save scumming

In video games: Manually saving your game over and over again (usually before important decisions/boss battles, etc.) to make sure that if you screw up later on, you can always just return to your most recent saved game.

Used in games that allow players to save whenever they want, thus making the game substantially easier because there's no real penalty for messing up, and it lets the player know what to expect ahead.

If I wasn't save scumming so much, I would've had to restart this mission a shitton of times.

by TorpedoMoo September 2, 2013

Save Scumming

A video-game relevant term - used by morons and pedants - to describe the "overuse" of the saving and loading mechanic in a video game, in order to beat a particularly difficult enemy, boss, trap, puzzle, etc.

In almost all games with the function available, quick-save/load mechanics are intentionally built into the game, by the creators, to allow people this very function- but unfortunately, morons claim this is "cheating" or simply "cheap" They're the same people who complain about tactics on Super Smash Brothers instead of actually winning.

"I cant believe Steve stooped to Save Scumming in order to beat Margit in Elden Ring...that doesn't count because he's basically cheating by using an intentionally designed strategy option. Its about ethics in video-game playing."

by Yak-Shavings March 31, 2022

Save scumming

The only way to get good loot in Starfield.

Save scumming is the only way to find gear that’s useable in Starfield.

by Helostlol April 25, 2024

savescumming

Copying your saved game file to another directory, to circumvent auto-deletion. This is usually done in RPGs like Rogue that automatically delete the file as a form of "perma-death" so that you are required to start over every time you die.

"I used savescumming to get to the Amulet of Yendor just to prove to myself that it was possible. Someday I'll beat it for real."

by kermiter May 16, 2007