That's exactly why they don't work, nevertheless since version 0.7.5.* you don't have to start a new game on every update as long as you have a saved file from 0.7.*
334 days ago(+2)
playing through the update, I can now see why even setting the default values wouldn't work. Since you added new events that happen earlier in the game. Setting the values to the default would prevent the player from ever seeing those events or break something because an earlier event never played. Out of curiosity, do the saves work in the newer versions because you aren't adding any events to earlier chapters or because you set default values?
331 days ago(+2)
They work because of a function which makes some changes(adds events or quest, default values...) if you go to sleep and the last version you played is different than the one you're playing right now. Although it's very unstable yet it has been working pretty well :)
For example, this is what the updater for version 0.8 is looking so far
