Exactly as kyros said. I only buy steam releases due to a variety of factors, such as being able to just copy + paste a save file somewhere else and try out different choices, stat editing, and being able to close the window and resume whenever (online or offline) included.
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Thank you finally someone understands
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Wait! I know what you’re gonna say, “This topic has been talked about to death” But hear me out.
I know a save and load system isn’t agreeable for some people because it decreases the value of choices and for a company called ‘choice’ of games, that’s a problem.
But, why can’t a game just have a choice to enable a save and load system, just like some games have the option to enable more graphic stuff because not everybody wants that, why can’t a save system also be enabled and disabled? Maybe make it like Iron-man mode in Paradox games where you can save, but you don’t get achievements, but you can disable saves which enables achievements.
Sometimes on phones misclicks happen, and personally, whenever a game is almost finished and I accidentally click on another choice I don’t really want to trudge through the game again.
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Missclicks happens for me on PC, as well as phone. 
I also have the problem of options often turning out to mean something completely different from what I thought it would, and that messing up the game for me.
Not to mention the times I have to take a multiple hour break from a game (if not stop playing it completely), because I can’t figure out which option to take, and feeling like taking the wrong one would be devastating. (Anxiety is very good at ruining everything.)
I kinda understand the official stance, but it can be frustrating, and doesn’t really fit with the way I enjoy games.
I wish more games had (at least) session-dependent checkpoints, so you don’t have to start all the way from the beginning, whenever you mess up.
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Ya I agree I dont understand why there is no save option either
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Because it’s complex. And it has consequences for how the games are written. And there are 300 questions about how to do it buried inside the request. A save system? Ok, sure. Next comes:
-Your save system doesn’t work!
-Your save system doesn’t have enough save points!
-All the older games don’t have save points!
-Your save system …BLAH.
This ship doesn’t turn quickly. We have a lot of priorities to take care of before we make a decision to redesign how the games are written and made. We want you to have a great experience playing our games, but we can’t turn on a dime, unfortunately.
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And doesn’t some games already have a save system or do the beta/pre-release have to remove such a system before submitting for approval ?
Edit: talking about hosted games not choice games
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With regard to Hosted Games, I have no idea. Choice of Games titles, with the sole exception (?) of Rebels don’t have them.
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Save system for Hosted Games’s titles are up to the author to code. CoG simply hosts them.
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The save system many WIPs use only works on dashingdon afaik. The authors remove the code when submitting their game for publication, as you said. No idea if it’s possible to implement that system for published games.
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I can’t remember where I saw it, but I am 99% sure CoG will not publish HGs that have plugins/addons/etc.
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CJW’s saving plugin uses a modded CScript. Publishing it may cause issues, especially when it comes to future updates and, potentially, the development pipeline of CS itself.
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I am totally against them It will make games inconsequential and could directly turn lineal as no single reader will read anything else than The PERFECT choice that comes from read a online guide. Sometimes i asking myself why people bothering in read the game at all if they will follow a guide to have that PERFECT score whatever it was and reject anything else you could have written. Forgetting that in games sometimes better scenes are hidden in unexpected fails of scenes. And a book were all is perfect is boring as hell
Doesn’t that fall under personal taste, though? Even if there was a saving system, people who don’t want to use it could just… not use it. And people that do want to use can then do so. Such a system being there doesn’t keep you from enjoying a game the way you want to, but it might just make it a bit more enjoyable for other people who like to play differently.
I’ve seen people make the argument of “Oh but if there’s a save system right in front of me I just can’t help myself”, but that’s their personal problem, isn’t it? I don’t think it would be fair to “punish” people because some others can’t control themselves. The method of disabling/enabling the save system at the start of the game (as @saikiK suggested) would even help with that, I would assume.
Saying you don’t want there to be a save system because you don’t like how people use it sounds very “holier-than-thou” to me (“You need to play the game the way I want to, because my way is the right way”). Kinda similar to how often people who like to play games on higher difficulties shit on people who like to play on easy.
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Would you say coding a save system is the bigger issue here as opposed to the ethics of having one? Or vice versa?
I’m admittedly on the side of saves myself, but I can understand if the coding for it is difficult and therefore hard to implement. However, I don’t really agree that it should be impeded because of what assumed criticism will be (like people asking for it to be included in older games, or it having limited save slots). Any change to a system is bound to have criticism, but it can be mitigated somewhat by having open discussions and explanations about the endeavor. I’m always really saddened to see this discussion stagnate, since I think saves really would enhance game play.
Haha, I see where you’re coming from! Since I play a lot of video games, and I play a lot of them blind, I’m also somewhat against doing things “perfectly” or “with a guide”. Though, at the same time, it’s not fair to those people who like to play that way. They paid for the game, they’re having fun as well, they just want the catharsis of having that perfect ending. As for me, I’m always a little bitter when I’m trying to get a certain achievement, only to find out that I have to replay an entire 3/4 of a 100k worded game because I made the wrong choice.
Especially since so many games and WiP have/will have many varied endings and many minute repercussions in each choice, having saves would overall benefit readers, and if you dislike it, you can choose not to use it.
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If There is a save system games will be changed forever. Will become linear with many choices being GAME OVER . Why? because people will restart anything that is a failure will be restarted so writers will ended writing linear games with one of two branches like virtual novels. That will destroy cog forever. If people want so desperately cheat they could read code
Another possible suggestion is if the author implemented an internal checkpoint system, kind of like the one in Donor. But I assume that requires more work for the author and would fall down to their personal tastes.
That still fall on the player choice though . And it isn’t really a good reason .
Its like if I decide to play with CHEATS CODES and enable GOD MODE. My game, My way, if enjoyement is killed? My responsability . Once a game is purchased, Besetha for exemple cant come and tell me ‘What the hell are you doing ?! You enabled the damn console codes and you are flying?! You cant do that!’’ .
Take me for exemple, I dont need a save system to get the PERFECT ENDING lol . I dont need to reload, I always get it lol . My mc rarely dies…
The real argument here, isn’t IF IT WILL MAKE STUFF LINEAR or not…
It isn’t about making peoples lazy cose they wont start over and try a new branches . Peoples forget : ITS YOur responsability down the line .
But the real argument is: Respect the reasons given above by @Mary_Duffy , dont say ‘Oh it could be a toggle! on and off!’ easy!’’ .
Maybe one day, they think about it and make it happen . Far far in the futur . But for now, play it like its supposed to be and respect the decision . If you love said games as much as me, then heck…you can be patient, you can get over it, you can just play these games as they are mean to be played .
Maybe one day they never do it . Maybe it’s too much, maybe it’s just not something they want added .
I personally use The save/Load in WIP, but…I always get the itch to make a new mc and try something else . So it’s pretty useless to me .
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I’ve thought this before too, but to keep pushing it back and delaying it forever to the future is what causes this discussion to stagnate indefinitely. Plus, there’s no harm in talking about the pros and cons, I want to hear both sides of this argument.
I play a lot of visual novels, a lot of rpg, and so I’m absolutely skewed to wanting saves. I don’t think it breaks the narrative, and for the most part, having saves just saves time for when I make a blunder or when I realize that I’m heading towards an ending/result I don’t want.
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Failing and succeeding isn’t all there is to it. Like even if you’re just chosing options that fit your character’s personality, there is no right or wrong. Or choices that explore different ideas on how to handle a situation, and may or may not have lasting effects that come to play later in the game. I’d argue there’s still much replayability in that, and no danger of it becaming “linear”.
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