Periodic Content Updates

[TheChatotMaestro]

I've looked everywhere for this, and I can't quite find what I need.
I know how to 'update' the game- edit the game file and reexport, just like any file ever- but how would I go about providing the update to players while keeping their save files?

My project will have an update every month, adding new battle stages, story sections, and characters to obtain (like a mobile phone game would have periodic updates adding new content) and it would be awful to make people restart every single time there's a new update- the focus is on completing stages and collecting cards, and if you don't get to keep them between updates, what's the point?

What's the best way to go about updating games without losing save files? Do I just have to provide an instructional text file on copying-and-pasting your save folder around, or is there a push function? Totally lost on this front. Please help!

 

[Heirukichi]

If you don't change something that is already been saved then loading a saved game should be fine. If they install the new version they should be able to load their save. Of course you have to test it so a saved game can be loaded without any issue but as long as you keep the same scripts and only add new maps and events everything should be fine.

What you should be aware of is that a saved game also contains information about the current map, that's because the information saved is $game_map and when you load it the map loaded is also the $game_map previously saved. If by any chance you change something in that map then you have to transfer your player somewhere else and reload that map after loading the saved game.

Things are different if you want to update already saved contents. In that case you have to find a way of reloading them upon loading the save file.

 

[Andar]

Plan ahead.

You need to have structured the game to finish before starting, then you can make sequential updates as long as they don't change existing data.
And you need to have all Plugins ready before first release, because adding a plugin later will almost always require players to start a new game.

Look at the other current topics, some one asked how to make DLCs, that has the same problems and the answers there are more detailed.