Symptoms
Use this recovery checklist when a save loads at an earlier point, a visible Watts total is lower than expected, upgrades appear missing, or Steam reports a cloud conflict. The most important first action is to stop creating new saves. Continued play, repeated launches, or accepting a synchronization choice without checking timestamps may replace a copy that could still be useful.
Exit IGTAP normally if possible. Do not uninstall the game, verify files, delete folders, or start a new save yet. Photograph the unexpected game state and note the last time progression looked correct.
Likely causes
- A local and Steam Cloud copy may have different modification times.
- The game may have loaded a backup or older state after an interrupted write.
- A patch or crash may have exposed a save defect that needs developer review.
- The displayed resource may reflect a game-state change rather than file loss; this remains case-specific.
Hotfix 3 officially states that saves were reinforced, backup saves were added, and save logging became more verbose. Those changes confirm that backups and logs may exist, but they do not prove which file is safe to restore in an individual case. The exact locations and official recovery order remain Needs verification.
Fixes in safe order
- Stop and preserve. Close the game and Steam only after noting any cloud warning. Do not choose a local or cloud copy until you understand its timestamp.
- Create an external backup. Following the save backup guide, copy every plausible live save, backup save, and log into a new dated folder. Copy; never move.
- Record metadata. Note filenames, modification times, sizes, and the approximate last known-good session. Keep original names unchanged.
- Inspect Steam Cloud state. If Steam presents a conflict, compare times and devices. Preserve evidence from both sides before selecting anything.
- Identify, do not guess. A newer timestamp is not automatically a better save: it may contain the already-regressed state. Use the known-good play time and logs together.
- Seek official guidance before restoration. Because an exact developer-approved restore process is not available in the reviewed sources, do not overwrite the live save with a candidate based only on this page.
If the files belong to the demo, remember that demo saves do not transfer to the full game.
How to verify the fix
Verification requires more than seeing a familiar number once. After an officially supported recovery or developer-directed restore, check the expected progression, unlocks, and Watts without making new purchases. Exit normally, relaunch once, and confirm the state persists. Keep the external backup until several normal save cycles have completed.
If a recovered state appears only with Steam offline or changes immediately after synchronization, stop again. That indicates the local/cloud choice is unresolved. Preserve screenshots of the Steam prompt and record which device last had the correct progress.
When to stop and wait for a patch
Stop if all available copies show the same regression, the game repeatedly overwrites the selected state, backup files cannot be distinguished safely, or the problem reappears after a clean relaunch. Do not cycle through every file by renaming it into the live location.
Prepare a report with the game version, operating system, last known-good time, first bad load, whether Steam Cloud was enabled, any crash or power loss, and the preserved logs. If an achievement also failed, use the rare achievement troubleshooter without changing the preserved evidence.
Sources and verification status
Officially confirmed: Hotfix 3 reinforced save handling, added backup saves, and expanded logging. Officially confirmed: the Steam store lists Steam Cloud as a feature.
Needs verification: exact save and log paths, filename meanings, backup rotation, cloud conflict precedence, and a universally safe restore procedure. Because those facts are not confirmed, this guide stops at preservation and diagnosis rather than prescribing an overwrite.