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

[scarlett]

Have you played Radiant? I would have to have a memory of past lives to remember what is going on by the next update.

 

[DracoSalieri]

I don't. If I enjoy a game, it goes on my list and I replay it when more content is available.

 

[liwen53043]

it normally comes back to me once i start playing the update. even if its been a year or two. i've got one of those memories

 

[Swirlybird26]

I just do, but sometimes I leave a save at some point before the end of the segment, just as a refreshed if I know the dev takes their sweet time.

 

[justrand0m10]

If it's a game that I'm following and waiting to play next update I remember everything, if I didn't play for a few updates I will create a fresh save and I slowly remember the plot and skip things until the update

 

[Scepter]

I would really like changelogs to include dates for each update because I generally remember how long ago I played a game, but can never tell if it was the most recent version or not based on the description.

 

[bricome]

i usually wing it and hope hings come back to me as i play

 

[benmben152]

Most of the time I replay the game from the start. But there are only a handful of games where I play it after every update. For most of the games I play I skip several versions and only then play them again. Sometimes it's just necessary because the old saves just don't work anymore.

 

[Lensk]

it is lucky that many developers take so long with their updates that i forget it exists for many years, come back, i remember nothing, and replay it all again, sometimes the game is even finished! i find that games i want to come back to so much that i am willing to download many updates before the full release have made such an impact on me i at least remember the overall direction of the narrative.

 

[NoThanksMan]

I usually restart. If I'm hooked by a cliffhanger, then I'll remember the things going on enough anyway, but it has never happened once that I've been 'hooked' enough AND the update has come out quickly enough for that to happen.

 

[A_Man_In_Space]

If I don't remember something, then it wasn't important.

 

[Deleted member 210808]

I do not even remember yesterday so I do not remember

 

[bulliedhealer]

I just do, not sure how to be honest. Autism maybe?

 

[vandura]

This is the problem I've had with TV shows like Game of Thrones or Walking Dead where they do mid-season breaks and stretch a season over a year and a half. I get lost and either have to start over from the beginning or give it up altogether. Granted, h-games are no Game of Thrones, but the problem is the same...if I don't go back and restart, I won't get the references going forward.

 

[Woohooislander]

Honestly, if I forgot the story I would just go back and replay the game from the beginning. Sometimes creators even add in content to the beginning so it can be worth it.

 

[PixelCat93]

I just do, not sure how to be honest. Autism maybe?

Same.

 

[highstr]

i normally dont play each update but i wait a few big updates and then replay the whole game start to finish

 

[bebop810]

i just replay and skip throught it

 

[a1fox3]

When a new VN/Game comes out I wait about 3-4 updates then try it out, that is as long as it has tags I like.
I then wait till its completed to try it again, if I still like it then I will give the dev some money.

To many great games gets abandoned and is why I no longer support any game/VN until its completed.

 

[Guy Oblivious]

I have a... System.

I see a game that looks interesting enough that I am willing to load the games description. Usually the artwork speaks to me, maybe I recognize the author, regardless that's enough for me to open the games description. Once I have committed to opening it, I have a giant spreadsheet that I use to track all the games I have shown at least that much interest in. The spreadsheet has the game name, author, several (subjective and numerical) ratings regarding how much I enjoyed the game, whether I think I'd like to return to review it at a later time, how good the artwork, story, humor, etc was. Also a small description area where I put any notes if I feel like it and also a link to where I downloaded it. If I have no record of it, I create the record and rate the artwork in the previews. If I do have a record I remind myself of whether it's worth downloading for the new content based upon its rating and how likely I felt I'd like to return to it when originally rated it.

Once I read the description, I might choose to download the file. I place the unzipped file on my desktop. I play it, the very very very beginning of the game gets saved in a specific save spot so that I can come back and reread the plot later if I can't remember it.

Once I have played it enough to evaluate it, I then rate it and record that info in the spreadsheet. If I liked it, I save it on my 2TB game drive with an amended naming convention that includes the overall rating I gave it. If it's average I'll probably play it enough to get bored of it and delete it. If I don't like it, I delete it.

So, for the actual question. If I need a refresher on the plot, I can reread the games opening and my notes. If I did not actually like the game, I am really unlikely to return to it later. But If I do return and can't remember the story, I'll start over until it rings a bell and then decide if I want to start over or load my most recent save file (also in a specific save spot).

But the reality is that most games are either fresh enough in my memory that the new update is just another chapter in a continuing story I am reading (In for a penny, Crimson High, Single Again, Light of my life, Fall of the Angels, A foreign World, Out of Touch, The Big Step), or it is low enough stakes in my mind that it isn't important enough to refresh my memory (The Button, Goblin Gnight, Hardstuck, Out of Puberty, Adored by the devil, Powers that Be, Grandmas house). If I find I can't easily remind myself of why I was playing it, I likely rated it too highly, or it's a convoluted sandbox game.