---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-manual-save-points
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-manual-save-points
lang: en
title: Manual save points
summary: >-
The player saves progress at a recognizable world location. The next save
point determines how much progress a failure puts at risk.
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
status: active
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-manual-save-points/
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-manual-save-points.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-manual-save-points.md
aliases:
- Save points
tags:
- Game design techniques
- Saving
sourceIds:
- source-1cf687474a92a1d8
- source-c155629b4ce25531
- source-0719a02145de4cd3
- source-1696c3167e4356ed
sources:
- id: source-1cf687474a92a1d8
title: 'Game Mechanics: Manual save points'
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/manual-save-points'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-c155629b4ce25531
title: 'Alien: Isolation (2014)'
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/manual-save-points/game/alien-isolation'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-0719a02145de4cd3
title: 'Clive Barker''s Hellraiser: Revival (2026)'
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/manual-save-points/game/clive-barkers-hellraiser-revival
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-1696c3167e4356ed
title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/'
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: game-mechanics
id: gm-manual-save-points
title: Game design techniques
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-manual-save-points
categoryIds:
- gm-category-saving
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
title: Save points
description: >-
The player saves progress at a recognizable world location. The next save
point determines how much progress a failure puts at risk.
image:
src: images/mechanics/hollow-knight-bench.webp
width: 1440
height: 810
crop:
x: 450
'y': 225
width: 788
height: 563
game: Hollow Knight
sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/'
originalUrl: >-
https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/367520/ss_92c7e8f34c00bdb455070ecdd5b746f0d2f6d808.1920x1080.jpg?t=1776125684
credit: Team Cherry
rights: © Team Cherry. All rights reserved.
caption: Resting at a bench in Hollow Knight
alt: >-
Hollow Knight: the Knight sits on an illuminated bench in Dirtmouth
beside other characters.
markers:
- x: 61.5
'y': 79
label: The bench provides a place to rest and save
tips:
- Make save points recognizable and confirm a successful save.
- Match the repeated section’s length to the cost of failure.
examples:
- title: Hollow Knight
url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages
checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by
gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference
URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film
analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are
upstream attributions, not independent verification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/game-mechanics
---
# Manual save points
id: game-mechanics--gm-manual-save-points
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-manual-save-points
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-manual-save-points/
The player saves progress at a recognizable world location. The next save point determines how much progress a failure puts at risk.
## At a glance
[Hollow Knight](https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/) · © Team Cherry. All rights reserved.
1. The bench provides a place to rest and save
- Make save points recognizable and confirm a successful save.
- Match the repeated section’s length to the cost of failure.
- [Hollow Knight](https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/)
## How it works
Progress can be saved manually at designated objects or locations.
## Variants
### How the technique works
- Progress can be saved manually at designated objects or locations.
## Context and limits
All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source.
## Connected materials
## Sources and provenance
Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.
- [Game Mechanics: Manual save points](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/manual-save-points) (id: source-1cf687474a92a1d8)
- [Alien: Isolation (2014)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/manual-save-points/game/alien-isolation) (id: source-c155629b4ce25531)
- [Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival (2026)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/manual-save-points/game/clive-barkers-hellraiser-revival) (id: source-0719a02145de4cd3)
- [Hollow Knight](https://store.steampowered.com/app/367520/Hollow_Knight/) (id: source-1696c3167e4356ed)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors