Save size leading to corrupt saves? : IV

» Sun May 09, 2010 9:44 am

I've invested 80+ hours into my Oblivion save and the file size is peaking at around 9MB. Wrye Bash doesn't detect any bloating yet the save file seems to grow at a rather rapid rate.

I have about 115 active mods but I've seen people with far more mods, far more hours thatn 80, and a smaller save file size.

Here's my load order:

Spoiler

Masters for: Streamsave_3.ess00  Oblivion.esm01  You Are Here.esm02  All Natural Base.esm  [Version 1.0]03  Francesco's Leveled Creatures-Items Mod.esm04  Francesco's Optional New Items Add-On.esm05  Cobl Main.esm  [Version 1.72]06  Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esm  [Version 1.34]07  Mart's Monster Mod.esm  [Version 3.7b1]08  TamrielTravellers.esm  [Version 1.39c]09  FCOM_Convergence.esm  [Version 0.9.9a7]0A  Kvatch Rebuilt.esm0B  Better Cities Resources.esm0C  HorseCombatMaster.esm0D  UnnecessaryViolence.esm0E  Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp  [Version 3.2.0]0F  DLCShiveringIsles.esp10  Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch.esp  [Version 1.4.0]11  Better Cities .esp12  Francesco's Optional Chance of Stronger Bosses.esp13  Francesco's Optional Chance of Stronger Enemies.esp14  Francesco's Optional Chance of More Enemies.esp15  Francesco's Optional Leveled Guards.esp++  FCOM_Francescos.esp  [Version 0.9.9]++  FCOM_FrancescosItemsAddOn.esp  [Version 0.9.9]16  FCOM_FrancescosNamedBosses.esp  [Version 0.9.9]17  Fran Armor Add-on.esp18  Fran_Lv30Item_Maltz.esp**  All Natural - Real Lights.esp  [Version 1.0]19  All Natural.esp  [Version 1.0]1A  All Natural - SI.esp  [Version 1.0]1B  Immersive Interiors.esp  [Version 0.7]1C  Immersive Interiors - Lights Addon.esp  [Version 0.7]1D  AmbientTownSounds.esp1E  MIS.esp1F  MIS New Sounds Optional Part.esp20  PCSoundBorrodin.esp  [Version 2.6]21  WindowLightingSystem.esp22  AmbientDungeons.esp  [Version 1.3]++  Item interchange - Extraction.esp  [Version 0.76]23  Crowded Cities 15.esp24  Crowded Roads 23.esp25  Enhanced Hotkeys.esp  [Version 1.2]26  DLCHorseArmor.esp27  DLCOrrery.esp28  DLCVileLair.esp29  DLCMehrunesRazor.esp2A  DLCSpellTomes.esp2B  DLCThievesDen.esp2C  ExnemRuneskulls.esp++  FCOM_ExnemRuneskulls.esp  [Version 0.9.9]2D  Cobl Glue.esp  [Version 1.72]2E  Cobl Si.esp  [Version 1.63]2F  Bob's Armory Oblivion.esp30  FCOM_BobsArmory.esp  [Version 0.9.9]31  Oblivion WarCry EV.esp32  FCOM_WarCry.esp  [Version 0.9.9]33  Oscuro's_Oblivion_Overhaul.esp  [Version 1.34]**  OOO 1.32-Cobl.esp  [Version 1.72]++  FCOM_Cobl.esp  [Version 0.9.9]34  FCOM_Convergence.esp  [Version 0.9.9]35  FCOM_RealSwords.esp  [Version 0.9.9]36  TamrielTravellers4OOO.esp  [Version 1.39c]++  TamrielTravellersItemsnpc.esp  [Version 1.39c]37  TamrielTravellersItemsCobl.esp  [Version 1.39c]38  ShiveringIsleTravellers.esp  [Version 1.39c]++  ShiveringIsleTravellersFriendlyFactions.esp  [Version 1.39c]++  FCOM_TamrielTravelers.esp  [Version 0.9.9]39  OOO-WaterFish.esp  [Version 1.34]++  MMM-Cobl.esp  [Version 1.69]3A  Kvatch