This is an addon that attempt to provide a better alternative save system. It's independendent from the vanilla saves, storing data in the data/dave_save folder. Made in order to support large saves with multiple complex entities, and avoid engine limitations.
Advantages over vanilla:
- Very fast, up to 3 times faster than vanilla saving and up to 6 times faster loading.
- Stable and reliable, avoids reliable channel overflows that crash servers.
- Supports a very large number of entities. (tested for very large maps and over several hundred complex ragdolls from different mods)
- Much less likely to completely freeze the server while loading, which in vanilla can cause other players to be dropped.
- Provides a readable .json save file for you to inspect in case any corruption occurs.(which is not possible for encrypted .gms files)
- Inherits spawning logic from the duplicator, which more reliably spawns contraptions, that would in vanilla likely be broken.
- Saves are not map bound, you may load any save on any map, allowing flexibility on different map versions, or allowing recycling of saves between levels with similar geometry.
From Steam Workshop: If you wish to mount this addon into your Garry's Mod you may simply download the addon on the Garry's Mod Steam Workshop page Dave Save Steam Workshop.
Manual Installation:
1.Download or clone this repository
2.Place the folder inside: garrysmod/addons/
3.Launch Garry's Mod
Open the Spawn Menu (Q) Navigate to: Utilities → User → Dave's Saves
Saving a Map
1.Enter a filename
2.Click Save
Or via console: dave_save Default: dave_save fullmap
Loading a Map
1.Select a save from the dropdown or type filename
2.Click Load
Or via console: dave_load
All saves are stored as JSON files in: garrysmod/data/dave_saves/
Example savenames: fullmap.json sandbox_build_1.json