Save Game confusion

Game Development ChoiceScript Help
1

I have been searching and reading the forum on the issue of save games. The game I am writing has a number of deaths in it, the option to save at the end/start of each chapter would be pretty much invaluable. There are a number of threads on this topic and I am confused.

I know that dashingdon hosting has a save option and I have now implemented this.

I am confused about how to implement a hard save, I have read that this IS an option if the game is successfully published by Choice of Games?

Is there a “standard” way to add saves to the end of each scene/chapter?
What is the difference between a save system that has been written by the author and the system implemented in a published game (if any)?

Thanks for any advice, this is the last coding issue for me now!

2

I believe the difference between published save and game is as follows. The game save is in shape of checkpoints, as you say with games that have a lot of deaths, checkpoints serve as going back point in case of choices that lead to death.

I also had once questioned this, and at least i was TOLD that you can talk with CoG about implanting a save game feature, which allows people to save char from per say game nr 1, and then they can continue in sequel if there is one, with char from game nr 1.

Someone do correct me if i am wrong on it. :man_shrugging:

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3

Set up a scene subroutine in a separate scene file (save.txt, for example), something like:

*label save
*set alt_var1 var1
*set alt_var2 var2
*set alt_var3 var3
*return

*label load
*set var1 alt_var1
*set var2 alt_var2
*set var3 alt_var3
*return

You’ll need two sets of variables (on top of my head, maybe there’s an alternative faster method) as you can see. And at the end of each chapter *gosub_scene save save - for saving and *gosub_scene save load - upon death to reload the variables.

You have died. Start the chapter over?
*choice
	#Yes
		*gosub_scene save load
		*goto_scene chapter10
	#No
		*goto ending
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4

The save system accepted by CoG is the ones where the author themselves hard-coded it, (ex: XoR, recent Sword of the Slayer, Tin Star). The ones on dashingdon.com use a saving plugin, which means authors don’t really have total control over the system (as in knowing the inner workings).

That being said, one way to hard-code a save system is by *creating duplicate save_var for all the variables you want to save. Run them through a *gosub, and you have yourself a save system. Similar in XoR. Similar in Jumo’s example.

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5

Thanks everyone very much

For my own clarity, is using this plug-in a way around doing any coding such as the examples given?

If the plug in does not remove the need for manual coding and given that there is already a save system for games on dashingdon then I am not sure what it is for? To be clear, I am not trying to be annoying - I actually am this thick! (as some of you will know from my other queries and issues!)

6

Dashingdon uses save system by CJW from the link you posted, except the setup process is automated on the server side, so all you have to do is check a box while uploading the game. With this system you can save and load anywhere and anytime.

Now, CoG does not allow the use of this save system in the final product. If you wish to implement chapter restarts for the release version, so far the only option is to do it manually (like the code in the above).

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7

Fantastic- thanks!

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For context, CJW’s save plugin helps author in their testing process as it allows save-load on any kind of games, removing the need to restart the game just to check different routes or other things.

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