Saturn Memory Cart Question

[MadTitan]

I picked up a Saturn with Panzer Dragoon Saga off of ebay and I have a problem with it. It came with an interact memory cart as well as a couple of internal batteries. When I save the game it saves to the internal battery fine, but if I try to save to the cart it just flashes and says save complete but it doesn't create a save block. A comic store near me had the same interact memory cart so I bought that one but it still won't save. Is there some problem with that type of memory cart, should I buy an official Sega one off ebay. Or does it sound like there is a problem with the system?

[thegardentool]

I've never used the memory cartridge you are talking about so I can't tell you if its a common problem or not. I've only used the offical one without any problems.

It doesn't seem like it could hurt to buy an offical one to make sure its not the system. Or try moving the file from the internal memory to the Interact and see if it works that way.

[Funk Buddy]

Are you trying to save directly to the cart? If so, that's the problem. You'll have to save to the system first, then transfer it to the cart.

[Dreamc@sting]

Are you trying to save directly to the cart? If so, that's the problem. You'll have to save to the system first, then transfer it to the cart.

What he said, the Memory Carts for Saturn are more like backup carts than anything else.

[fahlim003]

For clarification, unless it's an official Sega brand memory cartridge, you won't be able to directly save to the cartridge as mentioned. This obviously goes for all 3rd party equipment.

[InsaneDavid]

For clarification, unless it's an official Sega brand memory cartridge, you won't be able to directly save to the cartridge as mentioned. This obviously goes for all 3rd party equipment.

This is not entirely true, there are a very few third party cartridges out there that will allow direct saving.

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

Including some from Interact that look *EXACTLY* like the ones that don't allow direct saving...which is confusing.


...word is bondage...

[fahlim003]

This is not entirely true, there are a very few third party cartridges out there that will allow direct saving.

I once went through perhaps 50 or more 3rd party cartridges that a local store wanted to have tested (since they had no Saturns on hand). Not a single one offered direct save and there were plenty of mix and matches.

I'm aware of the 3rd party DS-ing carts but they don't come by often at all, at least not around here. Besides, who really wants a 3rd party slot warping cartridge anyway? ;)

[InsaneDavid]

I once went through perhaps 50 or more 3rd party cartridges that a local store wanted to have tested (since they had no Saturns on hand). Not a single one offered direct save and there were plenty of mix and matches.

I'm aware of the 3rd party DS-ing carts but they don't come by often at all, at least not around here. Besides, who really wants a 3rd party slot warping cartridge anyway? ;)

You have to think out of the North American products box. There were more than a few third party Japanese memory cartridges that supported direct saving.

[Wraith Storm]

I never had an official SEGA branded cart but I did have an Interact Memory Card Plus.

I realized the cart would not do direct save when I was playing Shining the Holy Arc. I played several hours into the game and then went to a church to save and the game froze and printed an Error message followed by some HEX code on the screen. ARRRRGGGgggg!!! :bad-words:

But later my friend sold me his Memory card and it DID support direct save and also acted as an ST Key which I discovered by chance. I'm still using the cart to this day. It is also called a Memory Card Plus but looks VERY generic and has no company label on it!!! Somewhat curious as to who made it...

[psychic1]

Sega had an extensive propaganda campaign back in the day to vilify 3rd party products.
Because of that a lot of people seem to believe that 1st party products are better and as a result, the Memory Card Pluses by Interact are by far the better buy.
The "official" Sega memory card usually runs for $40 and up used and the Memory Card Pluses sell for $15 brand new and like someone else said also work as a Region Key and allow your system to play games from any region on top of the ability to save directly to the cart.

I know there are a couple variations of the Interact Memory Cards and apparently there is one that doesn't allow for direct saving but I'd just recommend getting the OTHER one rather than the official Sega for reasons previously noted.