Potion Profits: Fixing Game Crashes & Save File Issues
Hey guys! Let's dive into some common GameManager Issues and how to fix them in Potion Profits, especially for those of you in the PP-Alpha phase. One of the major hurdles you might face is the dreaded game crash when you first hit that play button, especially if there's no save file. This article will guide you through the fixes, ensuring a smoother gameplay experience. We'll cover code fixes and config file updates, ensuring your game runs without a hitch. This is your go-to guide for resolving those pesky startup problems and making sure your players can enjoy the game from the get-go.
The Save File Crash: What's Happening and How to Fix It
So, what causes this crash? Well, the game, in its current state, expects a save file to exist right from the start. If it doesn't find one, it freaks out and shuts down. The good news is, fixing this is pretty straightforward. You'll need to modify the code in the player script to handle the absence of a save file gracefully. This ensures that the game can initialize player data, even if it's the first time the game is played. This part is crucial because it sets up the initial player state, ensuring that the player starts with the correct amount of coins and chips. Without this, the game can't function properly, and the player will be stuck at the starting screen. It's like not having the right ingredients to make a potion; the game simply won't start!
Step-by-Step Code Fix: Coins and Chips
First things first, locate your player script. Inside, you'll find the section that handles setting up the player's initial resources – coins and chips. The key is to make sure these values are set correctly, even if there's no existing save data. To get this fixed, use the following modification in the player script, which checks if GameManager.player_data exists before accessing its values. This modification is the foundation for avoiding crashes related to missing save files. The game needs to know what to do when it doesn't have existing save data, and this code provides that solution. This prevents the game from trying to access data that doesn't exist, which is what triggers the crash in the first place.
coins = GameManager.player_data["coins"] if GameManager.player_data else 0
chips = GameManager.player_data["chips"] if GameManager.player_data else 0
This simple, but effective code snippet, checks if GameManager.player_data has been loaded. If it has, it sets coins and chips to the values from the save file. If not, it defaults them to 0. This ensures that the game can always initialize the player's resources correctly, regardless of whether a save file exists. This simple change allows the game to create a new save file if none exists, preventing the crash and allowing players to start fresh.
Why This Fix Works
This fix works because it anticipates the absence of a save file. By using the if GameManager.player_data check, you're telling the game to handle the scenario where the save data is unavailable. The else 0 part is crucial because it provides a default value – zero coins and zero chips. This ensures that the player starts with a clean slate when no save data is found, which is essential for a smooth first-time experience. This ensures that even when the game is played for the first time, it has a starting point and prevents errors caused by missing data.
Updating the Config File: Setting Up the Shop
Next, let's talk about the config file. This file contains important data, including the default shop entity data. If this data is missing or incomplete, the game might struggle to load the shop correctly, potentially causing other issues. So, you'll need to make sure your config file is up-to-date and includes the default shop entity data. Adding the shop entity data ensures that the shop is properly initialized, so players can start buying and selling potions. The shop is one of the most important elements of the game, so it's essential that it works from the start.
The Importance of Default Shop Entity Data
Including default shop entity data is essential. It provides the game with the initial layout of the shop, including shelves, cauldrons, and crates. Without this data, the shop might not load correctly, and players won't be able to interact with it. By providing default data, you guarantee that the shop is available from the first moment players enter the game. This data sets up the shop's initial state, ensuring that players can immediately interact with the environment, buy items, and start making potions.
How to Update Your Config File
Updating the config file involves adding the default shop entity data. The data should include all necessary information about the shop entities, such as their position, inventory, and other relevant details. It's a bit of a data dump, but ensuring everything is present is key. You'll need to copy and paste the provided code snippet into your config file, ensuring it's properly formatted. Make sure all the entities like shelves, cauldrons, and crates are correctly defined. This step ensures that the shop environment is properly initialized when the game starts.
