Allow Players to Load Their Progress
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There are numerous reasons why players may wish to load a saved game state, including:
Players want to continue the game from where they left off prior to exiting.
Players were unsuccessful in achieving a particular objective.
Players failed to obtain a reward.
Players desire to experience the game differently, for example, by:
Employing an alternative strategy.
Adjusting the difficulty setting.
Choosing different dialogue options that may alter the narrative outcome.
Players wish to replay their favorite sections of the game.
Manual Loading
Using a Menu
Players should be given the option to resume gameplay from a specific point by selecting from a list of manually saved game states. When displaying this list, it is essential to ensure that players can quickly identify the desired saved game state. The more information provided per entry, the better; however, the presentation must remain clear and concise, including only the most relevant details, such as:
Name: A unique identifier for the saved game state.
Timestamp: The exact date and time when the game state was saved.
Screenshot or Thumbnail: Even a small visual representation can help players recall the corresponding gameplay moment.
Level Name or Thumbnail: Visual or textual information about the level.
Location Description: A textual indication of the in-game environment, such as the name of the level.
Narrative Progress: A textual description indicating the point in the story, such as the chapter name.
Save Type: An indicator specifying whether the save was created automatically or manually.
In Sniper Elite 4, saved game states are organized into categories. The interface displays the mission name along with the date and time the game was saved.
Credit: Rebellion Developments. Screenshot captured by the author.
The list of saved states may also function as a menu of unlocked levels, scenarios, or missions, which could be accessible via a separate interface.
Loading the Last Saved Game State
The process of resuming gameplay from the last saved point should be as seamless as possible, requiring minimal navigation through menus.
After launching Frostpunk, players can resume the most recent story save directly from the main menu by selecting the “RESUME STORY” option.
Credit: 11 bit studios S.A.. Screenshot captured by the author.
Using a Single Keystroke (Quick Loading)
Players should have the ability to quickly load the most recent quick save at any point during gameplay. This functionality should remain available even after failure or death, without requiring the player to navigate through the save game menu.
Rewinding
Rewind functionality can be particularly beneficial in genres such as racing games, where it allows players to reverse time slightly to correct mistakes such as crashes.
However, providing players with an unlimited number of rewinds may significantly reduce the challenge. Limiting the number of available rewinds introduces greater difficulty and encourages players to proceed with more caution.
Automatic Loading
If players fail to accomplish an objective and the game reaches a “Game Over” state, the system should automatically load a recent saved game state. This allows players to attempt the challenge again without needing to manually select and load the save file.
Consequences
Loading a Game State with Consequences
In some games, reloading a saved state may involve certain penalties. These consequences usually involve consuming valuable, limited resources, such as:
Lives in platform games.
Revives in action games.
Rewinds in racing games.
A limited number of game state loads.
If players are given an excessive or unlimited number of lives, revives, or rewinds, the consequences of failure become negligible. However, introducing penalties for loading adds difficulty, as players risk losing significant progress once these resources are exhausted. This system discourages careless behavior and promotes a more strategic, precise approach to gameplay. Ultimately, overcoming such constraints can enhance the sense of accomplishment and reward.
Loading a Game State without Consequences
This approach makes gameplay significantly more forgiving. Players only lose progress made since the last save and do not have to worry about restarting the game from the beginning. They can simply reload the latest save and retry the challenge until they succeed.
In Celeste, players benefit from an uninterrupted gameplay experience with minimal delays after failure, without needing to manually load a save state.
Credit: Extremely OK Games. Footage captured by the author.