Save Points: Difference between revisions

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* In GTA San Andreas, set in the early-1990s, save icons are represented by blue 3.5" floppy disks, with the GTA San Andreas logo on the labels.
* In GTA San Andreas, set in the early-1990s, save icons are represented by blue 3.5" floppy disks, with the GTA San Andreas logo on the labels.
* In GTA Liberty City Stories, set in the late-1990s, save icons are represented by Compact Discs (CD).
* In GTA Liberty City Stories, set in the late-1990s, save icons are represented by Compact Discs (CD).
* In GTA Vice City Stories, set in the early/mid-1990s, save icons are represented by 5.25" floppy disks, with the GTA Vice City Stories logo on the labels.
* In GTA Vice City Stories, set in the early/mid-1980s, save icons are represented by 5.25" floppy disks, with the GTA Vice City Stories logo on the labels.


GTA Vice City Stories is the latest game to adopt the save icon, as beds in safehouses effectively replace the icon in GTA IV.
GTA Vice City Stories is the latest game to adopt the save icon, as beds in safehouses effectively replace the icon in GTA IV.

Revision as of 07:32, 19 June 2009

File:VC Save.jpg
The cassette Save Point icon in the Ocean View hotel in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Save points are locations where the player goes to save their progress in a Grand Theft Auto game. Because the player cannot save the game by simply accessing the game's menu, the use of save points is required for this purpose.

History

Design

The physical locations and accessibility of save points vary throughout the games. The concept of save points was first explored in Grand Theft Auto 2, where the player is offered the option to enter a "church" (hilariously marked by a JESUS SAVES sign) in the middle of each three districts in Anywhere City. When in the church, the player must have at least $50,000 in hand to donate to the church and have their "soul saved", otherwise, the player will be turned away until they have $50,000.

Safepoints from Grand Theft Auto III onwards require no payment for use, as they are primarily hideouts provided by an acquaintance, free of charge, or are already the player's property. In GTA III, the player walks into a building to save, but the buildings' interior is not primarily visible. In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and Grand Theft Auto IV, the interiors become visible, and safehouses are introduced.

Save icons

Save icons, which were first introduced in GTA Vice City, are floating icons which the player must walk to to enter the saved game menu, allowing save point to be placed indoors or outdoors. The icons are modeled after many other pickup icons in GTA III and GTA Vice City, depicted floating and spinning as a result. They vary in appearance between games, and are reminiscent of the media used in time period in which the game is set:

  • In GTA Vice City, set in the mid/late-1980s, save icons are represented by pink tape cassette icons.
  • In GTA San Andreas, set in the early-1990s, save icons are represented by blue 3.5" floppy disks, with the GTA San Andreas logo on the labels.
  • In GTA Liberty City Stories, set in the late-1990s, save icons are represented by Compact Discs (CD).
  • In GTA Vice City Stories, set in the early/mid-1980s, save icons are represented by 5.25" floppy disks, with the GTA Vice City Stories logo on the labels.

GTA Vice City Stories is the latest game to adopt the save icon, as beds in safehouses effectively replace the icon in GTA IV.

Savehouses

"Savehouses", or safehouses, are buildings where the user can save their game, and are a specialized subset of save points that offer additional amenities to the player. Whereas save points typically consist of no more than a floating save icon, a safehouse offers clothing options, and in many cases, garages for vehicle storage. In GTA Vice City, safehouses offer a change of clothing in addition to the save icon. In GTA San Andreas and GTA IV, safehouses offer a full wardrobe in which to change the protagonist's clothing. GTA IV also employs an auto-save feature after the player has passed certain missions or performed certain activities. Saving the game from GTA III and onwards advances the time by 6 hours.

See also