Mod «Manual Save & Slot Manager [B42]» for Project Zomboid

Real save slots for Project Zomboid. Create as many slots as you want with custom names. Perform a Quick Save without leaving the world or a Full Save when consistency is critical. Branch runs, keep checkpoints, and stop fearing the autosave.

Technical Information:

• Workshop ID: 3721602150
• Mod ID: ManualSaveMod

Core Save System

• Quick Save: Instant snapshot without leaving the world. Ideal for testing or temporary checkpoints.
• Full Save: Exits the world and flushes everything to disk for a fully consistent backup.
• Multiple Save Slots: Create named checkpoints, branch runs, and maintain multiple timelines safely.

Save Management

• Rename / Duplicate / Delete: Manage saves from an in-game UI matching Project Zomboid style.
• Import Vanilla Saves: Import existing saves into the slot system without rebuilding worlds.
• Auto Thumbnails: Each save automatically stores a screenshot of the moment it was created.

Recovery & Safety Tools

• Strip Mods: Remove mod dependencies from a save to recover broken modded runs.
• Recovery Flags: One-time fixes on next load (weather reset, time reset, world repair tools).

Installation Instructions

1. Subscribe on the Workshop and let Steam download the mod automatically.
2. Activate «Manual Save & Slot Manager [B42]» in: Mods menu → Load your world → Enable mod in the save.
3. Start the Watcher (required): This mod uses a lightweight external helper to handle save slots. Go to the mod folder and run ManualSave_Watcher.cmd. A console window will open and stay running in the background. This is normal and required for the mod to function.
   Typical path (Steam default): C:\ProgramFiles(x86)\Steam\steamapps\workshop\content\108600\3721602150\mods\ManualSaveMod\ManualSave_Watcher.cmd
4. Start the game and enter your world normally.
5. Open ESC → Save Game. If the interface loads without red warnings, everything is working.
6. Create your first save: Type a name → choose Quick Save or Full Save.

Quick Save vs. Full Save

Full Save is the safe default for almost every situation. Quick Save exists for testing, fast checkpoints, and cases where you don't care about world consistency because you're going to reload right away. A Quick Save reload may have zombies in slightly different positions, weather and time of day mismatches, or distant chunks in an older state.

Full Save exits the game first so PZ can flush everything to disk, then copies. The copy is guaranteed consistent. If you want zero surprises, always use Full Save. Quick Save is the fast escape hatch for testing and minor drift.

Requirements and Limits

• Operating System: Windows 10 or Windows 11.
• Project Zomboid Version: Build 42 only.
• Watcher Required: The external Watcher must be running before using save actions. No installation, service, or autostart required.
• Recommended Display Mode: Borderless Windowed for the best Save and Return compatibility.
• Singleplayer Focused: The mod is designed and tested primarily for solo play.

Linux and macOS are currently unsupported because the Watcher relies on Windows-specific filesystem tools.

Safety Information

• No network access: The Watcher never opens sockets or connects to external services.
• No registry changes, services, or autostart: Closing the Watcher returns the system to its normal state.
• No executable patching: Project Zomboid itself is never modified.
• Plain-text scripts only: The Watcher is a short PowerShell script with comments.
• No bundled binaries: No .exe files, DLLs, drivers, or external SDKs.

Known Issues

• Recovery Flag «Wipe Zombies» is experimental: Always test it on a duplicated save first.
• Exclusive fullscreen may cause a black screen: During «Save and Return» on some GPU drivers. Borderless Windowed is recommended.
• Large worlds take time to copy: Saves above 300 MB may require several seconds to complete.
• Watcher lock file after crashes: In rare cases, a stale lock file may remain after an unexpected shutdown. Delete %USERPROFILE%\Zomboid\Lua\ManualSave_Watcher.lock if the Watcher refuses to start.

FAQ

Will it work without the Watcher running?
No. The save list still loads and you can browse, but every action that touches the filesystem is disabled and a red bar reminds you the Watcher is offline.

Does it work on Linux or Mac?
No. The Watcher uses Windows-specific tools.

Can I import existing vanilla saves?
Yes. Open the Load screen from the main menu and click Import.

What's the difference between Quick Save and Full Save?
Quick Save = instant, partial state. Full Save = exits, fully consistent. Default to Full Save.

Will my saves survive a mod uninstall?
Yes. The backup folders under Zomboid/ManualSaves/ stay where they are.

Why does my antivirus complain?
Heuristic flag on «unsigned .cmd that calls PowerShell + robocopy». Read the scripts, they're short plain text.