Cloud Save Game Data: Threat or Menace?

[chronovore]

I've been using the Cloud Storage option on the Xbox, and it seems to work pretty well when I use it from my home Xbox. When I save and load from the Cloud at home (Osaka), it seems to have no problem being entirely current.

When I am at my sister's place, each time I have tried to use the Cloud data, it is an outdated version of the file. The Batman:AC data I was using in Osaka has all the Riddler's Revenge stuff finished to Gold, and only has the Riddler Campaign missions to finish clearing.

When I try to use that same data in California, the xbox says "Still waiting for data upload from another console, so some data may be lost." YES, SOME DATA HAS BEEN LOST: the data I download in San Jose doesn't have the finished Riddler's Revenge.

Apparently the locally saved "Cloud" data is updated locally, then send a flag to the server to note that it's outdated. But is it even possible to force a sync? If the system knows that the HDD-stored version of the Cloud data in Osaka is more recent than the version on the Cloud, why doesn't the Xbox sync using the "background download" option?

Anyway, I have been bit by this twice now, and it pisses me off.

[Momo]

Sounds like an outlandishly poor implementation of cloud saves rather than cloud saves itself being a problem

[chronovore]

Yeah, I was trying to imply that.

Cloud saves should be the bee's knees. Microsoft has all the technology in place, but has biffed the implementation.

[Trent Dole]

I don't have any use for Cloud data since I just play on the one machine I own and don't really travel for work or whatever (and my area friends all oddly have PS3s) but that does seek like an incredibly shit implementation.

[MCD]

It actually syncs even after shutting down your 360 (keeps blinking).

You can try to force one by restarting your 360 then try to look at your Active Downloads list, you will see it syncing all your fresh saves.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

Honestly, I have trouble playing games nowadays if they don't have Cloud saves as so much of my gaming is split between the office and home. Cloud saves/Steamworks support makes me 300% more likely to play and finish a game.

[chronovore]

It actually syncs even after shutting down your 360 (keeps blinking).

You can try to force one by restarting your 360 then try to look at your Active Downloads list, you will see it syncing all your fresh saves.

That's how I had assumed it would work, but my home 360 in Osaka had plenty of time to sync the more recent save, and didn't do it, as far as I can figure.

[chronovore]

Pretty sure I just lost 4 hours or so of gameplay to XBL’s Cloud Storage. I’m not sure what happened, but when I woke up this morning, a couple of my save game files Were Just Not There.

If they’re gone, I may just be done for good with PROTOTYPE. I was already feeling a struggle just to get through it for Achievements. Maybe I’m growing out of them.

[demi]

Fuck cloud storage. Will never use it. I will haul my own hard drive with me if I need to use a save somewhere else.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I love Cloud Storage. I wish everything used Cloud Storage. Cloud Storage is the Way.

[chronovore]

The utter idiocy of my situation is that I could have just copied the damned files to my already-happy, constantly-in-use USB Memory Unit. I have only my misplaced faith in Microsoft's competence to blame.

[MCD]

FUD

[chronovore]

FU

[chronovore]

Confirmed: BORKED AGAIN

I had 6 or 7 savegames, the Cloud Data Device only had 5. I went through each of them, in turn, and they all had outdated data.

The internet connection went out briefly, so the only thing I can think of is that may have then failed to flag the cloudside instances as needing to update. My newer local ones were then overwritten when the connection was re-established and it sync'd.

This may be an artifact of playing on an Xbox KNOWN by the XBL servers to not be my home one.

Whatever. It's not doing what it's supposed to do. It failed to update my Batman: AC savefiles to the latest ones, and now it ate half my campaign progress on PROTOTYPE. I'm back to using MU only.