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ME 2 IMPORTANT save information.
  • Current rank: 1.5 Stars. Next Rank at 500 Posts.
    Send a message to singlerose
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    singlerose posted on Jan 25, 2010 9:33:38 PM - Report post
     
    I think there is something you all should know about, and more importantly - a workaround for it.

    First of: save system in Mass Effect 2 has been greatly rewrited. Imagine you are about to do, or to finish the quest. You QuickSave in case you will say or do something wrong, correct? Then you can reload your QuickSave and pass the event once more. WRONG. BioWare have decided to give us only one chance to do things right. Once you finish the quest, it's forever. Meaning that if you reload your previous QuickSave, the quest will already be done even in it. Even in previous saves, yes. Once an action, a dialogue or a quest has been done, it affects all the previous saves.
    There is an option to restart the mission however, but:
    a) it wouldn't work on most side quests because they aren't parts of the missions;
    b) replaying the mission can take up to an hour of your time.

    Now, the obvious workaround. And I'm posting it here because it may not be as obvious to some of you (didn't come to my mind right away either).

    Before you do any important action - QuickSave. After that, ALT+TAB out of the game back into Windows. Go to:

    Documents -> BioWare -> Mass Effect 2

    You will see a "Save" folder there. Copy it to some other directory (create a backup in other words). Return back to game (thank goodness maximizing it back is fast, unlike Mass Effect 1).
    Shall you do something wrong during the course of your quest, simply ALT+TAB and restore your backup saves. It takes only a second, and DOES NOT require you to restart the game. Just minimize, copy folder back, maximize.

    And do trust me - you'll want to do this. Once I made a "doesn't-seem-bad" choice that resulted in 30 renegade points. Had to replay the whole mission. So don't be lazy and screw your entire game coz of it.

    Just don't forget to make backups. Cheers and good luck.
    Some people have kind hearts of gold. Some - cold hearts of stone. I have a brave and hard heart of steel.
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    Send a message to endersblade
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    endersblade posted on Jan 25, 2010 11:01:33 PM - Report post
     
    Excellent find, thanks so much for the info!

    In before people come in here QQ'ing about how you should just play the game with the bad choices you make.
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    Send a message to Gel214th
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    Gel214th posted on Jan 26, 2010 1:30:38 AM - Report post
     
    Can you give an example of this? Because it seems like a crazy decision on Bioware's part :-)

    What happens if you actually manually save the game?

    I can reload past missions...any past mission actually and replay from that point.
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    Hunaxor posted on Jan 26, 2010 1:48:07 AM - Report post
     
    I don't know, but I was able to reload my Quicksave and change my mission resolution many times. Like failing one quest, then reload and redo it right way. Also I was able to change huge alignment choices after Quicksave.
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    merrowind posted on Jan 26, 2010 1:55:28 AM - Report post
     
    That`s partially wrong. I`ve redone several quests with the Quick-Save and Auto-Save. Auto-Save is made at God knows what conditions.
    Notices how fast the game is saved? Well that`s your answer - only part of data is stored at a time. Like stats, items, logbook, etc.

    But yes, I too have been "had" by this save system and busted quests a couple of times.
    Don`t blame the player if you can`t play the game!
  • Send a message to voidster
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    voidster posted on Jan 26, 2010 2:30:43 AM - Report post
     
    unless they are constantly writing data to your specific saves, i dont see how a previous save can be effected by such coding. ah but it never hurts to have backups just before a critical mission. Ty for the info.

    besides..me like renegade...BWAHAHAH!
     
  • Current rank: 1.5 Stars. Next Rank at 500 Posts.
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    singlerose posted on Jan 26, 2010 5:04:16 AM - Report post
     
    Surprisingly, I see a few doubting replies. Strange some of you has encountered that. Okay, examples I've seen:

    1) this quarian and volus on Citadel, remember? Volus accuses quarian in stealing his chit. So I removed the accusations, but C-Sec officer said he'll still watch her. I could press right mouse button for Paragon action, but failed to do so in time and they left. Thinking - oh well, I'll just reload QuickSave I made before talking to to them. Reloaded. They weren't there, and quest was marked as complete.
    2) When you decide what to do with Geth on their base (Legion's quest), at first I've decided to destroy them. Got 30 Renegade points. Thinking - hm, will reaload a save before making that decision. Reloaded. Decision is made anyway, quest is finished.

    Now, maybe not all the saves get rewritten like that but only quick saves? Possible, haven't checked that. But QuickSave obviously gets bloody UPDATED after you make quest-related decisions.
    Which makes me wonder why did they make QuickSave at all then.

    I can reload past missions...any past mission actually and replay from that point.

    Huh, exactly. That's why they made "Restart Mission" option. You can restart. But can't change course of the mission. At least, if you saved right before the important decision. Then QuickSave gets updated. Again - maybe manual saves don't.

    [Edited by singlerose, 1/26/2010 5:09:59 AM]
    Some people have kind hearts of gold. Some - cold hearts of stone. I have a brave and hard heart of steel.
  • Current rank: 1 Star. Next Rank at 100 Posts.
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    Hunaxor posted on Jan 26, 2010 5:25:06 AM - Report post
     
    I failed the quest for Samara, reloaded quicksave before her !spoiler! found me interesting without any problems. But in other situations you may be right.
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