When I first started playing retro games online, I tried to remain as faithful as possible to the origins and simply save where I could have without the Internet (I mostly play RPGs). I might try using modern functions to save the game at odd places (like right before the final boss) so I plan the strategy better or to leave the game when I'm in a rush, but that was it.

But as I got more interested into contributing for this website (with videos, mostly), I started taking advantage of the emulation function and started saving wherever. Of course, using the regular saving function is still useful if I want to change something major in the video.

What about you? Are you an "honest" player and play "authentic" gaming by saving (when it's available) only where the game allows you or do you take full advantage of the emulation functions?

I think I'm an "honest" player? So far I haven't used the emulation save functions because I haven't really needed to. Save points in-game have always worked for me and they're in decent places, so I haven't lost anything. I think if I ever started having trouble with a particular section of a video game or something, though, that I might make use of the emulation saves.

To be perfectly honest with you, when I am playing in the RGR, I tend to forget that the emulators actually have save states.  So my reaction is to hunt for save points if the game doesn't let you save wherever you wish.

janus : I just save when I have to go. If its to be able to reset, I only would do it at legitimate times to save.

SilverHyruler : I'm the same way. I only use the save function when I can't find a normal save spot and I need to leave.

   I used to abuse the emulator features like save states like crazy before, although lately, I make sure to go through as honest as I can now. For Pokémon, I'd pretty much keep reloading to make sure I could avoid pretty much all hits, restart Mario Kart after even just a bad lap, but it's now pretty rare that I'll do something that wouldn't be possible while using the original console or handheld.

I have used the saving feature on a number of occasions, but the vast majority of the time I play without it. When I do use it, I never think of it as abusing, since I'm not the type to reload on every death.

My favorite game that I've played on here, Super Mario Bros 2 for GBA, was essentially 6-8 hours of me of dying over and over again and slowly moving forward in the game. I'm sure I could have progressed a lot faster if I had abused the saving feature, but I found taking it slowly to be more fun.

Most of my gaming is about entertainment value, so I don't have a problem with using the saving feature in itself but in most cases I don't find it fun unless it's actually a challenge.

After playing Atari, Nintendo, and Sega for years with almost no saves at all, I have no qualms about saving whenever I feel the need. Not really on arcade games, but on others, no problem.  Life's too short.

It depends on the emulator. Mednafen always gives me trouble with not letting me save organically, so I obviously use a lot of save states in place of regular saving.
Otherwise? I'll admit to 'abusing' save states every once in a while because I just keep on dying over and over, and I don't want to waste time playing through bits I already played through.

I'm really in between. I play honestly, though I do Save State whenever I'm done playing. I find it much easier than saving normally.
I used to abuse save states, don't really do that now.