toh6wy
Emperor
As so many before me, I use autosave and save manually only when I quit Civ III.
What are your saving habits?
- Thread starter LOVE_Magiska
- Start date
The Last Conformist
Irresistibly Attractive
Also, I tend to save just after monentuous decisions like declaring war on a bigger civ. I also always overwrite the old save from that game. It amounts, pretty much, to crash-safe Iron Man.
Quasar1011
King of Sylvania
I usually save around 1 a.m. Then I go to bed. 
spunkyjones
Chieftain
I save when I'm done playing for the day.
warpstorm
Yumbo? Yumbo!
I autosave (mainly from my beta testing days when I'd have to mail them in every time I found a bug), but I NEVER reload a game to change the outcome.
Lord Parkin
aka emperor
I never used to, but after a REALLY good game crashed in the middle of a LONG turn, I started saving every turn in the later game (and every 10 or so turns in the early game).
King Alexander
Universe explorer
I save every 5-10 turns. I save manually, autosave off, because I like to give names according to the situation. And no, I don't think that it's a same to save that often: I have no intention of playing a whole era again because the game crashed or having forgot to be careful of barbs, etc...
Sukenis
the J'BOOtian Warlord
I keep autosave on. I had a software problem that caused the game o crash at times (not fixed) but old habits are hard to break.
I now save at massively important times. I do not reload them (normally), but I keep them in cause I die and want to replay (happened in my last game).
Other than that I save end I need to quit for the day.
I now save at massively important times. I do not reload them (normally), but I keep them in cause I die and want to replay (happened in my last game).
Other than that I save end I need to quit for the day.
dojoboy
Tsalagi
auto-save
Svar
King
Saving is one thing, reloading is another. I started playing GOTMs about a year ago but am now playing C3C HOF games. For the first 80 turns I only save the 1000 BC turn. I try to play the next session to 10 AD and save there. Eventually I can only play 10 to 20 turns per day and save the last turn. But because in the later turns that could take hours and I have problems with F3 and F1 CTDs, I save multiple times per turn because I hate restarting from an autosave. Autosave saves the start of the turn, in the late game I always save the end of the turn. When a late game crash occurs I usually have a mid turn save that I can restart from because I have a habit of saving before hitting F3, F1 crashes are much more rare than F3 crashes. It isn't a chronic problem usually less than 5 times per game.
jalapeno_dude
AKA Panda Judo Eel
I save before important events, and when I quit. I always save over old saves, though.
I also use autosave, since my computer has a nasty habit of crashing.
I also use autosave, since my computer has a nasty habit of crashing.
I seldom save early on, and gradually more often as the game progresses. Mainly so I can review what has happened for write-ups and self improvement.
sealman
Hater of Babylonians
I only safe when I am finished for the night. Since that is not an option in the poll, i voted for autosave.
bru
Prince
I save before big events, that way if things go wrong I tell myself it is a learning experience to re-load!!
knacki
Chieftain
That's exactly what I thought while reading through the first page of this thread. No problem with someone who is used to saving just before the end of every turn, I had this bad habit myself.
OTOH I remember the time when I played chieftain and reloaded my game quite (too) often, just to make things look better... I'm ashamed to say that
Now I can tell this is all over, the only time I reload is when I start Civ and my ongoing game.We should maybe start another poll : when and how often do you reload ur game ?
teknalee
Chieftain
I really would like to save more because some times i get into trouble for forgeting. I will do something like a rev. or go to war and forget to save and then i get into trouble but i try to save bout every 15 turns if i can remember but ofcourse every time i leave. I also like to make multiple saves just in case.
RegentMan
Deity
I have autosave on. There's nothing worse than a game crashing in between turns. Of course I manually save it after I'm done, just like SesnOfWthr posted.
planetfall
Emperor
Autosave
I never, never use auto save with any program, period. Autosaves almost always overwrite the current file, and without an undo feature in the event of a crash I will have a corrupted save. Not good.
