. The AI programs and settings are restored. It's not possible to restore a single AI sub tree this way.