Multiples Files?

Started by champagnepapi March 13th, 2011 12:27 AM
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champagnepapi

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new england
Seen September 4th, 2016
Posted June 25th, 2016
1,795 posts
12.5 Years
Ever been faced with the vexing decision of whether to erase all of your hard work on your file to start anew? I've gone through this multiple times, enough to come to the conclusion that it's about time that we have more than one save file available for use, on our Pokemon games. Does anyone hope this feature is implemented in the future? If so, when do you think it will be implemented?

Dragonite's Wrath

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Seen May 15th, 2014
Posted February 19th, 2012
141 posts
12.3 Years
That would be nice, but with all the data on just one card, there's no way it will happen, unless Nintendo makes some kind expansion pak.
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Sydian

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I wouldn't like it. It'd be nice, and on the off chance it ever happened, I'd use it, but at the same time, I feel like it would defeat the purpose in trading with other friends and such.
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_Dean_

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That would be nice, but with all the data on just one card, there's no way it will happen, unless Nintendo makes some kind expansion pak.
It really wouldn't be that hard, nor would it be heavy on data storage.
A .sav file is literally a file full of variables. That's all. .sav files are actually very small.

The 100 Mega Shock

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Seen March 10th, 2013
Posted March 23rd, 2012
1,234 posts
12.7 Years
It's not an incredibly hard feat to accomplish.

Pokémon games currently use 512KB flash memory for storing save games, which is split into two 256KB sections - one for your current save and one section for a backup of your most previous save, in case something goes wrong during the saving process.

So to keep this backup functionality intact you'd need to produce games with a 1MB flash memory chip in them. DS games with a 1MB space for save files aren't unheard of - it just adds a bit of extra cost to producing carts, and time that has to be spent programming in ways to prevent people abusing the second save slot.

Rai

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Posted January 4th, 2017
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I've always thought that it would be a great idea to have more than one save file, but I understand why it hasn't been done.


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ShinyMeowth

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Posted May 14th, 2011
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I don't actually face any problems of that kind, as I tend to get all Pokemon games that come out, and I have both mine and my sister's DS systems to use for trading purposes.

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Hikamaru

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12.2 Years
I just don't know why they haven't introduced this yet! Maybe for Gen VI they would.
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Darthatron

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Age 31
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Posted October 28th, 2014
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17.4 Years
When it comes down to it, it should be possible. Frankly, all the box data combined, which would be one of the largest parts of the save file works out to less than 72kb (18 x 30 x 136 bytes). The save file is 512kb large. Everything else takes up very little space, or at least it should. So yeah, you should be able to have at least 2 save files. Gamefreak is just lazy. Plus, it sells more copies with a single save file.
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Age 33
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Seen February 2nd, 2022
Posted December 8th, 2014
247 posts
14.3 Years
There is PLENTY of space for multiple save files...it is ridiculous that Game Freak hasn't implemented this yet.
It is probably like Darthatron says, which I've also come to believe, either they are lazy, or realize there is more money to be made in just one save file, or both...
Barely even a forth of the cartridge is used for the game itself, and far less for the save file, even if you did every single thing, got every single item, filled your PC boxes and all, it wouldn't make a dent in the save file's size.
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Posted April 19th, 2011
145 posts
12.1 Years
Am I the only one who wants a New Game Plus feature? All the fun of restarting, but with actual challenge, because, being a New Game Plus, has heavily well-armed enemies, and you'll probably regain the Pokemon and items from the last playthrough in your box as you go along. Well, that's what I think would be cool.

Noob out.

