Save files names

[Jym]

Apart from the usual request for having save files in several different directories, I also have another annoyance with savefile names.

I usually try to name my saves with both:
_ my name (in case someone want to look at my replays and does not wish to confuse them with his).
_ the campaign name (so that I can easilly sort everything belonging to one or another campaign).
_ the scenario number (so that they are naturally ordered in the campaign order).
_ the scenario name (default save name).
_ sometime other information (not much).

So, I typically have things like :
JymHttT - 04 - Bay of pearl - SMAT - replay
for my 'SMAT' HttT game.
JymTSG - 07b - Pebbles in the flood (cheat) replay
for the one with lot of savescumming to survive the 30+ turns.
JymTRoW - 08 - Clearwater port
...

Of course, this becomes annoying at each new scenario because the game only suggest the scenario name as save name and I have to retype everytime the wrapping part that is so helpful to sort everything...

I guess that trying to infer this wrapping part is too hard to be done correctly, but what might be not too hard and worth doing would be to have the possibility to specify the savename format somewhere (using some wildcards). In my case, i could have something like :

savenames = Jym%c - %n - %s - %t%r
where wildcards would mean :
%c : a shortened name for the campaign (would need to be provided by campaign devellopers).
%C : the whole name of the campaign (ditto) (the id/name tag in the .cfg file should do).
%n : scenario number (incl. subvariant for branches) (ditto) (or a counter that increase by 1 at each new scenario in order to avoid giving "too many" information to people by telling them that this is a diverting branch...)
%s : scenario name (the current default behaviour).
%t : turn number (if this is a mid-game save).
%r : "replay" (if this is one).
... maybe some other things I didn't thing about...

And the default behaviour (current behaviour) would then be
savenames = %s %t%r

Of course, if separate directories for saves are implemented some day, then the savenames field would allow '/' for change in directories and a reasonnable default behaviour might be :
'%C/%s %t%r'

[Noyga]

IMHO it's a good idea for 1.3.
You can add : %d for the date

[irrevenant]

I think this is a good idea, but it would be better to use something a bit more interactive than parameter codes. At the very least you should have icons (with mousover tooltips or the equivalent) to insert the parameter codes; much like the smilies over to the left as you're replying to this.

[Darth Fool]

If this were to be implemented, it almost certainly would first be done as a preference with no interaction in game, just something that knowledgable people can edit in the preference file. Eventually it would get migrated to the advance prefences section. It seems like a reasonable idea to me.

[carribeiro]

This idea is good (and simple, as in the KISS way), but I still feel that it's not enough. Main main gripe is not with the file naming but with the file organization. I have some ideas of my own that could be ellaborated:

1. Each campaign should automatically create its own subdirectory. Sometimes I stop playing one campaign, and start another one; when I try to come back is very difficult to find the right file to load. (I believe this is simple - ie, KISS - enough to be implemented).

2. Games could be autosaved, automatically, at the end of each turn. Instead of having a lot of files around, a single "saved campaign file" would be stored in the hard disk. The user should be able to save a "checkpoint" at any time, and to reload the game from any given checkpoint (explicitly saved, or implicit at the end of any turn).

There is one side effect: after reloading, the user would automatically have to restart the campaign from that point on. In other words, its a "not going back" feature; once you step back in the game, you have to work from this point again.

The reasoning for this is to penalize the misuse of the "reload until I win" strategy. It would make the game *more* campaign oriented, and force the player to think better before reloading a previously saved game.

One way to minimize this penalty is to allow the user to "fork" a campaign when reloading. It would simple start a new campaign, in its own directory, based on a checkpoint in the original campaign. I like the idea because this is a conscious decision to try the game another way/another time, and makes the saved files more organized.

[Jym]

1. Each campaign should automatically create its own subdirectory. Sometimes I stop playing one campaign, and start another one; when I try to come back is very difficult to find the right file to load. (I believe this is simple - ie, KISS - enough to be implemented).

This is, iirc, on the "already proposed" list and that's why I only marginally mentionned it in my post

2. Games could be autosaved, automatically, at the end of each turn. Instead of having a lot of files around, a single "saved campaign file" would be stored in the hard disk. The user should be able to save a "checkpoint" at any time, and to reload the game from any given checkpoint (explicitly saved, or implicit at the end of any turn).

Saving at the end of your turn was the previous autosave behaviour (in 1.1.2-). Actually, and in my case, it leaded to more savescumming that the actual way: whenever I made tactical mistakes and, says, put my leader in dangerous area without double checking, I only realise this during oponent turn (when I see so many units zooming toward the leader). With the previous behaviour, since I always forgot to save at the beginning of my turns, getting my leader killed meant replaying the whole scenario from the beginning which can be quite annoying. So, I solved my tactical mistakes by reloading sufficiently many times to have the 2% chances of leader surviving kicks in and go on playing... With the new behaviour, I correct my tactical mistakes by going back before the mistake and not doing it at all, which is better since it involve less luck and teaches more by showing both a bad and a good way of dealing with a situation.

[Slayer]

The idea seems interesting. The Wildcard idea seems WAY to confusing for the average player (ie: me). If I were a develaper (i know. i spelled it wrong)
I would add it into the game but, alas, I am not a developer (i know, i know). It seems like a good idea overall.

[ILikeProgramming]

If this were implemented subdirectories would be easy.

savenames = %c / - %n - %s - %t

[Slayer]

If this were implemented subdirectories would be easy.

savenames = %c / - %n - %s - %t

I know it would be easy. I never said it would be hard. I just said it would be confusing. Not hard.