Help with Playmaker Save Slots

[stv]

Hello,

I recently bought Easy Save for my game because of it's Playmaker integration. I've been through numerous tutorials, I've been through the example scenes, I've googled, youtubed and ask friends - I'm sorry, but I just don't understand how this is working.

In the example scene for Playmaker, there are the load from save slots FSM, which to me, looks like it is just loading a scene by a string name - but I guess I'm missing something?

I'm trying to create 3 possible save slots for my players, and every time I think I get it, I lose it.

To have save slots, would I not have to create separate save files and then use each 'save current game progress' button to save all my variables to that save file - i.e., SaveSlot001.txt would go with the button Save Progress to Save Slot 001?

But, I'm getting so confused. I'm told I can do this with arrays, but I don't really know where to start with that.

Also, how can I just load a scene? Again, the examples just don't explain this to me? To ask another way, how can I save all current progress to a certain save slot and then load from that save slot?

The menu structure and GUI is no problem, I have that done - but the Easy Save stuff is very difficult.

Can you guys just make some basic getting started video tutorials with Playmaker? I realize this might be easy stuff for developers, but I'm an artist with some light c# skills and some okay Playmaker skills, but it's very confusing.

Thanks,
Steve

[Joel]

Hi Steve,

Sorry to hear you've been having trouble getting to grips with the save slots. Hopefully I can explain in a bit more detail.

The Save Slots example is only intended to save which level the user is in, rather than aspects of that level. However, as you suggest, the example can be modified so that the Filename represents the save slot, instead of the Tag.

The example would actually be made easier by using a global variable, but unfortunately we cannot export global variables with examples. I will describe below the workflow for this however:

1. Create a global variable to store the filename (we'll call it filename).
2. When the user presses a save slot, put the filename of that saveslot into the global variable.
3. Now whenever calling an Easy Save action, simply use that global variable as the filename.

With regards to the saving the save progress, you will need to use the actions to save the particular variables which need persisting.

For example, if you want to save the position of a GameObject, you would use PlayMaker's Get Position action to get the position of the GameObject, and then use the Save Vector 3 action to save the position. This could be done by using the APPLICATION QUIT system event as a transition, so that it is saved when the application is quit.

Then to load it, you would use the Load Vector 3 action to load the position, and then use PlayMakers Set Position action to apply the new position to the GameObject.

(Note that we actually provide Save Position and Load Position actions which do the above in a single action, but I've used the above to demonstrate how you might save a variable which does not have these actions)

Hope this helps!

All the best,
Joel

[stv]

Hi Joel,

Thanks for the nice response! This is very helpful.

I think I actually got it figured out. I switched over to using easy save 3 and that was much easier for me and made more sense. Also, the actions for easy save 2 in the playmaker action browser were doubled up. Just an FYI.

But, so far so good with easy save 3. it's really nice and I was even able to create a spawning system and multi slot save system. The actions made creating the architecture of my little system quite easy and I plan on refactoring it down soon.

Thanks for the help here again. This was the most 'developy' thing I ever did, and it isn't too complex for me because you guys made a great tool set. Thanks!

-Steve

[Joel]

Glad you managed to get it working!

We've designed Easy Save 3 to be much simpler to use, so I'm glad it's fulfilling that brief

All the best,
Joel