DRM vs Steam version: Question on Mods breaking save files.

[ArguedPiano]

For years I have been using the DRM version of the game mostly because it's what I'm used to and it works.
I do like a lot of quality of life mods, but increasingly I and finding it harder to find some of them anywhere but on steam.

So my question revolves around creators and their updates to the mods.
I've heard that steam auto updates any mods you have installed. And I've also heard of horror stories of creators updating their mods and ruining save files.

How common is this? And is it something that should concern me when switching over?

[Canute]

Mosttimes this happen after a Rimworld release change.
Since the workshop don't to a Rimworld version check,
and mod's get update to the next version at the same workshop entry people which stay at the old Rimworld version might don't have access to their mod's anymore.

So you should copy your Workshop mod to local before you notice a new Rimworld release is coming.

Ofcourse it can happen that a mod develop that much that it isn't anymore safegame compactible, but that rarely happen.

[BlackSmokeDMax]

How common is this? And is it something that should concern me when switching over?

You don't need to switch over to the DRM free version. You would just need to install mods manually, you can use any mix of Steam mods and forum/web downloaded mods without issue, there is no difference between them. I have a written guide both here and pinned on the Steam forums.

Steam: http://steamcommunity.com/app/294100/discussions/0/1291817208489340678/
Ludeon: https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=29440.0

Using the DRM free version is very helpful in having multiple installs on your computer at one time. You can have as many installs as you have hard drive space as long as you use custom save locations, this can be any mixture of different builds (B18, A17, A16, etc.), and within that multiples of each with different mod loadouts. I have heard you can do that with the Steam version as well, but seeing as I have the DRM free version, I have not seen the need to try it.

[ArguedPiano]

Thank you both for the quick and helpful replies.
This is great!