Dead Rising demo today?

[RancidLunchmeat]

Thanks Huf.. But I still got a question from that review...

You only have 1 save slot? (ACK) or do you have TWO?

Can you save your entire game AND/OR save your stats?

For example: You're on story level 5 (I don't know how else to say it.. sorry), and you've built up all these skills. If you save your skills and restart the game, do you restart at story Level 1 with all your skills?

Am I making sense? Do you know what I'm asking?

Interesting Scoob.. I know Capcom went crazy with the replayability of this game, I'm wondering if they went too far.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Thanks Huf.. But I still got a question from that review...

You only have 1 save slot? (ACK) or do you have TWO?

Can you save your entire game AND/OR save your stats?

For example: You're on story level 5 (I don't know how else to say it.. sorry), and you've built up all these skills. If you save your skills and restart the game, do you restart at story Level 1 with all your skills?

Am I making sense? Do you know what I'm asking?

Interesting Scoob.. I know Capcom went crazy with the replayability of this game, I'm wondering if they went too far.

Just one slot. Basically it works like this, when you die you get 2 options:
1 - Load game
2 - Restart game w/ your current stats

That's it.

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

Ouch.

That certainly has the liklihood to get annoying.

Give me another update after you put some more hours in, will you?

 

[Sis]

Thanks for the review.. But you seem to like the save mechanics, and Scoob seems to hate them.

Can you explain in more detail how it works? I assume there's save points you have to get to in order to save... I'm confused as to why the system is frustrating?

And it's kinda important to me, frustrating save mechanics are one of the things that will stop me from playing a game entirely.. Like Scoob said.. I've turned off games and never turned them back on again because the save game mechanics were just so damn stupid.

It is a very typical save mechanic, except for the one big caveat: you only get one save slot. I'm not sure why they did this, honestly, as it doesn't add anything of value to the game. Scooby describes having to run to a save point and this increasing the tension. There are a few save locations, but they are not very close. That part isn't the problem. It's this idea that if you die, you're given two options: load from last save (that's normal, right?) and start over from the beginning with your current stats (that's the part I like).

This dual option wouldn't be an issue at all, except when you select start over, it erases your save. So if you start over then decide, "hell with it, let me go back to the middle", you can't. Your save is gone. It's silly and circumventable; I plan on buying a memory unit just to store a backup.

When a lot of people are complaining about the save locations honestly I think its because we've become used to auto-save points via checkpoints. But I like the savepoints in the game as it does add tension. It's just a little frustrating when you lose an hour of work because you've forgotten to save in a while.

Also, word to the wise: if you want to start a new game with your current stats, you MUST do it from the game over screen. Selecting "new game" at the beginning wipes your game data clean. I found this out the hard way .

EDIT: LOL, scoob's straight to the point post beat mine

 

[Sis]

From the IGN review I linked here

From the linked quote:

this kind of save structure ensures that players will miss tons of what's available in Dead Rising, essentially forcing a second and third play-through. An option to save in multiple slots would have been appreciated. As it is, the invisible hand of the developer is often felt throughout Dead Rising. It shoves players along the narrative ride when all they want to do is get off and explore.

I completely disagree with this. Knowing how the save system is structured, I find it encourages me to play super loose with the main story the first time through. My goal is to get my stats as high as they can, then I'll tackle the main story. Otherwise, I'm just off exploring. I've done parts of the main story, but only by happenstance. I've rescued some people, killed some others (because I'm an evil SOB sometimes) and I've taken tons of pictures.

Once my stats are high enough or I get bored exploring or stuck, I'm sure I'll focus on the main story then. But as it stands, the save mechanics encourages freedom. But you have to view it from the right perspective to see it.

Fun tip: on the roof top, after it's dark out, set a propane tank next to the elevator door (you can find one around the corner), then hit the open elevator button and run a short distance away. Wait a few moments as the zombies pile out, then shoot the tank. Laugh histerically at the carnage.

 

[scooby_dooby]

When a lot of people are complaining about the save locations honestly I think its because we've become used to auto-save points via checkpoints. But I like the savepoints in the game as it does add tension. It's just a little frustrating when you lose an hour of work because you've forgotten to save in a while.

Ya this hits the nail on the head. It's because we have become so accustomed to being able to save anywhere, that this old-school approach seems painful.

I'm not sure I'm convinced the game would be better if it had a more traditional save scheme, it might it make it far too easy.

 

[zed]

I'm not sure I'm convinced the game would be better if it had a more traditional save scheme, it might it make it far too easy.

i agree games are far to easy nowadays cause of this ( + ppl complain the game was crap since they completed it in 3 hours )

 

[kyleb]

Ya this hits the nail on the head. It's because we have become so accustomed to being able to save anywhere, that this old-school approach seems painful.

I'm not sure I'm convinced the game would be better if it had a more traditional save scheme, it might it make it far too easy.

I screwed up on the first playthough by accidentally saving over where time had expired, and on the second playthough I saved right before the fight for case 4.2 and beat the fight with the little red bar still showing and 25 game minutes to spare before the next case, yet lost the mission regardless. The saving is cool in the sense of having to get to a save point and getting your stats carried though between games, but multiple save slots would be really nice.

 

[Sis]

You must be playing different demos than I am. All of the ones I have tried are all straight from the games.

I know I already addressed this, but another point of reference: Saints Row appears to have been improved from the demo to the released game, based on what some members at Gaf are saying.

 

[scooby_dooby]

I screwed up on the first playthough by accidentally saving over where time had expired, and on the second playthough I saved right before the fight for case 4.2 and beat the fight with the little red bar still showing and 25 game minutes to spare before the next case, yet lost the mission regardless. The saving is cool in the sense of having to get to a save point and getting your stats carried though between games, but multiple save slots would be really nice.

Ya I had to start over too, I ignored the Out of Control mission with the crazy clown until it was too late, and then when I realized I got the respawning chainsaw for killing him, as wellas the shortcut throug hthe bathroom, but didn't have time to get to the next story mission, I just had to start over.

It was ok though, I totally tore through the first part I'd already played because of the higher level and knowing what to do.

It's a great game, but the controls almost ruin it for me. Some small tweaks to the control scheme really could've taken a TON of frustration out of this game. The shooting mechanics are absolutely brutal, and the special moves are a PITA to pull off.

 

[Powderkeg]

Ya I had to start over too, I ignored the Out of Control mission with the crazy clown until it was too late, and then when I realized I got the respawning chainsaw for killing him, as wellas the shortcut throug hthe bathroom, but didn't have time to get to the next story mission, I just had to start over.

It was ok though, I totally tore through the first part I'd already played because of the higher level and knowing what to do.

It's a great game, but the controls almost ruin it for me. Some small tweaks to the control scheme really could've taken a TON of frustration out of this game. The shooting mechanics are absolutely brutal, and the special moves are a PITA to pull off.

At least you didn't get stuck like me. I had completed all of the cases, and was just wasting time until the helicopter showed up. I knew I had to talk to Isabella at 10AM, and knew that was coming up quick, so I ran to a save point before trecking across the entire mall to get to her.

Unlucky me got held up by a zombie horde for a minute or two. I finally get passed them, go into the restroom and save. Unfortunately that little bit of a delay was just enough that I couldn't make it back to Isabella by 10. Spent 2 days trying and the closest I could come was climbing up the cardboard boxes to get to her.

So, now I have to start all over from the beginning so I can get the true ending. Yeah, it's easier now that I'm at level 26, but I feel like I've wasted the entire time I played so far.