NaniNovel Save Editing: Complete Guide to .nson Files

Introduction to NaniNovel Save Files

NaniNovel is a powerful Unity-based visual novel engine that has gained significant popularity among indie developers and studios. Unlike traditional Unity saves, NaniNovel uses its own proprietary NSON format (.nson files) for storing game state, which requires specialized handling.

This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about editing NaniNovel save files – from understanding the file format to safely modifying your game progress.

Understanding the NSON File Format

NaniNovel’s NSON format is essentially compressed JSON data. Here’s what makes it unique:

Technical Structure

┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│     Raw DEFLATE Compressed      │
│         (No zlib header)        │
├─────────────────────────────────┤
│                                 │
│        JSON Game State          │
│    - Global Variables           │
│    - Script Position            │
│    - Choice History             │
│    - Unlocked Content           │
│                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────┘

Key Characteristics

1. Raw DEFLATE Compression: Unlike standard zlib, NSON uses raw DEFLATE without headers
2. JSON Core: The underlying data is standard JSON, making it human-readable once decompressed
3. UTF-8 Encoding: All text is stored in UTF-8 format
4. No Encryption: NaniNovel does not encrypt save files by default

What’s Inside a NaniNovel Save?

When you decompress an NSON file, you’ll find a structured JSON object containing:

Global State Variables

{
  "GlobalState": {
    "variableMap": {
      "g_affection_sarah": 85,
      "g_story_chapter": 3,
      "g_ending_unlocked": true,
      "g_coins": 1500
    }
  }
}

Script Execution State

• Current Script: Which script file is being executed
• Script Line: Exact position in the narrative
• Rollback History: Stack of previous states for undo functionality

Player Choices

• Choice History: Record of all player decisions
• Branch Flags: Which story branches have been visited
• Unlocked Galleries: CG images and extras that have been unlocked

Step-by-Step Editing Guide

Step 1: Locate Your Save File

NaniNovel save files are typically stored in:

Windows:

%AppData%\..\LocalLow\[CompanyName]\[GameName]\Saves\

macOS:

~/Library/Application Support/[CompanyName]/[GameName]/Saves/

Linux:

~/.config/unity3d/[CompanyName]/[GameName]/Saves/

Step 2: Create a Backup

Before any modification, always backup your save files:

cp GlobalSaveSlot.nson GlobalSaveSlot.nson.backup
cp SaveSlot0.nson SaveSlot0.nson.backup

Step 3: Upload to Our Editor

1. Navigate to our NaniNovel Save Editor
2. Drag and drop your .nson file into the upload area
3. Wait for automatic decompression and parsing

The editor will display the JSON structure in an easy-to-navigate tree view.

Step 4: Modify Values

Common modifications include:

Modify Affection/Relationship Points

Look for variables prefixed with g_affection_ or similar:

"g_affection_character1": 50  →  "g_affection_character1": 100

Unlock All Endings

Find ending flags and set them to true:

"g_ending_a_unlocked": false  →  "g_ending_a_unlocked": true
"g_ending_b_unlocked": false  →  "g_ending_b_unlocked": true

Add In-Game Currency

Locate currency variables:

"g_coins": 100  →  "g_coins": 99999

Step 5: Download and Replace

1. Click Download Modified Save
2. Replace the original file with the modified version
3. Launch the game and verify your changes

Advanced: Multiple Save Formats

NaniNovel supports multiple save formats depending on game configuration:

Format	Extension	Compression	Our Support
NSON (Default)	.nson	Raw DEFLATE	✅ Full
JSON (Debug)	.json	None	✅ Full
Base64 JSON	.json	Base64	✅ Full
Gzip JSON	.json	Gzip	✅ Full

Our editor automatically detects and handles all four formats.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Save File Not Loading

Symptom: Game shows “Corrupted Save” error

Solutions:

1. Ensure you’re editing the correct save slot
2. Verify JSON syntax is valid (no missing commas or brackets)
3. Restore from backup and try again

Changes Not Appearing

Symptom: Modifications don’t reflect in-game

Possible Causes:

1. Cloud Save Conflict: Disable Steam/Unity Cloud sync
2. Wrong File: NaniNovel uses separate files for global vs slot saves
3. Cache: Some games cache save data in memory

Variable Names Unknown

Symptom: Can’t find the variable you want to change

Tips:

1. Check the game’s documentation or community wikis
2. Make a change in-game and compare save files
3. Variable names often follow patterns like g_[category]_[name]

Related Tools and Resources

For more advanced save editing needs:

• Unity PlayerPrefs Editor – For games using standard Unity saves
• Ren’Py Save Viewer – For Python-based visual novels
• Save File Extensions Guide – Learn about all save formats

Conclusion

NaniNovel’s NSON format, while using compression, is fundamentally accessible once you understand its structure. Our online editor handles the technical complexity of decompression and recompression, letting you focus on making the changes you want.

Remember to always backup your saves, and if you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improving our NaniNovel support, please contact us.

Happy editing!