A major technical hurdle was our attempt to implement the PS5 SaveData library. Following the SDK’s threading-based documentation, we attempted to link and use the library for persistent data but found the examples difficult to replicate. Despite extensive troubleshooting and consultation of unviersity threading guides, we failed to achieve a working implementation before deadlines, a valuable lesson in recognising when to pivot. Instead, we implemented the MsgDialog library, which provided a simple in-game message system using the PS5’s native UI. This allowed us to display a custom message when the player pressed the triangle button, prompting them with a confirmation dialog before the game closed. Closing the application itself required research beyond the SDK; we eventually solved the problem by using the ‘std::quick_exit’ utility documented on cppreference.com. While not our original plan, this shift gave us a functional user flow and highlighted the importance of adaptability in console development.
