[iOS] Save game slots in FMH2012

[rafafloripa]

I know you're not supposed to be talking about new game features, but could you confirm that we're going to have more save slots for 2012? Unlimited would be a good number

[RichardMagpies]

There's no way it'll ever be unlimited, however Marc, I too would like to see more save slots available for the iDevice. Maybe double it, so 8?

[Marc Vaughan]

I'll consider increasing the number of them at some point - however we're feature locked for the initial release now so it'll have to wait for an update I'm afraid.

I'm not sure the 'best approach' in this regard tbh - I could double the number of slots fairly easily and have multiple pages of slots to look through as requested (I hate scrollbars in handheld touchscreen apps personally) .... I could allow people to name their saves, however I find that tends to slow the game flow down a bit myself and prevent saving just being a spontaneous and quick thing .... decisions decisions.

[RichardMagpies]

You could have a default name for it, as well as the opportunity to name it if needed?

[rafafloripa]

I'll consider increasing the number of them at some point - however we're feature locked for the initial release now so it'll have to wait for an update I'm afraid.

That's sad

I'm not sure the 'best approach' in this regard tbh - I could double the number of slots fairly easily and have multiple pages of slots to look through as requested (I hate scrollbars in handheld touchscreen apps personally) .... I could allow people to name their saves, however I find that tends to slow the game flow down a bit myself and prevent saving just being a spontaneous and quick thing .... decisions decisions.

I agree - no scrollbars! And I don't feel the need of naming saves myself, although it would be nice that the savefiles in iTunes had the same name as seen in the game screen. Like: 23/10/11 - Marc Vaughan (Chelsea).dat

[Ceirdiff]

That would be somewhat impractical, but I have noticed that the file starts with a string indicating the ingame name.

[rafafloripa]

That would be somewhat impractical, but I have noticed that the file starts with a string indicating the ingame name.

Care to elaborate?

[Marc Vaughan]

Care to elaborate?

The first few bytes of the file is a tag to validate the file is a real save game file, then there are around 56 bytes or so which contain the string displayed on the screen to describe the game when you go to the 'load' game page.

(incidentally - one of the risks of allowing people to name save game files themselves is that they might be able to construct a file name which is invalid in the operating system involved - with unpredictable results occuring)

[Ceirdiff]

And when I talked about the impracitcality, I was talking about how loading all the files where you don't know the file name can be somewhat more complex than sensible/procedurally created names (ie, save+i where i=1to4).