Are Map tiles eventually cleared?

[rudy]

Hello,

My save file size is nearing 3GB, and I'm wondering if tile data is cleared if you do not visit a square for long enough.

I'm aware of the "clear everything except for the place you are in" trick, but that's a last resort.

[PALU]

Map maintenance, whether triggered manually or automatically, should clear out much of the unessential data from tiles.

[rudy]

how do I trigger it manually, please?

[rudy]

Nevermind, found it. That helped a lot, thanks!

[Buoidda]

:
I'm aware of the "clear everything except for the place you are in" trick, but that's a last resort.

This caught my interest. What is it? How do I do it?

[rudy]

:
I'm aware of the "clear everything except for the place you are in" trick, but that's a last resort.

This caught my interest. What is it? How do I do it?

First, back up your save before trying!

But then you load your game, and go to the location you want to save (presumably your home). Zoom in.

While the game is open, delete the three zoom files from your savegame folder.

Zoom out.

You should now have three new zoom files, but they will only contain the maps that were loaded when you zoomed in (generally the tile you were on, and the adjacent tiles to it).

This resets everything else, including villages, people, and your relationships with those villagers, note.

[JP_Finn]

For anyone else wondering how to start manual map maintenance: press keyboard 7

[Buoidda]

I wonder if that 'clearing zoom files'-trick could be used to flush out modded, outdated flora? (Flora with different specifications than those found in current flora*.txt files.) @Sami @Erkka

[Erkka]

I wonder if that 'clearing zoom files'-trick could be used to flush out modded, outdated flora?

I have no answer to this, for I'm not familiar with the related section of code. Sami only knows. He might answer one day when he has time, or then this is left for modders to find out by experimenting 

[Sami]

I wonder if that 'clearing zoom files'-trick could be used to flush out modded, outdated flora? (Flora with different specifications than those found in current flora*.txt files.) @Sami @Erkka

It doesn't affect to that, or any other game data. Just removes the map at the said location.

[paulkorotoon]

I wonder if that 'clearing zoom files'-trick could be used to flush out modded, outdated flora? (Flora with different specifications than those found in current flora*.txt files.)

I would recommend not to mess with save files (or even manual map maintenance, @rudy). Without a backup, at least. I once got my save broken after hitting 7 (can't recall though, was it 3.62 of 3.63). And once I played with ZOOM*.DAT files, and somehow literally wiped two settlements out of the world.

AFAIK, the game performs map maintenance automatically, when it's really needed.

[JP_Finn]

I'd think Sami would like a copy of the save that was broken/corrupted by manual map maintenance. I've never had issues with it, since it was added several versions ago. And I use it at least everytime when ground colors change.

[paulkorotoon]

I'd think Sami would like a copy of the save that was broken/corrupted by manual map maintenance. I've never had issues with it, since it was added several versions ago. And I use it at least everytime when ground colors change.

It's been a while... Most probably it was not even 3.62, because as far as I recall, I wasn't a forum member yet. I suppose it was version 3.5*. No backups left, unfortunately.