Need Help Testing Patch 1.13: Save Refactor, Sunflowers, & Clouded Leopards!

We have an exciting upcoming patch for you all! We're introducing new species that solve problems for ecosystem balance and we're removing a species (milkweed) that didn't quite make sense to keep around. We also made changes to the way that our game handles saving. However, we need your help to test if our methods of removing milkweed from your biodome and compressing your save files are safe. Don't worry, we did as much internal testing as we could before making this public and asking you guys to help us!

How do I help?

1). Place down milkweed in any of your grassland biodomes.

Place down as many milkweed as you want. We're removing it anyways when you go over to patch 1.13, so don't worry about it impacting your ecosystem. Prize: if the game detects that it's removing milkweed in any of your domes, then that account will automatically unlock Sunflowers when you convert over to 1.13.

2). Accessing our Beta Branch (1.13)

Go over to your steam library and right click on Tyto Ecology and then select the "BETAS" tab at the top. Under the "Enter beta access code" type inside the textfield:

ajskdl21l2jeaisd

Then click the "Check Code" button. Afterwards select "1.13" from the drop down list above and press close. If you've performed this all correctly, then you should see "Tyto Ecology[1.13]" selected in your Library meaning that you're on the 1.13 Steam beta branch! Be sure to stay on 1.13 until we release it live.

3). What to look for when you're in game!

• Place down new species: sunflower from the Great Plains and clouded leopard in the Himalayan Forest!
• Check your biodome and see if your milkweed are gone from your ecosystem.
• Check out your other biodomes and see if our loads have improved.

Play the game as you normally would. Just tell us if you encounter crashes or bugs, especially around saving, on this post. We'll be keeping an eye out!

How to backup my save files?

Here's some instructions in case you want to save a back up your save file. There is a small chance testing this beta will break something, so we highly recommend this.

1). Locate your save file. Both Windows and Mac locations are different, so I'll list them both here.

Windows directory:

C:->users-> -> AppData -> Local-> Tyto Ecology

The AppData Folder is hidden by default, so you'll have to enable viewing hidden options.
You can do this by selecting the view tab located at the top of your window then turning on the "Hidden items" checkbox.

Mac directory:

In your finder, click on "Go" on the top bar and hold down your option key to reveal the hidden folder, and then click on the Library Folder. Then go to application support -> Epic -> Tyto Ecology

2). Compress the Tyto Ecology folder through .zip, 7zip, or by right clicking and sending to a compressed file. If you're not comfortable compressing the folder to create a backup, then you can choose to copy and paste the "Tyto Ecology" Folder somewhere else where you'll remember it.

How do I restore back my old save file?

Should your save files become corrupted while trying to help us test, this is how to get your saves back, assuming you created a backup as instructed above in this post.

1). Leave the Tyto Ecology 1.13 and go back to the live Tyto Ecology. You can do this by going to the drop down list under the "BETAS" tab in the game's property window. Select none and then close the properties window and you should now be back to the normal game. You can confirm this by making sure that in your library it just says "Tyto Ecology" rather than "Tyto Ecology[1.13]"

2). Go to your directory save file. First make sure that you have your old save files with you. Then delete the Tyto Ecology folder. DO NOT delete your old save files which might be zipped up or in another folder you placed. Afterwards, either unzip or copy and paste your old save file in the same place you deleted the Tyto Ecology folder.

3). Now if you play again, you should have your old save files back!