Why no Save game Feature

Newthought · #1 January 9th, 2007, 09:21 PM

This game is actually pretty good but the fact that this game has no Save Game feature bugs the F****** Dickens out of me. Enough for me to stop playing.

I put three to four hours into a game and I enjoy the experince, then all of a Sudden, at the climatic battle, when all the chips are down, I lose. Fine.

But my question is why on a Singleplayer game can I not Save the game before the battle??? It's a simple feature that's been implemented since the very first games.

I mean, the game devouts alot of time, alot of work, and alot of playing, and if everything in those hours is thrown out the window because of a three second battle where my main army is defeated and all of a sudden 7 Provinces come conquered, then this is definetly NOT worth my time.

Sure there's an arguement against Saves, "Learn to play the game" or "In reality, you don't get a save game", that crap doesn't apply to video games with flying dragons, especially since RPG Strageties in paticular require this level of time sink.

I honestly like the game, I feel like you two guys are excellent Game Concept creators, especially since you tap real History instead of Trash History (Made up)) as your reference, something in which makes ALL of the sides excellent specimens. But the fact that if I need to sink this excessive level of time into it, only to totally be crushed at once, I should be able to hit the "Undo" button to begin with. Or, I should be able to save game and allow a What-If Scenario to start.

Regards.

PS: I know theres a feature that allows me to continue the game per sa, but it doesn't matter when my God and 70 men get killed to 12 men when I wasn't able to understand my Oppositional force "Unit X" was sacred or that "Unit Y" was really a Giant rather then just a Normal Soldier.

Surprise. funny. Time Wasted. Makes me wish I spent that money on Neverwinter.

Gandalf Parker · #2 January 9th, 2007, 09:47 PM

Actually alot of strategy games start out with no saves, or insanely limited ones. Most developers seem to not like saves and end up adding it only under pressure.

Another answer is that it started as a pbem (play by email) game and saves were automatic without having to be written into the game. They still are in a way. Your turn creates a file and if you save it then you have a game-save. The backups are still supported by the command switches. This version is the first one to do major things in support of solo playing.

You can create an automatic game-save option. The command-line switches support it.

To add it now would require adding file cleanup options also since anyone who cant do saves manually also cant clean up backups manually. But since other options have added needs for file cleanup, I wouldnt be surprised if we get it in the next version.

Wish · #3 January 9th, 2007, 10:40 PM

the save game and revert if you lost strategy is considered cheating among many gamers.

it takes the challenge out of the game.

the fact of the matter is you lost. its a game, you can lose at it. just learn from your mistake and apply what you learned to the next game.

sack up.

Meglobob · #4 January 9th, 2007, 10:52 PM

As you can tell from the above replies, we are hardcore here. Saving is for wimps.

Newthought · #5 January 9th, 2007, 10:58 PM

I'll try Pbeming....

The whole "cheating" things do not apply if I pay them money. If I am a consumer, and I request a sensible feature I should be granted it, otherwise I'll won't buy D4.

Even then, as a Long Gamer, I can understand then practically guarenteed circusmstances of winning (taking unlimited chances to secure a victory is inevitable), and if you think it's cheating, fine. But that does not matter. If I want to cheat and hack my way to victory once it's in "My Dominion" (Pardon the Pun), then whose to stop me.

Sure I could play Oblivion without saves just like Reality and when I die after screwing up the Third Quest I can reroll. But I don't want to. I want saves. I want to be able to put myself far enough back so I can CONTINUE with my enjoinment. Why should the game restrict me!

The Developer vision is essential, but when this vision trips over the consumer, the relationship of the partnership is ruined with the egg on the face lands on the Developer and the Consumer decides to do something else.

I am not encouraging to Developer's to "betray" their vision so they can EA there way to a Short-term Lifespan, what I am asking is that they make sure to implement the simple features that people want as well as the ability to variate their wishes in it.

Why should I ever have to choose whether or not I want to have to save my game!

The Perfect Example: AC for instance, had a save game feature, but it also had a Iron Man feature that made it impossible to save, hence, it wasn't "cheating".

Honestly, if AC said "Nope, only Iron Man mode for you" that would be exactly like saying, "Nope, only 200 turn games for you". 'But I don't want 200 turn games'. "Games past 200 turns are not challenging because you don't have to deal with any time constraints, you cannot variate from my vision, so you have to play how I define the game, even when you paid for it"

Would AC really be a Classic in this circumstance?

More Importantly, do I really have to argue for Save Games?

Wish · #6 January 9th, 2007, 11:33 PM

There is no save game option in chess, dudebro. once your hand leaves the piece, that is your move, even in the single player version.

the rest of us, when something like what you described happens, start a new game. 70 guy army? weak enough to die to a 12 giants? sounds like you weren't that deep into it anyway.

sack up.

Gandalf Parker · #7 January 10th, 2007, 12:09 AM

We had a downloadable set of scripts for Dom2 that did game saves. Did we ever get a version for Dom3? Is there even a difference?

Personally I have the icons for getting into my major solo games doing game saves (and other things)

BTW: Did you ever think that deja vu might be proof that God is into game saves?

Gandalf Parker

alexti · #8 January 10th, 2007, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Newthought said:
The whole "cheating" things do not apply if I pay them money. If I am a consumer, and I request a sensible feature I should be granted it, otherwise I'll won't buy D4.

Being a consumer and paying money doesn't entitle you to any sensible feature you want. Nevertheless, even though Johan is notorious for his dislike of UI programming, it's reasonable to assume that if you offer enough money he may decide that coding that damn feature worth not having to work anymore

Btw, as other mentioned there're save games in Dom3. It's just fancy GUI to reload the game that is missing.

Gandalf Parker · #9 January 10th, 2007, 01:06 AM

Actually Johan is like many people (believe it or not) and isnt doing it for the money. So it would probably take a LOT of money to get him to do it if he feels that it isnt the best thing for the game to have.

NTJedi · #10 January 10th, 2007, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Newthought said:
More Importantly, do I really have to argue for Save Games?

The original purpose of saved games was to continue playing for another day... not as a way to cheat when losing. Going back in time and changing history is cheating and unfair. Having saved games would bring the cheating temptation to all SP gamers. If you want to cheat then you can manually copy the save game files.