Save and Load Logic for Unity

Explore the steps to integrate save and load logic into your Unity games, preserving player progress and essential game states seamlessly. Let's dive in!

Step 1: Create a Unity Project

If you haven't yet, begin by opening Unity and creating a new project. Ensure you have the necessary assets installed for your chosen development environment.

Step 2: Design Game Elements

Design your game elements and identify what data needs to be saved and loaded. This could include player positions, scores, or any other relevant information.

Step 3: Write Save Logic

Create a new script and inside it, implement the logic to save relevant game data. Unity provides PlayerPrefs or other serialization methods for this purpose. Below is a basic example:

'SaveLoadManager.cs'

using UnityEngine;

public class SaveLoadManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    private float playerScore;

    public void SaveGame()
    {
        // Save the player's score to PlayerPrefs
        PlayerPrefs.SetFloat("PlayerScore", playerScore);
        PlayerPrefs.Save(); // It's important to call Save after setting PlayerPrefs values
        Debug.Log("Game saved. Player's score: " + playerScore);
    }
}

Step 4: Write Load Logic

Extend the script to include the logic for loading saved data. This may involve reading from PlayerPrefs or deserializing data from a file.

'SaveLoadManager.cs'

using UnityEngine;

public class SaveLoadManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    private float playerScore;

    void Start()
    {
        // Load the player's score from PlayerPrefs when the game starts
        LoadGame();
    }

    public void SaveGame()
    {
        // Save the player's score to PlayerPrefs
        PlayerPrefs.SetFloat("PlayerScore", playerScore);
        PlayerPrefs.Save(); // It's important to call Save after setting PlayerPrefs values
        Debug.Log("Game saved. Player's score: " + playerScore);
    }

    public void LoadGame()
    {
        // Load the player's score from PlayerPrefs
        playerScore = PlayerPrefs.GetFloat("PlayerScore", 0f);
        Debug.Log("Game loaded. Player's score: " + playerScore);
    }
}

Step 5: Attach Script

Attach the SaveLoadManager script to a relevant game object in your Unity scene.

Step 6: Implement Save and Load Triggers

Define triggers in your game, such as specific events or buttons, that call the 'SaveGame' and 'LoadGame' methods from the 'SaveLoadManager' script.

Step 7: Test Save and Load

Run your game and test the save and load functionality. Confirm that data is saved and loaded correctly, allowing players to resume their progress.

If you're looking for a complete Save/Load serialization system for Unity, check Easy Save.