In general, I would still favor the use of save points in any project I create. However, I think it is also important to be somewhat generous with them. A save point in every town/city/camp, and also a save point in every dungeon (or two if the dungeon is long). This way the player still has to go through a couple of battles before saving again, but at the same time there will probably be a save point close enough.
What's the point of Save Points; a discussion -
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The savepoints allow the player not to soft-lock himself. That is the main use I see for them.
(I don't use it myself, and I don't see the point if you properly balance access to saves) -
I want save everywhere except where the player can be trapped, and as well as save points.
I don't like the idea of being forced to only save at certain points, nor the idea you save at certain points that are hours away. Granted, I like the first approach best, but I don't like either.
Don't get me wrong, I've played games with save points and am willingly to play them, but with personal preference I just like being able to save when I want too, also being able to pick up and put down the game when I want too.
The reason I say save points still, when enabled to save everywhere, is it makes it easier for players to remember they can save in the game anytime and not forget about it, as well as if they haven't saved for some time manually (I.e Player who want to save anytime but only remember too when they need breaks or want to stop for a while), they won't lose out if they forget to save or get game over.
This is just my preference and opinions though, I know some people love save points so I wouldn't say I'd want this in stone any more for that reason. But, hopefully, people can understand the reasoning in what I'm saying. -
I only have them in the project I'm working on because worrying about soft locking the player is icky and smells weird.
A good example of this is in Halo, with the recharging health. Back in the early PC FPS days, in games like Jedi Knight, you could QuickSave anywhere - but this could lead to problems, where you might QuickSave just before walking into a room filled with powerful enemies, and you have 2% health left. You can end up trapped.
rip my run of Deus Ex: Invisible War.
2018-2018.
I had fun playing as a girl character in a Deus Ex game while it lasted. ; _ ;7
Not sure which Zeldas do and don't do this, but Ocarina of Time lets you save at any time you can open the menu, but puts you somewhere specific when you load. This actually solves the issue nicely; on one hand you can always save and stop playing, on the other the game still has "checkpoints" you have to hit for the saves to be meaningful.
[Rudely snorts, wheezes and collapses to the floor in a disrespectful fit of laughter in Twilight Princess Bridge of Eldin Soft Lock]