However, I would switch to autosave with C3 if there were a user preference to set the string pattern for the autosave. Current show stoppers with C3/PTW/C3C autosaves are:
1. space characters in file name
2. long title with ruler first. Why not just country_year? Who cares if Russia ruler is Catherine, or Lenim, or Stalin, or Putzin? The ruler does not change during the game.
3. Year format does not autosort with file viewer to put file list in reverse chronological order so most recent is always at top of list. [Naturally the work around for this is to turn on option for windows file save. So this is an annoyance and not a real show stopper.]
How to Store and find saved files easily
It has taken some time to come up with a system for storing and finding the desired save file quickly so I don't have to waste time reloading the wrong files. Here is how may current system works, if you have any suggestions for improvement, please post.
Why bother saving each turn?
1. F3 application bug still is unfixed and redoing 2 hours of play is NOT fun.
2. shared PC and XP does not allow multiple user switching without hosing C3C when return to session
3. Games are long and others want to check email in midst of my game. The audacity of assuming email is more important than game play.
What must save file name provide?
1. game shorthand reference
2. year
3. major event reference
4. sorted list so most recent is at the top of file list to eliminate scrolling
My solution:
1. First save has Alpha character and description of game.
1.1 First epic/scenario game in save directory has first letter of Z. Second has first letter of Y. Third has first letter of X, etc. This will autosort games and put most recent first.
1.2 Description of game
Examples: ZB4000_epic_Russia, YB4000_scenario_TactNukesImprovedCruise_England, XB4000_YB4000_scenario_SSNTrans2_France.
1.3 First save is before move of settler/worker.
2. Standard saves use short format
2.1 syntax
[game letter][epoch][year]
2.2 examples
zb2040, zb0090, za0010, za0870, za1000.
2.3 Explanation
b == BC, a == AD. [Note, I have actually been using b/d not b/a. I seem to recall that the d is placed before the b. Now looking at it, it seems wrong, but I know using bc/ad ending up with wrong sort order. I will have to verify this.]
Years, C3 does not sort numbers as numbers or dates but sorts numbers as letters. Thus you get the normal weird date listing:
zbz140
zbc800
zad10
zad1000
zad900
To get the correct sorts, I pad year so all years are 4 digits. Thus 10 becomes 0010. Now you don't have tens or hundreds in years coming before thousands.
3. Special event coding
3.1 Append code to end of file name for special events.
3.2 Standard special events code
[short filename]_
GAb == Golden Age begin
GAe == Golden Age end
Anarchy == Anarchy begin
[govt type] == begin new government
[civ]WarB == begin war
[civ]WarE == end war
3.3 Notes
I don't usually track GW's or era changes. Sometimes track Hoovers or ReplParts, but
usually don't bother.
4. When to use saves?
I usually do not replay a game, but sometimes I am puzzled by the game play decisions and even after I made a choice, I don't have confidence it was a good choice.
In those cases, I may replay and try the other choice. On replay it is not necessary to replay the whole game, just restart from the decision point and compare results after X number of turns. With a ton of saves, it is easier to find the exact starting point I want.
For example, in current game I elected this sequence:
1. USuff
2. ToE
3. Hoover
4. change from Republic to Communist.
I want to replay and see the effect of govt change earlier. So I will pick up a file zd1### and rename as yd1###. The sequence I will try is:
1. govt change
2. ToE
3. Hoover
And then compare stats between the 2 options to see which gives a stronger game. Big questions are a] is USuff worth researching, b] with large empires is benefit of earlier factories with lower corruption better than earlier Hoovers.
Other times, I will play with modifying one unit, and call each change a new letter game. For example, I played 3..4 games trying to convert tactical nukes into super cruise missiles and remove the "nuclear" effect. I was not satisfied with the results and so have reverted back to normal TN's.
Well a lot of writing, hope this helps someone else.
PF
I never, never use auto save with any program, period. Autosaves almost always overwrite the current file, and without an undo feature in the event of a crash I will have a corrupted save. Not good.
