Why no Save game Feature

[HoneyBadger]

I wonder if anyone will mod in a downloadable save-game feature already so that this thread will ever end?

I'm getting a headache, ow.

[Gandalf Parker]

I thought it was already done?
Dom2 had many different versions. Batch, script, javascript, vpscript, and perl if I remember right. I think that even Dom1 had some.

Edited:
found a couple of old threads.
old thread
Older Thread

[Velusion]

So let me get this strait:

1) It's really easy to back up files. You could create a simple batch file to do it and it would be easy to whip up a mod that would do it as well.

2) It's too complex for the designers to patch it into the game.

????? That line of reasoning doesn't make much sense.

[Actuarian]

I'm for a save game feature, although I doubt I would use it. I think it would make the game less intimidating for newcomers, and more friendly to casual single-player gamers.

On the other hand a save game feature might mean that there would no longer be any all-caps posts to enjoy.

I'm definately for the "Are you sure you want to end your turn?" feature. From experience I have learned that there's not much space between some of those hot-keys.

[Gandalf Parker]

So let me get this strait:
1) It's really easy to back up files. You could create a simple batch file to do it and it would be easy to whip up a mod that would do it as well.
2) It's too complex for the designers to patch it into the game.
????? That line of reasoning doesn't make much sense.

Because my answer for my windows machine wont work for linux, windows, mac, or even many different versions of windows.

Here is one for you:
open the dom3 directory
click into the savedgames directory
hit Ctrl-A
then hit Ctrl-C
then hit Ctrl-V
Vuala! Backups of all of your saved games!
(disclaimer: works in WinXp. Dont know about others)

Its not what I use but it might be good for others.

[Gandalf Parker]

Here is the version that I use:
right-click on the Dom3 icon
go to properties
at the end of the target line (after the quotes if there are any) add --preexec pre.bat --postexec post.bat

then go to the Dom3 directory and right-click into the files list and choose "New->text file".

type in
xcopy /yes savedgames oldsaves /i

then save it as pre.bat
It will copy all of the games to a backup everytime that the game hosts any of the games.

Actually I have many more lines in my pre.bat file and many more in my post.bat file. They do file checks, record the date/time so I can get an idea of how long processing takes, checks my alarm file and shuts down the game at important times like when I need to get my kid off the bus, it talks, all kinds of stuff. Im debating having it load a key file to add some new keystrokes to the game but I probably shouldnt since I would forget which are standard keys and Id give wrong answers here.

[Actuarian]

Gandalf,

I've only used saves for trying to understand game mehanics and spell effect, but those are the keystrokes I used. I was too lazy to create a batch program.

Still I bet that most Windows games that have an in-game backup mechanism can also be backed up by those same commands.

[alexti]

Actuarian said:
Still I bet that most Windows games that have an in-game backup mechanism can also be backed up by those same commands.

Right, I'm simply adjusting my scripts for each particular game. So far I've got a total of 2 games on Windows with in-game backup mechanism: Dominions 2 and Dominions 3

[alexti]

Velusion said:
So let me get this strait:

1) It's really easy to back up files. You could create a simple batch file to do it and it would be easy to whip up a mod that would do it as well.

2) It's too complex for the designers to patch it into the game.

????? That line of reasoning doesn't make much sense.

If you carefully look at why it's easy to back up files it will start to make sense. The simplest approach (at least in the eyes of Windows users) would use windows explorer. Windows explorer (and it's GUI in particular) is not that trivial and coding something similar (especially in a portable way) is a considerable effort. Other methods may use other tools (such as zip, awk, perl etc...). Once again recoding their functionality, or at least integrating with it (if it's available under LGPL) is a significant effort. Easiest approach is probably to provide some script similar to ones posted on this forum, but that would mean taking care of all installation issues to ensure that the correct version of correct package is installed on the target computer. So all together it's one major headache.

And besides, reinventing the wheel probably goes against developer's principles

[HoneyBadger]

I think this is probably the best solution-not a good solution, but the best for the circumstances-that, rather than implore the Devs to shoehorn a feature they don't find appealing in, we take it upon ourselves to find a solution that might not be the best polished little ivory button in Computerland, but gives the people some of what they want, and shows favorably on our little community as being helpful and responsive-which isn't a bad thing all around. If that doesn't satisfy everyone, then atleast we've done everything in our power to lend a helping hand.