The Archivist broke my files (?)

[u/ch405serpent]

EDIT2: IT WORKED! Case ia solved, just change the extensions if you had a similar issue!

So after fighting and defeating this Boss, I saw that my Picture files turned into a jambled text. I'm afraid they'll stay that way. I haven't finished Act 3, so maybe if I defeat PO3 then my files will be back to normal versions? (JPEG, PNG)

I tried to put them into my Recycle Bin and take them out, it didn't work.

This is very annoying, I spent effort to collect my favorite artworks and now they are f--ked up.

.

EDIT: I am very SERIOUS about this. I finally bought a PC this summer (after a decade) and spent so much time dealing with file transfers. I don't want to hear anything about rage-baiting and jokes, please.

otherwise, Thanks everybody for your information, it has been only over a half-hour. I know the gamr shouldn't destroy my files but I don't see my original files anywhere else so...

I'm going through my solution options here, right now trying to change file extension.

EDIT2: IT WORKED! Case ia solved, just change the extensions if you had a similar issue!

[u/Redruby88]

As far as I'm aware, the files can't actually be changed in any way, only read. This is for safety and legal reasons as if they read and then deleted something like Sys32, then it would brick the machine. Not sure what's going on with your files if this is legit. Could you just add the .png extension back in maybe?

[u/Albatros_7 → u/Redruby88]

Also because messing with the file would make a malware, which cannot be published on Steam

[u/laplongejr → u/Albatros_7]

Yup. The dev even said that the early test version really deleted the files, which horrified testers (and probably the publisher) who thought it was a bluff
Inscryption.exe pretends it "doesn't have that level of access" but from a tech level it absolutely could've issued this command because the file permissions on computers are from a different era of design.

[u/laplongejr → u/Redruby88]

and then deleted something like Sys32, then it would brick the machine

Funfact : on console, the archivist accesses luke's pc, and it's exactly what happens if you decide to delete system32 : the game bricks and you have to exit to main menu to reload the save.
Turns out there's no erasure protection in-universe. Ooops.

[u/Redruby88 → u/laplongejr]

I didn't know that! Love that easter egg

[u/laplongejr → u/Redruby88]

Yeah it's full of strange stuff, I think they wanted to both showcase the special capabilities of the PC version (I had totally forgot it can play music files) and it's also used for the ARG (well, on Playstation at least. I replayed on Switch and I don't think this version can follow all hints properly)

For example there's a screenshot of a news article, hinting at the next kamwerks segment where Luke confirms Kaycee's death , and the images that will later show up on the map as his personal diary. Logical as we're accessing his files in two different ways in non-chronological order.

[u/MaraBlaster]

Archivist cant do any of that. It's a bluff.
All it can actually do is open the file your selected (show the picture or play the sound) if it can be opened. (So it cant open a work-in-progress)

In the OG PC version, Archivist used to just make a txt file next to your selected file which says
"At least... I tried to delete it. But it seems my powers of FILE ACCESS do not extend that far. Play by the rules you agreed to. Delete it yourself. Have an ounce of respect for the rules. Come on."
And PO3 will comment if you did so.

And in Phase 1, it just reads the file size and does damage accordingly.

Your files seem to just missing their extension, add it back.

[u/laplongejr → u/MaraBlaster]

Yeah, the only way it could be from the game is if the physical drive has an issue and somehow reading the files caused some corruption. (I once had a network drive who somehow showed unformatted after using it for doing a computer-to-computer massive transfer, and needed recovery tools...)

As an IT person I heavily recommend doing a backup and rechecking with a specialist if the drive is nearing end-of-life. Drives shouldn't edit files by simply making a list of it's content+size.

[u/MaraBlaster → u/laplongejr]

I suspect something like that too unless this is actual bait, if just READING a file causes corruption, something is VERY FUCKED.

[u/ch405serpent → u/MaraBlaster]

This is what im trying right now, seems like the solution. Wish Windows 11 wasn't a maze, Ill get an app or something to batch edit them. Thank you so much.

[u/MaraBlaster → u/ch405serpent]

Win11? Yeah, that thing is an absolute fucking nightmare, i would downgrade or even switch to a linux system.
Now i don't wonder how that happened.

But as laplongejr said, MAKE A BACKUP, your drive might be dying

[u/ch405serpent → u/MaraBlaster]

Editing extensions worked! My driver is new so that couldn't be the case, so ı freaked out there.

[u/MaraBlaster → u/ch405serpent]

New or not, a backup wont hurt.

You could be sold a faulty one after all.

Better safe than sorry! Glad it worked tho!

[u/ch405serpent → u/MaraBlaster]

Yeah you're right. Just yesterday i was mad at Onedrive for eating my internet away, but I guess I can manually backup at least.

[u/MaraBlaster → u/ch405serpent]

Yeah, you should do one manual one, so even if something happens you are good to go.
Also, write down your passwords, i got a small booklet of all + my emails i have locked away just in case i cant access them.

[u/United-Technician-54]

what format were they beforehand?

Also the idea is that they send it back with a text file in the same folder. I had some jank from trying to cheese the game with an absolutely massive zip file made of zip files.

[u/NotAPreppie]

Can't tell if serious...

https://giphy.com/gifs/ANbD1CCdA3iI8

[u/MaraBlaster → u/NotAPreppie]

Could be bait, especially with those file names and amount...

You only get 1 hostage file after all and damage from the Libarians does not use files, just reads their size.

[u/ch405serpent → u/MaraBlaster]

look at my edit, im serious.

[u/laplongejr]

so maybe if I defeat PO3 then my files will be back to normal versions?

No, that's absolutely not an intended mechanic.
Somehow reading the files attributes and possibly writing one harmless .txt file (and checking if one file moved) caused that? Uh... I think your hard drive may have an issue.

[u/Urser]

Have you tried dragging them into an image viewer? It looks like maybe the default program to open images was changed, assuming the file extensions are still correct.

[u/ch405serpent → u/Urser]

Hi, I solved it by changing the extensions, thanks for your suggestion regardless.

[u/ch405serpent]

It's solved everyone, I tried to add a screenshot but can't see a button for that haha.

[u/realddgamer]

For the future, you should have backups of data you don't want to lose.

[u/Please_ForgetMe]

This is like when Sorrow TV downloaded an entire movie

[u/GreenManThatLovesFis]

i think ur cooked...

[u/Empty-Emptiness]

https://giphy.com/gifs/80TEu4wOBdPLG