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[PSA] Backup your Steam Soundtrack/OST/Music folders before updates

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NeverOnline

Following the recent decision to separate the game files from the music, (many) publishers/developers have gone down the hasty road of providing some kind of mp3 files and completely scrape everything else. The mp3 quality is questionable even if it states 320kb/s and in all the games I have seen until now, they have removed everything else be that FLAC, WAV or other lossless music files.
Also, you have to download the soundtrack first (if you had it) or the game-updating goes in a kind of loop that refuses to update (content encrypted and such..)
If you value your music collection.. back it up before any updates

5 years ago

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4 Comments
stlpaul

I wonder if you could download the old depot version using steam console to get the old files back?

5 years ago
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NeverOnline

That solution is (still) viable, yes.
I should think that most users aren't familiar with console so better be prepared than..

5 years ago
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SnowyK

I don't usually move out game OST to listen to, but what games do you know have done this so far? just curious. I assume they will put the lossless files back in sometime later otherwise all the music during gameplay will be lossy mp3.

The only full OST I have in my music collection is the Endless Legend album I bought on bandcamp.

5 years ago*
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NeverOnline

The music during gameplay doesn't come from the soundtrack files, as obviously not everyone buys the OST. Those sounds/music are embeded in the game's files/paks/assets etc, so there won't be any issues while playing the game.
But imagine you bought the game on bandcamp like you say, and someone messed with your PC, deleted all the lossless music and gave you mp3..
A couple of examples where the lossless music has been deleted: 6180 the Moon (beautiful, largely unknown -most likely- soundtrack), Figment.
I'd prefer to backup and keep the music as is, rather than wait for when they realise what lossless is and whether they can be bothered to fix the mistake.

5 years ago
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