Gaming Just learned that games save to the console or microSD and also cannot be transferred

RemixDeluxe

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http://www.polygon.com/2017/3/2/14790702/nintendo-switch-game-saves-backup-sd-card

I dont see this talked about often enough and it seems like an issue worth mentioning. I own a Switch but I havent played any games on it yet and I was surprised to hear even if you own your games physically they cannot be saved to the cartridge and once its on the system or the microSD card it cannot be transferred at all. With no way to back up and no sort of cloud storage it gives you more reason to be extra careful with the Switch. The only reason I can imagine they did this was to stop homebrew. Why else would Nintendo be this restrictive and protective of your own data?
 
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tHciNc

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and it also seemed if you buy DLC its only that for user, or can it be shared between all users on the same console ?
 
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RemixDeluxe

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and it also seems if you buy DLC its only that for user, or can it be shared between all users on the same console ?
I dont understand this. Is there some sort of fingerprint detection that can tell you arent the original owner of the purchased content and it will restrict the access?
 

tHciNc

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I just presumed it may be possible as different miis on the same console cant login to the e shop with same nintendo account, they have to make there own
 

Sonic Angel Knight

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What else is new? So we gonna blame hackers for the reason why we can't backup data? No, i hope not. We have homebrew which is nice but still playstation can back up save data, at least on cloud with playstation plus. I assume that when the full online services are complete with subscription, backup save data on cloud will be possible. I mean they have pokemon bank so save data shouldn't be any different. Still is something the 3DS, WII U and switch should have from day one (Well 3ds can backup encrypted save data) but anyway is just possible that cloud saves will be planned for future.

Anyway, yeah, carts is Read only memory, sd cards are encrypted, what else is new? (Look at web browser exploits for systems) *See switch has no open access web browser app* Well there you go. Nintendo never been a fan of mods, hacks, or piracy so this is what happens. Can't say i'm siding with them on the no save backup thing, or hackers for potentially being responsible for them. I just thing is a mess and gonna get worst every new system until is all digital, and then no one will be happy. Video game crash repeat incoming :ninja:
 

RemixDeluxe

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I just presumed it may be possible as different miis on the same console cant login to the e shop with same nintendo account, they have to make there own
If its the same console why set up another account in the first place? That seems self defeating.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

What else is new? So we gonna blame hackers for the reason why we can't backup data? No, i hope not. We have homebrew which is nice but still playstation can back up save data, at least on cloud with playstation plus. I assume that when the full online services are complete with subscription, backup save data on cloud will be possible. I mean they have pokemon bank so save data shouldn't be any different. Still is something the 3DS, WII U and switch should have from day one (Well 3ds can backup encrypted save data) but anyway is just possible that cloud saves will be planned for future.

Anyway, yeah, carts is Read only memory, sd cards are encrypted, what else is new? (Look at web browser exploits for systems) *See switch has no open access web browser app* Well there you go. Nintendo never been a fan of mods, hacks, or piracy so this is what happens. Can't say i'm siding with them on the no save backup thing, or hackers for potentially being responsible for them. I just thing is a mess and gonna get worst every new system until is all digital, and then no one will be happy. Video game crash repeat incoming :ninja:
Every single cartridge based format going as far back as the NES/Famicom has allowed the save data to be saved on the cart. This is a first time this has not been allowed and there is no clear answer to why they are preventing this. We can only assume its homebrew reasons.
 

Hells Malice

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Well for one, the gamecube, wii, and wii u didn't save the data to the disk, obviously. So we haven't had that functionality in a very long time for Nintendo (and most) consoles. They switched back to carts for the obvious portability advantages as well as other things like being faster.

There isn't a whole lot of usefulness in saving to the cart anyway. Breath of the Wild for example, only allows 1 save. But it's 1 save per profile...if it saved to the cart, it'd be 1 save per cart. Noticeably worse.

Likely a lot of restrictions they do is obviously anti-piracy measures.

Thanks to the portability of the switch, there is very little practical use for being able to interact with your saves. I mean if you wanna play at a friends house who owns a switch, just bring your switch. You dock it in their dock and bam you're playing your stuff. It's actually a lot easier that way. It's slightly less convenient than just taking the cart, but like I said there are benefits to it not relying on the cart for savefiles too.
EDIT: of course the only downside is transferring consoles, which affects maybe 1% of Switch users or less. Plus Nintendo may have a way of doing that if you were to send it and it needed to be replaced anyway.
 
