Map save system - Proposed changes

[Karsten75]

Before I start harassing Virgil, I'd like to get a sense of others' opinion on this. :)

I'm not (never have been) overly fond of the current save system. My primary objections to it are:

1. I don't always want a save to hang around for all the maps I have played in the past, and for the DMD maps that I start, only to find out they are impossible*.

2. Every map I've ever played has at least one save. So my 100+ (and I have an achievement to back me up) DMD maps all have at least one small save file on my hard drive.  Add in all the other maps in Colonial Space and all the outer sectors and it really starts adding up.

3. In some maps, there isn't enough saves.

Requested changes.

1. Create a single save location in the CW3 game folder.   Allow more saves - maybe 10 or even 15. Other panes in the Menu (eg. the key settings) can scroll, so the save window could scroll. Show the most recent save at the top.

2. Label each save with it's zone (DMD, Tormented, CS, file load). Don't permit loading a save in a zone where the save is not valid.  (Just block the Load button?) Maybe even only look at the GUID for the map and show only saves matching the GUID?

3. It would really be nice if there could be a user name for the save, as well as date/time stamp.

4. The best thing about this is that if people want to modify a map, they know where to go to find a save file. :)

Now also maybe there can be a "restart my most recent map" action somewhere on the main menu?



* Case in point:

Code Select Expand

BQBzjmp+pf3/I8iU52sAAQABBDIBbgCwUDgeAAjQACCQABAImALYYFCDRHAgEEAAKkCkwsJ8/sACoAbAAcAEIMAUiFaoIAFwJMan/z8WQKAJgApAFKAZ4EPnIWYEoAZAIKWFIYCDhgSAFMAMAArA/////////////////////////////////////////38AwP8/AMAAAAAAAAABABkAAAAAGQAAAAAZAABAAwA=

[teknotiss]

although i don't mind about point 1 (too much space on my drives to care about tiny files), points 2 3 and 4 are all things i'd quite like to see.
although i'd be happy with just an "add another save slot" button  ::) only 4 saves V, not enough for some huge maps for me, i rarely enjoy playing "iron man" style ;)

[Clean0nion]

I'm not too keen on this idea - I like having saves in the same folder as the rest of the map.
However, the ability to delete saves is an idea that appeals to me.

[J]

I'm not too keen on this idea - I like having saves in the same folder as the rest of the map.
However, the ability to delete saves is an idea that appeals to me.

Same for me, and a button to prevent auto-saving (which has to be checked every time you try to leave a map)

[Katra]

I would really like an option to quit without saving. (For those times where I've just had my tail handed to me, and to avoid duplicating the save I just made in preparation for quitting for the day.)

[miquelfire]

Just buttons to delete CS maps as well would be nice. I don't want CW3 to be the reason I need to pay extra for cloud storage in the long run.

[Cavemaniac]

Kirsten makes some good points.

The number and location of save files could use an update, but for me, the single biggest issue is one he raised, almost in passing - it didn't even get a number!

The ease of returning to recent games.

I play seldom these days (family commitments) but when I do get five minutes, I struggle to remember where I was playing a game or how to restart it, or load my save.

Unless I've missed something, there's no easy way to access saves like in CW2 where you can access all saves, right off the main menu - in CW3 you actually have to fire up the DMD or CS map you want (good luck finding it), then load your save after starting it.

A list of recent games/saves would make navigating significantly easier.

I don't have a problem with hundreds of game saves 'cluttering up' my hard disc, but I can see how it would drive a neat-freak nuts - a simple 'tidy up button' that deletes saves would be handy. Perhaps saves over a month old, or a week, or 'all' could be options.

[Godsbrother]

A list of recent games/saves would make navigating significantly easier.

^This would be a welcome addition

Though for me as well space is a non-issue.  I just checked and my CW3 folder is 250MB with lots of saves and at least a hundred dl'd maps.  In contrast, my WoW folder is 29GB.  I admit my 1T HD is near full, but if I gave up even one movie or game I don't play I'd have space for years of maps.

Don't get me wrong, an easy way to clean up/navigate old saves would be a good thing.  For some reason I'm a total neat freak about my Virtual desktop and file system(how do people live with dozens of icons, mostly unused, on their desktop)... Just wish that continued into real life, I won't be showing any pictures of my real desk any time soon lol.

[Clean0nion]

I don't have a problem with hundreds of game saves 'cluttering up' my hard disc, but I can see how it would drive a neat-freak nuts - a simple 'tidy up button' that deletes saves would be handy. Perhaps saves over a month old, or a week, or 'all' could be options.

As long as this doesn't affect the WorldEditor folder, then I support.

[Katra]

I second the suggestion for a list of recent saves.

[miquelfire]

My reason was for cloud storage, not local hard drive. It more to the fact that 250MB is a fairly big amount when you're working with 2GB or whatever low amount your cloud storage of choice gives you if you're only on the free plan. I don't know what my current use is, but I'm no where near an amount that I need to worry about, but by the time CW4 comes out, the CW3 might be in the GB range taking up more than 50% of the cloud storage.

Steam version, that 250MB will eat up your Steam cloud real quick BTW.

[knucracker]

One easy thing to add is the ability to turn off auto-saves.  I've just added this so it will show up in the next beta (and in the steam release naturally).  I actually find myself never using the auto saves, so yeah they just take up space and also slow down exiting missions.

The other two ideas that are interesting are to add a global list of recent saves, and some way to cleanup those saves.  This is a non-trivial amount of work, though.  The most robust way would be to crawl all directories of interest, look for save files, then show the list.  The list would have to be grouped somehow so that saves for the same map were collapsed into single entries in the list (and these entries could be expanded).  There could be hundreds, or even thousands of save files so the list would have to be smart about what it shows (performance reasons).

Each entry in the list could also have a "delete" next to it, or there could be checkboxes next to each row so you could select a whole bunch for deletion.  If I was using an actual GUI framework, such a control wouldn't be that big of a deal.  Since the game is 3D, there are no gui frameworks with such a control I can readily use.  So I have to make the control myself....

All of this is likely something I won't be able to add till after the Steam release (which I hope is this month... I for sure will be 'done' this month).

[Karsten75]

Thanks! It's a BIG step in the right direction.

Would it be hard to have in gamesettings.xml an entry (similar for DMD entry in there) for the last save and then an orbiting planet on main screen that says "Resume"?  That would address Cavemaniac's requirement and we should help new fathers as much as possible... :D

[knucracker]

I'll have to look at it.  The tricky and difficult part is that the game loads differently based on where it is launched from.  For instance, when you are in Arc Eternal, the missions are launched from within that sector and the game looks at that for various settings.  Same for the other (numerous) locations missions can be loaded.  The trick is to store where a game was saved and recreate the necessary setup when loading it.

[Clean0nion]

Of course, if this is actually going to be done and happening... it'd also be nice to have an "Export to WorldEditor" function. I know I've brought this up twice in this thread already and feature request after feature request is not the most polite of things, but even so, this COULD be useful, plus it'd stop new people coming here and asking how to do it.