New save format

[TCE]

For lots of new features, I know the developers have to move to a new save format. I keep hearing that it will happen, but any ideas when? Next year, year after?

 

Thanks.

[RobWhlkRT12P]

Hello!

Thank Y'all for improving OpenRCT2 thus far; you've even included .JSON copies of (at least) the default .OBJ files from the original RCT and RCT2 games.

About my ideas for the new data and save format(s), here's what I came up with:

ASSET TYPE            RCT1       RCT2       OpenRCT2 (Planned)

SAVED GAME            .SV4        .SV6        .SGM (Saved Game)
SCENARIO                .SC4        .SC6        .BNC (Work Bench)
TRACK COURSE        .TD4       .TD6        .TCR (Ride Track Course)
INTERNAL DATA       .DAT       .DAT        .DTX (Auxiliary Data)
OBJECT DATA           .DAT        .DAT        .OBJ (Game Asset Object)
SCENERY GROUP      .DAT       .DAT        .SCG (Scenery Asset Group)
MUSIC SELECTION    .DAT      .DAT        .AMS (Audio Music Selection)

The .OBJ file format would include rides and midway/arcade games as well as the shops, stalls, facilities, scenery, and miscellaneous assets within the game.

Thank You!

 

 

[Broxzier]

@RobWhlkRT12P You're just suggesting file extensions, which have not much to do with the file itself. You also state you're aware of objects being json now (which are not really copies of the .DAT* files, just the information from them), yet in your table you use .OBJ. There's much more to it than just coming up with a file extension. Things we want to improve on most is flexibility. json, for example, allows adding new properties later on without breaking earlier versions of the saved games. As long as the code is aware some entries that were introduced later on, it can default-initialize those fields and still load older versions. This allows for further extending the save format along the way, as well as allowing plug-ins for example to store data with the file.

[NightHawk]

The new save format thats always talked about will launch with Half Life 3 simultaneously.

[RobWhlkRT12P]

Hello!

Let's clear this issue up:

The .OBJ format holds the actual visual object for an attraction (be it:  a flat ride, tracked ride, arcade/midway game, game course, food stall, drink stall, souvenir stall, first aid station, or restroom), while its associated .JSON format file details the setup and operations data for that given .OBJ file.  Both the .OBJs and their associated .JSONs will be featured in OopenRCT2 new saved game format.

[saxman1089]

I really don't see what you're clearing up with that post. There are .dat files, what we have now, and .jsons, what the OpenRCT team has come up with. If you're suggesting this is how the team does it, fine. But your use of "holds", "details", and "will be featured" sounds like this is something that has already been decided and implemented. Are you on the dev team?

[X7123M3-256]

11 hours ago, RobWhlkRT12P said:

Hello!

Let's clear this issue up:

The .OBJ format holds the actual visual object for an attraction (be it:  a flat ride, tracked ride, arcade/midway game, game course, food stall, drink stall, souvenir stall, first aid station, or restroom), while its associated .JSON format file details the setup and operations data for that given .OBJ file.  Both the .OBJs and their associated .JSONs will be featured in OopenRCT2 new saved game format.

You haven't said anything except what you think the file extension should be, which isn't really very important. Also, .OBJ is not a good choice because there is already a popular file format for 3D models with that extension, and this could create confusion.

I think the assets should be ordinary PNG files placed in an archive together with the JSON, but I don't know what the OpenRCT2 team has planned.

Edited June 7, 2018 by X7123M3-256

[Gymnasiast]

On 7-6-2018 at 16:18, X7123M3-256 said:

I think the assets should be ordinary PNG files placed in an archive together with the JSON, but I don't know what the OpenRCT2 team has planned.

That is not only what we planned, but also what we already use - checkout rct2.rckc.zip , which combines the JSON together with a PNG file for an extra preview.

[RobWhlkRT12P]

Well, then—we all need to get to work on creating all-new .PNG replacements for all our .DAT files that we're currently using in-game.

 

[X7123M3-256]

3 hours ago, Gymnasiast said:

That is not only what we planned, but also what we already use - checkout rct2.rckc.zip , which combines the JSON together with a PNG file for an extra preview.

Does this mean we can use the JSON format for custom objects now? Last I heard it was only for default objects and the images were still loaded from the DAT.

[Gymnasiast]

12 hours ago, X7123M3-256 said:

Does this mean we can use the JSON format for custom objects now? Last I heard it was only for default objects and the images were still loaded from the DAT.

You can already create custom JSON objects, but they can't be embedded in the SV6. That problem will be solved when we have our own save format.

Support for PNG images was added this last month. You can now load images from CSG1, G1, an object DAT and embedded PNG. The default objects will continue using DAT images.