Data Flow & State Management

This document explains how data flows through the game and how various systems manage state. Understanding data flow is critical for maintaining the game's logic and ensuring a seamless player experience.

Overview

The game relies on a centralized system to manage and share data between different modules. Key elements of data flow include:

• Initialization: Data is loaded and initialized at game startup.
• Runtime Updates: Systems modify and exchange data during gameplay.
• Persistence: Player progress and game state are saved and loaded using SaveManager.lua.

Data Flow Components

1. GameManager.lua

The GameManager.lua script is the central hub for initializing and managing game-wide data.

• Responsibilities:

  • Initializes core systems (e.g., QuestManager.lua, ContestManager.lua).
  • Maintains global variables for game state.
  • Coordinates data flow between subsystems.

• Example Workflow:

  1. At startup, GameManager.lua calls SaveManager.lua to load saved data.
  2. It initializes managers like QuestManager.lua and ContestManager.lua, passing relevant data.
  3. During gameplay, it updates and tracks global states like active quests or contests.

2. SaveManager.lua

The SaveManager.lua script is responsible for persisting player progress and game data.

• Responsibilities:

  • Saves player data, including outfits, quest progress, and rewards.
  • Loads saved data during initialization.
  • Provides utility functions for other scripts to read or write data.

• Example Workflow:

  1. When the game starts, SaveManager.lua retrieves saved data and passes it to GameManager.lua.
  2. During gameplay, systems like QuestManager.lua call SaveManager.lua to update quest states.
  3. On game exit, SaveManager.lua writes the current state to storage.

3. QuestManager.lua

The QuestManager.lua script handles quest-related data and integrates with other systems.

• Responsibilities:

  • Tracks active, completed, and available quests.
  • Updates quest states based on player actions.
  • Communicates with SaveManager.lua to persist quest progress.

• Example Workflow:

  1. A player interacts with an NPC, triggering DialogManager.lua.
  2. If a quest is accepted, QuestManager.lua adds it to the active quests list.
  3. Upon completion, QuestManager.lua marks the quest as completed and updates SaveManager.lua.

4. ContestManager.lua

The ContestManager.lua script manages data related to dress-up contests.

• Responsibilities:

  • Tracks contest entries, voting progress, and results.
  • Updates player rankings and rewards.
  • Communicates with SaveManager.lua to persist player contest participation and results.

• Example Workflow:

  1. Players submit contest entries via UIContest.lua.
  2. ContestManager.lua updates the contest state with the new entry.
  3. After the contest ends, ContestManager.lua calculates results and rewards, updating SaveManager.lua.

5. UIDressUp.lua and OutfitUtils.lua

These scripts handle character customization and manage outfit data.

• Responsibilities:

  • UIDressUp.lua provides the UI for customizing characters.
  • OutfitUtils.lua manages outfit data and ensures compatibility across systems.
  • Updates customization data in SaveManager.lua.

• Example Workflow:

  1. A player customizes their character in UIDressUp.lua.
  2. The updated outfit data is saved using OutfitUtils.lua.
  3. SaveManager.lua persists the new outfit data.

Data Flow Diagram

Initialization

1. GameManager.lua initializes core systems.
2. SaveManager.lua loads saved data.
3. Data is distributed to QuestManager.lua, ContestManager.lua, and UIDressUp.lua.

Runtime Updates

1. Systems exchange data as events occur (e.g., quests, contests).
2. Updated data is passed back to SaveManager.lua for persistence.

Persistence

1. On game exit, SaveManager.lua writes all data to storage.

Key Considerations

• Data Consistency: Ensure systems update shared data consistently to avoid conflicts.
• Error Handling: Implement fallback mechanisms for corrupted or missing save data.
• Extensibility: Modularize data flow to allow new features to integrate seamlessly.