Here's the data you need to add to your config file:
{
"MainShop": [
{
"entity_code": "shelf",
"inv": {
"selected_index": -1,
"slots": [
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
}
]
},
"x_pos": 275.0,
"y_pos": -199.0
},
{
"entity_code": "shelf",
"inv": {
"selected_index": -1,
"slots": [
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
}
]
},
"x_pos": 367.0,
"y_pos": -199.0
},
{
"entity_code": "shelf",
"inv": {
"selected_index": -1,
"slots": [
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
},
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
}
]
},
"x_pos": 275.0,
"y_pos": -103.0
},
{
"barrel_id": "red_barrel",
"entity_code": "barrel",
"inv": {
"selected_index": -1,
"slots": []
},
"ml": 1000,
"x_pos": 394.0,
"y_pos": -670.0
},
{
"barrel_id": "red_barrel",
"entity_code": "barrel",
"inv": {
"selected_index": -1,
"slots": []
},
"ml": 1000,
"x_pos": 412.0,
"y_pos": -673.0
},
{
"entity_code": "cauldron",
"inv": {
"selected_index": -1,
"slots": [
{
"amount": 0,
"item": {
}
}
]
},
"mix_timer_time_left": 0.0,
"mixing": false,
"x_pos": 443.0,
"y_pos": -623.0
},
{
"bottles": 64,
"entity_code": "crate",
"inv": {
"selected_index": -1,
"slots": [
{
"amount": 64,
"item": {
"max_stack_size": 16,
"mixable": false,
"sellable": false,
"texture_code": "item_empty_bottle"
}
}
]
},
"x_pos": 325.0,
"y_pos": -629.0
},
{
"bottles": 64,
"entity_code": "crate",
"inv": {
"selected_index": -1,
"slots": [
{
"amount": 64,
"item": {
"max_stack_size": 16,
"mixable": false,
"sellable": false,
"texture_code": "item_empty_bottle"
}
}
]
},
"x_pos": 331.0,
"y_pos": -619.0
}
]
}
This config data provides the initial state of the shop, including items like shelves, cauldrons, and crates, and their positions in the game. This data is the default shop entity data that will be loaded when the game starts, ensuring that the shop appears correctly when the game starts, avoiding missing elements or layout issues. Be careful to ensure the formatting matches your existing config file structure to avoid errors. The shop layout and initial inventory are essential for players to interact with the game world and begin their potion-making journey.
Fixing load_scene_runtime_state(): Handling Missing Data
Another critical area where things can go wrong is in the load_scene_runtime_state() function. This function is responsible for loading the game's state when a scene is loaded. We need to make sure that the function can handle situations where there's no data available for a particular scene. This is a common issue when players are starting a new game or if there are problems with saving or loading data. This ensures that the game doesn't crash if it can't find data for a scene and allows default values to be used instead.
The Problem
If runtime_entities doesn't have data for a scene, the game will likely crash or fail to load the scene correctly. This usually happens when the player starts a new game or if there's an issue with the save file. This can lead to a broken game experience, with missing elements or incomplete scene layouts. This situation can happen for various reasons, so your code needs to be prepared to gracefully handle these situations.
The Solution
The solution is to modify load_scene_runtime_state() to include a case where runtime_entities doesn't have data for a scene. In this case, you should load default values from the config file. This ensures that the scene loads with a valid state, even if there's no saved data. This makes sure that the game can start correctly, even when there's no pre-existing saved state. The goal is to provide a fallback mechanism when saved data isn't available.
Example Config Load
Here's an example of how you can load data from the config file when runtime_entities is missing data for the current scene:
var cfg:ConfigFile = ConfigFile.new()
var err:Error = cfg.load(CONFIG_PATH)
if err == OK:
runtime_entities = cfg.get_value("settings","main_shop")
# Load runtime_entities data here
In this example, the code first loads the config file. If the file loads successfully, it then tries to get the data for the main shop from the config. Then, it proceeds to load runtime_entities data here. If there is any issue with loading the data from the save file, the game will fall back on the default data defined in the config file. This ensures that the game can always load a scene, even if it cannot load saved data. This fallback mechanism ensures that players can always start the game and progress, regardless of the availability of saved data.
Wrapping Up and Further Considerations
By implementing these fixes, you'll be able to resolve common GameManager Issues like save file crashes. Remember to always test your changes thoroughly to make sure everything works as expected. Keep your config files up-to-date and make sure your code handles missing data gracefully. This will help make your game a lot more stable and enjoyable. These steps will prevent many common errors that can prevent players from starting the game, and also ensure a good first-time experience.
Also, consider adding more robust error handling and logging to your game. This will help you track down and fix any issues that may arise in the future. By following these steps, you'll ensure that your game is more stable, reliable, and enjoyable for your players. By being proactive in addressing these potential issues, you can enhance the player experience and reduce the chances of encountering game-breaking bugs.
Thanks for reading, and happy coding, guys!