During the time I've been working with the Civ V Hall of Fame, I've seen a number of submitted games get excluded because all four submitted files weren't from the same game, or because the victory save wasn't submitted, or because of other reasons related to the save files. I've done it myself, but not for a long time. So I thought I would share my process for managing the saves, maybe it'll be helpful for some of you. I know how messy "Documents/My Games/Sid Meier's Civilization 5/Saves/Single" can get! And some of you have limited disk space, so you have to keep it cleaned out for new games.
(I should mention that this is partly driven by the fact that I don't submit my games right away. Because of how we have it worked out to get my games reviewed, I sit on them until just before the update is complete. That keeps it a lot simpler for Noble or Ozbenno, whoever will be looking at my games. None of this matters to you all, other than the below describes how I submit "later" but still keep them straight. If you ALWAYS submit right after winning, then you can probably skip to step 4.)
Step 1: When I save my game as a victory, I DO NOT simply click "save". I go to the end of the default name, back-space through at least the victory date (so, shorten "Pacal_0510 AD-1920" to just "Pacal_0510") then add something like "Diplo". There isn't a lot of room in that input box, so you have to back-space enough to type your new characters, whatever you choose to add. Doing this keeps the file noticeable and unique, which will hopefully prevent you from accidentally deleting it.
Step 2: I then immediately change the name of the "auto" folder. Using the above game for a guinea pig, I would rename "auto" to "auto Pacal Diplo T510". My experience has been that it doesn't matter if Civ is running or not, it will immediately create a new "auto" folder if there isn't one already there.
So these first two steps have left me with a uniquely-named game and folder in my Saves/single folder. I do both of those steps immediately after winning. Otherwise - well, I am a better forgetter than I am a Civ player, so that game is almost certainly not gonna make it to the Hall.
Step 3: I am fortunate enough to have huge external drive, on which I have created a folder called "unsubmitted" (and also one called "published"). I create a new sub-folder in "unpublished" and name it "Pacal Diplo T510" or something similar. I then move both the uniquely-named victory file and the uniquely-name auto folder into that new folder (see the following 3 screenshots):
So I now have that game preserved in a way that will prevent it from being accidentally deleted or over-written.
Step 4: This is how I submit a game, and it's probably useful for some of you whether you submit immediately or later. When you click Submit Game, you're asked to A) verify you know the rules, and B) attach four save files.
(I should mention that this is partly driven by the fact that I don't submit my games right away. Because of how we have it worked out to get my games reviewed, I sit on them until just before the update is complete. That keeps it a lot simpler for Noble or Ozbenno, whoever will be looking at my games. None of this matters to you all, other than the below describes how I submit "later" but still keep them straight. If you ALWAYS submit right after winning, then you can probably skip to step 4.)
Step 1: When I save my game as a victory, I DO NOT simply click "save". I go to the end of the default name, back-space through at least the victory date (so, shorten "Pacal_0510 AD-1920" to just "Pacal_0510") then add something like "Diplo". There isn't a lot of room in that input box, so you have to back-space enough to type your new characters, whatever you choose to add. Doing this keeps the file noticeable and unique, which will hopefully prevent you from accidentally deleting it.
Step 2: I then immediately change the name of the "auto" folder. Using the above game for a guinea pig, I would rename "auto" to "auto Pacal Diplo T510". My experience has been that it doesn't matter if Civ is running or not, it will immediately create a new "auto" folder if there isn't one already there.
So these first two steps have left me with a uniquely-named game and folder in my Saves/single folder. I do both of those steps immediately after winning. Otherwise - well, I am a better forgetter than I am a Civ player, so that game is almost certainly not gonna make it to the Hall.
Step 3: I am fortunate enough to have huge external drive, on which I have created a folder called "unsubmitted" (and also one called "published"). I create a new sub-folder in "unpublished" and name it "Pacal Diplo T510" or something similar. I then move both the uniquely-named victory file and the uniquely-name auto folder into that new folder (see the following 3 screenshots):
Spoiler :
So I now have that game preserved in a way that will prevent it from being accidentally deleted or over-written.
Step 4: This is how I submit a game, and it's probably useful for some of you whether you submit immediately or later. When you click Submit Game, you're asked to A) verify you know the rules, and B) attach four save files.
Step 4a: The order you attach them doesn't matter, so I ALWAYS (well, almost always...) choose the Finish File first. I then navigate to This PC/Data Volume/CiV HOF Saves/Unsubmitted/Pacal Diplo T510 and choose the uniquely named victory file.
Step 4b: Then I choose "Start file", and my only navigation is one click into that "auto Pacal Diplo T510" folder. Scroll to the "AutoSave_Initial_0000 BC-4000".
Step 4c: To choose the intermediate saves, I am going to choose from my autosaves, so I am already pointing at the correct folder. I want a file about a third of the way through 510 turns. I put my cursor on the right-side navigation bar, about a third of way down, and lean on it until that gray indicator stops, and - voila! Any save that is showing is approximately a 1/3 file, so simply click one of them.
Spoiler :
Step 4d: Same thing as 4c, but hold the cursor about 2/3 down the list.
I often play games from end-to-end, no stop/save in the middle. Just leave my computer on, leave the game running, come back to it when I can. If the computer shuts down or the power goes out, well, that's why the auto-saves are there. I also tried to remember "Gotta make a 1/3 and a 2/3 save!" and then I'd forget to do it. Then one day I realized that the auto-saves had the entire game saved, which suddenly made having saves to submit way easier. So I hope this helps at least a couple of you.
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