feat(saveload): Implement -loadsave command line option

Core/GameEngine/Include/Common/Snapshot.h

@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ friend class XferCRC;
 	Snapshot();
 	~Snapshot();
 
+	// Snapshots can disable xfer to be excluded from save game data,
+	// for example dummy implementations in headless mode.
+	virtual Bool isXferEnabled() const { return TRUE; }
+
 protected:
 
 	/// run the "light" crc check on this data structure

Core/GameEngine/Include/GameClient/ParticleSys.h

@@ -862,6 +862,8 @@ class ParticleSystemManagerDummy : public ParticleSystemManager
 
 	virtual Bool isDummy() const override { return true; }
 
+	virtual Bool isXferEnabled() const override { return FALSE; }
+
 	virtual Int getOnScreenParticleCount() override { return 0; }
 	virtual void doParticles(RenderInfoClass &rinfo) override {}
 	virtual void queueParticleRender() override {}

Core/GameEngine/Source/Common/CommandLine.cpp

@@ -719,6 +719,18 @@ Int parseVTune ( char *args[], int num )
 
 #endif // defined(RTS_DEBUG)
 
+Int parseLoadSave(char *args[], int num)
+{
+	if (num > 1)
+	{
+		TheWritableGlobalData->m_loadSaveGame = args[1];
+		TheWritableGlobalData->m_shellMapOn = FALSE;
+		TheWritableGlobalData->m_playIntro = FALSE;
+		TheWritableGlobalData->m_playSizzle = FALSE;
+	}
+	return 2;
+}
+
 //=============================================================================
 //=============================================================================
 
@@ -1160,6 +1172,9 @@ static CommandLineParam paramsForEngineInit[] =
 	{ "-quickstart", parseQuickStart },
 	{ "-useWaveEditor", parseUseWaveEditor },
 
+	// TheSuperHackers @feature bobtista 22/07/2026 Load a save game file from the command line.
+	{ "-loadsave", parseLoadSave },
+
 	// TheSuperHackers @feature xezon 03/08/2025 Force full viewport for 'Control Bar Pro' Addons like GenTool did it.
 	{ "-forcefullviewport", parseFullViewport },
 

Core/GameEngineDevice/Include/W3DDevice/GameClient/W3DTerrainVisual.h

@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ class W3DTerrainVisual : public TerrainVisual
 protected:
 
 	// snapshot methods
+	virtual Bool isXferEnabled() const override;
 	virtual void crc( Xfer *xfer ) override;
 	virtual void xfer( Xfer *xfer ) override;
 	virtual void loadPostProcess() override;

Core/GameEngineDevice/Source/W3DDevice/GameClient/W3DTerrainVisual.cpp

@@ -1134,6 +1134,14 @@ void W3DTerrainVisual::replaceSkyboxTextures(const AsciiString *oldTexName[5], c
 	}
 }
 
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/** Terrain visual state is only partially initialized in headless mode, so it is excluded from save game data */
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+Bool W3DTerrainVisual::isXferEnabled() const
+{
+	return TheGlobalData->m_headless == FALSE;
+}
+
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /** CRC */
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GameState.h

@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ class GameState : public SubsystemInterface,
 										 SnapshotType which = SNAPSHOT_SAVELOAD );  ///< save a game
 	SaveResult missionSave();																 ///< do a in between mission save
 	SaveCode loadGame( AvailableGameInfo gameInfo );							 ///< load a save file
+	void loadQueuedSaveGame();																 ///< load the save file requested on startup
 	SaveGameInfo *getSaveGameInfo() { return &m_gameInfo; }
 
 	// snapshot interaction

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h

@@ -350,6 +350,7 @@ class GlobalData : public SubsystemInterface
 	Bool m_buildMapCache;
 	AsciiString m_initialFile;				///< If this is specified, load a specific map from the command-line
 	AsciiString m_pendingFile;				///< If this is specified, use this map at the next game start
+	AsciiString m_loadSaveGame;				///< If this is specified, load a save game file from the command-line
 
 	std::vector<AsciiString> m_simulateReplays; ///< If not empty, simulate this list of replays and exit.
 	Int m_simulateReplayJobs; ///< Maximum number of processes to use for simulation, or SIMULATE_REPLAYS_SEQUENTIAL for sequential simulation

