UZDoom Savegame: Missing Files Not Displayed

Hey everyone! Today, we're diving into a pretty specific, but super important, little quirk that some of you might have run into with UZDoom, especially when you're trying to load up a saved game. You know, those moments when you've spent hours crafting the perfect playthrough, saved it, and then later, when you try to jump back in, things just don't load up right? It can be a real bummer, right? Well, it turns out there's a bit of a bug where UZDoom knows it's missing certain files needed for your savegame, but it's not always showing you which files are missing. This can leave you scratching your head, wondering why your beloved save isn't loading. We're going to unpack this issue, figure out what's going on, and hopefully shed some light on how to deal with it. So, grab your favorite beverage, settle in, and let's get this sorted!

The Nitty-Gritty: What's Actually Happening with UZDoom Savegames?

Alright, guys, let's get down to the nitty-gritty of this UZDoom savegame issue. So, you've been playing a killer game, loaded up a couple of awesome PWADs (that's the custom map files, for those new to the Doom scene!), saved your progress, and then later, you go to load that save. The problem is, sometimes UZDoom will simply refuse to load it, and you won't get a clear picture of why. The console might show a generic message like "This savegame needs these files:" but then, crucially, it doesn't list them. This is the core of the bug, and it's a bit frustrating because, without knowing what's missing, you're basically flying blind. Imagine trying to pack for a trip but having your packing list just say "You need these items:" and then nothing else! You wouldn't know if you're missing socks or your passport, would you? It's kind of like that, but for your Doom adventures.

Furthermore, this issue isn't just confined to loading saves from within the game itself. If you're trying to load a savegame from the title screen – a pretty common way to hop back into action – you'll find that the message indicating missing files doesn't even appear on the screen. This means that unless you've got your terminal emulator open and are actively watching the console output, you'd have absolutely no feedback whatsoever. You'd just click load, and... nothing would happen. It's a stealthy bug, for sure! The developers are aware of this, and it's something they're looking to fix to make the user experience much smoother. The goal is for UZDoom to be as user-friendly as possible, and clear feedback on why a savegame fails to load is a pretty fundamental part of that. For now, if you're experiencing this, the best workaround is to always keep an eye on your terminal output when attempting to load a save, especially if you're not sure if all the necessary custom content is present. It's a bit of an extra step, but it's the surest way to get the information you need to troubleshoot.

How to Replicate the UZDoom Savegame Loading Bug

So, you want to see this weird savegame issue for yourself? No problem! It's actually pretty straightforward to reproduce, and understanding how to do it can really help in pinpointing the problem when it happens to you. Think of it like a little diagnostic test for UZDoom. First off, you'll need to have your terminal emulator open and visible alongside your UZDoom window. This is key because the bug specifically relates to what's shown in the console versus what's shown on the screen. So, get that terminal window ready, maybe resize it so you can see both the game and the text output without too much hassle. Now, fire up UZDoom and load a couple of PWADs. These are your custom maps, levels, or even total conversions that add new content to the game. Play through them for a bit, get to a point where you want to save your progress, and then, crucially, save your game. Make sure it's a save you can easily identify later.

Once you've saved, the next step is to restart UZDoom. This time, however, you're going to launch it with only one of those PWADs that you used previously. So, if you loaded up "MyAwesomeMap1.wad" and "EpicBossFight.wad" before, you'd now start UZDoom with just, say, "MyAwesomeMap1.wad" loaded. This simulates the scenario where you might have moved files around, uninstalled some custom content, or simply forgotten to include everything needed for that specific savegame. After UZDoom has started up with the reduced set of PWADs, navigate to the title screen. From there, hit the F3 key, which is typically the shortcut for loading a savegame. Now, attempt to load the savegame you created earlier. What you should observe is that the game won't load. If you're watching your terminal emulator, you might see the "This savegame needs these files:" message, but critically, the actual list of filenames that are missing will not be displayed there. And, as mentioned before, if you weren't watching the terminal, you wouldn't see any message on the title screen itself, leaving you clueless as to why the load failed. This replication process is super helpful for anyone trying to report this bug or even for understanding the scope of the problem.

Why Does This UZDoom Bug Happen? Technical Deep Dive

Okay, let's put on our tech hats and dive a bit deeper into why this UZDoom savegame issue might be happening. When UZDoom saves your game, it does more than just store your player's position and inventory. It also keeps a record of the specific external files, like PWADs or lump files, that were loaded when that save was made. This is super important because if you later try to load that savegame without all those original files present, the game engine wouldn't know how to render the maps, enemies, or any custom elements that were part of that particular playthrough. So, UZDoom has a check in place: it compares the list of files it expects to find (based on the savegame data) with the files it currently has loaded. If there's a mismatch, it knows something is wrong.

