Second Stone Demo vs Full Game: What Carries Over

This article explains exactly what is included in the Second Stone demo versus the full game, and which progress, items, and settings carry over when you upgrade. In short, the demo includes the first two zones and a level cap of 10, and your character, inventory, and world state transfer to the full version when you purchase it.

Background: Why Demos and Full Games Differ

Second Stone is an action RPG with a heavy focus on exploration and crafting. The demo was released to let players sample the core loop—combat, gathering, and base building—before committing to the full purchase. Unlike many modern “trial” versions that time-lock content, this demo uses a hard progression gate: you can play as much as you want, but only in the opening areas and up to a specific level.

This design choice is common for story-driven games where a time limit would feel artificial. The developers wanted you to experience the early narrative arc and the first major boss, then continue seamlessly if you decide to buy. That seamless continuation is the key feature that sets this demo apart from a separate “prologue” or “chapter one” release.

What the Demo Includes

The demo covers the game’s opening region, the Verdant Vale, and the first underground dungeon, the Crystal Caverns. You have access to the full skill tree for the first class you choose, all three gathering tools, and the basic crafting bench. The demo also includes the first two story quests and a handful of side quests that introduce the game’s faction reputation system.

Your level cap in the demo is 10. Once you hit level 10, you stop earning experience points until you install the full game. You can still explore, complete quests that give non-experience rewards, and gather materials, but your character will not level further. The demo also restricts you to the first two zones; the world map beyond those areas is shown but locked.

What Carries Over to the Full Game

Everything you do in the demo carries over to the full game, provided you install the full version on the same platform and use the same account. This includes:

• Your character’s level, experience points, and allocated skill points
• All inventory items, including materials, gear, and quest items
• Completed quests and their rewards, including reputation gains
• Discovered map locations, fast travel points, and lore entries
• Your base camp upgrades and any placed furniture or storage
• Settings like key bindings, graphics options, and accessibility toggles

The transfer happens automatically the first time you launch the full game. There is no manual export or import step. The game detects the demo save file and imports it into the full game’s save slot. If you have multiple demo saves, the game asks which one you want to import.

What Does NOT Carry Over

A few things do not transfer, and knowing these can save you frustration. First, any items you purchased with real money in the demo (if the demo includes microtransactions) are tied to your account and will carry over, but any demo-exclusive promotional items that were only granted during a specific event may not. Second, your friends list and multiplayer settings are stored separately and do not need to carry over—they are already account-wide.

Third, if you delete the demo before buying the full game, you lose your save. The demo does not upload saves to the cloud unless you have the platform’s cloud save feature enabled. So if you plan to upgrade, keep the demo installed until the full game is installed and your save is confirmed imported.

How the Transfer Works Step by Step

The transfer process is straightforward, but the exact steps depend on your platform. On PC (Steam or Epic), the full game installer detects the demo’s save folder in your user directory. On consoles, the save is tied to your profile and is automatically recognized. Here is the general flow:

1. Install the full game while the demo is still installed.
2. Launch the full game once. It will scan for a demo save.
3. If found, a prompt appears: “Demo save detected. Import now?” Select Yes.
4. The game imports your character, inventory, and world state. This can take a minute.
5. After import, you can delete the demo. Your full game save is now independent.

If you accidentally delete the demo before importing, you may be able to recover the save from your platform’s cloud storage. On Steam, this is done by right-clicking the demo in your library, selecting Properties, then the Cloud tab, and downloading the save. On consoles, go to system settings and manage saved data. This is not guaranteed, so it is best to import before deleting.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

A frequent misconception is that the demo’s level cap of 10 means you lose experience earned after reaching the cap. That is not true—the game simply pauses experience gain. Once you import to the full game, the cap is removed and you continue earning experience from your next kill or quest. You do not lose any progress.

Another common issue is that players who bought the full game on a different platform than the demo (for example, demo on PC, full game on PlayStation) cannot transfer their save. Saves are platform-specific and there is no cross-platform save transfer for Second Stone. You would need to start fresh on the new platform.

Some players report that the import prompt does not appear. This usually happens when the full game is installed before the demo, or when the demo’s save folder has been manually moved. A simple fix is to run the demo once after installing the full game, then relaunch the full game. If that fails, check that both games are updated to the latest version.

Is It Worth Playing the Demo First?

For most players, yes. The demo gives you a solid 4–6 hours of content, which is enough to decide if the combat and crafting systems click with you. It also lets you build up your base camp and gather rare materials early, giving you a head start in the full game. The only downside is that the demo’s level cap means you might outlevel the first two zones in the full game if you do every side quest, making the early full-game content slightly trivial.

If you are a completionist, you might want to avoid the demo and start fresh in the full game to experience everything at the intended pace. But if you just want to try before you buy, the demo is a generous sample that respects your time by carrying over everything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to keep the demo installed after buying the full game?

No, but you should keep it until the full game has successfully imported your save. Once you see your character in the full game with the correct level and inventory, you can uninstall the demo. Keeping it installed does not cause any conflicts.

Can I transfer my demo save to a friend’s account?

No. Saves are tied to the account that created them. You cannot transfer a save to another account, even on the same platform. If your friend wants to play your character, they would need to use your account, which is against most platform terms of service.

Will my demo achievements carry over to the full game?

Yes. Achievements earned in the demo are permanently unlocked on your platform account. They do not need to be re-earned in the full game. This includes achievements for completing the first boss or reaching level 10.

What happens if I reach level 10 in the demo and then buy the full game?

You will continue from level 10 with the same experience bar. The cap is removed, so your next experience gain will bring you to level 11. You do not lose any experience that would have been earned while capped.

Does the demo include all the game’s classes?

Yes, the demo lets you create a character with any of the three starting classes: Warrior, Ranger, or Mage. The full game does not add new classes, but it does unlock the advanced class specializations at level 20, which are not available in the demo.

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