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Wednesday, May 2, 2012

The Story of Save Points


This blog’s name is meant to describe the type of content which its own pages contain. Snippets of insights or observations about a game between the times we press Save Game and Load Game. The time is like a breath - a moment to reflect on the experiences you’ve had and the memories currently being processed into your long term databanks.
A conversation with a co-worker yesterday about what it means to actually save your game has prompted me to record the thoughts which emerged from that encounter here. 
We live in an age freedom when it comes to saving. Most modern RPG’s will allow you to save wherever you please - and that’s just dandy. This blog takes its name from a previous iteration of this feature, however - the Save Point. 
Google Image search has a wealth of Square-Enix games 
Of course, we can go further back in the timeline and look at codes which you had to write down every time you beat a level so you could go back to that level. Or, even further, when you had to beat certain games in a sitting or start all over again. But … let’s not. For now. 
The save point has elongated our gaming experience. Once you’re able to stop your progress and start it back up again from where you left off, games were allowed to be longer. But that’s not all Save Points did for gaming. In time, they became an actual mechanic of the game - and had an effect on the mind of the player.
First - the long and grueling labyrinth which has taken you the last hour and a half to navigate. You search, nay pray, for a Save Point sometime soon. Your mom is calling you down for dinner and she doesn’t understand that you can’t just stop. It’s imperative that you continue to - THERE! There it is. Ah, sweet mercy of God, what a beautiful sight. You take a breath, you stop frantically playing, and the tension releases as you press Save. 
Second - you’ve been casually slaying goblins for the better part of an hour and you’re feeling good about this play session. No deaths, no hardships, some good - wait, what’s that? A Save Point? Why do I need … oh, no. What in God’s name is about to happen to me?
Both of the scenarios are products of the expertly placed Save Point. Think of the crafting that goes into placing these things - it is the developer communicating with the player, literally.
“Hey, player, things are about to get rough, just letting you know. Wanna take a little breather?”
“Hi, player - good job getting through that labyrinth - that must have taken forever! I know, I designed it. Booya! Here’s a Save Point.”
Save Point locations are the designers dictating play sessions. It doesn’t give them complete control - but how many times have you played from one Save Point to another? Just a quick romp. That play session’s length was designated by the developer. 
So next time you decide, “Eh, I’m gonna go watch Big Bang Theory,” and press START > SAVE - remember that we’re missing out on the joys and frustrations of talking to the designers through Save Points. 

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