Old games would of been better off with a saved state feature....

[DudeistBelieve]

So I just Beat Sonic The Hedgehog 1 on Xbox.... The first time, I've owned this actual game since I was like 5, and today is the first day I beat it.

And the only reason I had the patience to beat it was because the saved state allowed me to fix my fuck ups and keep me from getting frustrated.

I'm coming to realize a lot of my youth was spent playing these games until I grew bored/frustrated with them that I'd give up. As such, I have fond memories of playing a lot of the first few levels of a lot of games...
I'm actually going to buy up the rest of the Genesis sonic games now, assuming they all have this feature.

Whats your opinion on save states? Are they considered cheating? How is save states any different then a game like Skyrim or Fallout? As someone wrote on here about Fallout once, the Lone Wanderer in Fallout 3 was basically an omnipotent demigod due to the way the game saved.

 

[Altorin]

old console games tended to be a bit cruel when it came to saving, but I always feel a bit cheesy using save states. It doesn't feel like I've actually "beaten" the game if I'm not playing it the same way it was originally designed - did I beat Super Contra? Yes and No. The point of Contra was its difficult and fun gameplay but I have seen the whole thing and experienced it. I just feel like I cheated.

Don't get me wrong though, you feel free to experience the game however you want. I just personally always quit because it ends up feeling cheesy.

However, if it's a feature built into the version of the game you're playing, I really don't see an issue with that. Like, Super Mario All-Stars had saves for all of its games, whereas the original NES versions didn't. I don't see a problem using those features, so it seems like at least to me, you're in the clear. Just note in your head you beat it on the Xbox, not the Sega Genesis

 

[Maxtro]

Before games had built in battery packs, they were all designed to be finished in one sitting. Of course for some games that was almost impossible unless you had a lot of time, or never turned off the system.

Sonic 3 actually has a built in save system, that even lets you have multiple files.

And it just so happens that Sonic 3 and Knuckles is my all time favorite Sonic game.

 

[omegaweopon]

Freedom is the key here. Is it wrong to play GTA with cheat codes? No, because you payed for a game as a form of entertainment, and you should be entertained in the ways you want. With save states they help you to be able to experience the full game that you payed for. That's quite a boon in many cases. However, like anything overuse can tend to knock out a sense of accomplishment. I remember beating the original Castlevania due to excessive save stating against Dracula, and then realized that I didn't use nearly enough effort and skill, and promptly reset the game and tried again. It really is all about your preferences.

HOWEVER: If you used save states/cheats and then go on to BOAST that you beat the game. That's where I start glaring at you with extreme prejudice.

 

[Roxas1359]

Before games had built in battery packs, they were all designed to be finished in one sitting. Of course for some games that was almost impossible unless you had a lot of time, or never turned off the system.

Sonic 3 actually has a built in save system, that even lets you have multiple files.

And it just so happens that Sonic 3 and Knuckles is my all time favorite Sonic game.

Thank god for Sonic 3 because Big Arm keeps kicking my ass! >.<
Just tried to beat him again and it didn't go so well. (Note I'm playing just the regular Sonic 3 cartridge on my Genesis/Megadrive, not the Sonic 3 and Knuckles combo)

OT: Back then though games were made to be finished in one sitting really which is why there was no real need for game saves. I do like playing some classic Sonic games with no saves though, only exception being the regular Sonic 3 because of Big Arm! >.<

Seriously, screw him. He doesn't care if you're Super Sonic, he just grabs you, smashes you down, and causes you to lose all of your rings and your Super Sonic form! And yet Eggman/Robotnik was never able to make another machine that could do that for some odd reason...

 

[mmmikey]

It would be nice if Mega Man games would let you save the stage of the final level you're at. I hated being at the Wily or Sigma fortress stages and having to go through all the motions all over again to get the final boss battle. Some of those stages were very unforgiving.

 

[Marc Wyzomirski]

I like to experience games in their natural and intended state, so I'd never use Save States or any variation of the technology unless I am studying a game.

This is partially an extension of my preference for not cheating, and instead growing as a player. Not being able to lose or fail, when failure is an intended consequence the game was designed with, is just boring to me.

 

[tilmoph]

I like save states. I remember when I was a kid, I use to pause Sonic 2 and leave the Genesis on all night when I went to bed just so I wouldn't lose my progress. It's nice not to have to do that.

As for whether or not it's cheating? Yes and no. In games were a lives system were integral, I'd say reloading a save state to try a level again is cheating; saving to go to bed is fine, saving to get a free second chance at a level or boss is cheating. In a game like Symphony of the Night, where one of the main points is getting all the random drops, no, it's fine. It just saves time; you could accomplish the same thing by running into and out of a room to reset the enemies, or you could just save and load until it drops what you want. It's the same thing in effect, it's just less annoying with the save state, especially for the rare drops.

Not that there's anything wrong with abusing save states in the first if it's just too see some stuff you didn't get the first legitimate time you played. I save scummed like a bastard on my old emulator for the Sonic 2 bonus levels, because I could never get very far on the races on the first go when I was a kid, and dammit, I wanted to see them all. It just cheapens a straight beat the game playthrough.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Save states take away the fun and the challenge for me. I tried using them a couple of times and didn't like it. I like to still save the old fashioned way.