discussion How do you remember what's been happening in between updates?

[CharlieV]

Does anyone else have issues remembering what's going on with each character/story etc in between updates for games?

Do people go as far and make a few notes etc to make it easier to pick the game back up, or just rely on a good memory? Maybe just re-play from beginning each time?

Just as an example - I've just recently played a game called The Lost Love for the first time in a few updates and although I remember really enjoying the game first time round, I can't actually remember what is going on with like half the characters and so the experience just isn't the same as when I played from the start.

 

[WigglyWorld84]

I will sometimes play the previous update again, if its a game I like.

If its a game I am so-so with, I may just lose interest and move on.

If updates are quick enough, its a non issue

 

[BorisUlyanov]

I am too lazy to take notes, and have far too many games on my agenda to do that anyway. Some devs make it easier to remember what went on, but in a few games I have lost it entirely. I find that updates are easier to quit out of, abandoning the game, as compared to first releases. Maybe the devs put all their best ideas out first?

 

[Loliholic]

I dont forget anything, my brain just goes to pause mode.
Okay, i dont remember names of charas in games i dont play right now, but as soon as i load a game it all comes back right away.
I only have some problems with games i played very often, then i need a questlog to remember what i did already and what i still need to do in the current savegame - thats why i hate restarting over and over because devs fail to keep savegames working, mess with past content or even remake the whole thing.

 

[TheLowEnder]

I don't

Does anyone else have issues remembering what's going on with each character/story etc in between updates for games?

I do.

You must be registered to see attachments

That's why I try play mostly completed games...

 

[Coloneill]

Does anyone else have issues remembering what's going on with each character/story etc in between updates for games?

I will not lie. Very often I forgot much and need a while to come back into the story. Especially at games just publishing updates now and then.
Just one game, The List, has a recap of every chapter of the previous update. This can help at lot. But very often it becomes hard to remember. Most favorite games, where I wait for next update after playing the last one, excluded.

 

[orphan]

I just play the game all over again

 

[richuncle]

I usually just have a very vague recollection and have to use context to figure out what must have happened.

 

[Vulky]

In many Renpy VN that I play, if the plot is interesting and complicated, I place a note.txt file in the root folder of the game.
I write the main choices for all the saves. For example:

# Path [name of path]
save file reference with number of page. Example:
2.3 (meaning third save file on page 2): relevant choices made from save 2.2
2.4 (fourth save file on page 2): relevant choices made from save 2.3
If I have a ramification of paths from a single save, I'll go to a sistant page and make a line as
# New path [name]
2.4 > 6.1 (it means 6.1 follows from 2.4): (write down choice made from 2.4)

So an example of a file would be:

# Rose path
2.3: went disco, sex Mary, refused bj Belle
2.4: helped Rose at bar, fight with Mark
2.5: OK lesbic threesome with Adele

# Rose straight only
2.4 > 6.1 refused threesome with Adele

It may seem annoying but it really helps saving time if you have to return to a game after some months. You'll instantly have all the paths at a glance and avoid messing with choices. It helps to be consistent in your paths so you don't mix them. Having the possibility of renaming a save file in the game can help but usually it's not sufficient because you are very limited with the letters.

 

[rokor]

I usually play it again if is the case.

Sometimes I feel like Dory...

 

[Deleted member 97862]

I have a pretty good memory but I sometimes just load an earlier save if possible to bring my self back to speed

 

[User_124703]

I´m really bad at this. I have to restart, when the game is good. otherwise I´m lost...

 

[User_123383]

If the updates happen less frequently, I might replay the whole game with next update. Especially, if I like this game

 

[AlBetGam]

I generally have a pretty good memory for narratives. So if it hasn't been too long since I played the last update, I'll usually remember at least the broad strokes of what was going on. To aid that along I usually try and save at a point that will remind me of the last thing that happened- e.g. if 0.4 ends on a cliffhanger with the MC walking into his house to find his long-thought-dead mother waiting for him, and the next frame is the dev's "Save here and thanks for playing!" message, I'll scroll back and save before he opens the door.

If I need a little extra refresher I'll roll back a little further to remind myself of what was happening. Only if it's been a really long time since I played and I can't remember anything will I start the game over entirely.

 

[ErzuzB]

With many games, it's not worth remembering the story too well anyway, as they're usually very generic to begin with.

 

[chrisridley]

I'd say that most of the time I don't lol

 

[Kansasfarms]

As long as it's not a terribly long game I usually just skip to the latest content and continue

 

[AK Gandalf]

When I first heard about these types of games a few years ago, I downloaded several of them and started playing all of them more or less at the same time.
After I found out that many are not finished yet and you have to wait for new updates, I started new games. Then, when those earlier games finally got their updates I usually remembered things quite easily, but never felt as immersed as before. So a long break from the game often killed it. The same applies not only to AVNs, but also to my console games. I have to constantly keep at it and finish it, otherwise I'll stop playing for good.

That's why I made it a rule to only download a game when the completed version is available and to only start a new game when I have finished the previous one.

 

[Tofolli85]

Pornographic memory

 

[onlark]

I'm having problems keeping up with some of these games' stories, since there are big gaps between story updates. I could just replay a game for a refresher, but I'm way too lazy.