What is a .BAK1 file?
A .BAK1 file is a type of backup file specifically used by a video game called Starbound. Starbound is a game that lets you explore space in a 2D environment. In this game, you can create characters and build spaceships. The .BAK1 file helps to save a copy of important game information. This could include anything from the details of your game character to the spaceship you've built. These backup files are very useful if something goes wrong, like if your computer stops working suddenly or if the main game files, known as PLAYER or SHIPWORLD files, get damaged or lost.
To open a .BAK1 file, you need to use the Starbound game itself, which is made by a company called Chucklefish. The game knows how to read these files because they are designed to work with it.
The name ".BAK1" is added to the end of the original file's name. For example, if the backup is for a file that saves player information, the name might look something like "ab07704dbcb4162646d4d93bbeef34df.player.bak1". If you ever need to use this backup file to restore your game information, you can remove the ".bak1" part from the file name. This will let you open it as a normal PLAYER file in Starbound. But, it's very important not to change any other part of the file name.
You can usually find .BAK1 files in a folder labeled "player" inside the main "Starbound" game folder. If you bought Starbound through a platform like Steam, this folder will be in a specific place on your computer, usually under "C:/Program Files/Steam/SteamApps/common/Starbound/player".
Remember, Starbound also uses other types of backup files, like .BAK2 and .BAK3, but the basic idea is the same for all of them. They are all there to help keep your game data safe.
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