Rebuilt.esp++  Kvatch Rebuilt - OOO Compatibility.esp3B  Kvatch Rebuilt - Leveled Guards - FCOM.esp3C  Scribe Supplies.esp3D  VaultsofCyrodiilBC.esp3E  DLCBattlehornCastle.esp3F  DLCfrostcrag.esp40  FrostcragRebornCobl.esp41  ElsweyrAnequina.esp42  xuldarkforest.esp  [Version 1.0.5]43  xulStendarrValley.esp  [Version 1.2.2]44  xulTheHeath.esp45  XulEntiusGorge.esp46  xulFallenleafEverglade.esp  [Version 1.3.1]47  Anequina-Fallenleaf-Patch.esp48  xulColovianHighlands_EV.esp  [Version 1.2.1]49  xulChorrolHinterland.esp  [Version 1.2.2]4A  xulBeachesOfCyrodiilLostCoast.esp  [Version 1.6.4]4B  xulBravilBarrowfields.esp  [Version 1.3.2]4C  xulLushWoodlands.esp  [Version 1.3]4D  xulAncientYews.esp  [Version 1.4.3]4E  xulAncientRedwoods.esp  [Version 1.6]4F  xulCloudtopMountains.esp  [Version 1.0.3]50  xulArriusCreek.esp  [Version 1.1.3]51  xulPatch_AY_AC.esp  [Version 1.1]52  xulRollingHills_EV.esp  [Version 1.3.2]53  xulPantherRiver.esp54  xulRiverEthe.esp  [Version 1.0.2]55  xulBrenaRiverRavine.esp  [Version 1.0.2]56  xulImperialIsle.esp  [Version 1.6.5]57  xulBlackwoodForest.esp  [Version 1.0.4]58  xulCheydinhalFalls.esp  [Version 1.0.1]59  xulAspenWood.esp  [Version 1.0.2]5A  xulSkingradOutskirts.esp5B  xulSnowdale.esp  [Version 1.0]5C  FrostcragReborn-Snowdale patch.esp5D  OOO-Snowdale Patch.esp++  FCOM_UnofficialFranArmorAddon.esp  [Version 0.9.9]5E  P1DkeyChain.esp  [Version 5.00]5F  Salmo the Baker, Cobl.esp  [Version 3.08]60  Toggleable Quantity Prompt.esp  [Version 3.2.0]61  RealisticFatigue.esp62  SupremeMagicka.esp  [Version 0.89]63  SM_ShiveringIsles.esp  [Version 0.86]++  SM_DLCSpellTome.esp  [Version 0.80]++  SM_OOO.esp  [Version 0.89]++  SM_MMM.esp  [Version 0.89]++  SM_COBL.esp  [Version 0.86]++  SM_Scrolls.esp  [Version 0.84]++  SM_SigilStone.esp  [Version 0.83]64  MidasSpells.esp65  Midas OscuroGems.esp++  Midas Betterholy.esp++  Midas Reduced Costs Half.esp++  Mart's Monster Mod - Midas Creature Ingredients.esp66  FrostcragMidasLab.esp++  Midas PowDur3x.esp67  DeadlyReflex 5 - Combat Moves.esp++  SM_DeadlyReflex.esp  [Version 0.86]++  Item interchange - Placement for FCOM.esp  [Version 0.76]++  Item interchange - Placement for Frostcrag Reborn.esp  [Version 0.76]68  Better Cities Full.esp69  Better Cities - Unique Landscape Barrowfields.esp6A  Better Cities - Unique Landscape Chorrol Hinterland.esp6B  Better Cities - Unique Landscape Cheydinhal Falls.esp6C  Better Cities - Unique Landscape Skingrad Outskirts.esp6D  Better Cities - VWD of the IC.esp6E  Better Imperial City.esp6F  Better Imperial City FPS Patch.esp  [Version 4.7.0]70  Better Cities Full FPS Patch.esp71  Duke Patricks - Magic you can believe in.esp72  UnnecessaryViolence.esp++  Cobl Filter Late MERGE ONLY.esp  [Version 1.53]**  All Natural - Indoor Weather Filter For Mods.esp  [Version 1.0]73  Bashed Patch, 0.esp74  Oblivion Graphics Extender Support.esp  [Version 0.2]75  Streamline 3.1.esp

I do run several large mods like FCOM, its components, UL Landscapes, and Better Cities. I indeed use BOSS to sort out my load order.

