[BUG]: Games Don't Save Properly

[Fletch00]

Describe the Bug

In-game saves never update with new information- even after uninstalling and reinstalling the emulator like new.
Save states tested before reinstalling; save states work. Did not open any save states after reinstalling; in-game saves were still broken. New memory cards, regardless if I used only one or both, also could not save past "this game exists."

When attempting in-game saves, it remembers menu settings such as inverted camera and the time of the last save. It also reports that the data has saved successfully to the correct memory card, yet no progress is remembered.

Tested with:

• Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning
• Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night
  Both games, when verified in game properties, return as clean/functional. Issue is not from the games.

Can provide screen recording if needed.

Reproduction Steps

• Open PCSX2
• Double click a game title
• Load a file
• Walk to a different part of the map
• Open menu and save
• Go back to main menu/exit game/exit emulator
• Return to same save slot
• Game had not saved; character is not at the same area where the game was last saved

Expected Behavior

Character is at same area where game was last saved

PCSX2 Revision

Stable v2.6.3

Operating System

Windows 11

If Linux - Specify Distro

No response

Logs & Dumps

No crash occurred; no logs available.

[refractionpcsx2]

Is it possible that "walking to a different part of the map" just doesn't count as progress in those games? Seems oddly specific that it'd save some things but not others, I find that somewhat unlikely. Can you confirm the behaviour on your PS2?

[Fletch00]

Is it possible that "walking to a different part of the map" just doesn't count as progress in those games? Seems oddly specific that it'd save some things but not others, I find that somewhat unlikely. Can you confirm the behaviour on your PS2?

This game lets you save from anywhere, and has worked in the past. But now, even how many hours and minutes I've played does not change in game. Even if I restart and complete the tutorial, the game still say I've played for 0hrs 0min. And if I save and reload the save file, I'm right back at the start of the tutorial.

[Dreadmoth]

The Legend of Spyro: A New Beginning has a checkpoint-based save system, the "Enable Autosave" menu item just saves the latest checkpoint in the selected slot (and saves future checkpoints there).

Some checkpoints are fairly far apart - I played through the first few areas (PAL version), as far as I can tell the game saved at:

• New game 0h 0m
• After fighting the first dynamite-throwing enemy and freeing Sparx from the cage/lantern (post cutscenes)
• After meeting Ignitus
• Entering the Dojo
• Start of first flight
• End of first flight / after landing at Dante's Freezer

~5 checkpoints in about an hour (as counted by the game)

[refractionpcsx2]

So @Dreadmoth do you confirm this is expected behaviour?