Pathways

Pathways tells your game where to write and read save files. You still serialize your own data (JSON, binary, whatever you like) and call File.WriteAllText, JsonUtility, MemoryPack, etc. Pathways handles the rest: folder layout, naming, quick-save vs manual-save vs auto-save slots, and switching between separate playthroughs.

Installation · Quick start · Concepts · Save types · Auto-save · Profiles

The Pathways Debug Window (Tools → Pathways → Debug Window). Inspect profiles, browse saves on disk, copy paths, and delete files while iterating in the Editor.

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Installation

Requirements: Unity 2021.3 or newer.

1. Open Window → Package Manager.
2. Click + → Add package from git URL…
3. Paste:

https://github.com/Tirtstan/Pathways.git

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Quick start

1. Point at a save folder and pick a profile

A profile could be a playthrough, level, world, campaign, lobby session, etc. Each profile gets its own subfolder within your storage root. LoadProfile only selects the active profile in memory; the folder is created on disk the first time you call GetPath and write a save.

using Tirt.Pathways;
using System.IO;
using UnityEngine;

public class GameBootstrap : MonoBehaviour
{
    private void Awake()
    {
        Pathways.StorageLocation = Path.Combine(Application.persistentDataPath, "Saves");
        Pathways.LoadProfile("Northern_Forest");
    }
}

2. Ask for a path, then save or load yourself

using Tirt.Pathways;
using System.IO;

// Save: get a path, write your data
string path = Pathways.GetPath(SaveType.Manual);
File.WriteAllText(path, myJson);

// Load: find the newest file, read your data
string latest = Pathways.GetLatest();
if (latest != null)
    myJson = File.ReadAllText(latest);

// List saves for a load-game menu (newest first)
FileInfo[] saves = Pathways.GetSaves(SaveType.Manual);

See the sample scene (Samples/Examples) and SaveManager.cs for a full working example with JSON serialization.

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Concepts

Storage layout

Everything lives under Pathways.StorageLocation. Each profile is a subfolder; each save is a file inside that folder. Profile folders only appear after the first save to that profile.

Saves/                              ← Pathways.StorageLocation
├── Crater_Lakes/             ← one profile (one playthrough)
│   ├── Crater_Lakes_quicksave.sav
│   ├── Crater_Lakes_before_boss.sav
│   ├── Crater_Lakes_save_2026-07-04_15-30-00.sav
│   └── Crater_Lakes_auto_save_1.sav
└── Grasslands/             ← a different playthrough
    └── Grasslands_quicksave.sav

Files are prefixed with the profile name so a single .sav (configurable) file is self-contained, you can move or share it without breaking anything.

The three API calls you'll use

Method	When to use it
GetPath(SaveType type)	Saving: returns the path to write to
GetLatest(SaveType? type)	Loading: returns the most recent existing file, or null
GetSaves(SaveType? type)	UI: returns all matching files, newest first

All three operate on the active profile (set by LoadProfile or SetActiveProfile).

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Save types

// Manual: creates a new file (timestamp if no name given)
Pathways.GetPath(SaveType.Manual);              // …_save_2026-07-04_15-30-00.sav
Pathways.GetPath(SaveType.Manual, "phase_4"); // …_phase_4.sav

// Quick save: always the same file, overwritten each time
Pathways.GetPath(SaveType.QuickSave);           // …_quicksave.sav

// Auto save: cycles through numbered slots (see below)
Pathways.GetPath(SaveType.AutoSave);            // …_auto_save_1.sav

Pass a SaveType to GetLatest or GetSaves to filter by type, or omit it to include all types.

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Auto-save

Pathways can fire a timer that asks you to save on a schedule. Subscribe to the event, write your data when it fires, and enable the timer:

private void Start()
{
    Pathways.OnAutoSavePathRequested += OnAutoSaveRequested;
    Pathways.EnableAutoSave(interval: 300f, slots: 3); // every 5 min, 3 rotating slots
}

private void OnAutoSaveRequested(string path)
{
    File.WriteAllText(path, myJsonData);
}

private void OnDestroy()
{
    Pathways.OnAutoSavePathRequested -= OnAutoSaveRequested;
}

Auto-save slots rotate: once all slots are used, the oldest file gets overwritten next. You control the interval and slot count; Pathways only picks the path.

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Profiles

Use profiles when your game has multiple independent playthroughs: separate worlds, campaigns, or player sessions.

Pathways.LoadProfile("Northern_Forest");       // load and activate
Pathways.SetActiveProfile("Grasslands");  // switch to another
Pathways.SelectRecentProfile();                     // switch to whichever was saved last

string[] ids = Pathways.GetAllProfileIds();       // list all profiles on disk
Pathways.DeleteProfile("Crater_Lakes");              // delete a profile and all its saves