Every game having a bloated file issue is out of my league, so admins will hopefully help you with that. However, I can share my general experience w/ bloated save files.

If the file is already bloated when you download the save game, you can use Andruh's fix for the bloated save file bug and that will reduced the save file size.

For more info, this is what Andruh posted in one of my games:

"I created a method of treating bloating file. See my last comments here: http://multiplayerrobot.com/Game#362.

Now everyone can treat bloating file using my mod: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=267554865."


To prevent bloating the save file yourself, you should do one of the following:
1) restart Civ V game between every turn
2) uncheck the DLCs, hit ok, let the game configure, check the DLCs hit OK, let the game reconfigure, before you load any save.
3) when you start the Civ V game, uncheck all the DLCs; then every time you load a game, it will automatically go to configuration mode to adjust for the save file. This is pretty much same as option #2 but requires you do the unchecking of DLCs only once, therefore I always use option #3. I am told that only unchecking the expansions (GnK and BNW) is enough, no need to uncheck all the DLCs, but I uncheck them all anyway to be on the safe side.

I use option #3, but just unchecking BNW and G&K, and I watch the folder while I'm playing, and the filesizes are always in line with what they should be.

I do find though - my civ crashes quite often when I'm trying to return to my main menu after playing a turn.

The thing to remember is, the bloating check is GMR's protection/prevention so that the file sizes do not climb too high, causing people to not be able to play the game anymore.

Yes, I can confirm that it is sufficient to uncheck only G&K and BNW in #3. This causes an unloading of corresponding DLLs and therefore clears the memory from bloat.
Ayubalugu, thanks for promoting my mod. I still often get bloated saves when my turn occurs. We need to allow more players know about it - as long as, I hope, 2K will release an update which will be contain fix for the bloating bug.

Thank you guys for this VERY helpfull information.

@ Rillithain: I think these informations (with the uncheck DLC's hint, or the unbloat-mod) should be added to the FAQ section. Most players will have a look in the FAQ when experiencing first problems.

As this issue came up again in one of my games, I thought it would be a good idea to bump this thread so that players can learn how to prevent bloating and also how to fix an already bloated save file.

Pinned as this is a great resource to help people with this all too common issue. Thank you all for your continued support and keep up the great work guys!

I check that issue and see that save files differs to 1-2 kb. So, seems it was fixed.
At least you shouldn't close civilization every time. You should exit to main menu after saving your turn.

Just to provide a more clear instruction, here is the rewrite of the steps of the best/fastest option to prevent bloating:

When you start the Civ V game, go to the DLC menu from the Main Menu, uncheck the expansions (GnK and BNW, no need to uncheck the DLCs) (you need to do it only once per game session, meaning that next time you launch Civ V, you will have to do it again);

then every time you load a game, it will automatically go to configuration mode to adjust for the expansions needed for that save file.

When you are done playing your turn, hit Next Turn, save your game and submit to GMR.

Then you should go to Main Menu (which will cause the game to unload the DLLs as the expansions were unchecked and it needs to go back to the no expansion configuration).

This unloading of the DLLs will prevent bloating.

I found what I previously posted on a game's comments and thought these detailed steps can be useful for players who need to run the fix to unbloat a save file:

Assuming you have the "Save File Unbloat Fix" and "Custom Advanced Setup Screen" mods AND do NOT have any other mod that replaces DLL (because there may be only one mod with DLL replacement as far as I know)

After you start CIV 5 and as usual, go to the DLC and uncheck G&K and BNW (this step is the precaution, not the fix of unbloat), in the "Main menu"

1) Click "MODS"

2) Make sure that both "Save File Unbloat Fix" and "Custom Advanced Setup Screen" are enabled (to be on the safe side I would disable all other mods, if you really like to have other mods enabled, you can enable them after you do the unbloat fix)

3) Click "NEXT"

4) Confirm that "MODS" window came up and shows these "Mods in use"

5) Right after clicking "NEXT" in Step 3, Click "SINGLE PLAYER" in the menu that appearred (Do NOT go back to the Main Menu to enter Single Player from there!)

6) Click "CUSTOM GAME"

7) Click "Load Hotseat Game" on the left list

8) Click "LOAD MOD" on the bottom right

9) Regular "Load Saved games" window will open, load the save file you want to fix

10) Once you save this game, the bloat will be fixed.

You can even immediately save the game before you play your turn, and play it later by using this fixed save. This method can be used if you want to use other mods while playing; just go back to Main Menu, disable Save File Unbloat Fix and Custom Advanced Setup Screen, enable the mods you desire, then load your fixed save file.

Usually, what I do is, just play my turn, hit "Next Turn" and save the file, then upload to GMR.