Save Files

Handling game’s running and closed state, and simulation of save files:

  • save command saves to the manual save slot.
  • save-as file-name command saves to a named save slot. You can later reload this save by its name. This is used to simulate auto-saves, but you can have unlimited number of them.
  • reload command reloads a manual or named save.
  • new-game reloads an imaginary save with the state of a new game.
  • close-game closes the game.

Syntax

save
save-as FILE-NAME
reload
reload FILE-NAME
close-game
new-game

FILE-NAME can either be the same format as item identifier (like-this, or with _ instead of -), or a quoted string. Spaces and non-alphabetical characters are also allowed in quoted names, like "Outside of Shrine" or "神庙外".

Example

# Save to the manual save slot
save
# Save to a named save called `my-save`
save-as my-save
# Reload the manual save
reload
# Reload a named save
reload my-save

Inspecting Save Files in the App

Amongst other things, a save file for the game includes a copy of savable flags in GameData, which contains the items in the save. Therefore, the simulator displays save files similar to how it displays GameData.

Using the Save Files extension, you will see a list of save names available at the current step in the simulation. Clicking on a save will then display the items in that save.

Note that you can inspect saves even on steps where the game isn’t open.

New Game and Restarting the Game

The reload and new-game are the only 2 commands that can restart the game after it’s closed, either due to crash or was manually closed.

Currently, new-game is implemented as reloading an imaginary save made at new game. The implementation is as follows:

Game StateActionImplementation
RunningreloadReload the save
Runningnew-gameReload the “new game” save
ClosedreloadStart a new game, then reload the save
Closednew-gameStart a new game

This is not 100% accurate to what the game does, but should be close enough.

Simulating the System menu

save (and save-as if in inventory) will currently automatically unhold the currently held items, similar to how the game does that when you switch to the System menu.

Detail

  • save requires Inventory screen.
  • save-as can be performed in either Inventory or Overworld.
  • reload requires Inventory screen if the game is running.
    • new-game is similar, see implementation detail above.