Permadeath has it, why not non-permadeath?

So, after not playing DoD for a couple of weeks I returned to continue my axe wielding blacksmith that is a non-permadeath character. I opened the load menu and was greeted with two save files that were of the same character at different points. As there is pretty much no way to establish which save file was the latest, I took pot luck and picked the top one, figuring that it would be logical to be the latest.

After running through the entire level and moving on to the next one, I decided to save and quit. Out of curiosity I decided to load up the other save file and see just what the progress on that one was... this was a very, very bad mistake. The image was different to the last time I looked at it and I did not realise why at the time... I did after I loaded it, though. On top of the list was the save file where I had just finished an entire level and moved on to the next... the second save file had become a save file I had made while progressing through that leve, just after defeating a Monster Zoo. But my true fears were only just about to be realised for as I opened the menu to quit out of that save file I was hit with "resume", "save and continue" and "save and quit".

Now my fears kicked in. Logic told me that if I saved and quit my file, where I'd progressed onto the next level, would be replaced with this older one where I was only half way through the previous leve. I closed the menu and minimised the game and attempted to close the game externally, thereby avoiding saving the game... but I could not close it. My only path was forward, through the menu. I had no choice but to press "save and quit". Grimacing, and hoping that the game would override the save file I had loaded, and not the latest one made, I selected the "save and quit" option. Once back at the game's main menu I opened the load menu to check if I still had my latest save...

I did not.

I know have two identical save files. My progress, half a level of work, was erased due to poor design.

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...


The permadeath game has the option to "Just quit". WHY THE $#@! DOES THE NON-PERMADEATH GAME NOT HAVE THIS OPTION?!?!?!

Now I admit that I am not at a critically late stage in the game, but that is not the point. The save files NEED better information instead of just the character's name and the skills he has and non-permadeath NEEDS a "Just quit" Option. These two things are MAJOR flaws in the game design as far as I am concerned. Fix this!

Please!

 

Suckage. I agree save files need timestamps in the loader.

Alt+f4 didn't work? You couldn't start taskmanager?

 

I've never heard of Alt+F4 before (not very computer savy) and taskmanager never crossed my mind. Thinking about it, taskmanager probably would have worked. But that shouldn't have to be the only way to avoid saving a file you don't want to save.

 

I always force quit in situations like that, sorry to hear that you encountered such a bug and didn't know to force quit.

 

It sounds like for some reason you loaded an autosave of the same game? Ive never seen two saves have the same name on em before, but there is an "autosave" that is made from time to time of the character you were playing last.

It would be nice if the save games had a date and time plastered on them. The last played game is seemingly always move to the top though from my experience. Also, the delete save button is right where i would expect the 'load game' button to be.. and the "done" button which loads the game is somewhat unintuitive. And the delete save game button has no confirmation.. we really need one!

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The reason that non permadeath does not have a just quit button is to prevent save scumming. People playing, deciding they want to do it again, and then quitting and reloading. (Yes this can be gotten around through various mechanics)

Originally permadeath's just quit option would delete your save game if you used it. However at the moment it does not because someone complained about losing their save game when they 'just quit'

So what has happened is that now you have the exact opposite saving options of what you would expect the game to have:
Non permadeath = save and quit, or save and continue.
Permadeath = save and quit, or quit, but just quitting does not delete your old save, which allows you to re-load your game without suffering any changes. (Which goes against the hardcore rogue concept)

What probably needs to happen is that they need to swap the save behaviors at this point. (This may have already been pointed out in a bugfix or some such, im not sure, i forget)

 

For some reason there are two separate saves for Saving and Continuing, and Saving and Quitting. It just tends to make it look like a duplicate, and not really needed.

 

I have now seen this bug for myself in a video, and i believe on my own computer, but i cannot reliably duplicate it, if anyone knows how, will add it to the bugtracker.

 

I think the bottom line is there needs to be a better save system implemented.

 

same here lost 1h or gameplay because retards didnt put a quit button in the game
WHY NOT REMOVE THE AUTOSAVE FEATURE COMPLETLY? !? ITS USELESS ANYWAY
INSTEAD PUT A SAVE BACKUP FEATURE IN THAT MAKES A SECOND FILE FOR EVERY SAVE
AT LEAST THEN WE DONT GET CONFUSED....

 

I think you can just get yourself killed instead of saving and quitting. Then, you can load from whichever save you like? Not sure, I find my deaths entertaining and each new character refreshing. ^^ I hope that helps though! Get killed, don't save and quit, tell everyone whether it works!

(PS This thread would go better in the Suggestions forum, rather than burying other threads and getting buried by them in turn, here in General)

 

Non-Permadeath should have:

Save and quit
Save and continue
Just quit

Permadeath should only have:
Save and quit
(If you really want a 'just quit' button on the PD one, it should erase your file).