Episodic Games

[Nico_0rigins]

Hello everyone !!

I wanted to know if we could create an episodic game, basically we create a basic game that would be chapter 1 and we add episodes as and when in the game (for example on steam it would be DLC to add for example )

Can it be done (add chapters to our game) without the basic game being changed?

Best regards

[Rebecca Kalista]

You might want to take a look at this: http://steamcommunity.com/app/495480/discussions/0/1621724915775871841/

Tl;dr, yes this is definitely possible, although you should probably start with careful planning (thinking of namespaces for global variables, for instance). I'm planning to do some experiments in that direction, but I haven't gotten to it yet.

[MassMan]

+1, I support this question, as I plan to release the game by chapters and players need to save their progress. In TyranoBuilder it's possible to transfer save files to an updated game.Can we do the same in VNM games?

[Nico_0rigins]

Thx Rebecca !! i read your subject now ! :)

[Rebecca Kalista]

Originally posted by MassMan:

+1, I support this question, as I plan to release the game by chapters and players need to save their progress. In TyranoBuilder it's possible to transfer save files to an updated game.Can we do the same in VNM games?

It looks like (read: I'm pretty sure that with some work and research) it's possible and it may even be the default behavior when releasing updates. In the case of online distribution through HTML5, the domain name's file storage is where the save file is located - so updates will probably use the same save file by default, unless you go out of your way to keep them from doing so. In the case of downloaded distributions, you will probably want to copy the save files from the previous version or something along those lines, and it's probably feasible to just overwrite everything but the save files at update time.

[MassMan]

Hope we'll get a detailed response from the devs regarding this issue. :)

[Archeia]

Originally posted by MassMan:

Hope we'll get a detailed response from the devs regarding this issue. :)

Kentou already replied here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/495480/discussions/0/1621724915775871841/

[MassMan]

Originally posted by Archeia:

Originally posted by MassMan:

Hope we'll get a detailed response from the devs regarding this issue. :)

Kentou already replied here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/495480/discussions/0/1621724915775871841/

Hello, Archeia

I've checked that post, but I'd like to know what the player has to do in order to move his saves to a new game version. Let's say,I release game version 1.0 and later on I release version 1.5 with new plot lines and characters. How can the player move his saves/progress to a new game version and continue playing? Where's the folder with save files and what files should be transferred?

[Archeia]

Originally posted by MassMan:

Originally posted by Archeia:

Kentou already replied here:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/495480/discussions/0/1621724915775871841/

Hello, Archeia

I've checked that post, but I'd like to know what the player has to do in order to move his saves to a new game version. Let's say,I release game version 1.0 and later on I release version 1.5 with new plot lines and characters. How can the player move his saves/progress to a new game version and continue playing? Where's the folder with save files and what files should be transferred?

That depends on where you set them in system setting found here
https://imgur.com/EPjejtm

[MassMan]

Originally posted by Archeia:

Originally posted by MassMan:

Hello, Archeia

I've checked that post, but I'd like to know what the player has to do in order to move his saves to a new game version. Let's say,I release game version 1.0 and later on I release version 1.5 with new plot lines and characters. How can the player move his saves/progress to a new game version and continue playing? Where's the folder with save files and what files should be transferred?

That depends on where you set them in system setting found here
https://imgur.com/EPjejtm

Ok, I've checked that setting, it says "Store Game Data in Working Directory". So what files/folders should players look for and use to transfer their saves?

[Archeia]

Might as well just link this https://asset.visualnovelmaker.com/help/index.htm#t=System.htm

[MassMan]

Originally posted by Archeia:

Might as well just link this https://asset.visualnovelmaker.com/help/index.htm#t=System.htm

Ok, good info but the question remains: which files/folders should payers look for to transfer to an updated game version?
I've packaged the game for PC with "Store Game Data in Working Directory" setting, made a save during the game but I don't see any "Saves" folder. What files to look for?
PS: I've noticed SaveGame_0.vndata and SaveGame_0_Header.vndata, are those the ones players need to move?

[Archeia]

Originally posted by MassMan:

Originally posted by Archeia:

Might as well just link this https://asset.visualnovelmaker.com/help/index.htm#t=System.htm

Ok, good info but the question remains: which files/folders should payers look for to transfer to an updated game version?
I've packaged the game for PC with "Store Game Data in Working Directory" setting, made a save during the game but I don't see any "Saves" folder. What files to look for?
PS: I've noticed SaveGame_0.vndata and SaveGame_0_Header.vndata, are those the ones players need to move?

OK I think you missed what I meant.

Store Game In Working Directory - Store all save files in the game's current directory.
Store Game in App Data Directory - Store all save files in the OS dependent application-data directory. This is useful if the game is installed at a location without write-access.
Store Game in Internal Storage - Store all save files inside the game itself. This is the only possible option for Web & Mobile platforms.

The first one, working directory, means whereever the game is installed. It will save the save files on its root directory, Therefore, you will replace the save files there.

The second one is going to bein %APPDATA% folder and this highly depends on your computer. Therefore, you will replace the save files there.

Third one is obvious. You can't do it easily.

You will replace SaveGame_x.vndata and the SaveGame_x_header.vndata. Their name is self serving.

Does that answer your question?

[MassMan]

Originally posted by Archeia:

Originally posted by MassMan:

Ok, good info but the question remains: which files/folders should payers look for to transfer to an updated game version?
I've packaged the game for PC with "Store Game Data in Working Directory" setting, made a save during the game but I don't see any "Saves" folder. What files to look for?
PS: I've noticed SaveGame_0.vndata and SaveGame_0_Header.vndata, are those the ones players need to move?

OK I think you missed what I meant.

Store Game In Working Directory - Store all save files in the game's current directory.
Store Game in App Data Directory - Store all save files in the OS dependent application-data directory. This is useful if the game is installed at a location without write-access.
Store Game in Internal Storage - Store all save files inside the game itself. This is the only possible option for Web & Mobile platforms.

The first one, working directory, means whereever the game is installed. It will save the save files on its root directory, Therefore, you will replace the save files there.

The second one is going to bein %APPDATA% folder and this highly depends on your computer. Therefore, you will replace the save files there.

Third one is obvious. You can't do it easily.

You will replace SaveGame_x.vndata and the SaveGame_x_header.vndata. Their name is self serving.

Does that answer your question?

Yes, Archeia, thank you! I guess I'll keep using "Store Game In Working Directory" setting, as it'll be easier for players to find those save files. By the way, will it be possible in the future to have a separate folder for saves inside the game's directory? Just for easy management purpose.