So does a 9MB save file sound right at this point? 9MB is rather close to the critical mass of 10MB, any way I can decrease it?
I can certainly disable the large mods but I'd rather search for a solution around deactivating it first...

» Sun May 09, 2010 10:35 am

Whats wrong with 9MB? Why is 10MB the "critical mass"? Sounds fine to me for time played and number of mods.

» Sun May 09, 2010 5:48 am

What's going on is the natural state of saves. As you do more, the amount of info that the game needs to save increases. How many Animals, Bandits, Marauders, and the like were spawned in the cells you travelled to between saves? How many of those were killed? What were they wearing? What condition are they in now? What did you take? What did you explore so the game knows where to remove the Fog of War? What's in your inventory? What quests did you do? whats your health level at? What's in your inventory, and what's equipped on you? Do you have any spells? Did you use any stores? What are in the containers that you looted? Did you leave any unlooted? Did you not take everything from some? What time of day is it? How many skill increases did you have? Did you level? Where are all the NPCs that have schedules? How many stores need to be reset? How many containers need to be reset? How many spawn points need to be reset?

That's all I can think of that the game needs to track. That's probably only scratching the surface, however.

» Sat May 08, 2010 8:56 pm

There is indeed a limit at which save file size can cause problems like performance decrease and bugs up to the point where the save game stops working. There is no definitive size limit that applies to all players/systems/save games. But tests have shown that save games above ~10mb usually cause a (noticeable) performance drop, save games above ~15mb usually cause bugs/anomalies (and even worse performance) and save games above ~20mb will usually be unplayable. Like already mentioned results will vary. Some people can still play with 20mb save games, other people will have unplayable saves with 15mb.

It is generally a good idea to stay below 10mb. My save games with around 100 active mods (some of them very large mods) are all below 5mb (some of them with a level 27 char with 60+ hours playtime).

I'd watch the save game - as long as it stays around 10mb (11 or even 12mb most likely won't kill your game either) or below everything is fine. If the file size comes close to 15mb I'd try to remove some mods or look for mods that may cause bloat.

EDIT: You have a good amount of mods that add lots of items, NPCs etc to the game world. Like FCOM, Anequina, Better Cities. Once you've visited most locations in the game world the save game size will stop increasing. At 80+ hours you've probably explored most of the world already (= visited most locations at least once for a short visit). In that case I wouldn't worry. But if most of the world is still uncharted territory you might get problems in the long run.

» Sun May 09, 2010 10:32 am

Hmmm I supposed that the mods like FCOM can add significant size to the save, but I haven't even entered the shivering Isles or even explore the Providence of Elyswer yet. I still have a lot of playing left in this game... =(

The main problem I am having with tmy save game is the corrupt save. The game is seriously unplayable because of my inability to create a stable, loadable save, which means I won't be able to make progress in the game.

It's happened to all three of my other playthroughs, but what causes a corrupt save? And in my case, how exactly should I continue to play?

» Sat May 08, 2010 10:14 pm

Don't use auto/quick saves. Don't overwrite your hard saves.

I create a NEW save every time I save, and have never had one get corrupted. I have a rather long load list as well.

» Sun May 09, 2010 3:12 am

Don't use auto/quick saves. Don't overwrite your hard saves.

I create a NEW save every time I save, and have never had one get corrupted. I have a rather long load list as well.

Sadly, I follow these precautions, and my game saves will still corrupt =(
I used Streamline to save, but now I've reverted to making hard-copy saves instead of using the streamsave feature.