Centralised Games data / save directory which in turn is backed upto the cloud.

[TechFreak1]

Right now we windows phone users have to weigh up - lose our game data in a hard reset / re-flash or not and wait until a fix is forthcoming. It shouldn't be like this and MS's approach - leave it upto the devs if they want to offer cloud saves.. is well moronic. Why?

Two simple reasons:
1) Some devs are lazy - some games haven't seen updates in ages
2) Windows phone is not that high in their priority list given the the install base is small compared to the other platforms.

So having had enough, I have posted this on user voice.

"

I have come across this issue time and time again, with my time with windows phone. I have had enough as no proper fix has been forth coming, as just leaving it upto the developers if they want to offer cloud saves or not; is just silly as some are just lazy or windows phone is not that high on their priority list.

People invest a lot of hours and sometimes money (in-app purchases) in games only to lose their progress, money, time spent after either been forced to hard reset due to an unforseen issue or transferring to another windows phone.

The solution to this in my opinion is to have a centralised folder where ALL game data and saves are stored regardless if the game is Xbox certified or not. As opposed to the games install directory (evident by progress is lost when a game is un-installed). Said folder would be tied to the person's MS account and gamer tag thus in turn tied to the gamer hub. Which would be backed up to the cloud under the app + settings back up.

The person then has the ability to delete a games save data from the games hub if they so wish via the long press + hold menu."

If you agree, please vote and if you feel that the cloud save option left up to devs is good enough then that is your opinion which you are entitled to.

Centralised folder for game data + saves, which in turn is backed upto the cloud. ?€“ Feature Suggestions for Windows Phone

Note: there are maybe a few typos.. my night shift is just ending - babysitting a very hyper active neice (someone gave her a full can of Soda lol :yawn..
Also I have not asked for local access as that could potentially lead to cheating via hex edits and what not.

 

[0vZ]

That's not as easy as it seems to be...
First problem - saves are stored in isolated storage. This storage has not only saves, but also another files (e.g. game cache or other resources, downloaded from Internet).
If you would backup everything - you'll backup lot's of garbage.
As for example, in iOS storage for every app is divided between cache and other files. While files in cache are not backuped (because, they could be downloaded again), all other files gets inside itunes or icloud backup.
So, Microsoft should make the same thing - divide storage for app, where there would be a folder with resoruces, that could be downloaded from the Internet again and resources, that are backuped.

 

[TechFreak1]

That's not as easy as it seems to be...
First problem - saves are stored in isolated storage. This storage has not only saves, but also another files (e.g. game cache or other resources, downloaded from Internet).
If you would backup everything - you'll backup lot's of garbage.

I don't think you've understood what I said, so let me clarify:

I'm only asking for Game data (options, settings preference, Moga Config settings etc) and saves only to put in to a separate folder tied to the games hub via the gamer tag and MS account. Therefore when a game stores it game save data it would be stored in the aforesaid directory and only in that directory - (this should be made a mandatory req). Then only this directory would be backed up to the cloud.

In short, what you said in the latter part of your post:

So, Microsoft should make the same thing - divide storage for app, where there would be a folder with resoruces, that could be downloaded from the Internet again and resources, that are backuped.

Is exactly what I am saying but specifically for Game Data and Saves lol...

 

[Joshua Jackson]

I say, "Here, here" to having cloud saves.
I've restarted Spectral Souls, twice (different phone and broken screen).
Now, I'd like to get a new phone.
I'm not going to, though, until I finish it (could be months).
And my next game (Final Fantasy III) doesn't have cloud saving (or Moga support - grrr...), either.

Unfortunately, I don't think your way is likely to happen.
I'm not sure that the phone could tell what is a game's save file and what is an app's image cache, etc...
What really needs to be done is what has already been done, in Windows, for years.
That is the roaming profile.
All "user data" should be stored within a profile that is backed up to OneDrive (some of it is already being done - Internet Explorer favorites, for instance).
When you install a game, on Windows, the settings and saves will, generally, go into My Documents (that's part of the profile).
Of course, the developer can choose to sidestep that default, but most don't.
As with anything, though, anything that's currently in production would have to be updated.
So, it's pretty much the same as what Microsoft is already allowing game developers to do.
I just think that making it all go under the common profile would be much more standardized.
Plus, there could be some extra interoperability between Windows Phone and Windows (same game on both platforms lets you play on any device).
JJ