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I'm slowly approaching something that feels like a reasonable save system... data is stored as JSON-like structures, with per-datatype validation tables to validate that stuff has reasonable values and all mandatory values actually are in the files when loading them. #gamedev #indiedev #JRPG

It might seem like overkill, but one of the core issues with my progen world chunk system is that tons of very DIFFERENT things can be in a chunk, and I only want to save certain types of data (objects have a lot of temporary cached stuff, like e.g. VRAM palette texture references)

Then some entities have a lot more data than others - e.g., shopkeepers need to store their entire inventory, because each one has a randomized selection and they will hold onto buybacks for a while so you don't accidentally lose rare items. And being NPCs, they also need to store their visual info.

I can't just stow them away in predefined city data, because cities are also fundamentally just map chunks, and most of them are procedurally generated too instead of being preset.