Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs Discussion Topic Part 2

[GrAVit]

Whatever the inventory system will be like, I sincerely hope that it won't be like in Jurassic Park: Trespasser.

[Diz]

On the subject of saves? To be honest, I do not even want to think about saving in a game, not even remotely. I feel The Dark Descent did this perfectly. You could save and quit at any point in time, forcing you to actually have to reload the game if you wanted to "exploit" it (I do not think this was actually a big thing anyway), and if you died, you would shortly respawn somewhere else, sometimes even confused as to where you were.

I do not think I want to walk over to an artifact again, like in Penumbra, because that makes me aware of a saving feature during gameplay (or it would later be apparent to me if I took a lot of breaks, anyway, since it did not actually specify saving). The thought might not be that conscious, it might just be in the very back of my head, but it is still there. This can potentially cause thoughts like "I am being chased! I will be respawning at *that* location". I do not want a tiny note saying "Saving" or anything, either. I want to be totally unaware of the saving feature, unless quitting and taking a break from the game, and let the game handle everything for me, so that I can focus even more on immersing myself and enjoying what is important. =3

I am aware that The Dark Descent had this weak sound and flash every now and then, but to me it was not really telling me anything. Further out in the game, I started thinking it might be some of my sanity coming back to me due to finally making progress and Daniel managing to thinking more straight again. Whether that is connected to a saving function, I still do not know, I can only assume, which imo. does not make it as bad as "---Saving---".

Since Thechineseroom is actually saying the answer to the new saving mechanic is a secret, I would think there indeed is a change. Perhaps all the minor automated save points are gone whenever you quit the game and you return to the last puzzle solved or note read. I do not think we need to worry so much about the whole "now I have to do this part again, and it won't be as scary because I know what is going to happen". The game is going to be much more randomized, if I remember correctly.

Onto something slightly different, remember during the Q&A when Thechineseroom mentioned there are more outdoor areas than indoor? Does this mean that we may be moving toward the factory, and then escape it and continue outside? Or can this mean that over half the game might be building up toward the horrors of the factory? This certainly sounds interesting.

[Bridge]

One thing I want to know is why so many LPers "Save and exit" in stressful situations. I found it incredibly obvious what this function actually did - save your position so that you can pick up exactly where you left off. I haven't seen anyone actually try to load saves in Amnesia, so you'd think after a while they'd understand that saving and exiting does absolutely nothing.

EDIT: I mean, do they really think in this day and age such a clumsy save feature would be implemented? Going into a menu is bad enough, but having to exit the game just to save?

[Paddy™]

If I recall correctly you can make a simple .ini edit to enable a quicksave key in Amnesia. I'm not sure why it's disabled by default, but at the same time I've never felt the need to use it even on the occasions when I had it enabled.

[Diz]

Depends how you intend the save. If it is to take a break, it will give them more breathing room, allowing them to come back more focused and less scared. If it is just to start the game again immediately, then I dunno. I will have to say though that I feel the saving function does aid in gameplay at times. There have been a few times I have observed players quitting when there is a monster roaming nearby, and when they reload, it has vanished.

I must say, when reading your reply, I realized something. Thechineseroom states that the new game will definitely surprise players who think that old tricks are going to work in A Machine For Pigs. What if there is no monster spawned nearby, and you save and quit (if there is such a function), and sometimes when you resume the game, a monster is spawned in the near, hiding or roaming very silently. My soul would shatter!

[Macgyverthehero]

One thing I want to know is why so many LPers "Save and exit" in stressful situations. I found it incredibly obvious what this function actually did - save your position so that you can pick up exactly where you left off. I haven't seen anyone actually try to load saves in Amnesia, so you'd think after a while they'd understand that saving and exiting does absolutely nothing.

EDIT: I mean, do they really think in this day and age such a clumsy save feature would be implemented? Going into a menu is bad enough, but having to exit the game just to save?

Well I do know some people in the modding community here have made a save system where you find a save point that is represented by an object like a typewriter for example, and then save like so.

Tenebris Lake TC had that kind of save system where it had save points, maybe AMFP could implement something similar to it.?

[Ossie]

I'd be perfectly happy if the saves were using the same system as ATDD, but checkpoints are definitely OUT as far as my personal preferences go - in other words I'd hate 'em.

Onto something slightly different, remember during the Q&A when Thechineseroom mentioned there are more outdoor areas than indoor? Does this mean that we may be moving toward the factory, and then escape it and continue outside? Or can this mean that over half the game might be building up toward the horrors of the factory? This certainly sounds interesting.

I wasn't quite sure how to take Dan's answer to that.

It's in this message:

http://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/thr...#pid228480

emaper asked:

"We will play more outside or inside the buildings?"

and Dan answered:

"There's more outside areas for sure. But still a lot inside."

Initially I took that to mean that there are more outside areas than ATDD (which wouldn't be difficult!) - now I'm wondering if Dan meant that there are more outside areas than inside areas in AAMFP.

[bluel0bster]

Checkpoints? Like a Call of Duty game?
I hope they will mantain the same "saving system" of TDD.. It was pretty good to me.
Hate the idea of having checkpoint.. as Ossie said: "having checkpoints just adds frustration and breaks down the immersion."

Have you ever played COD? I've played the last 5 iterations, and have never heard of "checkpoints."

The bonus to having checkpoints is it gives you something to fall back on in case the game glitches/bugs to prevent progression, which has happened to me in TDD multiple times. Plus, autosaving checkpoints are more passive/in the background, as opposed to actively saving the game. If you're concerned about immersion, autosave is better, i.e. not requiring player input which reminds them they're playing a game.

[darkely]

Checkpoints? Like a Call of Duty game?
I hope they will mantain the same "saving system" of TDD.. It was pretty good to me.
Hate the idea of having checkpoint.. as Ossie said: "having checkpoints just adds frustration and breaks down the immersion."

Wow... you do realize Penumbra and Amnesia used check points too don't you?

If you die in Penumbra or Amnesia you come back to the last CHECK POINT you hit.

[fancreeper]

May i ask something?https://twitter.com/danpinchbeck/status/...6887868416 Why did Dan say:"because The Swine Are Rising"?