Key-Value Database Layer

Save System Lite contains an integrated Key-Value database layer that runs inside each save slot. This allows you to write individual variables dynamically, rather than rewriting a massive C# class representation every time a single value changes.

---

🚀 Overcoming Unity’s JSON Utility Limits

Unity’s built-in JsonUtility is fast, but it is notoriously limited. It fails to serialize basic Unity struct objects like Vector3, Quaternion, or Color directly, either returning empty objects or throwing severe runtime exceptions.

To bypass this without forcing you to import bulky external DLLs (like Newtonsoft.Json) that crash user installations, we built custom lightweight wrappers directly into the engine backend. They automatically convert structures behind the scenes:

• Vector3 $\rightarrow$ wrapped and converted to coordinates dynamically.
• Quaternion $\rightarrow$ Euler rotation converted and stored smoothly.
• Color $\rightarrow$ Red, Green, Blue, Alpha floats structured cleanly.

---

📝 Writing Variables to the DB

To write values into the database, use SaveValue():

using DecnetGames.SaveSystemLite;
using UnityEngine;

// Save an integer
SaveSystemLite.SaveValue("player_gems", 250);

// Save a string
SaveSystemLite.SaveValue("quest_active", "TheLostRelic");

// Save a Vector3 (normally crashes other serializers)
SaveSystemLite.SaveValue("spawn_coordinates", new Vector3(45.5f, 10.2f, -12.1f));

// Save a Color
SaveSystemLite.SaveValue("custom_banner_color", Color.magenta);

---

🔍 Reading Variables from the DB

To read values, use LoadValue<T>(). You must provide a default fallback value which the method returns if the key does not exist yet (e.g. at the first launch of the game):

// Load an integer, defaulting to 0 if not found
int gems = SaveSystemLite.LoadValue<int>("player_gems", 0);

// Load a Vector3, defaulting to Vector3.zero
Vector3 spawn = SaveSystemLite.LoadValue<Vector3>("spawn_coordinates", Vector3.zero);

// Load a Color, defaulting to Color.white
Color banner = SaveSystemLite.LoadValue<Color>("custom_banner_color", Color.white);

---

❓ Checking Key Existence

Before attempting to load or perform runtime game setups, you can verify if a specific variable key exists:

if (SaveSystemLite.KeyExists("spawn_coordinates"))
{
    // Apply coordinates safely
    transform.position = SaveSystemLite.LoadValue<Vector3>("spawn_coordinates");
}
else
{
    // Execute default spawn sequence
    transform.position = defaultSpawnAnchor.position;
}