The 100 Mega Shock

Male
Seen March 10th, 2013
Posted March 23rd, 2012
1,234 posts
12.7 Years
It is probably like Darthatron says, which I've also come to believe, either they are lazy, or realize there is more money to be made in just one save file, or both...
Barely even a forth of the cartridge is used for the game itself, and far less for the save file, even if you did every single thing, got every single item, filled your PC boxes and all, it wouldn't make a dent in the save file's size.
BW take up about 200MB of a 256MB cartridge. This doesn't matter anyway, because save files write to a separate Flash memory chip on inside the cartridge which has nothing to do with the ROM chip that holds the game code. There probably are a fair amount of spare bytes in the Flash memory but that's due to the way computer memory chips work.

I'd imagine such a feature is not seen as a necessity (Especially after the fourth generation games implemented a quick measure against inadvertently saving over an existing file) as well too problematic with the large amount of abuse and cheating that can result from having multiple save files on a single cart - if it's even possible to program workarounds for certain methods.
Age 33
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Posted December 8th, 2014
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14.3 Years
BW take up about 200MB of a 256MB cartridge. This doesn't matter anyway, because save files write to a separate Flash memory chip on inside the cartridge which has nothing to do with the ROM chip that holds the game code. There probably are a fair amount of spare bytes in the Flash memory but that's due to the way computer memory chips work.

I'd imagine such a feature is not seen as a necessity (Especially after the fourth generation games implemented a quick measure against inadvertently saving over an existing file) as well too problematic with the large amount of abuse and cheating that can result from having multiple save files on a single cart - if it's even possible to program workarounds for certain methods.
Honestly, with the lack of multiple save files, I see more people turning to ROMs and using things like Pokesav to give themselves pokemon they could otherwise not get without restarting and sending everything to another cartridge as some sort of pokemon bank...

If they wanted to, they could just make some cartridges "special" with the ability for multiple saves, charge a few bucks more, and I bet people (like me) would happily pay 5-10 dollars more for the ability to have more than one save file.

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I'd like the concept if it were possible. I know that there are several games that I'd like to start over in but can't because I have way too many Pokemon already stored on them, including shinies and legendaries. On Platinum in particular I have a full Pokedex, so I haven't even considered playing through it again.

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The 100 Mega Shock

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Posted March 23rd, 2012
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12.7 Years
Honestly, with the lack of multiple save files, I see more people turning to ROMs and using things like Pokesav to give themselves pokemon they could otherwise not get without restarting and sending everything to another cartridge as some sort of pokemon bank...
That's the sort of thing they designed global trading for.

The 100 Mega Shock

Male
Seen March 10th, 2013
Posted March 23rd, 2012
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12.7 Years
Well Game Freak didn't program their games with random westerners in mind so they work under their assumption of booming network infrastructures, large population densities (See also, C-Gear, 3DS Streetpass) and readily available access to wireless internet.

Yeah it kinda sucks but what can you do about it.

Mr Cat Dog

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Seen September 29th, 2017
Posted July 12th, 2017
11,344 posts
19.1 Years
I'm not as bothered about getting all the Pokemon via this potential method, rather I hate it if I ever want to restart the game to do a challenge or the like and and get rid of the hard-earned work done up to that point. An extra save-file would be very good if you wanted a 'main' game-file and a 'challenge' game-file... which is something I do desire greatly.

Oryx

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Posted December 27th, 2014
13,184 posts
12.2 Years
1. Get a rom of your Pokemon game of choice
2. Play the game
3. Rename savefile
4. Start new game

There, multiple files. Easy - all it requires is some file name juggling. I did it only like once though.
Let's just pretend that wasn't a totally obvious solution
I don't like using roms. I like playing on the actual cartridge. Your point is moot for people that don't have an r4 chip or something similar for their DS, and don't want to play on the computer. I like my portable games portable.


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Seen July 31st, 2011
Posted April 19th, 2011
145 posts
12.1 Years
1. Get a rom of your Pokemon game of choice
2. Play the game
3. Rename savefile
4. Start new game

There, multiple files. Easy - all it requires is some file name juggling. I did it only like once though.
Let's just pretend that wasn't a totally obvious solution

I do that all the time. I think Game Freak even had that in mind. I guess so.

Noob out.