How can I programmatically manage cloud save data in my game on Steam, including options for deleting it?

Managing Cloud Save Data in Steam Using the Steamworks SDK

To programmatically manage cloud save data in your game on Steam, including options for deleting it, you can use the Steamworks SDK, which provides a Cloud service interface. Here’s how you can achieve this:

Integrating Steam Cloud API

• Setup Steamworks SDK: Begin by ensuring you have the Steamworks SDK integrated into your development environment. This SDK provides the necessary tools to interact with Steam services, including cloud saves.
• Enable Cloud Saves: In the Steamworks settings for your game, ensure that cloud saves are enabled. This setting determines whether your game can save data to the Steam Cloud.

Programmatic Save Management

• Using ISteamRemoteStorage Interface: Utilize the ISteamRemoteStorage interface to manage files stored in the cloud. Methods such as FileWrite, FileRead, FileDelete, and FileShare allow you to perform basic operations on stored data.
• Checking File Existence: Use FileExists to check if a specific save file exists before attempting operations on it. Example:

if (SteamRemoteStorage.FileExists("savegame1.dat")) {
    // File exists; proceed with read or write
}

Deleting Cloud Saves

To delete files stored in the Steam Cloud, use the FileDelete method provided by the ISteamRemoteStorage interface. Here is an example:

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bool result = SteamRemoteStorage.FileDelete("savegame1.dat");
if (result) {
    // File successfully deleted
}

Synchronization and Best Practices

• Ensure Synchronization: Use FileWriteAsync and FileReadAsync for asynchronous file operations, improving the performance of save data management without blocking the game loop.
• Fail-Safes: Implement error handling mechanisms to deal with potential failures during cloud operations.

By using these tools and techniques, you can efficiently manage cloud save data in Steam, providing players with a seamless experience across different devices.