How do you manage all your VMUs/save files?

[DCGX]

I recently reorganized my Dreamcast save files, and it made me wonder if anyone else goes through the same trouble I do when there are so many games.

I have a little over 100 Dreamcast games, so a fair amount. What I do is: I primarily use Sega 4X Memory Cards. Then I broke down each section within the 4X's into categories:

4X #1 (this 4X is also primarily used in my arcade stick)
- Shoot 'Em Up
- Fighting
- Puzzle, Music
- Arcade, Classics (which I used as shorthand for compilations like the Smash Pack, Namco Museum, etc.)

4X #2
- Action-Adventure
- Shooters (1st, 3rd, Light Guns)
- RPG, Strategy
- Shenmue

4X #3 (I like racing games edition)
- Racing (Arcade)
- Racing (Fantasy)
- Racing (Sim)
- Sports

So that I know what I have on each 4X, I printed each list onto address labels and stuck them in the vacated VMU screen area (cutting/clearing away excess label material for a perfect fit within the square). I also have a separate, regular VMU for moving files within the same 4X, a separate, regular VMU for Half-Life, and yet Performance memory card for bleem save files.

I, personally, am not trying to acquire every DC game. I also don't mess with VMU games themselves, or things like replays in racing games (nearly 80 blocks to save a reply in the first Tokyo Xtreme Racer!), or Chao gardens in either Sonic Adventure. I also don't play through entire seasons in NFL, NBA, etc., so I'm confident three 4X's is all I will need going forward.

But for those that have larger collections and/or play VMU games, save replays, etc. how do you manage all your save files? And in general, do people go to the lengths I (maybe OCD-ingly) go through to keep everything easy to access?

[lastcallgames]

Basically, I do it horribly.
One card is a mishmash of a bunch of things.
One 4x card has a season of NCAA 2k2 on it, and settings for 2 other sports games, and another mishmash.
I really need to spend time organizing my saves, but then I'd need to put 4 controllers in just to do all the VMUs. Plus whenever I turn on the DC I just wanna play a game.

[DCGX]

Yeah I wasn't looking forward to doing this either, but I had a jump on it from years and years ago when I started getting more games. I honestly never thought about plugging in a second controller to move files lol That's much better than my method for moving them.

The worst part is the files that can't be moved (like Soulcalibur or Propeller Arena), so you need to put each game in for their specific file and manually save to another VMU. Luckily not too many games need this method.

[segata sanshiro]

I have a box full of VMUs and it was getting almost impossible to find anything, then i sat down with my wife and we went through everything, labeled all the vmus, made a list, printed it on paper and stuck it on the box.

[GameOverYeah]

I have three VMUs. Different colors each so I can tell them apart.

What I can't stand is that the sports games' franchise modes take up so much space so I always have to do a house cleaning if I want to start a franchise mode. Thankfully, the fighting games take up minimal space.

[krssn]

I don't... lol

[DR TEAMCAST]

If you have a broadband adapter you can use VMU tool to backup all your saves on your PC

That is one of the best perks of owning a BBA in my opinion

[OGDCFAN99]

I need to check out that VMU tool so I can backup.

I numbered all 17 of my VMU's and made a spreadsheet showing what games are on each VMU#. I never moved saves around or alphabetized anything over the years so VMU#'s 1-3 have all my original game saves from when I was a kid, etc., and #17 has all the games I got this year before I finished my set recently.

So to find a particular game save just query the spreadsheet and it spits out the correct #.

[DigiYolk]

I have built a website to accomplish this task. You can add your games and VMUs to your "collection" then mark via website which VMUs have saves for what games.

Then, when you go to play a game, just navigate to it on the website and it will tell you what VMU(s) you have saves for that game on.

dreamcastconnection.sameddyswork.com

- Sam

P.S. - Sorry it hasn't been updated in some time. I intend to update the search feature, games pagination (plan to remove it entirely, its awful), and mobile compatibility in the future.