Unless specifically noted game updates should not break save files. However, a game version update will make your save out of date.

Editing your Save.bum file to change the SaveVersion line (the second line of the save file) to the currently installed version of Steam Marines 2 should allow the game to load the file correctly, for example SaveVersion v0.7.0a to SaveVersion v0.7.1a

The Save.bum file, as well as other config files, can be located at the following locations:

Windows: "\Users\<User>\AppData\Roaming\Worthless Bums\Steam Marines 2\"

Mac: "~/Library/Application Support/Worthless Bums/Steam Marines 2/"

Linux: "~/home/<User>/.config/Worthless Bums/Steam Marines 2/"

v0.8.3.4a Changelog (will break old save files)

• Post-game: The player can now jump to random systems from the space map screen and continue playing with their assembled squad of marines. This option will only unlock once you have successfully taken back the Space Station. Known bugs: the game currently does not track the specific level type of these generated worlds, so a save/load cycle will randomly regenerate. Also this means the tileset will not always match the generated world.
• Traits: Randomized traits have been added to marines for flavor and gameplay effects. They can be viewed on the squad roster screen as well as listed on the marine tooltips in the tactical field scene. You can re-roll traits at no cost on the Commander Creation screen, but other starting marines and those you recruit playing the game will come with randomized traits. Some traits exist simply for flavor, or generate new pools of dialogue for marines upon taking certain actions or undergoind certain events. Others will have small, but not game-breaking, effects on gameplay.
• The post-game and traits have been added as part of integrated systems regarding the ship hangar in the future to extend playtime with squads the players really like.
• The Commander Creator screen from the main menu will now automatically fill all name fields in from the randomized pools when first initialized. Sorry, I don't know why it just never did that for so long.
• Minor tweaks to the corrupt save file detector so false flags don't get thrown. Hopefully you will never encounter it. Some of you like to edit your games to do weird stuff. You know who you are.
• Streamlined sections of UI, particularly pertaining to marine tooltips and the commendations section of marine info on the squad screen.
• Added new dialogue emotes.
• Optimized marine tool tips on tactical scene because why are we always messing with so many strings.
• Bugfix: Nullcheck for when players spam targets while spamming cycling through marines so the UI doesn't destroy itself.
• Bugfix: Disabled certain main menu screen effects that might lag lower end computers. No one pays attention to that stuff anyway.
• Bugfix: Grenadier marines can no longer crash the game sometimes when killing themselves and a fellow marine in one action.
• Bugfix: Shader errors that could crash certain gpus.
• Bugfix: Commander marine shield effect not always displaying correctly on... integrated Intel graphics.
• Bugfix: Potential infinite loop when loading into some levels.
• Bugfix: Potential crash when trying to save to main menu from the ship interior scene.
• Bugfix: Certain UI elements resized to accommodate potential overflow.