I haven't tried it either, yet, but I've been contemplating it as a possibility. You could even give the saves names of items (similar to Final Fantasy):

1. Standard Save = 1000 G is called Sleeping Bags
2. Save with 25% Party Restoration = 1500 G is called tent
3. Hut
4. Cabin or House
5. etc

The more I think about it, the more I think I'm going to try it out... after the game I'm working on.

What about not breaking immersion by autosaving for the player whenever they accomplish something of significance like defeating a boss, starting a questline, finding a town, etc...Deux Ex Human Revolution does that AND it gives you the option to save whenever you want as well just like the default saving system of rpg maker. Idk about you guys, by immersion is hard to pull off in rpg maker games(imo) but if you can, there isn't anything worse than breaking that immersion by having a floating crystal or a textbox pop up "would you like to save?" We want them in our "world", saving should be handled by us in the background. Thoughts?

My simple thought is, if it doesn't have save points, it should just have a non-invasive way to remind you. Like having the characters stop and chat a second. A simple 'I think Captain Evil is just beyond this door, Mr. Main Character' is good enough. Although, maybe with better writing.

Otherwise, save points should be related plotwise. Like the black cat in Witch's House.

Autosaves are cool too, but sometimes I get annoyed when a game autosaves just after I did something I want to reverse.

This could probably be thrown out the window if the game in question is a fourth-wall breaking humor based game.

My idea of save points was that there were ones you could take with you and ones found in specific locations. I don't exactly know how to incorporate them into the story, though. Here's what I had in mind:

The stationary save points are blue crystals that record your data for you, and the mobile save points are purchasable crystals that only have one use but can be used anywhere. I can't think of any good way to incorporate them into the story without them seeming out of place. (Then again, I did have one iteration of my game where you got a freaking CALCULATOR. In a medieval setting. Go me.) I was also thinking (as of now) of maybe adding a crystal specifically for teleportation, and one for refilling your HP and MP. I want to give the normal save points a secondary function, but... I can't think of one that would make sense and/or be original.

*Note: The italics are sarcasm. Don't take it seriously.

In the game I'm working on:

You can save anywhere in Town.
You can save anywhere on the World Map.
You can even save anywhere inside the dungeons themselves. (where MOST of the game takes place)
The only time you CANNOT save... is when you are in the thick of battle.

One of the objections to saving everywhere... was that it can break up or divide the plot.

Lets say that you talk so an NPC... who says "Do A, B, C, and D".. You go and do A and B, but then you save the game because you ran out of time. Now.. you're back to play and you might have forgotten what you were supposed to do.

A few solutions:
1.Make sure your NPCs are scripted properly to be able to tell you... You did A and B... but you still need to do C and D.
2.Have an item, menu option, or some other mechanism to remind you what your "current mission" is or where you need to go.
3.Have a quick narrative when you return from your save... The old NES game "Strider" did this pretty well. It summarized what's happened so far, and brought you up to speed to where you were at. If you played the game straight through beginning to end... you never saw any of these narratives.
4.If your party has regular dialogue... have your party members have a quick conversation upon returning from save. For example... if my party has 4 members and the current mission is to rescue lost children in the woods. Then show all four of your party members on screen... then have a quick dialogue.
Male Fighter could say: "Let's go... we have to find those kids..."
Female Fighter says:"They must be so scared..."
Male Wizard says: "We don't have much time..."
Male Ninja says: "..."

This accomplishes several things. It reminds you of who is in your party (just in case it changes often), it gives you an opportunity to display some character personalities, and it brings you back into the story.

Just a couple thoughts saving:

1. A well developed game sets up an play experience that makes the player NOT want to have to bother saving every min.
I play a lot of games that I feel as every stepping stone (not every Mile stone) is, in itself, a major victory and pivotal moment in the game.
As much as I love these games, they always make me WANT to save every few minutes in fear of losing progress.

A game should be so Immersive that the Player shouldn't have to think about having to save and, in turn, the game shouldn't be set up to punish the player for not remembering to save either.

2. Well developed games that use Save Points should (at the very least) allow the player to envision the end result PRIOR to the save.
Platform games are perfect examples of allowing players to envision what they will be facing prior to, during, and after the save.
When starting a level on a Platform game, regardless of how easy or difficult the Level may be, the player has an idea of what they'll be facing throughout the level. And then, once they reach the end of the Level, the can save before progressing to the next level.
If the Player is about to face the boss, (and the player KNOWS this) that's the perfect place for a a save point.

But I've played games that had "Surprise Boss fights" after 15-20 mins of regular gameplay with no warning and no save points beforehand.
I don't know about you but, when I'm in the thick of battle with a Boss, I shouldn't have to be worrying about when the last time I saved was.

In my game, I have save spots yes. But with a catch. You need a ceartain amount of SAVE POINTS Or SP. You can use 3 SP to save and 5 SP to save AND heal and 7SP to completely heal and save. If you dont have enough SP you wont be able to save so you should be cautios of saving left and right. You get SP after every battle and to be fair I may implement a system that after every so and so steps you gain one SP.Now in a town I am going to do somthing different. To save in a town or city you have to go to a inn and save. Think of phantasy star 3. However one thing I did not like about that in phantasy star 3 is that you have to pay to heal. Nuh uh. I couldnt stand that. So it will be free to save in my game.


EDIT:You know. One of the members above me gave me an idea. Do you think this system of SP will work better if the crystal or whatever is an item? But if the are only in specefic locations it will incrrease the challenge....Hmm. I have no Idea If they should be mobile or not mobile......

Whether or not it's Mobile, it must be convenient,
unless it's inconvenience is the only cost in saving....
Meaning, I hate having to FIND the Save Points,
or the Save Point is a ways away from your current location.

One idea would be Drop items (Scrolls of Remembrance?) that you get during the game.
This would allow for Semi-Limited, Anywhere Saves.

I played some kind of game like that once, but for the life of me, I can't remember which one it was.
I've played games that you can BUY save items but that made it feel disconnected in someway.