Can't find save games of new ME3 character

[v1nchic]

Help! Just started Playing ME3 again from scratch with a new character. When I save games I get the onscreen notification that the game is saved. However when I try to load games, It only shows previous careers. On another note, I've installed me3 on drive d of my pc rather than c:

[holger1405]

@v1nchic

Look if you can find a folder named as your character in your "Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect 3\Save" folder.

Do you have different characters and if so are they distinctively different named?

Furthermore, go to your ">drive<:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 3\Binaries\Win32" folder and run the "MassEffect3.exe" as Administrator. > test.

[v1nchic]

Dear Holger,

Thanks for the reply. The only saved games I can find are the "old careers" I have. None of the new one I started, however when I hit resume it does continue, from where I left off. The same thing happens when I load up ME2, new characters are not found. Not sure how to run the command prompt thing though. Game works as I just finished it from a saved career, but when I started a completely new character (diff name/ class/gender) this is what happened. I'm running this on a windows 7 machine with two drives. Would uninstalling and reinstalling the game fix this?

[v1nchic]

ok, found the save game path but the new characters/careers aren't saving there.

[holger1405]

@v1nchic

OK, the path is "Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect 3\Save?

Also navigate in the Windows Explorer to this ">drive<:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect 3\Binaries\Win32" path.

right click the "MassEffect3.exe" > Run as Administrator. > test if the game saves to that location now.

[v1nchic]

Dear Holger,

Path is D:Bioware\MassEffect3\Save  the only saved games there are the old characters. I have also tried importing other characters from ME2 (i.e. different name/class/etc) and I can play the game. when I try to save it brings me to the save screen but no save game name just create new save. Clicking it will say game was saved. But you can't load (as no list of saved games appears) and no new character appears in the save game directory.

Strangely Me2 is working fine.

BTW the other path is d:OriginGames\MassEffect 3\MassEffect 3\Binaries\win32

Tried it, strated a new game no change to the folder but  the file localfile.sav updated and no new character folder.

I've searched all other drives already and that's the only one that seems to be being accessed or containing saved games.

Really frustrated.

Super thanks for your patience and help because my ticket for EA is open for several days and no reply.

[holger1405]

@v1nchic

No problem.

But your save game location should be in your "Documents" folder.  So there is no Bioware Folder in your "Documents" folder at all?

Please create a DxDiag in text file format and post it with your next reply. You can do that  with the "choose file" button at the bottom right corner of the reply window. 

[v1nchic]

Dear Holger,

There is a bioware folder. It's just empty. When I set up the Origin app. I had it point to drive D and everything loaded/saved there. ME2 is working perfectly

Please find attached dxdiag.

[v1nchic]

Latest update, new characters wont save anymore... limited to the ones I have already (which is 2 playthroughs of the same character but different class. so basically I can play with new characters... the game seems to save (on screen notification) but It actually doesn't. and once I exit. Game is lost completely

[holger1405]

@v1nchic

Ok, here is the problem. Even if you change the location of the standard installations folder for ME3 in Origin (I did that too) the save games should still be in your "C:\Users\>your user name<\Documents\Bioware\Mass Effect 3\Save" folder. Normally you would access that folder in the Windows Explorer side bar over "Library > Documents" but navigate to that folder by hand (started from C) and look if it contains the same Data you access over the Explorer sidebar.


That you old saves are in "D:Bioware\MassEffect3\Save" means either that ME3 could not access your "Documents" folder or that the location of your Windows "Documents" folder was changed by hand. (If the content of the folders I mentioned above are different the "Documents" folder location was changed.


If so, try this:

- close Origin completely.

- create a folder named "Documents" in the root of your D: drive. (Directly under the drive letter.)

- use this guide to move your Windows Documents folder to the new created "Documents" folder on your D: drive. (allow Windows to move the already existing files to that folder)

- reboot.

- test


If that don't helps, create a new user account (Admin) > reboot > logon to this new account and test.