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[RoadHazard]

Your realize that games being read only is probably for technical reasons, because it allows them to have higher read speeds than if they allowed read/writes. That, at least, makes sense.

Well, not really. There would obviously have been a small writeable flash memory in that case, separate from the ROM, they wouldn't make the whole thing writeable. But that memory would need to be quite large with how large game saves can be these days, so it would have made the cards significantly more expensive to produce (and they're already much more expensive to make than optical discs). Sure, you can get an 8GB SD card for almost nothing these days, but it quickly adds up when you need to make millions of them.

 

[CEJames]

NINTENDO!!!!!!!!!!! CATCH UP!!!!!!!

Spoiler

We're patiently waiting.

 

[bomblord1]

That will help if the system gets stolen or doesn't start up how?

It helps if you get a new system.

 

[Shiggy]

They specify a single example that you're interpreting to mean the extent of all cloud stored data. The other part of your post doesn't really mean much. Nintendo doesn't announce a lot of things

They specify the intention of the service pretty clearly: to use game save data across different platforms. If you think that refers to game progress in a cloud system, then I am looking forward to playing Zelda BotW on my smartphone soon.

Read the entire sentence and it's evident that it's not about game saves in the cloud, but particular game save data that can be accessed from different products. And as said before, this has been implemented and may be expanded upon in the future.

If cloud saves for your game progress will be a thing, is a different question. Nintendo hasn't made any such announcements and hasn't indicated of implementing such a system.

Nintendo has already talked about cloud saves in the past and I'm pretty sure the leaked dev docs from back in July even alluded to such a feature.

They haven't and the dev docs don't. Check my posts in this thread if you think they did.

 

[King Gilga]

Cloud saves or no this is fucking stupid as all hell.

This is Vita level 'can't back up a save for your digital game without backing up THE WHOLE FUCKING GAME' bullshit.

 

[jon bones]

OK this I would really, really need. Hopefully Cloud Saves come soon.

 

[CEJames]

Cloud saves or no this is fucking stupid as all hell.

This is Vita level 'can't back up a save for your digital game without backing up THE WHOLE FUCKING GAME' bullshit.

That is true as well. Ended up mistakenly deleting a game I hadn't finished earning the platinum for yet. Raged for a good 10 minutes.

 

[Koren]

But that memory would need to be quite large with how large game saves can be these days

Well, that's one more reason to save on carts... If saves are anything close to a GB, we're in deep shit with 32GB limit and no-backup policy...

 

[Vitacat]

It wouldn't be a new Nintendo system without all sorts of painful backwards BS. Users and game press need to be loud and clear with our needs as things clarify. By Fall they will need to fix a lot of stuff.

 

[boiled goose]

I hope all this shit gets improved eventually. Not buying till it is.

Too much uncertainty right now.

 

[FaintDeftone]

I mean, they would have to implement backups in the near future... right? Why else would they put fucking USB ports on the dock?

 

[CEJames]

Well, that's one more reason to save on carts... If saves are anything close to a GB, we're in deep shit with 32GB limit and no-backup policy...

Woah woah woah, come on now. Saves on a Switch can't and won't be that big considering the fact that it's not as powerful as the PS4/XBone, so I doubt it'll have games even 40gigs or higher in size, therefore the save files won't be enormous either.

Not an intentional console war statement but it's fact (concerning its power).

Spoiler

I may be wrong about the saves.

 

[SinCityAssassin]

We'll see if eh online service actually has hat cloud saving functionality or not come fall.

 

[boiled goose]

Woah woah woah, come on now. Saves on a Switch can't and won't be that big considering the fact that it's not as powerful as the PS4/XBone, so I doubt it'll have games even 40gigs or higher in size, therefore the save files won't be enormous either.

Umm. That's not how saves work.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I've gone numb Nintendo's stupid decisions at this point.

They're generations behind everyone else in regards to practically everything.

 

[CEJames]

Umm. That's not how saves work.

I'm curious then. How do they work? Do you know an article or anything?

 

[test_account]

People really need to stop thinking that Nintendo has some master plan rationale for missing out on obvious features or understanding the needs of their customers. Because more often than not, it's not an intentional omission, it's just a stupid decision due to inexperience handling the concept of service driven products.

