Installing 2 versions on 1 PC...is it possible?

[Degasai]

I'm playing 74.32 on my desktop PC. Is anyone running 2 versions on one PC? Not enough coffee yet this morning, so this may classify as a dumb question. However, I would like to be able to shut down the stable version and start up the experimental version in order to help with QA and bug reporting.

To my tiny mind, it *should* be possible to install the experimental version into a separate directory and launch that version of the game from the executable within that directory. My 74.32 is installed in the Steam framework and is launched from Steam/common apps/Kenshi. I don't think there is a way to do this using Steam.

Could I buy another copy from the Lo-Fi web store, install the latest experimental build and run it out of a separate directory? I'm running Win 7.1 64 bit OS in a 3 month old build, so this would classify as, probably, "recommended" hardware for running Kenshi at higher graphics and population settings.

[Sol Lignum]

As a non-official suggestion: you might try downloading a non-steam version, since product key you get for steam game should also be valid for any other copy. Ofc put it into separate directory and all that stuff

[Hatsune_Neko]

copy the main Kenshi folder and move it to a different location.
Steam will not see the new directory and render Kenshi to look like its uninstalled.

[Degasai]

I'll experiment with this. I think what you mean is that I need to copy the Kenshi folder out of steamapps\common to somewhere like C:\Games. Then, I can use the .exe startup file in the new location of the game folder to start that version of the game. After that, I can opt into the beta on Steam. It should update the Steam folder of Kenshi and allow me to import my squad(s). That's what I'll try, at least. If it works, I'll have 74.32 with all my saves and mods somewhere like C:/Games and the experimental version in steamapps\common. I wonder if the Windows Registry is going to freak out over this.

It should be interesting to see if the FCS and KMM work properly in the relocated directory. It should, but we'll see.

Thanks for the help

[Sol Lignum]

Share your results sometime, i'm interested!

[Degasai]

I timed this just right, apparently. Steam force-updated my 74.32 to, umm, 91.19 I think? And didn't have my squad at all ready for the move.

I now have 74.32 running out of the C:\Games folder in 64 bit version using DX 11. It actually runs better than running the game out of the Steam\steamapps\common folder. All my saves are intact, although they are now arranged alphabetically (because they all have the same creation date and time...the date and time I copied the Kenshi folder).

All I did was open the \common folder in steamapps, right-clicked and dragged the Kenshi folder into C:\Games and chose "Copy here". My C:\ drive is a SSD, so it took maybe 30 seconds to copy the 2 GB over. When that was done, I went into the C:\Games\Kenshi folder and found Kenshi_x64.exe and created a shortcut to that executable on the desktop. When I double click that icon, Kenshi 74.32 x64 starts up and runs completely out of the new folder.

I do *not* have to have Steam running to play the game. Meanwhile, I have 91.19 sitting in the Steam folder. What I'm going to do is continue training my squads until they are where I want them to be for the import into the new world. At that time, I will replace the Kenshi 91.19 version in the Steam folder with a copy of the folder from C:\Games. Steam will see it as vsn 74.32 and update it.

The only drawback is that I can't use Steam to verify the game files for 74.32 any more. Also, both FCS and KMM work correctly in the new folder.

Thanks for the tip, Neko! This accomplished what I wanted, which is to have 74.32 available to keep playing while I help test the latest experimental build.