checkpoints in pc games

what do you think of save checkpoints?

  • i like them

    Votes: 36 25.7%

  • don't mind as long as there is lots of them

    Votes: 61 43.6%

  • i hate them

    Votes: 43 30.7%
  • Total voters
    140
T

THRESHIN

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idle curriosity, what do you guys think of games with save points or checkpoints instead of saving when you choose?

personally i dont mind as long as there is lots of them.
 
doesn't really bother me, BUT, and i say BUT, the only time it does bother me is if the designers create a big ass long boss fight AFTER a cutscene without giving you a chance to safe AFTER seeing the cutscene and BEFORE you fight the boss

that's a huge time waster there if you can't skip the cutscene if you lose to the boss
 
PC games are sometimes my pick up and play for a few mins..usually...so I like saving anywhere, but I like checkpoints as well.
 
The poll should have another option: "I like them as long as they're spaced far enough from conflict in-game."

One issue I had with MW2's save system was that it saved right before I was about to die in a way I couldn't really avoid once. That sucked. Lots. I was near the end of Makarov's safehouse mission and I had to re-start and do that whole bit in the valley with the smoke. Ugh.

Otherwise, I actually appreciate them for added difficutly. Quicksave can ruin difficulty like nobody's business. It probably would have taken me longer(and made me be much more cautious otherwise) to beat Risen had it not been for the save system.

Doesn't have to be a checkpoint system, having certain areas you can save in and others you can't is fine as well. But as far as console-ported checkpoint systems go, as long as they don't have the game saving in the middle of a fire-fight I'm fine with it.
 
I dislike them. It never fails that one will happen at the absolute worst time during the course of the game - even if the issue is it is just right before a 5 minute cutscene.
 
I would rather be able to save anywhere (like Half Life) than at specific points (like Modern Warfare 2).
 
I don't mind them, since sometimes I forget to manually save myself. Although, I rather have a "save anywhere/anytime feature" than having savepoints and checkpoints throughout the game. Very useful in the event that I need to leave asap.
 
It's generally agreed that FarCry was made utterly miserable by check points.
 
Checkpoints are fine as long as they are implemented correctly. Optimally, there would be both checkpoints and user made quick saves. HL2 and subsequent episodes are one of the few games to get it right.
 
Really depends on the game. Some games it can take you out of the action. Others it is set up to be natural and give a good break. Like Crysis, I felt those were all nice checkpoints. I like them to auto save after a cut scene or allow me to skip the vid.
 
As long as they are organized properly, checkpoints can be better than having the ability to save anywhere for game balance depending on the situation. Checkpoints can give the player an actual penalty for failing rather than letting him just keep trying the same part over and over again, which is something I generally like since I prefer my games to be fairly challenging.
 
Demon's Souls has a thoughtful checkpoint system. There is enough variety to choose from in which world to play, and you advance through the world like a super mario brothers game. Of course it's not a PC game, but this is the general game forum so. :p

For PC games, I like checkpoints if they're done right.
 
I absolutely hate checkpoint systems. Anytime, multislot save systems have always been the best.
 
Quick save imho. Checkpoints are ok but quick saves are the best.
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Checkpoints are shit. They were shit when I first experienced them in DF: Black Hawk Down, and every CoD reminds me of how utter shit they continue to be. There's no technical challenge involved with allowing the player to save whenever/wherever he pleases. It's just more "play it our way" garbage from devs.

Edit: BHD wasn't technically the "checkpoint" system we know today, but it was close enough. I admire the lattitude to choose your checkpoints but it was still aggrivating the first time through when I didn't know when I'd need them. Point was still valid but I thought I'd clarify.
 
Both are fine by me, if done properly. If there are enough checkpoints, it doesn't bother me, and it adds some challenge to the game. On the other hand, a good save system is even easier to use, at the cost of some difficulty (the temptation to save constantly is bad for challenging yourself).

Borderlands is an example of checkpoints done right: the checkpoints are all over the place, and your death costs you a percentage of your cash, and you re-spawn immediately at the last spawn you saved at.

Later in the game you can also fast-travel between the checkpoints, making the game even easier to traverse.
 
daemonmf said:
Manual/Quick saves plus auto saves at key points is what I prefer.
Click to expand...

TSRH

Nothings worse than losing an hour of gameplay because you forgot to quicksave. But on the other hand, it's a pain when you get past a hard part and cant manually save. Best of both worlds.
 
Regular save/load, and quicksave/load.

That's all you need, if you don't have both of them you're doing it wrong.
 
Personally I like checkpoints. It allows me to play without constantly hitting F5 like I have OCD.
 
Checkpoints are awesome IF:

A: Their are lots of them

Winner = Fallout 3 / Oblivion

Checkpoints suck major ass IF:

B: There are few of them

Failures = Far Cry / FEAR
 
I don't mind them, I don't need them, but if there are a lot of them, that is good.
 
I don't mind checkpoints too much if they're implemented correctly. However, I always prefer the ability to quicksave, autosave, and saving in different save slots.

I understand that checkpoints may add to the challenge to the game or be used to help ensure the gaming experience isn't hampered by constant saving and reloading. However, I should be able to play any single player game the way I want to; if I don't want to "cheat" then I'll just use the auto saver and nothing else. I don't want the developer forcing me to play a certain way (fixed controls are arguably a worse offense, but that's a different topic).
 
i like checkpoint saving as long as its seamless checkpoints.. where the games not stopping to save and then continue..
 
Although I like quicksaves, I'd say I have more fun without them. Quicksave abuse can take the challenge out of just about anything.

I think save stations are a good middle ground, generally letting you save when you need to, but making it inconvenient enough to discourage you from overdoing it. Along the same lines, I thought the quicksave quotas on higher difficulties in Max Payne / 2 worked well too.
 
I don't mind them as long as they are implemented in a proper and thought out way. Otherwise they can DIAF.
 
Couldnt vote.
Needs an option: Depends on the Game

I dont want to be able to save a game mid race as that basically defeats the purpose of racing.
However, for tough RPGs/FPS type games it can save a lot of time re-doing the same thing and allow you to play using harder levels without getting bored.
 
Farcry2 checkpoints are the most horrible checkpoint system i have used as they still required me to make default saves anyway. Borderlands uses checkpoint but i never once thought that they got in the way of me playing the game, they where well distributed and useful. But some games just couldnt have a checkpoint system, imagine playing SOC-OL with out quicksave, that would be a plain disater!!
 
I like being able to hit a "F" key to quick save or quick load FTMFW. Seems like I see less and less games with it now.
 
i don't mind checkpoints as long as there are plenty of them. i prefer a quicksave/load system tho, because when you're married with kids, sometimes you can't wait for a checkpoint to pop up, and you need to go NOW!
 
It somewhat depends which game I'm playing. Sometimes the ability to save whenever you want and "checkpoints" makes the game a little easy to play.
 
I hate games without save anywhere. Having to repeat a section 15 times because all the enemies who instantly snipe you from the other side of the map after you poke your head over a wall...
 
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