Autosaving

Karin · Post by **Karin** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:03 am

I'm still loving the game so far, but sometimes I find I get pretty immersed and I'll completely forget to save my game and go adventuring for 20-30 minutes, only to end up dying and restarting from my saved game.

With me being new, this is happening a bit more than I'm guessing it would to others. Flying into atmospheres too fast, smashing into stations, getting swarmed by hostiles, sucked into stars, the works, hehe.

For me, a toggled feature making the game auto-save whenever I dock somewhere (station, planet, etc) would be perfect, since my play style is pretty linear -- meaning that I don't save my game for strategy's sake so I can try different tactics, but instead simply to save my progress in case I make a mistake at the tail end of a half-hour exploration/trading fest. I suggest it be toggled because not everyone may play this way.

I'm posting this to the forum instead of directly via email because of my unfamiliarity with the game, perhaps the idea has already been discussed, isn't applicable/desirable in a game like this, etc. Thanks to everyone who participates!

warsign · Post by **warsign** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:13 am

Autosave can be ruin your life sometimes.
Unwanted saves doesn't work for me.

I use alt+Q (quick save), without entering in-game menu, I save my game quickly, when I wanted. I use different profiles for back up.

Good flying...

tha_rami · Post by **tha_rami** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:50 am

Saving has been brought up frequently (mostly by me), because I'd prefer only being able to save while docked (main reason being to prevent saving while down or out of fuel).

Autosaving, on the other hand, I haven't heard before if memory serves me (and in case its relevant, it usually doesn't). I think toggling 'autosave' is an interesting option, it would pretty much help out you and me.

Just to throw something up against it, though, the game philosophy is to let 'the player do as much as possible' instead of letting game systems do those for them. An autosave option might conflict with that philosophy.

In any case, I'd like to see something like this

.

Post by **Vice** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 5:09 pm

Here are a few things to consider for an option like this:

- It would likely either be location or timer based. In the past, at least when limited saving options were discussed, there had been talk of making it location based (such as stations), but this would mean it wouldn't auto-save during all open space activities, leaving significant gaps in saving your progress. Some players may want a timer system to keep it consistent, but this has some challenges also:

- If the autosave is timer based, it would likely save at points you wouldn't want it to, such as when you're low on fuel, have sustained high damage, are in the gravity crush zone of a star or black hole, or after you've sold/traded something you didn't want lose.

- There's no reversing the save, no 'undo' option. It would force you to accept whatever new condition you are in. If you forget to save manually now, you'd likely also forget to turn off auto-save when you don't want it, resulting in losing progress/status you wanted to keep.

When you are in control of saving, it lets you set spawn points (good for multiplayer) and capture your status when and where you want. Removing that control, even as an option, could have several negative impacts. It's an easy thing to add, but would need to be used very carefully to accommodate its forced limitations and compromises.

In the meantime, using Alt-Q is a good habit to get into, maybe when you're just travelling between systems and/or when you dock at a station or land on a planet.

BraveHart · Post by **BraveHart** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 6:49 pm

I really like the manual Save "Alt+Q".....this is a great habit to get into. Save before combat, after combat, after mining some great ore, buying a load of items for your cargo bay to sell elsewhere....the list goes on and on. Having multiple saves also helps to keep a good back up.....I never really like auto-save features, being able to save where I want to is more important.

"Good Flying Karin"

Karin · Post by **Karin** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:46 pm

Hehe, I'm already getting more used to saving manually. It will come easily with time I'm sure!

For what it's worth, I've seen other games in other genres overcome the issue of getting players stuck in sticky situations by keeping an autosave slot separate from manual saves. Manual saves can still be made at any time, but the autosave is automatically updated from time to time. Upon having to reload from a saved game, the player can choose the autosave or their normal manual save. When quitting the autosave is lost (after the usual "save & exit" prompt).

Overall it's not a big deal, I feel I've lost a bit of time in-game that I chalk up to a learning experience about saving, but like I said, I can live with it for a game this fun

(And thanks for the "good flying"s!)

Ravenfeeder · Post by **Ravenfeeder** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 3:50 pm

I much prefer the "alt Q" save feature. For example; at the moment I'm in Lost Rucker, and I've found two containers. They are next to a star, which means heavy gravity, and with no warning I blow up {BANG}, if there were an auto save, I could be stuck in the bang situation, with no way out, but, with the "alt Q" I can keep going back to the position where I was in safe space, and trying again.

Incidently; I'm after those containers 'cos (Poss spoiler) one of the pilots, on the forum, stated that there was a way to earn lots of dosh from the containers, and selling platimum. I've managed to get one of them, but nothing of note in it. I've even tried mining the star (nothing). Is it worth continuing to go after the second container??

Also, I've seen what looks like a planet, through the star haze - is it a planet, in that sector, or, am I seeing a distant sector planet through the haze?

Post by **Vice** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:35 pm

I'm not sure what the other container there has, but for mining the star install a fuel converter, then try again. You are probably seeing a planet in a nearby sector through the haze of the star.

Ravenfeeder · Post by **Ravenfeeder** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 5:06 pm

Again, thanks Vice. It was just that one of the members posted that to get the big loot, on Lost Rucker (the 5m a cargo load, at any L/Rucker station), was to find the containers - a bum steer?

Loki · Post by **Loki** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:32 am

Originally posted by Ravenfeeder
Again, thanks Vice. It was just that one of the members posted that to get the big loot, on Lost Rucker (the 5m a cargo load, at any L/Rucker station), was to find the containers - a bum steer?

If you want to make big bucks in Lost Rucker fill your holds
with Fuel converters from saphire. Buy 'em for 500K - 600K
and sell 'em 3Mil - 4 Mil

Ravenfeeder · Post by **Ravenfeeder** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:32 am

Thanks Loki.

tha_rami · Post by **tha_rami** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 1:54 am

I still only save at stations. Really adds a feeling of risk to the gameplay. Can recommend it

.

Wasp89 · Post by **Wasp89** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:58 am

Originally posted by Ravenfeeder
Again, thanks Vice. It was just that one of the members posted that to get the big loot, on Lost Rucker (the 5m a cargo load, at any L/Rucker station), was to find the containers - a bum steer?

I have sent a U2U regarding the info you read on the forums. If you have any questions, feel free to reply to the message.

Ravenfeeder · Post by **Ravenfeeder** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:30 am

Thanks Wasp.