One save per character, with autosave/save&quit

[ekhartpl]

I was wondering how to get around creating a system where player has one save file per "new game".

Basically, Player creates a new character, names him "Guts", makes him a barbarian. Save #1 is created upon starting new game - whenever player ends game, the only option is to save and quit (which automatically saves to Save #1). But after two, three hours Player is bored with smashing everything with his Greatsword, so he decides to create a new character. Upon starting new game, a Save #2 is created - and is assigned to his new character, let's name him "Parry Hotter", as he's a mage. Again, quitting game saves the progress to Save#2.

Also as the game progresses (as our only option to save is to quit the game), I'd periodically autosave - again, to proper save files.

How would I get around doing just that? I'm somewhat familiar with Ruby, less so with RGSS3 (but I still can do a thing or two, I guess).

As for scripts that I have that relate to saving, I only have Yanfly's Save Engine (as well as Main Menu engine).

Huge thanks for any help, recommendations etc!

 

[Andar]

one thing you'll need is a script for persistent variables (variables that stay the same over all savefiles). Then you use one variable stored for all games that is counted up every time a new game is started, and only then. It needs to be copied to a non-persistent variable directly after, making each game have its own specific number in the non-persistent variable while keeping track of the maximum number for the next new game in the persistent variable.

then change the save screen to only be able to save to the slot with the number in the non-persistent variable.

 

[Sixth]

There is no need for any complicated workarounds here with variables, etc.

The last created file or the last loaded file is the currently played "file". So when you save the game, you should always overwrite that one.
There are built-in methods in Ruby to check file creation/modification, so it's fairly easy to check for these things.
Also there is a default method that returns the last file loaded/saved in the DataManager module, so you can use that too.

You don't even need a separate screen for saving the game if the player can only have one save per character, it would be redundant.
Just mash a little "Save in progress" image for eye candy and drop a popup saying "Save completed!" or even just a "save successful" sound effect, or something similar at the end. Usually games with one save per character do exactly this.

You can easily remove the save option from Yanfly's script too in the setting area, if I remember correctly, leaving only the load and delete option there, which is exactly what you need here.