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A lengthy plot point is continuing to unfold on the screen. Maybe it's an FMV clip, and suddenly the phone rings/a knock is heard at the door/someone else barges into the room to demand attention. Maybe the system needs to be turned off for the night. Maybe the power supply has been erratic and might flicker at any moment. Maybe it's a DS or a PSP low on battery power that needs to be recharged and is far away from home. In all of these cases plus any others that might apply, wouldn't it be nice to have the ability to truly save at any time instead of needing to sift through the entire plot without option to preserve it for later?
While they aren't RPGs, the Ace Attorney series takes the approach that I would love to see in all games: the ability to truly save anywhere. Press Start at any point while playing and the save option appears. It doesn't matter if you're in the courtroom, investigating a location, interrogating someone, or just shooting the breeze in a goofy conversation - the save option is always accessible. I never tried saving during The Dark Spire's brief plot junctures, but the minimal presence of that game's story is not a solution for the vast majority of RPGs.
Tactical titles (the Shining Force series, the Langrisser series, and the Fire Emblem series, just to name a few) often allow the player to save the game at any time in battle. Some games, such as Yggdra Union, allow for the player to quickly speed through the plot. Fire Emblem even allows the player to skip the plot sequences entirely if restarting a battle. For an example of the ideal save system, however, I turn once again to Super Robot Taisen: Original Generation 1 and 2. At any point, whether engaging in dialogue, upgrading units between scenarios, or fighting with the enemy, saving is possible.
I can understand restricting saves a bit during their exploration and combat sequences, since it seems to be a means of preserving challenge (and is ardently defended by some). Forcing players to get through all of the plot happenings before being able to save is just irritating and indefensible, however. Particularly if one is in a hurry to turn the system off, the plot ends up getting short shrift as it is hurriedly skipped through. I can think of no good reason to inhibit saving during story-telling, so the elimination of this archaic mechanic cannot occur soon enough.
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