Major Issue - Save File Bloat : V - Skyrim

» Thu May 31, 2012 6:14 pm

I haven't heard of a save going above 15-20 megs without it being some kinda mod issue causing it..... Just saying :confused:

As far as cleaning it up goes I really think once its that big you will be able to "de-bloat" much. Those various mods that "de-bloat" I believe will only prevent more clutter from occuring. I can also say firshand that the resting for 30+ in game days in your house w/ de-bloat mods enabled still doesn't do much sadly.

Lucky for me I'm not one to install 100+ mods like some of you... Im happy with my highres textures, unoffical skyrim patch and skyUI thats it for me :biggrin:

lvl 45 archmage 137 hours (according to steam) 9meg save

» Thu May 31, 2012 4:01 pm

It is suggested many times that the reason for the bloating is an increase in the papyrus-section of the savegame (Such is the case for myself aswell). More specifically, left-over scripts from uninstalled mods. I'm not knowledgeable enough about this to delve into it further, but I would think that being able to clean up these, and the error messages they must be creating in the papyrus log, would be a good start to solving this problem.

Bethesda's engine cannot clean up scripts when you uninstall a mod. Say you have a mod that puts a script in a particular piece of apple. After you uninstall the mod, that apple will still have the script attached to it.

This means that with every mod that you install, unless they are the "non-gameplay enhancing" aesthetic mods, as some quest modder calls 'em, they WILL increase your save file, and it will be like that until you start a new game, not placing of scripts in the first place.

I do not know whether it applies to objects that the modder specifically create (for example, if it creates a new object in a new dungeon, which will be gone when you uninstall). But it'd be best for now to think "yes"

» Thu May 31, 2012 8:43 pm

So is it possible to create a script cleaner? for save games?

» Fri Jun 01, 2012 1:55 am

Just started noticing that myself. My saves used to be around 5mb. Lately I've been having really weird stuff happen, including random CTDs, and just noticed that my saves are now running around 15mb.

» Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:41 am

Bethesda's engine cannot clean up scripts when you uninstall a mod. Say you have a mod that puts a script in a particular piece of apple. After you uninstall the mod, that apple will still have the script attached to it.

This means that with every mod that you install, unless they are the "non-gameplay enhancing" aesthetic mods, as some quest modder calls 'em, they WILL increase your save file, and it will be like that until you start a new game, not placing of scripts in the first place.

I do not know whether it applies to objects that the modder specifically create (for example, if it creates a new object in a new dungeon, which will be gone when you uninstall). But it'd be best for now to think "yes"

Good info here. Thanks. I had an idea about some of this before but it makes better sense to me now and I know to keep my script mods at a minimum (which I have been anyway).