However, I would switch to autosave with C3 if there were a user preference to set the string pattern for the autosave. Current show stoppers with C3/PTW/C3C autosaves are:
1. space characters in file name
2. long title with ruler first. Why not just country_year? Who cares if Russia ruler is Catherine, or Lenim, or Stalin, or Putzin? The ruler does not change during the game.
3. Year format does not autosort with file viewer to put file list in reverse chronological order so most recent is always at top of list. [Naturally the work around for this is to turn on option for windows file save. So this is an annoyance and not a real show stopper.]
How to Store and find saved files easily
It has taken some time to come up with a system for storing and finding the desired save file quickly so I don't have to waste time reloading the wrong files. Here is how may current system works, if you have any suggestions for improvement, please post.
Why bother saving each turn?
1. F3 application bug still is unfixed and redoing 2 hours of play is NOT fun.
2. shared PC and XP does not allow multiple user switching without hosing C3C when return to session
3. Games are long and others want to check email in midst of my game. The audacity of assuming email is more important than game play.
What must save file name provide?
1. game shorthand reference
2. year
3. major event reference
4. sorted list so most recent is at the top of file list to eliminate scrolling
My solution:
1. First save has Alpha character and description of game.
1.1 First epic/scenario game in save directory has first letter of Z. Second has first letter of Y. Third has first letter of X, etc. This will autosort games and put most recent first.
1.2 Description of game
Examples: ZB4000_epic_Russia, YB4000_scenario_TactNukesImprovedCruise_England, XB4000_YB4000_scenario_SSNTrans2_France.
1.3 First save is before move of settler/worker.
2. Standard saves use short format
2.1 syntax
[game letter][epoch][year]
2.2 examples
zb2040, zb0090, za0010, za0870, za1000.
2.3 Explanation
b == BC, a == AD. [Note, I have actually been using b/d not b/a. I seem to recall that the d is placed before the b. Now looking at it, it seems wrong, but I know using bc/ad ending up with wrong sort order. I will have to verify this.]
Years, C3 does not sort numbers as numbers or dates but sorts numbers as letters. Thus you get the normal weird date listing:
zbz140
zbc800
zad10
zad1000
zad900
To get the correct sorts, I pad year so all years are 4 digits. Thus 10 becomes 0010. Now you don't have tens or hundreds in years coming before thousands.
3. Special event coding
3.1 Append code to end of file name for special events.
3.2 Standard special events code
[short filename]_
GAb == Golden Age begin
GAe == Golden Age end
Anarchy == Anarchy begin
[govt type] == begin new government
[civ]WarB == begin war
[civ]WarE == end war
3.3 Notes
I don't usually track GW's or era changes. Sometimes track Hoovers or ReplParts, but
usually don't bother.
4. When to use saves?
I usually do not replay a game, but sometimes I am puzzled by the game play decisions and even after I made a choice, I don't have confidence it was a good choice.
In those cases, I may replay and try the other choice. On replay it is not necessary to replay the whole game, just restart from the decision point and compare results after X number of turns. With a ton of saves, it is easier to find the exact starting point I want.
For example, in current game I elected this sequence:
1. USuff
2. ToE
3. Hoover
4. change from Republic to Communist.
I want to replay and see the effect of govt change earlier. So I will pick up a file zd1### and rename as yd1###. The sequence I will try is:
1. govt change
2. ToE
3. Hoover
And then compare stats between the 2 options to see which gives a stronger game. Big questions are a] is USuff worth researching, b] with large empires is benefit of earlier factories with lower corruption better than earlier Hoovers.
Other times, I will play with modifying one unit, and call each change a new letter game. For example, I played 3..4 games trying to convert tactical nukes into super cruise missiles and remove the "nuclear" effect. I was not satisfied with the results and so have reverted back to normal TN's.
Well a lot of writing, hope this helps someone else.
PF
CIVPhilzilla
Reagan Republican
Save b4 a big war, or revolution or rely on autosave.