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RemixDeluxe

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Well for one, the gamecube, wii, and wii u didn't save the data to the disk, obviously. So we haven't had that functionality in a very long time for Nintendo (and most) consoles. They switched back to carts for the obvious portability advantages as well as other things like being faster.

There isn't a whole lot of usefulness in saving to the cart anyway. Breath of the Wild for example, only allows 1 save. But it's 1 save per profile...if it saved to the cart, it'd be 1 save per cart. Noticeably worse.

Likely a lot of restrictions they do is obviously anti-piracy measures.

Thanks to the portability of the switch, there is very little practical use for being able to interact with your saves. I mean if you wanna play at a friends house who owns a switch, just bring your switch. You dock it in their dock and bam you're playing your stuff. It's actually a lot easier that way. It's slightly less convenient than just taking the cart, but like I said there are benefits to it not relying on the cart for savefiles too.
EDIT: of course the only downside is transferring consoles, which affects maybe 1% of Switch users or less. Plus Nintendo may have a way of doing that if you were to send it and it needed to be replaced anyway.
Discs have never been able to have data be saved to them so I have no idea why you insisted on pointing that out.

Regardless, on the handheld end of things we've always had cartridge media which has always allowed you to save the data onto them and yeah you have a point that there has never been any official means to backup data. The only thing I can think of is with the Wii and also the 3DS (for digital games.)
 

SonicMC

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If its the same console why set up another account in the first place? That seems self defeating.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------


Every single cartridge based format going as far back as the NES/Famicom has allowed the save data to be saved on the cart. This is a first time this has not been allowed and there is no clear answer to why they are preventing this. We can only assume its homebrew reasons.


Multiple accounts are needed if you want multiple save files. So if say both you and your kid are both going to play breath of the wild and want separate save files. You will each need an account.

Multiple accounts are also useful if you have one Nintendo Switch but want to have games owned by separate individuals. Then say one kid turns 18 and buys his own switch... he only needs to deactivate his account on the old one and move it to the new one. Only his games will deactivate on the old switch and he can now move on with new switch in hand. Everyone else's games on the old switch stay intact.
 

RemixDeluxe

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Multiple accounts are needed if you want multiple save files. So if say both you and your kid are both going to play breath of the wild and want separate save files. You will each need an account.

Multiple accounts are also useful if you have one Nintendo Switch but want to have games owned by separate individuals. Then say one kid turns 18 and buys his own switch... he only needs to deactivate his account on the old one and move it to the new one. Only his games will deactivate on the old switch and he can now move on with new switch in hand. Everyone else's games on the old switch stay intact.
Thank you for clarifying about what the other person said. Since I'm the only user of my game systems thats something I've personally never had to deal with but I do lend games to friends and I had the misfortune of a friend accidentally deleting my Fire Emblem Awakening save. Its ironic if the reason for this restriction was because of homebrew and it will be homebrew in the end that will give us back this access.

I'd also like for a way to turn off the console remotely, another oversight imo.
 

xtrem3x

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Every single cartridge based format going as far back as the NES/Famicom has allowed the save data to be saved on the cart. This is a first time this has not been allowed and there is no clear answer to why they are preventing this. We can only assume its homebrew reasons.

N64 only saved to the cart if it was a Nintendo/Rareware game. All third party games needed a memory card
 

xtrem3x

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You're talking about the memory expension pak that is optimised or required for newer titles. All N64 games save their progress on cartridge

No, why would I be talking about the memory expansion pak? Only Nintendo (Mario for example) and Rareware (Goldeneye, Perfect Dark etc) titles had the memory chip in the cartridge.
All third party titles (Turok for example) saved to a memory card that you inserted into the bottom of the N64 controller...

few first party and second party games used the Controller Pak.[4] The vast majority are from third-party developers. This is most likely due to the increased production and retail costs which would have been caused by including self-contained data on the cartridge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_64_accessories#Controller_Pak_.28NUS-004.29
 

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