Topic: Savestates ruin gaming experience?

[Gotham Ranger]

As I posted elsewhere,

Something I've kinda noticed as I've been playing alot of games through emulation (because I'm poor and emulation is awesome!) is how savestates effect the experience of certain games.

Obviously, savestates have their uses. There's the technical [parasitic bomb] which I won't even get into becuase I don't use it for any of that. The best example of using savestates are in games where there lacks a save feature, such as Ristar, the classic Megaman games, or even Sonic 2. Usually, in this way, its saving after you complete a level, as its a convenient way to save your progress without having to start from the beginning. Hell, alot of the reason I don't ever bother with the emeralds in Sonic 2 is because I know by the time I have them, there will be very little use for them and its really a waste of time for me. In the Megaman games, its because sometimes those games can be [tornado fang]ing infuriating and having a save spot to rest after every level is [tornado fang]ing nice Its also handy in some fighting games for bosses that you only get one chance at, such as Akuma in SFA or Final Bison in SFA3. Sure, its kinda pussing out, but it gave me the practice I needed to actually beat them later on legit without having to go through a whole playthrough again.

But then there's rampant savestate abuse. I'm guilty of this and have been curbing it because I really do think it ruins the experience. Again, Megaman is a good example for this. Saving in the middle of a level before a spot I know I'll die several times at, saving just before the boss so I can redo it over and over until I win. Just general abuse of savestates that isn't at all what the original point of the game was and even defeats the purpose of playing it. Its one thing to save to keep your spot in case you need to put it down and come back later or whatnot. Its another to save after everytime you get a successful attack and the reload if something doesn't go your way so you can continue as if nothing ever happened.

This was just something that popped into my head and I figure I'd get you fuckers opinions on it. My view is that savestates can ruin a gaming experience when abused, as I've experienced it first hand, and its really shitty. I like savestates for reasons stated in the first paragraph, being as I can save my game after a level or two in games that have no saves. So, what about you?

Something to add since I originally posted this is I have played through Megaman 1 again (which is my initial example in this thread) and aside from saving my progress after each boss, there was really no use of save states. From Wily Stage 1 to Wily Machine Part 2, I played without saving until I beat the game. It was a much more enjoyable experience to say "EAT ROCK BUSTER" knowing I did it without the crutch of using a savestate over and over to do it. It was definately worth it and in the end I do think savestates can really ruin the original game.

[Da Dood]

If you feel bad about save states, then the idea is to ignore them. I only use save states as shortcuts, on games you have to input long boring passwords to get back to where you were, or if I don't want to sit through the game over screen + title to try the stage again.

[Gotham Ranger]

If you feel bad about save states, then the idea is to ignore them.

Hey, this topic isn't about MY shortcomings =P

[Acid]

If you feel bad about save states, then the idea is to ignore them.

This is the right idea. Savestates can take the  dangerous tension you feel before facing something ridiculiously hard, but they're entirely optional. It's not like the game forces you to use them.

Anyway, I use them too. There's nothing to be ashamed about.

[Tickle Buffalo]

I don't really see the point in playing if you're gonna spam save states. Just find a playthrough on youtube or something, that way you won't have to fiddle around loading and saving all the time. It's not like you're going to be really playing the game either way.

[Align]

Guilty. Especially for Fire Emblem, if only to alter stat-gains so even mediocre characters can get a chance at fame.
Been cutting down on it a lot recently, but still tend to save before hard segments so I don't have to do the easy bits before all over.

[Satoryu]

i don't think constantly loading a savestate ruins the experience. it just makes it less time comsuming. i'll use Mega Man X3 as an example. i find Sigma difficult in that game when i don't have the Z Saber. but even with that, the climb up the walls while fire and Sigma's wireframe head chase you up always gets to me. luck seems to be a big factor for me there. so once i deal the final hit to Kaiser Sigma, you bet i'm going to save a savestate. because the last thing i want to do is have to fight two forms of Sigma again, and likely have to refill my subtanks in the process.

savestates are also required for romhacks that require TAS-like precision. Air comes to mind.

[borockman]

Savestates, I'm guilty as charged. Unfortunately it's not all beneficial, especially when you savestate at the state near death. (like jumping onto pitfall)

It's also make it funnier btw. (especially if you play 2 players game, oh the hilarity.)

[Hypershell]

Just general abuse of savestates that isn't at all what the original point of the game was

Which is why they're found in emulators and not in actual games.

Savestates exist on the same level as game-hacking codes.  They can ruin it or they can be fun to toy with.  What is and isn't acceptable is up to the player.

savestates are also required for romhacks that require TAS-like precision. Air comes to mind.

Case in point.  In my case I wouldn't even play such a game because I just don't consider it fun anymore.

Guilty. Especially for Fire Emblem, if only to alter stat-gains so even mediocre characters can get a chance at fame.

This is the one exception, because the U.S. Radiant Dawn actually lets you retain Battle Saves after use.  Well merited in this case due to how blazing hard and utterly starved for experience the game is (yet for some reason I still love it).

But once that door's been opened, RNG abuse kinda goes with the territory.  I mean, who here HASN'T reset-haxed up Heather's Strength so you could steal that Bolting?  And it is certainly nice to have some form of recourse when the game decides to kick you in the crotch during a level-up and offer NO stat growths.

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