The problem with autosaves and quicksaves occurring with any kind of frequency is that the overwriting erases one's history (at least in Bioware's games). Unless the player makes separate, manual saves, then a monumental screw up two hours ago often becomes unrecoverable without a double handful of frustration.
Agreed.
IMO, the best solution is to allow an autosave with a variable timer. I find in games that have this that I can set the autosave to kick in every hour or so, manual save before events I think are important, and quicksave during the short term, giving broad save coverage
I like better the idea of multiple autosaves (or a quicksave where I want it) as a timed save still leaves you open to not getting an autosave where you need it. And I can cover a lot of ground in an hour.
As for cutscenes and conversations, I very much like SWtoR's method of handling it. Basically every cutscene or conversation can be aborted at any time, right back to the beginning as long as you haven't finished the cutscene or conversation. Just walk up to the relevant object or NPC at your leisure, click on 'em and start over.
I keep seeing the SWTOR thing. It sounds lovely, but I wouldn't know. I live in the boondocks and get internet that barely lets me play around on this forum. Online gaming is not yet a reality for me. 
I haven't played SWTOR, but the "start over" option seems like a good tool, but one which could be easily misused to just simply escape outcomes you don't like.
I could understand using it if the paraphrase would up leading to a line you hadn't anticipated, but I could also see it being used for people who wind up getting a negative consequence to their choice and having an easy out to go back and choose the option that is less thorny.
I know it shouldn't matter how others play their games, but when the options exist in the game like this, it gives me creepy crawlers in my gut. I know, it's weird, but I feel my brain is just hard wired to object to easily gaming or manipulating a system.
I had to laugh (not being mean, just honestly find it amusing). I've never gotten why people care how someone they don't know or have never met will play their game (which the protestor will never see). I understand when it's about something that affects everyone who plays the game - such as arguing over which combat tactics or romance options or whatever people want to see added/subtracted from the base game. But getting all worried and bothered about something that doesn't in anyway relate to you or your game simply because you know it's a possibility for someone else? I just don't get it. I remember when I first started on game forums and people were *seriously* bashing those who used cheat codes. Now, with the "Baby" settings in DA and ME, I never need to cheat (thank you, Devs). But in NWN and BG - I LOVE to use the cheat codes (and I don't need them in Skyrim, but I use them anyway). People on those forums were LIVID that someone would use a cheat code....in a game they would never see, played by someone they would never meet. It should probably make me angry, but it mystifies me so much that I just giggle and shake my head at it. To each his own.
Now I'll give you some creepy-crawlies. I would SO be one of those people that abused the system to get my way. Sorry! In all honesty, my character stays true to herself, but there are times when I just don't want to give up the relationship points over something stupid that I really don't care about. If it makes you feel better, I won't retract anything that is true and matters to my PC. Feel better? 
That last one is why there should be a conversation log - one that we can access while in conversations, in case we missed something or think we might have misunderstood.
I agree. Nothing like making a decision based on "eeny-meeny-miney-moe". However, depending on what I missed and who said it, I will probably go back to hear them say it (and how it was said) anyway.
Retour en haut
But now I understand. Thank you for clarifying. I actually didn't know that about Skyrim, either. I'll have to check that out next time I'm playing. Thanks for the tip!