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameLogic/GhostObject.h

@@ -110,10 +110,10 @@ inline Bool GhostObjectManager::trackAllPlayers() const
 
 // TheSuperHackers @feature bobtista 19/01/2026
 // GhostObjectManager that does nothing for headless mode.
-// Note: Does NOT override crc/xfer/loadPostProcess to maintain save compatibility.
 class GhostObjectManagerDummy : public GhostObjectManager
 {
 public:
+	virtual Bool isXferEnabled() const override { return FALSE; }
 	virtual void reset() override {}
 	virtual GhostObject *addGhostObject(Object *object, PartitionData *pd) override { return nullptr; }
 	virtual void removeGhostObject(GhostObject *mod) override {}

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/SaveGame/GameState.cpp

@@ -382,6 +382,13 @@ void GameState::addSnapshotBlock( AsciiString blockName, Snapshot *snapshot, Sna
 
 	}
 
+	// Snapshots with xfer disabled are not registered, so their blocks are omitted when saving
+	// and are skipped like unknown blocks when loading.
+	if( !snapshot->isXferEnabled() )
+	{
+		return;
+	}
+
 	// add to the list
 	SnapshotBlock blockInfo;
 	blockInfo.snapshot = snapshot;
@@ -733,6 +740,52 @@ SaveCode GameState::loadGame( AvailableGameInfo gameInfo )
 
 }
 
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/** Load the save game requested on startup, after the shell has been initialized */
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void GameState::loadQueuedSaveGame()
+{
+	AvailableGameInfo gameInfo;
+	gameInfo.filename = TheGlobalData->m_loadSaveGame;
+	gameInfo.next = nullptr;
+	gameInfo.prev = nullptr;
+
+	TheWritableGlobalData->m_loadSaveGame.clear();
+
+	// getSaveGameInfoFromFile throws when the file is missing, so check before reading it
+	if( doesSaveGameExist( gameInfo.filename ) == FALSE )
+	{
+		DEBUG_LOG(("Save game '%s' was not found", gameInfo.filename.str()));
+		TheGameEngine->setQuitting( TRUE );
+		return;
+	}
+
+	// getSaveGameInfoFromFile throws on a malformed file instead of returning a SaveCode
+	try
+	{
+		AsciiString filepath = getFilePathInSaveDirectory( gameInfo.filename );
+		getSaveGameInfoFromFile( filepath, &gameInfo.saveGameInfo );
+	}
+	catch( ... )
+	{
+		DEBUG_LOG(("Save game '%s' could not be read", gameInfo.filename.str()));
+		TheGameEngine->setQuitting( TRUE );
+		return;
+	}
+
+	// this hides the shell, keeping the menu screens on the stack for when the game ends
+	TheGameLogic->prepareNewGame( GAME_SINGLE_PLAYER, DIFFICULTY_NORMAL, 0 );
+
+	if( loadGame( gameInfo ) != SC_OK )
+	{
+		DEBUG_LOG(("Failed to load save game '%s'", gameInfo.filename.str()));
+		if( TheGameLogic->isInGame() )
+			TheGameLogic->clearGameData( FALSE );
+		TheGameEngine->reset();
+		TheGameEngine->setQuitting( TRUE );
+	}
+}
+
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 AsciiString GameState::getSaveDirectory() const
 {

Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GameClient.cpp

@@ -515,6 +515,11 @@ void GameClient::update()
 
 			TheShell->showShellMap(TRUE);
 			TheShell->showShell();
+
+			if (TheGlobalData->m_loadSaveGame.isNotEmpty())
+			{
+				TheGameState->loadQueuedSaveGame();
+			}
 		}
 	}
 

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GameState.h

@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ class GameState : public SubsystemInterface,
 										 SnapshotType which = SNAPSHOT_SAVELOAD );  ///< save a game
 	SaveResult missionSave();																 ///< do a in between mission save
 	SaveCode loadGame( AvailableGameInfo gameInfo );							 ///< load a save file
+	void loadQueuedSaveGame();																 ///< load the save file requested on startup
 	SaveGameInfo *getSaveGameInfo() { return &m_gameInfo; }
 
