Reducing Save File Size

[zetenrisiel]

Hi all,

First I want to preface that I realize this is something everyone already probably knows but I have looked all over the internet(including these boards) and haven't found anything relating to my question.

 

Short version: Is there anything I can do to reduce the size of my Saved Game?

 

Long version: I have a game with about 140hrs played and lately it's been getting a bit unstable. I used Wrye Bash to check for bloat but it found none. It's not a huge deal, it only occasionally CTD's on fast travel and it always CTD's on exit( Which I don't mind because I'm already done playing). The problem is I already got a corrupted install once before because I didn't take care of the problem and I don't want this to happen again.

 

I have a Castle Mod with pretty much every Enchanted Item I've ever found on display as well as any CM partners I could find. I was just wondering if there was anything I could delete ingame that would reduce the size of my file. I don't have the ability to read my save file so I don't know what is in there, but it seems that there must be something I can do to trim the fat a bit, especially since I'm sporting the same gear I pretty much started with.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice, even if it's "tough luck, pal".

 

 

edit: if anyone was curious the current save is about 4200kb

Edited January 30, 2011 by zetenrisiel

[Hickory]

You have a remarkably small save file for 140 hours of game play -- a typical save game size right out of the Imperial Sewers at the start of a game (with my setup) is around 2-2/5 Mb -- and to have Wrye Bash declare there is no bloating (NULL references) is another plus. My current save game size is 8.5 Mb, and I probably don't have 140 hrs play time.

 

Crashing to desktop or freezing on exit is virtually the norm for Oblivion. This can be eliminated with weOCPS and Fast Exit.

 

Regarding the actual reducing of your save file, if you want to preserve it's integrity and everything in it, there is no way (that I know of) to do this. The save game file stores every location, every item, every NPC, every quest (you get the picture) and their states, not to mention the myriad of internal clocks/timers/counters etc. As you add mods, and as your game progresses, so does the size of the save file. That's just the way it goes.

[zetenrisiel]

Thanks for the info, I always thought it was some big secret that everyone knew and nobody talked about.

 

As to my file size, I run a very small list of mods now simply because last time I went crazy with armors and had a lv30 character end up being unplayable. So now I am very picky, only loaded enough armor mods for what I am currently playing, and staying away from many larger mods.

 

As a sidenote, I was able to knock out about 300kb by deleting Glimmerstone Castle, along with the hundreds of peices of gear and NPC that I had filled it with. not really a worthwhile tradeoff, but I don't want to turn it back on now in case it messes anything up.

 

Thanks again for your reply :)