Getting Started

This guide walks you through installing WagSave, creating your first save asset, and performing a basic save and load.

1. Create a WagSave Asset

In the Project window, right-click and choose:

Assets > Create > WaggleBum > WagSave > WagSave (Save System)

This creates a WagSave ScriptableObject. Name it something meaningful — for example GameSave or SaveProfile.

You can open the WagSave editor window at any time from the Unity menu bar:

Window > WagSave > Editor

Select your asset from the dropdown at the top of the window.

2. Move It to a Resources Folder

WagSave uses Resources.Load to find the asset at runtime in builds. Place the asset inside a folder named WagSave that is itself inside a Resources folder anywhere in your project:

Assets/
  Resources/
    WagSave/
      GameSave.asset   ← your WagSave asset goes here

Important: If the asset is not inside a Resources/WagSave/ folder, WagSave.GetInstance() will return null in builds (the Unity Editor uses AssetDatabase instead and will work regardless of location).

3. Open the WagSave Editor Window

Window > WagSave > Editor

The editor window is where all configuration happens — output format, save slots, autosave, encryption, logging, and more. Select your asset from the dropdown at the top.

4. Choose an Output Format

In the editor window, go to Save Output and choose a category and format:

For most projects, Binary is the recommended starting point.

5. Mark GameObjects for Saving

Add a WagSaveComponent to any GameObject whose state you want to save:

Add Component > WaggleBum > WagSave > WagSave

Then open the WagSave editor window, navigate to Scene Content, find the GameObject, and click Configure to select which fields and properties to include.

See WagSave Component for a full walkthrough.

6. Save and Load

Via code

using WaggleBum.WagSave;

public class GameManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    private WagSave _wagSave;

    private void Start()
    {
        _wagSave = WagSave.GetInstance();
    }

    public void SaveGame()
    {
        _wagSave.Save();
    }

    public void LoadGame()
    {
        _wagSave.Load();
    }
}

Key-value saves (no WagSaveComponent required)

For simple values that don't belong to a specific GameObject:

// Save
WagSave.Save("currentLevel", 5);
WagSave.Save("playerName", "Alex");

// Load
int level = WagSave.Load<int>("currentLevel");
string name = WagSave.Load<string>("playerName");

8. Async Saves (recommended for large scenes)

For scenes with many objects, use the async variants to avoid frame hitches:

public async void SaveGame()
{
    await _wagSave.SaveAsync();
}

public async void LoadGame()
{
    await _wagSave.LoadAsync();
}

Serialization and file I/O run on a background thread. Unity API calls (reading component values) still happen on the main thread before the background work begins.

Next Steps

• Configure which fields are saved → WagSave Component
• Set up multiple save slots → Save Slots
• Set up autosave → Autosave
• Enable encryption or compression → Output Formats