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If you have located an editor or decided to manually edit the file, follow these safety protocols to avoid corrupting your game.
1. Always Backup First
Before opening any save file in an editor, make a copy of the original .nson file and store it in a separate folder. If your edits crash the game, you can revert to the original state.
2. Match the Checksums
Modern games use "checksums" (like an MD5 or CRC check) to verify that a file hasn't been tampered with. If you edit a value in a save file, the game may detect that the file structure has changed and refuse to load it. Advanced .nson save editors will automatically recalculate the checksum for you. If you are editing manually, you will need a tool to fix the checksum before importing the save back into the game. .nson save editor
3. Don't Push Values to the Limit A common mistake is setting a value (like money) to 999,999,999. This often exceeds the variable limit set by the game's code, causing an overflow error that crashes the game. Try to keep values reasonable (e.g., double your current amount) rather than maxing them out.
| Feature | Standard JSON | Typical .nson |
|---------|--------------|----------------|
| Comments | Not allowed | Often supports // or # |
| Trailing commas | Not allowed | Often allowed |
| Integer types | Only number (double) | May distinguish int/float |
| Binary data | Base64 string | May have native binary tags |
| References | No | Some allow "$ref": "path" | If you have located an editor or decided
Look for a node named player_data or game_state. Inside, find stats or inventory.
Example tree path:
root > save_data > current_player > resources > gold
Value: 150
As games adopt more complex data (e.g., references, binary blobs embedded in JSON), we will see: As games adopt more complex data (e
While few tools target ".nson" exclusively, most JSON editors work perfectly. Recommended:
| Tool | Platform | Best for |
|------|----------|-----------|
| Visual Studio Code + "JSON Crack" extension | Win/Mac/Linux | Manual editing with schema validation |
| Notepad++ with JSON Viewer plugin | Windows | Lightweight, fast |
| Online JSON Editor (jsoneditoronline.org) | Web | Quick, no-install fixes |
| Save Editor Universal (SEU) | Windows | Custom scripting for .nson + checksums |
| jq (command line) | Cross-platform | Batch scripting (e.g., jq '.player.level = 99' save.nson > new_save.nson) |
⚠️ Dedicated .nson editors are rare; most games using .nson provide their own community-made tool (e.g., "Borderlands 3 .nson editor", "Hades Save Editor").
Save files have evolved from binary blobs to structured text formats like XML, JSON, and .nson. The latter offers a balance between readability and machine efficiency. However, manual editing with a basic text editor is error-prone. Specialized .nson save editors provide: