Save Points

The one-sentence "definition" that should be in italics.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

Assassin's Creed series

Dead Rising

TV Tropes has an entry for Save Points.

Using the pattern

Can Modulate

, Collections,

A large part of designing Save Points is to choose when they exist. This may be as physical locations – in which case they either modulate or create Check Points – in Levels, or they can exist between Levels. When they do exist as physical locations they tend to exist in Safe Havens since this prevents players

Permadeath,

Save-Load Cycles, Traverse

Can Be Modulated By

Goal Hierarchies

Save Points changes or makes Scores represent something different since players can go back to earlier game states and try to maximize Scores in a way not possible in games without Save Points (or Save Files).

Narration Aspects

From a narrational point of view, Save Points sets up a problem of maintaining Temporal Consistency regarding what happens in the unfolding story of a game compared to what a players knows and does if using Save Points to go back and redo parts of the game.

Consequences

Reaching Save Points can count as reaching (Traverse) closures, so the use of them can be seen as already creating Closure Points. Since the purpose of Save Points is to provide players with points from which they can restart later if need be, they also allow players to have Extra Chances.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Check Points, Closure Points, Extra Chances

Can Modulate

Check Points, Collections, Levels, Permadeath, Safe Havens, Save-Load Cycles, Traverse

Can Be Instantiated By

-

Can Be Modulated By

Goal Hierarchies

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Scores, Temporal Consistency

History

An updated version of the pattern Save Points that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design.

Acknowledgements

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