The bug seems to stem from how UZDoom handles the reporting of these missing files. The internal logic to detect that files are missing is likely working just fine. The D_CheckNetGame function, for instance, might be correctly identifying that there's a discrepancy. However, the part of the code responsible for displaying that information to the user appears to be faulty. The log message This savegame needs these files: is generated, but the subsequent code that should iterate through the list of missing files and append their names to this message is either not being executed, or it's encountering an error that prevents it from doing so. This results in the incomplete message you see in the console, or no message at all on the title screen.

On Linux systems, especially when running through a terminal emulator like xterm or gnome-terminal, the way output is buffered and displayed can sometimes play a role. If the game's rendering loop and the console output handling aren't perfectly synchronized, or if certain output streams aren't being flushed correctly, it could lead to messages not appearing as expected. The fact that the bug is observed on Linux with a specific kernel and Debian version might point towards an OS-level interaction or a dependency that's behaving slightly differently. However, the core issue is more likely within UZDoom's own code for handling and displaying savegame file requirements. The developers are aware of this and are likely investigating the specific routines that manage savegame validation and user feedback to ensure that all necessary information is presented clearly and consistently, regardless of whether the game is launched from a terminal or the title screen. Fixing this involves ensuring that the list of missing files is correctly populated and then properly appended to the output message before it's displayed to the user.

Potential Workarounds and What You Can Do

So, what can you do in the meantime if you're hitting this annoying UZDoom savegame bug? Don't despair! While the developers work on a proper fix, there are a few workarounds you can employ to make your life a bit easier and ensure you don't lose those precious save files. The most immediate and effective workaround, as hinted at before, is to always keep your terminal emulator open and visible when loading savegames, especially if you've been messing around with custom WADs. This way, you can catch that This savegame needs these files: message, even if it's incomplete. While it doesn't tell you which files are missing, it at least confirms that files are missing, prompting you to double-check your game setup. It's a visual cue that something isn't quite right.

Beyond just keeping the terminal open, the best proactive measure is meticulous organization of your game files. When you're playing with multiple PWADs, create a dedicated folder for each playthrough or custom map pack. Inside that folder, keep the PWADs, any associated .deh or .bex files, and importantly, document which files were loaded when you saved. A simple text file within the folder, like Savegame_Notes.txt, listing the exact filenames used for that save, can be a lifesaver. When you want to load that save later, you can quickly reference this text file to ensure you've loaded all the correct PWADs into UZDoom before attempting to load the save. This manual checking prevents the bug from even being triggered in the first place because you're ensuring all dependencies are met.

Another strategy, especially if you're frequently swapping between different sets of custom content, is to use UZDoom's command-line arguments or launcher profiles effectively. Many Doom source ports, including UZDoom, allow you to specify which WADs to load directly when launching the game. If you save a particular configuration (e.g., uzdoom -iwad doom.wad -file MyMap1.wad MyMap2.wad), you can reuse that exact command or save it as a shortcut. This drastically reduces the chance of accidentally omitting a required file. For users on Linux, creating shell scripts for different game setups can be incredibly useful. For example, you could have a script named play_my_awesome_map.sh that contains the precise command to launch UZDoom with all the necessary WADs for a specific savegame. By being diligent with your file management and launch configurations, you can bypass this particular bug and keep your Doom sessions running smoothly. Remember, guys, organization is key when dealing with the wonderful world of Doom mods!

The Importance of Clear Feedback in UZDoom

Let's talk about why fixing this UZDoom savegame bug is actually a pretty big deal for the community. When we're diving into the vast universe of custom Doom content – the PWADs, the total conversions, the texture packs – things can get complex pretty quickly. You might be running a fantastic new map that requires specific monster replacements, or a total conversion that completely changes the game's feel. All of these custom assets are loaded as external files, and UZDoom does a pretty neat job of keeping track of what's what. The ability to save your progress is crucial for enjoying these experiences, especially the longer ones. But here's the thing: clear feedback from the game is absolutely paramount for a good user experience. When a savegame fails to load, the most helpful thing the game can do is tell you exactly why.

Imagine you're playing a massive modpack, save your game, and then a week later, you can't load it. If the game just says