Consider used mods when continuing saved games

[Grautvornix]

Here is a possibly strange idea that increases usability of the game a bit further:

As someone trying different mods in SP mode, I noticed that of course you cannot resume a game that was previously saved when using mod A, if you are now using mod A and B or another mod environment. In fact the saved game is not even visible for selection at all  (but still existing).

Would it be complex to implement a functionality that

1. the "load-saved-game-selector-box" displays actually all saved games  - but with a little indicator if it can be used with the currently active  mods
2. the indicator also allowing to open a list of mods that were used (including their version) when the game was saved (frankly, I sometimes forget which mods were active whan I last saved a game...)

Furthermore it would be nice to have the following features:

1. a button put the game into the state when the game was last saved, i.e. temporarily activate mods needed (if still available in the current game installation alse output an error message) and temporarily deactivate installed mods that cannot be used for that saved game
2. if mods are not present output a suggestion to acquire that missing mod from mod.io

I admit that this is not the main game feature lacking, but possibly not so difficult to implement as the list of required mods might be stored within a saved game already.

Please let me know your thoughts!

Best regards,

Grautvornix

[Vantha]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe part of your suggestion is already implemented. Disabling the "Filter compatible replays" displays all replays found in the target folder, and mark those that you can't start with your current configuration with a darker grey. When trying to open them it even shows an error explaining which mods you need and which you have currently enabled, I think.

[Grautvornix]

Thanks @Vantha!

After so many years playing 0AD - I still did not discover this feature myself. Unbelievable! Getting old obviously.

But - that already implemented, will it be a piece of cake to also add the automatic loading of needed mods?

[Vantha]

1 hour ago, Grautvornix said:

But - that already implemented, will it be a piece of cake to also add the automatic loading of needed mods?

Automatically switching to the correct mod configuration would also be useful in the multiplayer lobby when joining hosts with different mod setups. I'm not sure how feasible it is in practice, though, since (especially in said situation) players don't necessarily have the required mods already downloaded. And downloading mods should probably only be done manually. But I might take a deeper look into it.

[Grautvornix]

Well, it doesn't need to be downloaded automatically, but a list of mods that are needed could be presented and then the player could agree to downloading them 

[Grautvornix]

On 01/05/2024 at 8:54 PM, Grautvornix said:

Thanks @Vantha!

After so many years playing 0AD - I still did not discover this feature myself. Unbelievable! Getting old obviously.

But - that already implemented, will it be a piece of cake to also add the automatic loading of needed mods?

Actually - while I found the button, I cannot test it for saved games as it triggers a series of Javascript errors (but the same button does works well for mods in the mods selector page).

Playing on Win 10 this occurs for both SVN latest and 0.26. Guess there is a more fundamental issue with my Javascript install (not that I am aware of any speciality there). Never mind.

[Vantha]

4 hours ago, Grautvornix said:

Actually - while I found the button, I cannot test it for saved games as it triggers a series of Javascript errors (but the same button does works well for mods in the mods selector page).

Playing on Win 10 this occurs for both SVN latest and 0.26. Guess there is a more fundamental issue with my Javascript install (not that I am aware of any speciality there). Never mind.

For me, the "filter compatible replays" checkbox works fine for saved games. What errors are do you get?

0ad itself contains the necessary components to run Javascript, if  you think there's an issue with the setup of the JavaScript interpreter, then a reinstall of the game should do the trick.

[Grautvornix]

Thanks @Vantha!

Attached are the error messages rom interestinglog.htmlfor game startup and for pressing the "filter compatible replays" button (a bit difficult to read). This is for SVN 0.27, build 28067, 14.04.2024, no mods loaded) 

The game itself works (mostly). Just sometimes, a set of other JS errors is spawned...

Sorry for bothering you!

 

interestinglog.html mainlog.html

[Vantha]

It looks like the errors are caused by some broken (or outdated) save files. The error states that the mapName is missing from the metadata.json file in the saved game. 

Can you figure out what specific save file (.0adsave) is responsible for the errors? For example, by temporarily removing some of the files from the "saves" folder and checking whether the issue persists. (Beware that you have to restart the game in between).

 

16 hours ago, Grautvornix said:

Just sometimes, a set of other JS errors is spawned...

When exactly? Have you tried reinstalling the game?

[Grautvornix]

Thank you som much @Vantha! That solved it! (had some old savegames from 0.25 in my games folder... stupid me!)

[Vantha]

Glad I could help.