Trot47 Posted June 28 Posted June 28 Hi everyone, I’d like to suggest a feature for Vortex that I believe would improve usability and streamline the game launching experience. Currently, the “Saved Games” section in the Games menu allows users to view their save slots, which is great for organizing and identifying different game states. However, it would be incredibly useful if we could **launch the game directly from one of those save files**. This would allow users to jump straight into the game at the selected save state without having to launch the game separately and then load the save manually. It could save time and enhance workflow—especially for mod testers or players juggling multiple playthroughs. Is this something others would also find helpful? I’d love to hear your thoughts and whether this could be considered for a future update. Thanks for the great work on Vortex!
ChemBoy1 Posted June 28 Posted June 28 I am not sure if it is possible to launch the game and load a save immediately. It's only a couple clicks to select the save and load from the main menu. The button to launch the game from Vortex is always there in the top left of the Vortex window. I'm assuming you're talking about Skyrim or FO4?
Trot47 Posted June 28 Author Posted June 28 4 hours ago, ChemBoy1 said: No estoy seguro de si es posible iniciar el juego y cargar un guardado inmediatamente. Son solo un par de clics para seleccionar guardar y cargar desde el menú principal. El botón para iniciar el juego desde Vortex siempre está ahí en la parte superior izquierda de la ventana de Vortex. Supongo que estás hablando de Skyrim o FO4. Yes. In my case, the Vortex program works with Skyrim, although I assume it will be similar with other games. The idea is to run the game from Vortex's save files and select the save file you're interested in playing. This will allow you to appear directly in the game with your character without having to search for the save file in the game menu or having to press continue. In other words, the point isn't to run the game, in this case Skyrim, from Vortex itself, whose button is located in the top left corner. The point is to select a game in the save file menu and launch the game. The game will go directly to the selected game, assuming the game runs and either takes you directly into the game or with one click, like the continue option, or to have the save file in front of you without having to search for it among many files while already in Skyrim.
Trot47 Posted June 28 Author Posted June 28 ```text ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ Vortex → Games → Saved Games │ ├───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ [Filter ▼] [Sort by: Date ▾] [Search …] │ ├─────┬───────────────┬────────────┬───────────────────────────────┤ │ # │ Save Name │ Date │ Playtime │ ├─────┼───────────────┼────────────┼───────────────────────────────┤ │ 01 │ “Dragon’s End”│ 27/06/2025 │ 12h 34m │ │ 02 │ “New Beginnings”│ 15/05/2025│ 03h 11m │ │ 03 │ “Hardcore Run” │ 02/04/2025 │ 45m │ └─────┴───────────────┴────────────┴───────────────────────────────┘ ⇨ Select a row → three action buttons appear: ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ [ Load Save ] [ Delete ] [ Launch ] │ └────────────────────────────────────────┘ • Load Save: opens the game and loads the selected save via the normal launcher. • Delete: removes the selected save file. • Launch (new): starts the game executable, passing the save file path as a parameter. User flow when clicking “Launch”: 1. Vortex identifies the path of the selected save file. 2. It invokes the game (e.g., `Game.exe --load "C:/…/DragonEnd.ess"`). 3. Vortex minimizes itself and the game loads directly into that save. — Quick guide for a hi-fi mockup in Figma / Adobe XD: 1. Create a frame about 1280 px wide (typical Vortex width). 2. Add a header with the breadcrumb “Games > Saved Games”. 3. Use a table component (rows & columns) to list saves. 4. Define three button styles: primary, warning, and special. Assign “Launch” to the special style (e.g. icon + text). 5. Add hover and pressed states to the “Launch” button for visual feedback. 6. In the prototype, simulate the exe call with an interaction that navigates to a loading-screen frame. — Suggested next steps: - Share this mockup in your thread along with screenshots. - Gather feedback on the position and style of the “Launch” button. - Think about accessibility: add keyboard shortcuts (e.g. “L” for Launch). ``` --- ## 1. Interactive Prototype Example (Figma / Adobe XD) ### Frame Structure 1. **Frame A: “Saved Games List”** - Header: `Games > Saved Games` - Table of saves with columns (#, Name, Date, Playtime) - “Launch” button hidden until a save is selected 2. **Frame B: “Save Selected”** - Same table, but the selected row is highlighted - Three buttons appear below the table: - **Load Save** (primary) - **Delete** (warning) - **Launch ** (special) 3. **Frame “Loading Overlay”** - Semi-transparent overlay on top of Frame B - Centered box with spinner + text: > “Launching Dragon’s End…” - **Cancel** button to return to Frame B ### Key Interactions | From | Prototype Action | To | Transition Type | |----------------|-------------------------|----------------------|------------------------| | Frame A, row | On Click “Select Row” | Frame B | Instant (no animation) | | Frame B, Launch| On Click “Launch ” | Frame C Overlay | Smart Animate (200 ms) | | Frame C, Cancel| On Click “Cancel” | Frame B | Fade (150 ms) | #### Tips for Setup - Use **Smart Animate** in Figma so the table just changes styles instead of jumping. - Define the Launch button as a component with variants: `Default`, `Hover`, `Pressed`, `Disabled`. - In Frame C, add an “After Delay 500 ms → Navigate to external loading” interaction to simulate the executable call. --- ## 2. QA Requirements List | Category | Test Case | Success Criteria | |------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Functional** | FT-01: Selecting a row enables the “Launch” button. | “Launch” is enabled and clickable when a valid save is selected. | | | FT-02: Clicking “Launch” minimizes Vortex and starts the executable with `--load "path"`. | Game process appears in Task Manager with the correct parameter. | | | FT-03: Canceling the loading overlay returns to the menu with the same save still selected. | Overlay disappears; selection is preserved. | | **UI/UX** | UI-01: Buttons aligned, 8 px margins, typography and colors match the Vortex style guide. | Visual match with hi-fi mockup (color, size, spacing). | | | UI-02: Hover/Focus on “Launch” shows an outline or background change. | Hover effect visible and meets contrast ≥ 4.5:1. | | **Integration** | INT-01: Test with Steam, GOG, and direct exe (with mods/SKSE). | Launch command works in all scenarios without errors. | | | INT-02: Save path with special characters (ñ, é, symbols). | Path is passed intact; no encoding issues. | | **Performance** | PERF-01: Time from clicking “Launch” to overlay appearing is under 200 ms. | Overlay displays within 200 ms. | | **Robustness** | ROB-01: Missing or corrupt save file → show a clear error and suggest “Load Save” or “Delete.”| Message: “Save file not found or corrupted. Please reload or delete.” | | **Accessibility**| ACC-01: Keyboard shortcuts: “L” = Launch, “D” = Delete, “Enter” = Load; full keyboard nav. | All actions possible without mouse; logical, visible focus order. | | **Localization** | LOC-01: Texts support multiple languages without truncation. | Labels load from localization files; tested in English, Spanish, German. | ---
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