Well, its just a guess from both sides. I dont think anyone here can say for sure. I do think what i said make sense though. For example, Sony bundling games and saves together on Vita, i would bet money thats because of anti-piracy measures, so dont see why its far fetched to think that Nintendo is thinking similar. But we'll see. Even if they do add a web browser later, it could still have been to delay hacking attempts.

 

[fredrancour]

I'm curious then. How do they work? Do you know an article or anything?

game files become huge from high-quality audio and sound, mostly.

a list of "you were at these coordinates on the world map, with these items and this much health. also here's your quest log" doesn't grow in size when the assets used to show that world or those items get bigger. it's still just a list.

 

[calc84maniac]

Cloud saves or no this is fucking stupid as all hell.

This is Vita level 'can't back up a save for your digital game without backing up THE WHOLE FUCKING GAME' bullshit.

It's not Vita level unless the game saves disappear when you delete a digital game. Now that's awful.

Wasn't it said somewhere that each user account on the system could have a separate game saves, or am I imagining it? That's as good a reason as any for not storing on the cartridge (aside from the obvious ways it simplifies cartridge design).

 

[Seil]

It's not Vita level unless the game saves disappear when you delete a digital game. Now that's awful.

Wasn't it said somewhere that each user account on the system could have a separate game saves, or am I imagining it? That's as good a reason as any for not storing on the cartridge (aside from the obvious ways it simplifies cartridge design).

Yes, each user has their own save files.

In the case of BOTW, each user has a 64 MB file.

 

[timberger]

That's troubling. What do you do if the console breaks?

It's not Vita level unless the game saves disappear when you delete a digital game. Now that's awful.

It is, but Vita does at least have the option of cloud storage for your saves available at the same time.

 

[Skittzo0413]

I'm curious then. How do they work? Do you know an article or anything?

Game saves have absolutely nothing to do with size of assets.

It's basically a list of variables that are stored. Variables about your character, the world, story/quest progress, enemies, items, inventory, etc.

A save file for a FPS for instance would be far, far, far smaller than even a simplistic RPG.

Source: worked on UE4 game and had so much trouble keeping track of my save-game variables that I basically quit.

 

[calc84maniac]

It is, but Vita does at least have the option of cloud storage for your saves available at the same time.

Yeah, as long as you pay for it. Still a terrible design.

 

[King Gilga]

It's not Vita level unless the game saves disappear when you delete a digital game. Now that's awful.

Wasn't it said somewhere that each user account on the system could have a separate game saves, or am I imagining it? That's as good a reason as any for not storing on the cartridge (aside from the obvious ways it simplifies cartridge design).

I'm not defending that stupidness, because it literally is indefensible.

But at least I can backup the save, I have to waste another gig or so to backup the whole game as well, but I'd take it over not being able to back it up anyday.

 

[Cels]

we already knew switch was a work-in-progress and no one expected cloud saves on day 1

but at least let users transfer saves on portable storage while you work on your cloud saves then. what is nintendo's problem exactly?

 

[Pokemaniac]

This was like the #1 thing I was worried they'd screw up. Hopefully it gets patched soon.

 

[Koren]

Woah woah woah, come on now. Saves on a Switch can't and won't be that big considering the fact that it's not as powerful as the PS4/XBone, so I doubt it'll have games even 40gigs or higher in size, therefore the save files won't be enormous either.

Saves sizes have really little to do with game size... Most of the time, 90% (at the very least) of the save size is a matter of "doing a raw memory dump" vs "properly serializing and compressing data".

But I agree, the size will usually be really reasonable, a ccouple MB at most (even if I expect exceptions).

It's just that I was taking the argument "saves are too large to put memory on cart to hold them" backwards. It doesn't make sense. I can understand that it cost a bit more to have a couple MB of RW memory in cart, but size has nothing to do with it...

 

[EloquentM]

What the fuck? Is this a massive oversight or intentional?

It's Nintendo of course it's intentional lmao

 

[hank_tree]

This may have been answered, but for physical games is the save file on the Switch or on the cartridge?

