Always select the newest save in load menu

[Verlf-Cerf]

Currently, if the player hasn't saved anything yet, the file at the top is selected. This change will make the newest save game be selected

[ihhub]

Hi @Verlf-Cerf , I believe this change should be discussed first. Assume that I named a file zzz which would be at the end of 100 files list. Then I want to load the last autosave file which would be at the too of the list. These are two edge cases. It also rises a question: why not autosave?

Both ideas have pros and cons. In every situation like this we usually create a discussion to find the best solution for everyone.

[ghost]

It defaults to the newest save if last_save is empty, which is the case if the game haven't written any saves yet. So usually this means "show the latest save if you go to the load menu after launching the game". I believe it is better than showing the first save lexicographically, but, as you rightly mentioned, it definitely is up for discussion.

[ghost]

Or, perhaps, sorting the list for displaying in the menu should be done by the time the save was made. Then this change would be obsolete. I really doubt people would rather sort their saves by name, and not by time.

[Branikolog]

Hi, @ihhub , @Verlf-Cerf The last save often goes close to the autosave regarding game progress. So players tend to check autosave first, before they want to load last made save file. Showing the save file list from not the beginning is not the most accurate solution, while running the engine for the first time. I think, changing the sorting of the list (regarding autosave) would be compromise here. We can place AUTOSAVE file in the beginning of the list and make it selected as default for the first application run. This will show player the date, the game was played the last time, so he can browse the whole list to find another save file with similar date-time.

[LeHerosInconnu]

Hello @Verlf-Cerf, @ihhub and @Branikolog,

I'm also in favor of sorting the save files according to the last save in time (so the last save is always at the top of the list and selected by default), including the Autosave file. The player may possibly make one or more final saves and quit the game before ending the current turn.

It would also be nice to allow the user to choose the method of sorting the files. For example, with a setting in the fheroes2.cfg file:

"# sorting order for save files: 0 - by time, 1 - by alphabetical order sorting order = 0"

It is also possible to add one or more buttons to change the sorting directly in the load/save file list window. :)

This is also one of my proposals here: https://github.com/ihhub/fheroes2/issues/1211. With a discussion about it here: https://heroes2.forumactif.com/t934-suggestions-selecting-game-saves.