Starship Corporation

Designed two new ships in 0.1.9 (Small Shuttle and Police Cruiser, both using the Little Bug as the hull).

I didn't fully finish my design with either but wanted to save my progress and try a radically different layout

Exported->Computer ran check->Computer O.K.'s Design with a few non-Red errors

I try my new layout. Am unhappy with it. Decide to load my half-finished original design

Exit to Office->Go to Ship Construction-> Click Load Design

Dialog box comes up allowing me to browse install directory and select a file

It has the .proj files for my earlier saves (in 0.1.6) but none of the latest ones in 0.1.9

It's checking in Local Disk/Program Files(x86)/Starship Corporation

Curious if the new .prj files are being sent somewhere else, or they are just not being created when I hit export?

"...or they are just not being created when I hit export?" - They are not being created when you hit export.

It's something that needs to be addressed. The way the game works is there are two different types of save for a ship design.

1. A saved ship design for the ship design module.
2. An exported ship design for the other modules of the game.

If a player doesn't realise this, or forgets to save the ship design module's save type - the player won't be able to edit the ship after leaving the ship design module, as the correct save type won't exist.

So why does the game need to have two different save types for ship designs? The developer can provide a definitive answer. But it seems to be because the ship design data is stored in one format for editing and a different format for other game modules, with further data being added later, (such as yellow alert crew locations). Other reasons could include: loading performance for editing ship designs, file data control (to prevent altering a ship after training the crew with a different design), export control (to ensure only sufficiently valid ship designs can be sent to the crew management stage).

It may well be, that the future "Ship Construction" module may require a further export of a ship design, that is done once crew management for a ship is finished.

So, how to resolve the confusion that players face with regard to multiple save types for ship designs? There are several ways. For now, I propose one possible solution: Have the game refer to "Export Ship Class" and "Blueprint". Ensure that the player is made aware of the two types of save and, very importantly, use dialog boxes to inform the player about them. For example: "Your ship design has been exported. Save a blueprint of your design for editing later? (WARNING: If you do not save a blueprint, you cannot edit the ship design after leaving the ship design module)."

Ah yes, thank you Watsong.

I figured it out after digging through the install directory and seeing there were .CLS "Class" save files of finished exported ships and .PRJ "Project" saves for editable blueprints.

The dialog box warning and nomenclature disambiguation would be helpful for newcomers, I believe.

Alternatively, perhaps the game could also simultaneously create a Project save when you Export?