Forum:Pikmin needs 19 free blocks. A conspiracy?

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This has puzzled me since I bought the game. Pikmin (1) requires 19 free blocks in the memory card to save data to. Ok, fine and dandy. When I bought Pikmin, I had no idea how the game would be like, what it would use, how it would work, so I supposed it saved a lot of stuff. Thus, I ignored the 19 block question while I played it. After some months of happily playing, I recalled the large amount of blocks needed. Back then, it seemed like a normal number for such a game, but now, I think it takes WAY more blocks than it needs to. What does Pikmin need to save?

• A bitwise variable, containing currently saved pieces.
• 28 variables, containing which Log text has been entered in which day.
• 9 variables, to control how many Pikmin Olimar has. (Red leaf; Red bud; Red flower; Yellow leaf; Yellow bud; Yellow flower; Blue leaf; Blue bud; Blue flower).
• Some variables to store which enemies have been killed in which days.
• Some variables to store progress on bridges, gates, etc.
• Around 4 variables for the options.
• Misc variables (example: Last visited location)

Now, all these should take around 6 blocks, 10 max. The variable than controls the pieces saved is quite minimal. With the addition to the 9 variables that control how many Pikmin Olimar has, it should reach around 1 block. With the 28 for the Log, around 2 blocks. Enemies killed, 3 blocks; progress, around 5 blocks reached and the rest should reach 6. So what's the deal with 19 blocks then? Are we having our space wasted? Or are there some variables that I'm missing? Anyway, just for comparison purposes, let's see Super Smash Bros Melee. This game needs 11 blocks, and it saves:

• A bitwise variable with the unlocked fighters.
• Another with the stages.
• Another with the modes.
• A huge one for the 100+ special bonuses gained.
• 625 variables for the damage each character did to each (in that 25*25 grid in the Data screen).
• 625 variables for the KOs each char gave to each.
• 25 variables for the SDs on each.
• 25 variables for the damage each gave.
• 25 variables for the hit percentage.
• 25 variables, 25 variables, 25 variables... It saves a lot of things for each individual character.
• A large bitwise to save the last used Item Switch scheme.
• 290 variables to determine how many of which trophies the player has.
• Around 15 variables for the options.
• Around 30 variables for the random statistics (example: time spent in Single Player).
• 20 string variables for the player names (I think it supports 20 max.).
• Around 30 variables for the records of stuff the player unlocked.
• Consequent date and time for the above.
• Etc...

So I ask you now: Pikmin needs 19 blocks to save some stuff, and SSBM needs 11 blocks to save a lot of specific stuff. WHAT GIVES? What I think is that maybe Nintendo had the option to have data recorded for each individual day, like in the NPC Wii Version, but didn't create the access to the other days. Or maybe, Nintendo used one set of variables for EACH Pikmin. This is seriously unneeded. For example: 29 Blue leaf Pikmin are ALL the same. They don't need individual characteristics. And if they do, what are they? Sorry for the long text but... TL;DR: Pikmin needs 19 blocks where it should need ~6 blocks. SSBM (11 blocks) saves a lot and Pikmin saves little. (Also, for reading convenience, I'm adding a line to the bottom of this huge hunk of text, so your replies can be seen better.) {Espyo^T} 14:23, October 8, 2009 (UTC)

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You also forget, it is a large 3-D world with tons of texturing, and enemies that appear on certain days which may add a block or two... I'm ~LonelyTurret~ And I approve this message.

Well, this IS about the blocks of saved data on the memory cards, not the memory that the game occupies. But if you are referring to the fact that it also needs to save which enemies have been killed when and when will they respawn, then you're right. But it would still only take 1 or 2 more blocks. It's still strange {Espyo^T} 22:10, October 8, 2009 (UTC)

You are right. My guess is that the programmers were just too lazy to condense the save information, because I don't think too many people pick out a game based on how much memory it needs. 68.39.16.71 06:02, October 9, 2009 (UTC)

Yes, but wouldn't enemies that appear only on certain days also have variables, and collected parts? I'm ~LonelyTurret~ And I approve this message.

You didn't mention that there are 3 save games, Pikmin deaths to track, challenge mode, and there are probably loads of other things the game keeps track of behind the scenes, maybe to make later calculations easier or something. Yes, SSBM seems to have far more to save because of all those pages of statistics, but as CL tried to express, Pikmin is...complicated. Yeah, hard to express...GP

All those beautiful textures and polygons are saved from the disc. All the memory card stores is a single digit number, "1" or "0", to express if a creature is there or isn't. It really isn't complicated to save; the complexity comes from the info on the disc that interprets those "1"s and "0"s as a Spotty Bulbear being or not being. Also, Pikmin 2 needs 29 blocks of memory O.O 68.39.16.71 22:32, October 9, 2009 (UTC)

D'oh! We forgot to mention where objects are left from the previous night! because an objects placment can be anywhere, it takes a relatively huge amount of information to tell the game where it is! And then we must multiply that by the number of objects for each game (30 for Pikmin1, 210 for Pikmin2), and that takes a lot of memory. 68.39.16.71 22:40, October 9, 2009 (UTC)

...Which is, I guess, what I was getting at; things like that are because of the complexity of the game; I'm aware of what's saved where. And isn't a Pikmin 2 save file 27 blocks?GP

My Pik 2 is 27 blocks, and yes, objects from previous nights is probably a large one... I'm ~LonelyTurret~ And I approve this message.

I knew I was missing something. The game does indeed save 3 slots. Yet still, I think it takes way to much space. {Espyo^T} 15:55, October 10, 2009 (UTC)

So you multiply everything need for 1 file, and multiply by three... And don't forget collegted parts... I'm ~LonelyTurret~ And I approve this message.

And caves, because about 99% of the time, the enemies in the caves are also jumbled up, kinds like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Throught the layout is the same, the enemy placement is different. Plus falling enemies.--FREAK ~Game Freak~OUT!

^That doesn't (shouldn't) go in the save file; it's on the disk. Plus, the topic is Pikmin, not Pikmin 2.GP

Oh, forget the above comment.--FREAK ~Game Freak~OUT!

Oh Game... I'm ~LonelyTurret~ And I approve this message.

I was pretty surprised to see that, too. Snakeboss14