 

[jackal27]

Cloud saves are coming

One and done. They've already talked about this.

 

[zelas]

This is going to be put behind the mobile app paywall isnt it...

 

[Shiggy]

One and done. They've already talked about this.

Nope, they haven't announced any such plans.

 

[Orca]

One and done. They've already talked about this.

Oh well if they talked about it then surely they'll have little details like that ironed out for the launch. Someone should really tell them when it comes out.

 

[TalentAlwaysWins]

I didn't think there was a thread for this mess but here we are. What's the point of SD card support can someone explain?

 

[Inferno313]

I didn't think there was a thread for this mess but here we are. What's the point of SD card support can someone explain?

Storing digital games?

 

[Skux]

No save transfer. On a portable device. In 2017.

 

[VegaShinra]

I didn't think there was a thread for this mess but here we are. What's the point of SD card support can someone explain?

To expand storage of digital games.

 

[HammerOfThor]

There's currently no way of doing it. But is it going to be an issue day one? How many people are going to by owning more than one and needing to transfer data?

Nintendo probably saw this as something that isn't needed on launch.

I do find it weird that the saves aren't on the cart tho.

 

[calc84maniac]

I didn't think there was a thread for this mess but here we are. What's the point of SD card support can someone explain?

Storing downloadable games, patches, DLC, and I think screenshots (and eventually video)

 

[TalentAlwaysWins]

Storing digital games?

So digital games can save on sd? Or just go straight to the system?

 

[Inferno313]

So digital games can save on sd? Or just go straight to the system?

Huh? I'm talking about actually storing the games themselves, some of which are already larger than the internal storage of the system. Where else do you think they'd go?

 

[93xfan]

What the fuck? Is this a massive oversight or intentional?

Can it be both?

 

[Glass Shark]

I don't have any faith that Nintendo will ever fix or improve this.

 

[TalentAlwaysWins]

Huh? I'm talking about actually storing the games themselves, some of which are already larger than the internal storage of the system. Where else do you think they'd go?

It's just mind boggling that I have to even ask if saves go on sd cards in 2017..

 

[Ridley327]

So digital games can save on sd? Or just go straight to the system?

I think that downloads will default to external storage if it's detected, and then move to internal if there's no more room.

 

[TalentAlwaysWins]

I think that downloads will default to external storage if it's detected, and then move to internal if there's no more room.

Thank you this is what I was wondering. I don't see a confirmation yet so I'm going to assume the worst

 

[Skittles]

Uhh, Nintendo has literally made multiple references to cloud saves, both publicly and in their dev docs. What is being made up exactly?



I'd say you have much bigger issues if you're deathly afraid of breaking electronic equipment months after buying it. Not saying I would't have liked this at launch, but your "fear" is kind of laughable

because launch hardware failing within a few months of buying it hasn't been a thing in the past....oh wait

 

[Minsc]

There's currently no way of doing it. But is it going to be an issue day one? How many people are going to by owning more than one and needing to transfer data?

Nintendo probably saw this as something that isn't needed on launch.

I do find it weird that the saves aren't on the cart tho.

Is it an issue day one? Probably not. What about in just 2 or 3 weeks? Is it an issue then if your Switch breaks for some reason, how would you like to lose whatever number of hours you put in to your games when it's replaced for free with a new one? Even 2 or 3 months in that could be extremely annoying.

Two or three years in, they probably will have a solution since there will likely be a revision and if people upgrade, they'd hopefully have a way to move saves to it. But in between that time, better hope your Switch doesn't malfunction and need to be replaced.

 

[StereoVsn]

There's currently no way of doing it. But is it going to be an issue day one? How many people are going to by owning more than one and needing to transfer data?

Nintendo probably saw this as something that isn't needed on launch.

I do find it weird that the saves aren't on the cart tho.

You don't see an issue with being able to backup game saves on a portable device that can be dropped, damaged, get memory corruption, etc...?

Yeah, this is asinine and this along with other Switch functionality is not ready.

 

[ironcreed]

Compared to the competition the Switch is so unattractive that it is not even funny. But yeah, it will have a few great games.