Will installing the new update break a current save file? Should I wait?

[Discipline Before Dishonor]

Topic 

[Crabsoft]

I don't want to make any promises here, but it seems like all bugfixen. 

Here's an easy way to know the intended result. X.Y.Z is what's called semantic versioning. When the Z changes, it's a bugfix patch that is backwards compatible. When the Y changes, new backwards compatible things were added. When the X changes, something that breaks backwards compatibility has changed. This is widely used throughout software but I'm unfamiliar with how closely VS sticks to it.

https://semver.org/

[Discipline Before Dishonor]

4 minutes ago, Crabsoft said:

I don't want to make any promises here, but it seems like all bugfixen. 

Here's an easy way to know the intended result. X.Y.Z is what's called semantic versioning. When the Z changes, it's a bugfix patch that is backwards compatible. When the Y changes, new backwards compatible things were added. When the X changes, something that breaks backwards compatibility has changed. This is widely used throughout software but I'm unfamiliar with how closely VS sticks to it.

https://semver.org/

Okay, that's partially illuminating and I appreciate your input. Let's get a few more testimonies or inputs - worst case scenario, perhaps I could make a backup of my save in case anything breaks. Hopefully I could keep playing the backup and reinstall the previous version, if the newer version breaks something

[Broccoli Clock]

I am getting an error, but it's from one of my mods, I think Primal Survival or Tera Pretty, not properly checked I only saw the text in the loading dialog.

The map seems fine, and while my base isn't particularly huge, it's nothing more than effectively a couple of crofts but I don't see anything out of place (or the dreaded [?] blocks).

[LadyWYT]

It depends. If you're using mods, the answer is probably "yes", although it also depends on which mods you're using. Worst case scenario, a new update will add in something that makes a mod obsolete, in which case the mod may or may not be able to be safely removed(depends on what, and how much it changed). Either that, or you might have to wait a while longer before updating your game to give mods time to update. That being said, I don't think any big changes are slated for 1.21.6, so I don't expect mods to break or otherwise need updating if they already have a 1.21 version.

However, do make sure you wait for a stable release before updating your game. RC candidates are likely to have issues, and may or may not contain changes that make it to a stable release. 

Edit: just noticed there was a stable release available. 

Edited December 13, 2025 by LadyWYT

[Krago]

Updated, and my game, with its 146 mods, works fine. That's not a guarantee everyone else's will, of course.

[Teh Pizza Lady]

I'd wait until it's officially release, but there shouldn't be anything game-breaking. If there's new worldgen features you might want to make a new world, but otherwise, you should be okay. I've updated servers within the same minor version before without issues (example going from 1.20.7 to 1.20.12)

EDIT: Some mods might break, but that's the nature of modding a volatile game while it's in development... it's still in alpha, not even beta! So if you're looking for full compatibility, I'd recommend waiting at least until the mods you play with are updated or testing them on a new world to make sure they don't break anything before loading up your current save file.

Edited December 13, 2025 by Teh Pizza Lady

[Loosebearings]

On 12/13/2025 at 5:20 PM, Discipline Before Dishonor said:

perhaps I could make a backup of my save in case anything breaks

I try to make a habit of creating a backup every few play sessions. At the very least I create one every update or when I install a new mod.

[ArgentLuna]

Does the Update fix/ add stuff you need fixed or want to use right now Yes/No? if you dont need to update then why rush tilll other things your playing with might not be

[RatKing0]

I updated from 1.21.4 to 1.21.6 without issue. No mods in use so I can't speak on how it affects them. If I'm not mistaken, major updates (such as 1.20.x to 1.21.x) are the bigger risk for breaking saves

[Broccoli Clock]

On 12/13/2025 at 10:42 AM, Broccoli Clock said:

I am getting an error, but it's from one of my mods, I think Primal Survival or Tera Pretty, not properly checked I only saw the text in the loading dialog.

The map seems fine, and while my base isn't particularly huge, it's nothing more than effectively a couple of crofts but I don't see anything out of place (or the dreaded [?] blocks).

It's Terra Pretty, anyone running that mod will need to go to the ModDB page, https://mods.vintagestory.at/terraprety

It seems that they will need to fork at this point, providing two different versions, as there is a possibility that the game will crash dependent on game version and mod version.

Purely anecdotally, I am running the "older version" which is 7.0.8 (but now renamed 7.8.0) intended for 1.21.5, with the newest version being 7.9.0 (it would have previously been 7.0.9) of the terra pretty mod for the newest version of the game 1.21.6+ which gives the following error..

[Error] [terraprety] An exception was thrown when trying to start the mod:
[Error] [terraprety] Exception: Patching exception in method static System.Reflection.MethodBase SmoothCoastlines.MoreContinentalUpheavalPatches::TargetMethod()
 ---> System.Exception: Method static System.Reflection.MethodBase SmoothCoastlines.MoreContinentalUpheavalPatches::TargetMethod() returned an unexpected result: null
   at HarmonyLib.PatchClassProcessor.RunMethod[S,T](T defaultIfNotExisting, T defaultIfFailing, Func`2 failOnResult, Object[] parameters)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---

My game didn't crash and I'm guessing all that's happened is that Terra Pretty stopped working, which in the grand scheme of things isn't the worst. I can still play and I'm not going on long expeditions uncovering land (..and it's that map gen stuff that I assume is when TP gets referenced)

[Discipline Before Dishonor]

This new update didn't break my save but it did break my orphan class mod and I have no idea why. Didn't notice until I tried to have a fresh start. Reverting back to 1.21.5 for now so that my mods continue working. 

Edit: Nvm, my orphan class mod is just completely broken now with no explanation even though it was working fine before

Edited December 16, 2025 by Discipline Before Dishonor

[LadyWYT]

8 hours ago, Discipline Before Dishonor said:

This new update didn't break my save but it did break my orphan class mod and I have no idea why.

If it's a mod you made yourself, you could try describing the issue over in the Modding section of the forums and see if anyone can help figure out a solution. If it's not a mod you made though, you'll probably want to go report the issue on the mod's page(or wherever the mod author tracks issues).

One thing you might want to check, if you haven't already, is disabling all your other mods except that one and then testing on a fresh world to see if the issue persists. If the issue disappears, then it's probably interference from another mod causing the problems, and not the update.