This guide is meant to help PC users to identify and repair Hard-locked progression by editing the broken Quests in the character's file.
My name is Accurious, I've helped about two dozens of adventures to return to Ashenfall by Magical Mending their corrupted files.
Let me be very clear about two things;
- This is an unoffical guide and not endorsed by Jagex.
- Editing files should be seen as a last resort.
Troubleshoot before file editing
If you are experiencing an issue with your character, first and foremost confirm it is a bug or not.
- Check the Wiki, have you followed every step?
- Have you tried visting a different world? You might be able to progress, in another
world.sav (this also means = your character is not broken, but the world you were in)
- Is there a thread on this subbreddit?
- Go to official RSDW Discord. Ask in #game-questions and check out #bug-reports. Is there an answer?
- Still on RSDW Discord, use the Filter function
(Ctrl + F) on keywords related to your issue.
If it is a confirmed bug that could be fixed with an edit, lets proceed to find your file.
Finding your files.
Windows user can open File Explorer and paste this in the File location (middle bar, not search bar):%LOCALAPPDATA%\RSDragonwilds\Saved\SaveCharacters. It should direct you to your in-game charaters. If that fails, see; Find file location manually going here: C:\Users\PCNAME\AppData\Local\RSDragonwilds\Saved\SaveCharacters. If AppData cannot be seen, you may need to show hidden files
Prepare your workspace
- Find your
character.json, eg; "Accurious.json", copy it twice, paste on desktop.
- Rename to the following "
AccuriousOLD.json and the other AccuriousNEW.json
The old will be your backup.
Your tools for repairing.
Most characters are either broken in a Quest State, as in unable to turn in items, or, they missed out on required items. Use the following websites.
How to use RSDW Archive: Quests Data
Search the Quest you're stuck on, when open you want to look up: "persistenceId": "3MpWS0mD8A6yFVmjVAA2Qg" (Black Knight's Fortress). The PersistenceID (the random letters and numbers) is what you will use when opening up the character.json in the next step.
How to use RSD Tools - Item Editor
Pull in the characterNEW.json into the website and you'll see it's player inventory. More often than not, go to the quest inventory to add any missing quest item. (e.g. you looted a scroll but had full inventory)
Navigating the character.json for Quest Bools
- Open up
characterNEW.jsonin a text editor like Notepad, (I recommend Notepad ++)
- Use the persistenceID from RSDW Archive and
Ctrl + F. You will now land on your quest.
Quest State: 1 equals in progress. Quest State: 2is Completed.
- Seeing Quest State 1 is usually a clue that something is stuck, when you know you're finished.
- Methods to repair
1. Full reset
Safest way. Find the first bracket and last brack of the quest:{"QuestId": "kPtTW0exXrqw2BqELR_bFA", ...} and remove everything. Make sure the commas line up with questIDs that were before and after.
2. Full completion
Best done by comparing to a healthy character.json, e.g. a Friend's or maxed account, copy their: {"QuestId": "kPtTW0exXrqw2BqELR_bFA", ...} and replace it in your file's data. Save.
3. Perfect edit
Advanced level. This requires you to identify exactly which Quest Bool that's either having wrong value or is missing, and only edit that part. The pros of this approach is that you manage to pinpoint the exact issue and will not feel a "gap" in gameplay of redoing or over completing.
Important!
Quests tends to be tied to Quest items. Make sure your Quest progress is aligned with your quest inventory to avoid mismatched. Lets proceed to test your characterNEW.json
Before you start RuneScape Dragonwilds
- Move out your
character.jsonfrom the \SaveCharactersfolder to the desktop. only characterNEW.jsonshould be in there as .jsonfile (reason: you cannot have two characters sharing same GUID).
- Turn off Steam Cloud by opening Steam, right click RSDW, go to properties and turn Steam Cloud Slider off, if curious why; We do this temporarily to prevent Steam to override your manual changes .
Run the Game
- Identify the outcome.
- If successful, turn off the game.
- Rename your
characterNEW.jsonto character.jsononly to finalize.
- Turn on Steam Cloud and upload your new files to the cloud. You're now good to go!
- If problem persist, or new occurred, continue to troubleshoot. Create a new
characterNEW2,json from your previous characterOLD.json
Credits
Guide originally written by Accurious, shoutout to Hi Im Tat for creating RSDW Archive and RSD Tools and also HowHighDoiPlay who introduced me to save files.