Why Save Count? (Or Screw That Vampire From Sesame Street)

[The Ceej]

When I played PlayStation games on my PS2, I would always save several files across two cards because PlayStation memory cards were prone to have files corrupt and, under rare cirumstances, entire cards corrupt. Now that I have a PS3, I still save multiple saves across two virtual cards out of habit and because I don't know if the virtual cards are any more or less stable than physical cards. I've never had a file corrupt, at least not that I know of, but I want to be safe.

That being said, I've been playing Chrono Trigger recently. One thing I noticed is that it has a save count. Every time I save the game, I have six counts added to my save count. One for each of the six blocks to which I save the game. Due to this, my save count is unbelievably high for this early in the game. I've searched for information on why the game has a save count and what it influence it could possibly have on the game but to no avail. I mean, it has to have an influence, or they wouldn't include it, right? Right? So, am I smurfing myself over by saving six times per save? What's the point in the whole thing.

[blackmage_nuke]

It has no real effect on the game, its just there to see which is your latest save. The save files only show you your play time in hours and minutes so in the chance that you save more than once in one minute you know which is the latest. Its an old feature but ive seen it in several games.

So paranoid :rolleyes2

[Roto13]

The save count doesn't do anything besides count saves.

[The Ceej]

Thanks. Now I don't have to worry about getting an ending that's not as good because I have a high save count or I left the game running for an hour while I wasn't playing thus raising my game time.

By the way, does anyone know how the stability of virtual PS1 memory cards on the PS3's hard drive compare with physical PS1 memory cards? More stable? Less stable? About the same?

I would guess it would be either the former or the latter, but I still treat it like it's the latter just to be safe.

[Elly]

honestly i have no idea what you're talking about with corrupted Memory Cards, i've been playing since the PSX first came out and have yet to have a memory card corrupted, though my sister-in-law kept losing her FFVIII saves, i guess if you kill the power or reset the system while on a save screen that could have adverse effects but who's stupid enough to do anything involving the power when the memory card is opened on a save screen... as for the save count that's been there since the NES days and was a common feature on many games so it's no surprise there was a count on the SNES as well and of course all ports to the PSone still carried this along with them...

[Roogle]

In Chrono Trigger, the endings are based solely on events in a given playthrough. The save count and the total amount of gameplay time have no effect on the ending.

[The Ceej]

honestly i have no idea what you're talking about
with corrupted Memory Cards, i've been playing since the PSX first came out and have yet to have a memory card corrupted, though my sister-in-law kept losing her FFVIII saves, i guess if you kill the power or reset the system while on a save screen that could have adverse effects but who's stupid enough to do anything involving the power when the memory card is opened on a save screen... as for the save count that's been there since the NES days and was a common feature on many games so it's no surprise there was a count on the SNES as well and of course all ports to the PSone still carried this along with them...

Some cards are more prone to corruption than others. I find the Sony cards are the least prone to corruptions, and in my first playthrough of Final Fantasy VII (which, incidentally, was the first time I ever played the PlayStation), I saved on one block on one card and never lost a save. It had nothing to do with breaking the save rules (i.e. turning system off while on the save screen or removing memory cards with the system on), it's just something that happened. I could go whole games without losing a save, or I could lose saves hundreds of times in one game. It also seemed to have a lot to do with which game you were playing. Much of the time, playing Final Fantasy VII, I would constantly lose saves, which is weird because in my first playthrough, I lost none. I don't believe I ever lost a save on Final Fantasy VIII. So, it's not the way I saved. It was the cards. The PS2 memory card never lost a save for me, so I'm hoping the virtual cards on the PS3's hard drive are 100% stable, but until I know for sure, I'm not taking the chance. Does anyone know?

[Elly]

aaahhh, i only use official Sony brand cards, i guess that cheap knockoffs (i refuse to use MadCats, ect...) could be the cause of save file corruption, that actualy didn't cross my mind, but it's true you get what you pay for... oh i also keep my stuff in immaculate condition and away from all sources of dust, moisture, and magnetic currents like TV & Radio speakers, which also helps prolong life and reliability...

[leader of mortals]

aaahhh, i only use official Sony brand cards, i guess that cheap knockoffs (i refuse to use MadCats, ect...) could be the cause of save file corruption, that actualy didn't cross my mind, but it's true you get what you pay for... oh i also keep my stuff in immaculate condition and away from all sources of dust, moisture, and magnetic currents like TV & Radio speakers, which also helps prolong life and reliability...

corruption happens from reseting or turning off when saving... or at least thats one way.

[The Ceej]

corruption happens from reseting or turning off when saving... or at least thats one way.

One way. I've never done that, yet I've had hundreds of corrupted files in my day. Even on Sony cards, though not as often. I have never done anything with a memory card that I wasn't supposed to do. They were just unstable. So, no one knows if the virtual cards on the PS3's hard drive are any more stable?

[Ciretho]

Haha, yea my friend had the same problem with his memory cards, He kept losing his Final Fantasy IV saves, much to his disgust lol. To this day, he still hasn't finished it due the losses >_<

[The Ceej]

The final save count was 658. Damn. That's a lot of saves.

[Roogle]

Congratulations on your recent playthrough of Chrono Trigger, The Ceej. Maybe you would like to try one of the many challenges offered by the fan community? Maybe a No Save Challenge?

[The Ceej]

I have to beat all my games before I can try challenges. I still have several games I haven't played yet, let alone beat.

[crono_logical]

You should try to complete the game without saving once one weekend if you get time, since it's relatively short for an RPG Well, maybe the PSX one isn't quite a short as the SNES one due to load times though