What's the deal with replays?

[jmjb]

What's the deal with replays? I went to watch a replay from just a week ago, and because my smash updated to 1.1.0 my replays from just one version earlier no longer work? I was aware that replays from the very beginning didn't work after the first update, but I didn't know this was STILL an ongoing thing.. what.. why.. so all of our memorable matches, and saved footage will be blocked after each update? what is this.. I had thought that at least I could export my saves to my SD card, I could move them to my computer or phone and watch them, but a little searching suggests only pictures can be exported (on a non modified Wii U).
What's the deal with this.. I had been saving memorable videos on the weekends my brother comes home to visit.. I went to watch one of our matches this morning, and I see every single replay I've ever saved is blocked.. what the heck.......
Does anyone have anything to say on this subject? I'm more sad than upset.. For me and my brother these are our 'home videos', and I feel like I've just had them ripped from my hands.. =/

 

[L1N3R1D3R]

Sadly, any new update that changes any fighter's moves will make the last update's replays unwatchable. The reason is that the game records your inputs rather than a video of the match, and so if certain attacks work differently, the replay can change the results if a different patch is used. Luckily, now that you can upload replays to YouTube, losing replays shouldn't be too big of an issue, just remember to do it as soon after you save them as possible.

 

[Axel311]

Can old replays be made viewable again if you delete the last patch? Or are they lost forever?

 

[NGUY (guitarstage)]

Dont know. Oh well you just have to move on

 

[Mario & Sonic Guy]

Can old replays be made viewable again if you delete the last patch? Or are they lost forever?

Sadly, they're lost forever, as the game will NOT let you access your game data without the newest update. Also, replays that you upload onto YouTube can only be up to 3 minutes long, so uploading a 10-minute replay is out of the question.

 

[Axel311]

Sadly, they're lost forever, as the game will NOT let you access your game data without the newest update. Also, replays that you upload onto YouTube can only be up to 3 minutes long, so uploading a 10-minute replay is out of the question.

*sigh*

Thanks for clarifying. I've been holding onto all my old replays with the thought of deleting the latest patch and saving them via capture card. Guess I'll go delete them tonight

 

[Rhydon65]

I've lost too many golden moments because of this. Does anyone know where I can find a device that can record my TV screen?

 

[Axel311]

I've lost too many golden moments because of this. Does anyone know where I can find a device that can record my TV screen?

A capture card doesn't record the TV screen directly, but it will record any gameplay on the Wii U. I use this: http://www.amazon.com/Elgato-Captur...8&qid=1439569533&sr=8-1&keywords=capture+card

 

[jmjb]

*sigh*

Thanks for clarifying. I've been holding onto all my old replays with the thought of deleting the latest patch and saving them via capture card. Guess I'll go delete them tonight

I don't think you should delete your replays just yet, in the future it may be possible to export the replay file, whether by Nintendo hand, or a dev. if you can get your replay file to an SD card or USB device, you could put it in a wii u with an earlier version.

on a separate note, you bring up a good point that the game just plays the match inputs again, which is why characters who used moves that were modified, cannot do that same move to play that replays again.
with that in mind, does that mean if I had a match using (for example) mii gunner vs megaman, and neither megaman nor mii gunner had any skills modified, that replay would be viewable?
if that's true, that's a really solid way to verify which characters were changed/unchanged after a patch.
it might be more accurate that it goes by move, so you could have a match where you only did an up air, and save the replay with the name "up air",and so on with all of a characters moves, then when you update your game and go to your replays, and see "up air" is grayed out, but other moves aren't you'll know that "up air" was 100% modified.

 

[Xermo]

with that in mind, does that mean if I had a match using (for example) mii gunner vs megaman, and neither megaman nor mii gunner had any skills modified, that replay would be viewable?

If there's any sort of change that affects characters, the replays become unviewable, even if the content of the replay depicts a character that wasn't changed.

Besides, we can already data mine patches for any changes.