Hi all! Question: is it possible for two different games to make use of the same save file? If so, how would this be done?

No, it's not possible because a save file in Quest saves all the code of that game, thus it's not even possible to use the same save file for an updated version of the same game.

Wow, not even an updated version of the game?! Hmm... thanks.

Actually...

lightwriter wrote:No, it's not possible because a save file in Quest saves all the code of that game, thus it's not even possible to use the same save file for an updated version of the same game.

This isn't entirely accurate, people have used old saves with previous versions of my game, and it ran just fine. If you add like mechanical features to it, like for example if you don't have a character creation in one version and someone saves a game from that version, and then you release an update WITH the character creator, then the previous save of the game should work, but it'll have errors, especially if it draws upon those choices made in the character creation. But if you don't add something game changing like a couple of enemies or items, or extra rooms, the previous saves should work just fine.

With that said, it is possible to make an episodic game as long as all the key elements are in place from the first game...meaning basically everything about the two games must be exactly similar except for objects within those games like rooms, items etc. You cannot change any of the core mechanics from one game to another like switching up the battle system or using different libraries. You have to use all the same libraries and all the same core.

Here is a link where they talked about it, I'm not sure if it applies to your question or not though.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5362&p=37156&hilit=Episodes#p37156

Neonayon, have you actually seen new features show up in old saves after you've updated a game? As far as I know, the current version of a game (which will be used when a *new* game is started) is completely separate from that of a save, insofar as a saved game stores the entire state of the game at that time. Loading a saved game doesn't even reference the original game - it has its own state entirely stored. That's why old saved games "work". They don't even reference the new, updated game.

Now, I've been wrong about things in the past, especially as new features come out in Quest, which is why I'm asking if you've actually seen this, or whether you're just theorizing. To take your example, have you then loaded a saved game and seen the character creation feature show up in the old saved game?

To give an example, let's say I have a piece of paper with a picture on it. I make a photocopy and give it to you. You take your copy and scribble on it (that is your saved game, the one with the changes you have made by playing). Now if I go to my sheet and draw some more on it, your copy won't be updated - they're separate at this point now. I could even burn my copy of the drawing, and it won't affect yours. A saved game is the same way. It's a copy of the original game file.

It's not even a question of "will old saved games work with a new version". The saved game is self-contained. It won't even look at the original game again, so you can do what you want to it. There is no "loading into..." There's just "loading".

(ok, maybe too much caffeine on my part. lol)

You can save a game in the offline version of quest and open this .quest-save file with a texteditor. You will find the complete Quest core code in there. Saving only the changed attributes is a point on Alexs list for QuestKit