 	// snapshot interaction

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/Common/GlobalData.h

@@ -351,6 +351,7 @@ class GlobalData : public SubsystemInterface
 	Bool m_buildMapCache;
 	AsciiString m_initialFile;				///< If this is specified, load a specific map from the command-line
 	AsciiString m_pendingFile;				///< If this is specified, use this map at the next game start
+	AsciiString m_loadSaveGame;				///< If this is specified, load a save game file from the command-line
 
 	std::vector<AsciiString> m_simulateReplays; ///< If not empty, simulate this list of replays and exit.
 	Int m_simulateReplayJobs; ///< Maximum number of processes to use for simulation, or SIMULATE_REPLAYS_SEQUENTIAL for sequential simulation

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Include/GameLogic/GhostObject.h

@@ -110,10 +110,10 @@ inline Bool GhostObjectManager::trackAllPlayers() const
 
 // TheSuperHackers @feature bobtista 19/01/2026
 // GhostObjectManager that does nothing for headless mode.
-// Note: Does NOT override crc/xfer/loadPostProcess to maintain save compatibility.
 class GhostObjectManagerDummy : public GhostObjectManager
 {
 public:
+	virtual Bool isXferEnabled() const override { return FALSE; }
 	virtual void reset() override {}
 	virtual GhostObject *addGhostObject(Object *object, PartitionData *pd) override { return nullptr; }
 	virtual void removeGhostObject(GhostObject *mod) override {}

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/SaveGame/GameState.cpp

@@ -382,6 +382,13 @@ void GameState::addSnapshotBlock( AsciiString blockName, Snapshot *snapshot, Sna
 
 	}
 
+	// Snapshots with xfer disabled are not registered, so their blocks are omitted when saving
+	// and are skipped like unknown blocks when loading.
+	if( !snapshot->isXferEnabled() )
+	{
+		return;
+	}
+
 	// add to the list
 	SnapshotBlock blockInfo;
 	blockInfo.snapshot = snapshot;
@@ -733,6 +740,52 @@ SaveCode GameState::loadGame( AvailableGameInfo gameInfo )
 
 }
 
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/** Load the save game requested on startup, after the shell has been initialized */
+// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void GameState::loadQueuedSaveGame()
+{
+	AvailableGameInfo gameInfo;
+	gameInfo.filename = TheGlobalData->m_loadSaveGame;
+	gameInfo.next = nullptr;
+	gameInfo.prev = nullptr;
+
+	TheWritableGlobalData->m_loadSaveGame.clear();
+
+	// getSaveGameInfoFromFile throws when the file is missing, so check before reading it
+	if( doesSaveGameExist( gameInfo.filename ) == FALSE )
+	{
+		DEBUG_LOG(("Save game '%s' was not found", gameInfo.filename.str()));
+		TheGameEngine->setQuitting( TRUE );
+		return;
+	}
+
+	// getSaveGameInfoFromFile throws on a malformed file instead of returning a SaveCode
+	try
+	{
+		AsciiString filepath = getFilePathInSaveDirectory( gameInfo.filename );
+		getSaveGameInfoFromFile( filepath, &gameInfo.saveGameInfo );
+	}
+	catch( ... )
+	{
+		DEBUG_LOG(("Save game '%s' could not be read", gameInfo.filename.str()));
+		TheGameEngine->setQuitting( TRUE );
+		return;
+	}
+
+	// this hides the shell, keeping the menu screens on the stack for when the game ends
+	TheGameLogic->prepareNewGame( GAME_SINGLE_PLAYER, DIFFICULTY_NORMAL, 0 );
+
+	if( loadGame( gameInfo ) != SC_OK )
+	{
+		DEBUG_LOG(("Failed to load save game '%s'", gameInfo.filename.str()));
+		if( TheGameLogic->isInGame() )
+			TheGameLogic->clearGameData( FALSE );
+		TheGameEngine->reset();
+		TheGameEngine->setQuitting( TRUE );
+	}
+}
+
 //-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 AsciiString GameState::getSaveDirectory() const
 {

GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GameClient.cpp

@@ -536,6 +536,11 @@ void GameClient::update()
 
 			TheShell->showShellMap(TRUE);
 			TheShell->showShell();
+
+			if (TheGlobalData->m_loadSaveGame.isNotEmpty())
+			{
+				TheGameState->loadQueuedSaveGame();
+			}
 		}
 	}