Steam Deck: recover a missing save

✦First identify native Linux or Proton

In Steam, open Fields of Mistria → Properties → Compatibility. A forced Steam Play compatibility tool means you are using the Proton route. The native Linux version introduced with the new engine normally uses no forced compatibility tool.

Note the current setting before changing anything. A save can appear missing because native Linux and Proton use different directories; this does not by itself mean the save is corrupt. Stop if you see a Steam Cloud conflict: preserve the local copies before choosing a cloud version.

✿Close the game and protect both folders

Exit the game completely and switch the Deck to Desktop Mode. Open Dolphin and show hidden files if necessary. Copy each existing saves folder to a separate backup location with an identifiable label, such as Proton-before-migration and Linux-before-migration. Keep the copies outside both live save folders.

If the Linux destination does not exist, back up the Proton files first, then launch the native game once and exit so it can initialize its folder. Do not start and overwrite an old character just to make a directory.

▦The complete official paths

The leading ~ means your current Linux user’s home folder. Paste the full path into Dolphin’s location bar; dots at the start of folder names mean they may be hidden.

★Copy, then verify the character

With the game closed, copy all save files from the backed-up Proton source into the native Linux saves folder. Copy the folder’s contents, not another nested saves folder. If filenames already exist, compare your backups and their dates before agreeing to replace anything; do not combine unrelated saves blindly.

Launch the native version and open Load Game. Check the farmer and farm names, year, season, day and expected progress before continuing. Load the intended slot, inspect your character and farm, then make a new save only after confirming it is the right one. Keep both backups until the restored game loads again successfully.

▤If the old folder is empty

Confirm that you are on the Steam account and Linux user that owned the save. On a shared Deck, an account switch can make a different cloud library appear. Check both directories before concluding the files are gone.

NPC Studio also points to Steam Remote Storage. Sign into the account that played the game, find Fields of Mistria, download its available save files into a separate backup folder and inspect their dates. Copy the desired set to the matching game directory only after protecting the local files. Steam Cloud cannot recover files that were never uploaded.

◇Roll back if the wrong progress loads

Close the game without saving. Move the attempted restore aside, then put the destination’s pre-migration backup back in its original location. Restore the Compatibility setting you noted earlier if you changed it. The untouched source backup remains available for another attempt.

If Steam reports a conflict, compare the local and cloud timestamps with your known progress before choosing a version; do not assume the newer timestamp contains the later farm. If neither backup loads, keep both and contact NPC Studio with platform, version, directory and symptom details. Directory migration does not repair a damaged save.