Duskfade Settings Not Saving & Cloud Save Lost: Troubleshooting

Community Incident Notice: This troubleshooting guide addresses active player complaints on the Steam Discussions (“HELP, GAME KEEPS RESETTING TO 0 EVERYTHING IN SETTINGS!!!!” and “Where is my cloud save?” observed September 2026; player-reported / pending official confirmation as of current patch). Follow the verified recovery steps below before modifying local game files.

Golden Rule of Save Recovery

If Steam ever displays a Cloud Sync Conflict popup upon launch, DO NOT rush to click “Upload Local File to Cloud”. If your local file reset to 0 KB, uploading it will permanently overwrite your cloud backup. Always check the timestamp and file size first!

Problem Analysis

Symptoms & What Causes Settings to Reset

Players experiencing configuration loss typically report one of two distinct behaviors when launching Duskfade:

Settings Reset to 0 / Default: Every launch prompts the initial brightness setup, resets audio volume sliders to 0 or 100%, reverts graphics resolution to 1080p, and disables custom controller toggles.
Cloud Desync or Missing Save Progress: Returning from another PC or launching after a system reboot shows an empty “New Game” screen despite hours of recorded gameplay.

These issues stem from write-lock permissions in the Windows AppData folder, anti-ransomware blocks, or Unreal Engine failing to execute its save routine during unexpected application shutdown.

Unverified Local Paths

The configuration files below follow Unreal Engine 5 default conventions but the exact on-disk location is not officially confirmed and may differ on your install. Verify the folder exists locally before editing, and back up any file before changing it.

Step-by-Step Fixes

4-Step Diagnostic Procedure for PC Players

Execute these diagnostic actions in order. They resolve the vast majority of local saving anomalies.

Check Local INI Configuration Permissions (Read-Only Flag)

Underlying Cause: Unreal Engine 5 cannot write your changes if the configuration directory or INI file is locked as Read-Only.

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Duskfade\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor\GameUserSettings.ini

Action Required: Press Win + R, type '%LOCALAPPDATA%\Duskfade\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor' and hit Enter. Right-click 'GameUserSettings.ini', open Properties, and ensure the 'Read-only' checkbox is UNCHECKED. Click Apply.

Check Windows Defender 'Controlled Folder Access'

Underlying Cause: Windows Ransomware Protection blocks unauthorized game executables from writing to AppData or Documents.

Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage ransomware protection

Action Required: Open Windows Security, click 'Allow an app through Controlled folder access', click 'Add an allowed app', and browse to your Duskfade installation directory to add 'Duskfade.exe'.

Verify Steam Game Files Integrity

Underlying Cause: Missing or corrupted runtime binaries can cause the settings engine to crash silently during exit.

Steam Library → Properties → Installed Files

Action Required: In Steam, right-click Duskfade, select Properties → Installed Files → 'Verify integrity of game files'. Wait for Steam to scan and automatically replace any corrupt assets.

Resolve Steam Cloud Sync Conflicts Without Overwriting

Underlying Cause: Selecting the wrong save state during a cloud mismatch replaces your multi-hour progress with an empty 0KB profile.

Steam → Account → Remote Storage

Action Required: If prompted by a Steam Cloud Conflict dialog, compare the modification dates carefully. Always choose the file with the most recent timestamp and larger file size. Never choose a local file with 0 KB.

File Architecture

Exact File Locations & INI Manual Edits

If your settings still refuse to persist through the in-game UI, you can manually input your preferred settings directly into the configuration text file:

Configuration Directory:%LOCALAPPDATA%\Duskfade\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor\GameUserSettings.ini

Save Games Directory:%LOCALAPPDATA%\Duskfade\Saved\SaveGames\

Tip: After configuring your desired resolution, frame rate cap, and audio volume in GameUserSettings.ini, you can right-click the file, select Properties, and check “Read-only” to prevent the game client from wiping your values on startup.

Disaster Recovery

How to Recover Lost Saves from Steam Remote Storage

Steam maintains an automated cloud history of your game saves. If a local file glitch erased your slot, you can manually fetch the cloud version directly from Valve's servers:

Open your browser and navigate to store.steampowered.com/account/remotestorage (log in with your Steam account).
Search for Duskfade in the list of supported Cloud games.
Inspect the file list: look for SaveSlot_0.sav (or your active profile) and compare the modification timestamp.
Click Download to save the backup file to your PC.
Copy the downloaded file into %LOCALAPPDATA%\Duskfade\Saved\SaveGames\, overwriting the blank local file.
Launch Duskfade and select “Continue”.

What You Can vs. Cannot Fix

Player-Actionable Steps vs. Pending Official Confirmation

Keep the boundary clear between what is verified local troubleshooting and what is still player-reported and unconfirmed by the developer:

Player-Actionable Steps

• Removing Read-Only flags from config files.
• Granting write permissions to the game's config folder.
• Adding Duskfade.exe to a Controlled Folder Access allowlist.
• Manually recovering saves via Steam Remote Storage.

Unconfirmed · Awaiting Official Word

• Root cause of the settings-reset reports (not yet confirmed by Weird Beluga).
• Whether native in-game keybind / gamepad remapping will be added.
• Any official timeline; treat only official patch notes as authority.

Knowledge Base

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my graphics and audio settings reset to 0 every time I launch Duskfade?

Community members on Steam Discussions have reported a bug where settings reset to default or 0 upon relaunch (player-reported / pending official confirmation as of current patch). This typically occurs when the game crashes during exit before flushing settings to GameUserSettings.ini, or when Windows Controlled Folder Access blocks write permissions.

Where are Duskfade local save files and settings stored on PC?

On Windows, Duskfade saves are located in '%LOCALAPPDATA%\Duskfade\Saved\SaveGames\', while graphics, controls, and audio settings are stored in '%LOCALAPPDATA%\Duskfade\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor\GameUserSettings.ini'.

How can I recover a lost Duskfade save from the Steam Cloud?

Log into 'store.steampowered.com/account/remotestorage' in your web browser. Locate 'Duskfade' in your list of games, find your newest .sav file, download it directly, and place it into '%LOCALAPPDATA%\Duskfade\Saved\SaveGames\'.

Is the settings resetting issue a known bug being patched?

Not officially confirmed. Multiple player threads (e.g. 'HELP, GAME KEEPS RESETTING TO 0 EVERYTHING IN SETTINGS!!!!') have been submitted on the Steam Community forums (observed September 2026; player-reported / pending official confirmation as of current patch). While local permission workarounds often resolve it, Weird Beluga has not publicly confirmed the root cause or announced a specific patch.

Verification log

Sources

Duskfade Settings Resetting & Cloud Save TroubleshootingSteam Community Discussions · checked 2026-09-02
Duskfade Launch Crash TroubleshootingSteam Community Discussions · checked 2026-09-01
Duskfade announcementsWeird Beluga on Steam · checked 2026-09-05